Digital Gee

My new low-end xc Trek 3900, which I love, came with Bontrager tires. On the tires it says Bontrager Connection Trail B 26 x 2.0. I got to thinking about my tires today on my ride, and wondered what the consensus is on this brand, and perhaps even on this model. I know it's got to be a low-end tire given the bike, but overall, what would you say about it?

Oh, and if I am lucky enough never to have a flat tire from road hazards, what's the life expectency for tires like these? All I know is car tires are rated for x,000 miles. What about bike tires? A thousand miles? More? Less?

thanks!

Totoro

My Bontrager Race Lite lasted less than 100 miles. Replaced it with low end Hutchinson.

al-wagner

I have Bontrager race lite tires on my road bike. And I have over 1000 miles on them with no problems yet....

Gienek

I got Bontrager Race lite on my Trek 5200, at 640 miles they are still taking care of me.

Joeagain

I have one Bontrager Select Invert Hardcase, with probably 800 or so miles on it, and have no complaints. I inflate it to a little less pressure than I usually do for a front tire, but that's what I expected when I bought it.

As long as it holds air and isn't defective, almost any (street) tire is good enough for around town stuff, which is probably what you're doing with it, (given the bike type).

To answer your questions, a) the tires you have are probably good enough for whatever you're doing, (I'm assuming you're not doing anything extreme), and b) bike tires have different durability standards for different types, but you can expect anything midmarket to last over 1000 miles, (of course it depends on what you're doing with it. Obviously a 150 lb. person will get more mileage than a 250 lb. person.).

I just looked them up and they appear to be a hybrid tire. Is this it? If you're going to be riding mostly on the street, you'll get a better ride and feel with a more street based tire. This would be a great tire for rail trails or something like crushed limestone, but don't think it's necessary to switch unless you really have extra money laying around. These are decent tires, going by those reviews. They're also pretty wide and will give a comfortable ride, which looks like what you're after going by your previous post, (twenty miler).



Joe

my58vw

Bontrager race lites... to lite for me... kept on getting flats, and a slit tire... went to vitorrias and never looked back.

Digital Gee

Thanks, Joe. Good link, and I think that's the tires. I'll keep 'em for now and perhaps try something thinner and more "street" when these wear out.

Appreciate everyone's input!

G-Unit

I've never seen anyone selling Bontrager tires as aftermarket items, usually they come stock on the Trek/Fisher/Lemond bikes.

seely

All Trekmondisher dealers sell aftermarket Bontrager stuff. The tires are nice, pretty much same as any other tire in their respective price ranges, and the one drawback is they tend to be very hard to get on a rim, especially a Bontrager rim. Typically on my road bikes I get 1,500 out of a rear tire, and up to 2,500 on a front. My crappy steel bead Conti 2000's I got for $15 lasted me 2,500 all around with a trip to Australia (without a single flat) thrown in there. My kevlar bead 2000's have proven much more delicate.

cryogenic

Perhaps they used a different compound rubber on the kevlar beaded version? Or are they from different model years and maybe they used a different compound from one year to another?

rule

The regular Race X Lites that came with my bike have started to pick up punctures after about 1,200 miles on them. I switched to Race Lite Hardcases and so far am liking them a lot better for a reliable and fast training tire.

will dehne

I am using Bontrager Select Invert K 700 x 38 C for at least 5000 miles on very harsh lime stone trails. 80 PSI and lots of pot holes and I weigh 195 pounds and go fast.
Only one flat caused by overheated condition in my trunk. I blamed Bontrager for that until this forum pointed out the hot trunk issue.
This post makes no statement about lower end Bontrager.

sswartzl

I think Trek owns Bontrager, so that's only natural.

My most recent two bikes (one in March, one about 3 weeks ago) have come with Bontragers. One's got about 800 miles on it, the other just over 200, and no problems so far.