Bontrager Race lite wheels
 

Any of you guys ride them ever? I just got a used set for cheap. 20/24 aero spoke count They are an older model which I saw some reviews about that say they are prone to cracking at the hub. I feel like some clydes in recent posts mentioned that they ride them but can't find the threads anywhere and searching on this site is a bit of a disaster. I really picked them up as an upgrade to my gf's bike. Her stock wheels weigh a ridiculous 3697grams (including tubes and tires. These bontragers weight 2949 so it's well over a pound and half reduction. She only weighs 130lbs so they should be fine. I'm wondering if I'll be able to get away using them on "race day" without issue. Probably use them for local centurys and stuff. Planning to get a good set built for myself but dying to try these out. they are only about 335 grams lighter than my current wheelset but they also have the aero spokes so I'm wondering if I'll see any benefit.

Yeah, for smaller folks, (my wife is 120ish) those kinds of wheels are fine. I just wonder (because there are no details here) if your gf is a good enough cyclist for 1 1/2 pounds to actually make a difference.

For you, I wouldnt bother, there's a point where weight reduction affects durability, and if theres so little difference I dont think its worth it.

i weigh 246 and I've been riding them 80-100+ miles per week for the past 5-6 weeks (when i weighed 255). Spoke tension is solid and no issues. I ride mainly on paved trail and I only hit one or two dips where I cringe, but so far no issues.

she has caught up to me pretty fast. she doesn't like going crazy fast down hills but i'm sure this will help her stay with me a bit better on the flats. FWIW, I've made tire changes that took 200 grams off of each tire and felt a VERY noticeable difference so i'm quite sure that taking .8 pound off of each wheel will help her.

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews. A lot of heavier riders saying they were fine and others of all weights saying they had cracks in hubs. How old are yours? I know mine are not the latest and greatest with the red freehub mine are an older model

Lots of mixed reviews, broken spokes seem to be the norm with these wheels. Keeping the tension spot on should help..

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wh...6_2490crx.aspx

my bike is a 2008 Trek 2.1. I check the tension every (or every other) ride just to make sure there's no issues. No loose spokes at all so far.

I have a 2010 Trek Madone 4.7 with Bontrager Race wheels and Bontrager Race Lite tires. 500 miles on it and no problems yet. I'm 5'8" and weigh 218lbs.

I also traded in my Race Lites for custom wheels... they are perfectly good but better for lighter people (200lbs or less). After a couple of broken spokes I went for something more durable. But at 130 lbs. they should be great wheels for your wife!

i took these out for a little test ride yesterday, they seemed to be okay though I have to get the rear hub checked out, a little noise coming from it and it seems a little bit loose. I'll have my lbs take a look at it today. i know I probably shouldn't ride on them at my size but I can't help myself! I guess I need to get off my ass and get a set build for myself

I just removed the rear Race Lite wheel from Gina's bike. She did get 13,000 miles out of it but I have fought with it several times. Never seemed to hold the tension for too long. Rim finally cracked so I replaced it.

At my weight, I'd totally avoid the wheel. After I replaced it with a Deep V, she said now she can tell that the wheel was wimpy and flexy. She sat on the V and said "this wheel is stiff and responsive". FTR, she doesn't read the many forum "this wheel is blah blah blah" threads. so I tend to believe her when she say she feels a difference in a component.:D I offered to build the Dura Ace hub onto a ligther rim for her but she said no, this wheel is nice!

I have some Race X lites for my Madone. They are the ones with the radial spoke front hub ( not the flanged ones that seem to have problems cracking on some wheels). But generally I think they are pretty close to the same.

I bought some 32 spoke mavic open pros on DA hubs that I ride most of the time, but I have ridden a 600 or so miles on the race x lites with no problems, and not on the best roads.
I was hoping to save these wheels for when I am sub 220, but I rode them at my current 260.
Obviously my weight reduction is not going as well as planned.

Her is a pic of Gina's nipples. See the cracks around them? She's not nearly as heavy as you but they cracked. You might not have any problems though as I'm sure she hammers out much more power than you!:roflmao2:

I've found these type cracks in 6 different sections of the rim.

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1056/rim1m.jpg

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6571/rim2u.jpg

Does Gina know you're doing this********** ;) I know my wife wouldn't be too happy...

Cracked rims like that are usually a sign of over-tensioned wheels (often machine built). Wheels on mass produced bikes are often either over or under tensioned. That's why it's always a good idea to take a new bike in after a few hundred miles and make sure they are tensioned properly.

Ive ridden my bontager selects for like 300mi and no broken or bent spokes yet. Im 190lbs... or maybe 200...

She knows me and would be happy that I took my attention off her butt for a while!:D

I must add, Gina's had 13,000+ on them so we got our money's worth out of them!:D