Hi everyone,
I am interested in buying a 2010 Trek Portland. I wish to use the bike for commuting, grocery shopping using panniers, & light touring using a combination of rear panniers & a trailer. The only parts of the bike that I see as unsuitable for these activities are the wheels & tires. The “stock” wheels are Bontrager SSR Disc & the tires are Bontrager Race All Weather Hard-Case, 700x28c. The spokes on the wheels & the tires seem insufficient in number to hold heavy weight on the bike’s rear.

My LBS is willing to swap out the tires for Bontrager tires for Bontrager 700 X 32s. I would like to get sturdy touring type wheels on the bike. They say that they could custom build wheels for the bike but the cost would be high – perhaps $500 for wheel. They state that the Portland’s use of disc brakes limits my choices for sturdy, factory-built wheels. Are there other options for heavy duty wheels that they or I are overlooking? Might I be better off just buying a touring bike for the uses I want? Please let me know your recommendations.
Thanks,
Neil