hypersnazz

I've got a set of '05 Select road wheels with just about 1000 miles on 'em, and under any lateral load (out of the saddle climbing, accelerating), they creak something awful, particularly the front. I've already lubed the nipples to no avail so tomorrow I'm going to take them in, throw them in the stand and double check tension and true 'em up real nice while I'm at it.

Before (or while) I do, anyone else seen this problem on other Bontrager wheels, Select or otherwise? After digging up a couple reviews I've learned that I'm not the first to complain about them, but the reviewers tended to choose the "buy new wheelset" resolution. I'm going to be building a new wheelset eventually, but I'd like to feel confident that I made the stock wheels work for whatever they are. The wheels don't seem very stiff, and I'd imagine they're not (I only weigh about 175), but is creaking just a fact of life? What about Bontrager's higher end stuff?

sweeperdave

I put together a parts bike with Bontrager Race Lites and discovered my front wheel is creaking. I confirmed it by switching the wheel to another frame and riding it.
I've tried some solutions but think the source may be at the hub/spoke interface. Regardless, I'll let you know if a solution works. Also, if you've discovered a solution, please share!

DiabloScott

Frequently wheel creaking is caused by aluminum nipples that get a little corroded.
Annoying as hell, not dangerous, although you might crack a nipple eventually.
I had this exact problem with some Bont Race Lites.
Brass nipples go on any wheels I ride when it's not perfect weather.

sweeperdave

I finally excised the creak from my Bontrager Race Lite wheel. Earlier I determined the source of the creak was, indeed, the front wheel after I switched it to another bike and heard the same annoying creak at every rotation of the wheel as I rode. I suspected that a spoke or nipple was not fully seated in the spoke/hub connection or spoke/nipple/rim connection so I dabbed a bit of lube on all the synapses. The creak remained. Because I'm a kick-it-once-or-twice kinda guy, I took the bike on a ride through a non-paved but graded roadway to shake the shakes out of the front tire. And, voila!, I was speaking French with an exclamation mark. Also, I was happy to hear that the creak had disappeared. Today was my first silent ride on that wheel set.