Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase

Price Paid:  $40.00 at Bike World, Des Moin

Favorite Ride:
Raccoon River Valley trail

Bike Setup:
1984 to spring 2006, Trek 520, 21" stock, 33,000 miles. Spring 2006 Trek 520, 19", Brooks saddle Salsa SUL Stem 110 mm, planet bike fenders, cane creek drop V levers, lights, trek bag, lots of little accessories

Summary:
Excellent tire on my Trek 520 2006 Touring Bike, 5800 miles into these tires, no flats. Did have to retape and deburr my Trek wheels. Wearing well.

Strengths:
Fast for touring tires, run at 110Lb on my Rennkompressor pump. Good comfort, low rolling resistance, great wear, not many cuts. No road glass has worked it's way through.

Weaknesses:
Scary in the rain on asphalt, skids turning at 13-14 mph, had to slow to 10 mph on curvy asphalt in the rain.

Similar Products Used:
panaracer pacala, conti's low end

Price Paid:  $45.00 at Sports Outdoors

Favorite Ride:
Sandia Crest

Bike Setup:
UCI Pro Tour model, all the best components.

Summary:
I was looking for a tire to protect my $3000 carbon rims. I cared most about puncture resistance, riding on dry pavement (lived in the desert), and fast descents. Local bike shop swore by these, so I put them on my $10k bike. I weigh 200 lbs and ride hard.

3 years and 4000 miles later, not a SINGLE flat. if you haev ridden in ABQ, you know what Goatheads are. I was picking them off the tires without issue...also pryed some glass shards out of the tread, and superglued the slices back together...again, no problems. I just couldn't go past 120 PSI.

When the tires failed, the sidewalls started to separate. That was after 3 years. Some chunks missing from the tread, but that is expected.

Overall, the best training tire I have ever used in a DRY environment. I would give them 5 stars in that climate. If you train in the rain, DO NOT buy these tires...and that's my problem now and looking for a different replacement.

Strengths:
- have lasted OVER 4000 miles
- not a single flat
- stable up to 45 mph
- good dry traction
- reasonably smooth ride
- high PSI (up to 120)
- gray/black adds a little color
- held together for 3 years !!

Weaknesses:
- not good in the rain. actually quite scary trying to corner in the rain.
- when they fail, they fail completely.
- sidewalls will separate if you ride at 120 psi for too long
- annoying rolling resitance, but hey, that's a good thing when training !!

Similar Products Used:
all the major players

Price Paid:  $34.00 at Haymarket Bicycles (

Favorite Ride:
W&OD Path from Vienna, VA to beyond Ashburn, VA and return.

Summary:
It's a tire for the 90% of us who don't/can't race, since it's heavier than many racing tires. But, hey, it's quiet and high pressure (compared to other tires that the other 90% of us who don't/can't race use). I would buy them all over again. They're a bargain.

Strengths:
* Quiet
* Affordable
* No flats at all
* High pressure (I use 100 psi)
* Pressure is rated up to 120 psi
* I can "fly" around corners at 15 or 16
mph!
* My friends think I'm a great rider
because my tires are imported

Weaknesses:
* No tread, so stability in the rain is a
factor

Price Paid:  $85.00 at Dick Sonnes my LBS

Favorite Ride:
40mile loops from home

Bike Setup:
2007 Scott CR1 carbon, with all the fixings, wheels bontrager race XXX lite carbon clinchers.

Summary:
I alternate my bikes mtn bike and road bike 3 or 4 times a week. I ride 35 to 40 mile loops and every time had one or two flats EVERY SINGLE RIDE. Tried a variety of tires with no relief. I put these on and just feel confident, no flats, comfortable tire. They are a little firmer than all my Michelins but no flats so far and have been over many small rocks = tire killers. So far so good, very pleased. My road bike now gets a lot more ride time..

Strengths:
Great at speeds, comfortable for a thick tire, smooth rolling. Oh and no flat yet...

Weaknesses:
None so far I haven't had a flat yet...

Similar Products Used:
Michelin pro race2 and krylion, and tire strips.

Price Paid:  $45.00 at Livermore Cyclery

Favorite Ride:
Tomorrow's

Bike Setup:
Urban Pursuit

Summary:
Based on the performance I got from using them on my tourer I put 25's on my "Cafe Racer". Perfect compromise between tough and fast, and a much sleaker tire than Marathons. Perfect tire for a heavier rider on the street, unlike Conti's which get squirrelly under load.

Strengths:
Hold their shape, tough, fast enough, and not clunky.

Weaknesses:
Hardly a true race tire.

Similar Products Used:
Marathons, Conti's, Panaracers