Price Paid:  $0.00

Favorite Ride:
Ards Peninsula

Bike Setup:
Trek Madone 5.2

Summary:
Got the wheels factory fitted to my Madone 5.2 in Canada and brought the bike home to Ireland. Have ridden about 4000 miles now and had 5 spoke breakages in the rear wheel - 1 on the hub side and 4 on the other side. Trek suggested the wheel may be too loose. So I got it tightened. The only thing I can say is that the rate of breakage has slowed down a little. I do a lot of sportive riding and cannot trust this wheel - had to loosen off the brake cable completely to limp home each time. I used to be a fast descender - not with this rear wheel - fear of collapse. Is the wheel just badly designed with too few spokes and inherently weak or are the spokes at fault? I think its the wheel. I have switched back to my Mavic Ksyriums (which by the way have a weak hub - my son had a fall and the spoke sheared a lump from the machined hub leaving the wheel useless - try getting a replacement hub!!)

Just to be fair - the front wheel is great.

Strengths:
Good front wheel.

Weaknesses:
Rubbish rear wheel.

Similar Products Used:
Mavic Ksyrium Elites - 2 years old and no issues.

Price Paid:  $1400.00 at River City Bikes

Favorite Ride:
Rolling Hills

Bike Setup:
Trek Pilot 2.1

Summary:
I've been ridden about 250 miles on my Pilot 21 and have broken 2 spokes already. I'm 6'4, and about 285 pounds. I was told the bike would be able to handle my size.

Strengths:
I love the bike. It's fast and pretty comfortable. I don't notice a big difference in weight between mine and something that is all Carbon Fiber.

Weaknesses:
The wheels are driving me nuts. I've broken 2 spokes already.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Stock Pilot 5.0

Summary:
I upgraded to the Race Lites after my 3rd set of Bontrager Race wheels went bad in 2 years. After 170 miles, my wheel is already out of true. I suspect the design of the Race & Race Lites is just poor. I have been riding the same roads/paths for 30 years using Treks and Cannondales with no issues. I'm not sure why Trek wanted to associate with Bontrager.

Strengths:
none

Weaknesses:
Spokes work loose

Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Race

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Trek SD

Bike Setup:
stock 2008 Madone 5.2

Summary:
update from previous post on June 2. Another busted spoke on the rear wheel at the 340 mile mark and stranded me 18 miles from home. I've given up on these things. Granted, I am 215 lbs but was assured both at the initial point of purchase and after the first repair that the wheels were strong enough for me. Wheelset warrantied out for a different model.

Strengths:
lightweight. Front wheel seems alright. Perhaps a good choice for a petite rider.

Weaknesses:
Either the strength of these wheels is overstated or there is a serious defect in the manufacturing process.

Similar Products Used:
n/a

Price Paid:  $0.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Alpine Dam Route up Mt. Tam

Bike Setup:
Stock 2005 Madone 5.2

Summary:
Have had nothing but trouble with the Race Lites. I am a Clydesdale and climb a lot of big hills/mountains, but was assured these wheels were "bombproof" and could take anything I could dish out. The original 2005 Race Lites would continually go out of true, causing me to not trust my new bike on the more epic rides (2007 Death Ride). Stuck with my 2000 Trek 5200 with Neuvations for the tougher rides. Trek then convinced me that the 2008 Race Lites were "much stronger" and replaced my original set. Put just 500 miles on the new set then broke a spoke at the start of a climb. I am done with Race Lites, and now Trek changing them out under warrantee for Bontrager Classics (32 spoke). We'll see how those perform.

Strengths:
None that I can think of.

Weaknesses:
Definitely not strong enough for Clydesdales. Avoid these wheels if you are over 150 pounds!

Similar Products Used:
Neuvation low spoke count, Mavic Open Pro 32 spoke, Mavic MA3 32 spoke.