Bontrager Race Lite

Price Paid:  $600.00 at Jax in Irvine

Favorite Ride:
Tustin to Newport

Bike Setup:
2005 Trek 2100

Summary:
I purchased new Bontrager Racelite wheels as an upgrade to my older wheels that started to crack. The rear wheel spokes after 200 miles started breaking. I broke three after my last ride *(20 miles) and ended up walking the bile home. These wheels are junk.

Strengths:
Nice looking

Weaknesses:
exploding spokes

Similar Products Used:
same

Price Paid:  $0.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
bontrager racelite

Summary:
The Bontrager Racelite wheels came as standard equipment on my 2008 Trek Madone 5.2. I loved the wheels until this year. At about 3 thousand miles a spoke broke. I've never had a broken spoke in about 20 thousand miles, but broken spokes happen. Then about 300 miles later another broken spoke. That was too weird, so I googled it and found many other people with the same problem.

Strengths:
Very lite wheel, aerodynamic spokes, easy to change.

Weaknesses:
apparently, weak spokes.

Similar Products Used:
shimano race wheels. 15,000 miles with no broken spokes.

Price Paid:  $435.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Anything outside

Bike Setup:
Giant OCR Limited

Summary:
Bought these at a LBS to replace my xero lite wheels that came on my Giant (back spoke came through rim). Nice looking wheelset that was a lot lighter than the ones that they were replacing, so I was extremely happy about that. On the 2nd ride with them, back wheel started wobbling and I noticed that 2 of the spokes were SO loose I could almost pull them out. Brought back to LBS and they replaced spokes for free and sent me on my way. Rode the very next day, no wobble during ride, but upon returning home, I noticed a spoke that was getting loose. Immediately returned to LBS where I asked for a return. They agreed and I ordred a pair of ROL Race SL's...End of story.

Strengths:
Looks, maybe
Light

Weaknesses:
In my case, not durable.
Not for a "heavier" rider I guess (200lbs)

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Trek 5200 Ultegra components.

Summary:
Got these wheels on my Trek 5200 which became my "Computrainer" bike a couple of years ago. No complaints until the flange on the rear wheel cracked. Hard to figure how this happened in a trainer.

Strengths:
Worked OK until it didn't work any more.

Weaknesses:
My bike shop says they've seen many cracked flanges on these wheels.

Price Paid:  $3400.00 at race pace in ellicot

Favorite Ride:
Madone 5.2

Bike Setup:
08 Madone 5.2

Summary:
Have about 3k miles on my 08 Madone 5.2. In the last five rides I've broken a total of 3 spokes on the rear wheel. The last straw was today, 20 miles into a century ride, ping-wobble-wobble. After reading the rest of these reviews trek needs to take a serious look at putting this junk on a great bike such as the madone. I have no confidence in these rims any longer, especially on the down hills. So after spending $3,400 on a bike I have to go out and spend more money just to get a rim thats safe and functional. Bontrager is willing to warranty the rim according to the bike shop, however I want nothing to do with these things. I'm tired of being stranded! I'm 6'4" and 215 lbs however I was told that these things would hold that weight, NOT!

Strengths:
Look good if thats what your into.

Weaknesses:
Flexy rim, constant broken spokes and comes out of true often.