GeorgeBMac

I use a lot of Bontrager stuff (because I support the LBS who supports me). My experience is that it is not great quality -- but they do stand behind it and back it up with excellent warranty support.

But I am wondering if that was an equipment failure or if somewhere in its life those spokes got over-tightened? I know you said you have not had it trued -- but somewhere. Also, didn't you say the front wheel would not stay in true and the nipples were stripping out? Will Bontrager offer any help for that?)

mprelaw

I was guessing Bontrager before I got past your OP. Those cracks seem to be a common complaint.

Monoborracho

That wheel will be safe to ride, until it isn't.

JohnDThompson 

If it's a decent hub it could be worth rebuilding. In my experience, hubs outlast rims by a good margin.

Artmo 

Just had exactly the same problem with the same Bonty wheel, but mine are 8 years old and not that many miles. LBS was able to use the hub and build a wheel with a used, but good condition, Race Xlite rim for $42.

On our Trek tandem, we had the front Bontrager hub crack, so we had to buy a new wheel. Bontrager were not very helpful.

Artmo 

My solo an d tandem Bontys had never been trued. On the tandem, the spoke pulled a piece out of the hub flange.

GeorgeBMac

I am far from knowledgeable here - but my instincts are saying that those wheels were built with incorrect spoke tension.

rm -rf

My bike came with low-end Campagnolo wheels (old style Ventos) After about 15,000 miles, I felt the rear brakes pulsing from the rim being out of true. I thought the wheel just needed truing, but one of the spokes had pulled through the rim. I rode it home with no more problems. At home, I saw cracks on 4 or 5 more spoke holes. It had probably been cracked for a while. Another rider rode all summer with at least 3 or 4 cracks on his Ventos (more than I would have done!)

Some aluminum rims just get fatigue cracks after a lot of miles. But 5,000 miles is way too low. I wouldn't ride a wheel with a lot of cracked holes--one failed spoke would stress the remaining cracks and they could all go.

Last spring, I found a single spoke hole crack on my Kinlin 30 rim. I had twice hit potholes hard enough to pinch flat on night group rides during the previous few months. I was going to replace the rim, but didn't have time right away. So I kept riding it, since it was just one crack, and wouldn't cause a crash even if it started pulling out. I kept inspecting it, and the crack didn't get any worse all summer. Finally, the other side of the hole with the crack developed a second small crack, after about 2,000 miles--time to replace it. Those are strong rims.

stapfam

Have never been keen on Inhouse wheels but they have a use. 3 bikes and 4 sets of whels. Ultegra's and a set of handbuilts are on Boreas and the TCR. The Pinnie came with 501's and have not proved a problem yet but they are not up to my usual Standard. But I was wearing out good wheels riding in the winter crud so got a pair of Giant OM wheels but before using them got the wheel builder to detension and retrue the wheel before I got them. They go on any of the bikes if it is going to be a wet ride or After grit for ice.

I will relate this again but my first road bike was a lowly OCR3 and the wheels were formula hubs with Alex Rims. Went down a hill and got 30mph and I had to ease off for the "Corner". Problem was that on the MTB with knobblies I used to get 37mph and the corner was just a curve. Had a chat to the LBS and the handbuilts came along. Bought the speed back up to 37mph and the curve was taken with just a little more lean. May have had something to do with the tyres but not that much.

TomD77

I'm just finishing my 3rd year of biking and have never had top end equipment, just what would be called entry level or a notch up. Considering my age (mid-60's) and financials, I just may never. But in my roughly 15000 miles of experience to date I'd venture that, excepting tires, wheels systems represent 90% of the problems that I've had. This is my 2nd set of wheels (of 2) on this bike that has turned out defective.

I have hopes that the new wheels may be the set that I end up riding for a long while.

TomD77

Update: Just got a call from the Trek dealer and was told that Trek made it good. They just received via UPS a new set of wheels, still called Bontrager Race Lites but a total redesign from the ones I sent back. I think my new DT Swiss wheels will stay where they are, on my bike, leaving me with the decent problem of whether to sell the new Bontrager set NIB or to keep them as backup. Decisions, decisions.

But, Trek did stand good for the defective wheels even though I bought them not as part of a bicycle but from the dealer as unused takeoffs. Bravo!

Barrettscv 

Great outcome, nice to hear.

Having a second wheelset is a nice bonus. However, you might need to have the rear derailleur adjusted with each change of the rear wheel. If the hubs and cassette on the second rear wheel are the same as on the first, switching wheels is easy without an adjustment, in most cases.

It might make sense to sell the Trek wheelset while it's new and in the box.

GeorgeBMac

That's great! Congratulations!

Like I have said: Trek / Bontrager may not sell the best equipment in the world -- but they stand behind it well. That has been my experience and my LBS pushes me towards it on general purchases because he knows that if I have a problem he will be able to take care of it. It makes him feel secure in selling it because he knows that I won't get burned.