Bontrager Classics 32 Spoke Clincher

Price Paid:  $200.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Open Road

Bike Setup:
1982 Fuji Royal 27 Inch Frame
Original Sun Tour Derailleurs and Friction Shifters
Bontrager Aurora Wheel set 700c
Bontrager Race Crankest
Speedplay Zero Chrome-Moly pedals
Crane Creek Levers
Bontrager Race Light Shoes
Sram 8 speed Cassette and Chain

Summary:
Great set of reasonably priced wheels. Held of better then anything else I have used including my mountain wheel set and that is saying something considering my size (225 6'4"). Strayed reasonable true through first 1000 miles. Set them back to perfectly true at that point they have not moved since then, 2000+ miles. Sticks with the basic concept of having two of three qualities when it comes to strength, weight, and price. Definitely strong and well priced but not light.

Strengths:
Very strong traditional wheelset. Nothing fancy here. Seemingly reliable set up 2000+ miles.

Weaknesses:
Not the lightest things in the world but I expect nothing less from a solid 32 spoke 3 cross wheel.

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Cycle City Bikes, Al

Favorite Ride:
Alpine Loop up Mt. Tam

Bike Setup:
Stock Madone 5.2.

Summary:
Kept trashing the rear Bontrager Race Lites that came stock on my 2005 Madone, and after several replacements of like wheels, Trek finally swapped out the Race Lites for these Classics. Noticeably heavier on the first ride, I quickly got used to them and figured strength and reliability were paramount to light weight, particularly if rear wheel failure left me stranded in the middle of nowhere.

These wheels have stood up to my riding (still a Clydesdale) and have remained true for 1,000+ miles, and that's all I can ask out of a wheelset.

If you are having trouble with stock wheelsets on your Madones, consider asking your LBS to swap out the low spoke count wheels to these, since they are comparably priced with the Race Lites.

Strengths:
After many problems with Race Lites, good to have a strong wheelset that doesn't break spokes.

Weaknesses:
Heavier than the stock wheels, but only weight weenies care about that.

Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Race Lites, Neuvation M28s, Mavic Open Pro 32s.