Submitted by
Misha
a Cross Country Rider
from Israel
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2012
Strengths: Low weight
Weaknesses: Bend easily
Bottom Line:
I bought a used Trek 8000, from a cross country rider, who is terrified even by jumping from pavement. Checked the bike by myself and in a shop.
The front wheel bended when i was jumping over a rock (2 inches, NOT a drop), on a known trails where i ride for 5 years and never had any problems with Mavics on other bikes or on my friends bikes. I weigh 75 kg. Broken collar bone and 4 month without riding.
Strengths: Tubeless, improved stiffness over stock wheelset on 08 Specialized FSRxc. Didn't weigh them but think they are a little lighter. Spin smooth.
Weaknesses: Difficult to mount tire.
Bottom Line:
Only one trailride on them yet, and with tubes in. I look forward to trying them with tubeless setup. Non tubeless Captains sealed up well with Stans. No need for heavy UST. Look forward to a quality kevlar bead tire for even more weight loss. These wheels pedal and handle great. Feels more connected to my input. I got alot of extra value because I caught them on first hours of clearance at LBS. Scooped them up fast. I would have given them a higher overall if there were a more clear weight advantage over my stock rims. May not be fair. I don't know if tubeless wheels add weight for the design. I don't think I could have done better for $250.
Similar Products Used: DT Swiss 445 with Deore and stout hubs.
Bike Setup: Mostly stock FSRxc expert 2008. Used Stans sealant to convert wirebead stock Captains to tubeless.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Todd23
a Cross Country Rider
from Greendale, WI, USA
Date Reviewed: November 10, 2009
Strengths: Light, fast, stays true with little maintenance
Weaknesses: Some flex (although I am over 200 lbs!)
Bottom Line:
Nice, light wheel that has served me well for 7 years. I don't abuse my bike but I'm no pu$$y either. Rim finally started to crack, and one spoke started to pull through. Not bad for that long of a service life.
Submitted by
Ride100Miles
a Racer
from Hudson Valley, NY
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2009
Strengths: I have a set of Bonrager Race X-Lite road wheels that developed a cracked flange and hub shell. Bontrager's other aluminum rim road wheels have had problems with stress cracks on the rims near the spoke eyelets.
Since a cracked hub can lead to a crash and injury, I have initiated the product recall process with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you have also experienced cracked flanges, hub shells, or rims, especially if they lead to crash, email The CPSC or fill out a form online at:
http://www.cpsc.gov/
info@cpsc.gov
With strength in numbers we'll get safer wheels on our bikes.
Similar Products Used: Vuelta XRP Comp, Shimano WH-R560, HED Jet
Bike Setup: Road bike with ultegra
Carbon Fiber Time Trial
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
mordecai113
a Racer
from springfield, Illinois
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2009
Strengths: Sweet Hub, Smooth ride at high speeds, Very Aero.
Weaknesses: After appx 18 months, was riding flat terrain. Real wheel came out of true. Had to quick release the brakes to get home. 6 of the spokes on the drive side of the rear wheel have developed stress cracks. This could have been potentially serious. Remains to be seen if Bontrager will replace. It is warranted. They need to recall these wheels. The bike shop knew exactly what was up the minute I went in..happened before.
Bottom Line:
I would not recommend these wheels under any circumstances, even if they cover the warranty I will never be comfortable with them under me. These wheels need to be recalled
Bike Setup: Lemond Buenos Aires 2007 Carbon/full Ultegra Shimano 500. Bontrager Race Lite Wheels/Hubs.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
dmj
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2009
Strengths: None.
Weaknesses: Had this product less than 2 years and as others noted - cracks everywhere. Do not buy. Contacted them and they basically told me, "Tough luck."
Similar Products Used: XT, XTR, DT Swiss, LX, etc.
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher Sugar
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
jitenshakun
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2009
Strengths: They match the colour of the bike and don't weigh that much. This makes for good acceleration. The wheels have stayed true and although I weigh 200lbs the rims have stayed in 1 piece.
Weaknesses: The spokes bow out under my weight and the back wheel sounds like popcorn when I ride. One of the rims did have a bonus spoke nipple from the factory which was a pain to get out.
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't buy these aftermarket and if you're over 180lbs (I'm 200lbs) I'd swap them out if they come with your bike.
Submitted by
Cliff
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, AZ
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2008
Strengths: This review is for the Bonti RaceLite Tubeless. They're: Light, spin up quick and easy, roll forever, braking surfaces hold up good, stay true for intermediate level XC riding.
Weaknesses: Front hub flange cracked and broke
Bottom Line:
Great wheels until the front hub decided to self destruct. Scarey - Last time I rode this bike, I cranked along a fairly smooth, straight desert trail in the speed gears (11/44)thinking the weak link was the rider and if I crashed, the disaster would be my fault. Rode the bike home and parked it.
Yesterday, a week later, I rolled this bike out for a ride and the front wheel was hanging up. The front hub flange on one side had cracked and a section broken loose. Really weird failure - heating and cooling in the garage (115 degrees during the day in there)- I guess (?) finished cracking a failed area on the flange. Three spokes were "out". No reason that I can think of other than radial lacing, low spoke count, and the metal becoming brittle/fatiguing over the years on a lightweight hub. I weigh 170 lbs and don't do drops or hucks. Haven't felt the SID bottoming out. Haven't ridden Fantasy Island (some sections are rough) in the last 6 months. This front wheel has always been straight and had good spoke tension. A few years ago, it hammered through rough Blue Diamond trails quite a few times. BTW I'm a "senior" rider and split my riding between 3 or 4 bikes. Close inspection doesn't show any suspicious little dings or dents where it might have taken some kind of hit. The 3 spokes in the broken section look good. Also, although others, probably stronger riders than I am, have had trouble with the rear hubs/hoops, mine have been good using tubes other than the expected grooving from the cassette. I've never had any problems with hubs over many years and XC miles but have always used 3 cross lacing with XT/XTR level hubs and hand built by a good shop.
BE CAREFUL WITH THESE OLDER FRONT HUBS!!! I'm quiting lightweight, low count, hubs with radial lacing for intermediate level XC. Maybe worth it for the performance if racing or riding at the next level. I'm taking a spare (new) front RaceLite off the wall and down to the bikeshop to see if they recommend lacing it 2 or 3 cross with some Wheelsmith db spokes for better durability. I've never had any luck trying to get any info out of Bontrager themselves including emailing them.
Two chilis for Overall Rating because the back wheel has held up. One chili for value because I'll never ride fast on these wheels again since I don't trust them. They're going on the old, venerable hardtail and the XTR/Mavics are going on the Dakar.
Similar Products Used: XT, XTR, DT Swiss, LX, etc.
Bike Setup: Dakar XC pro, front end is SID XC with XTR rim brakes, Cane Creek S6, XTR shift brake pods. I've always run these rims with tubes rather than going with the tubless. Tires have been the larger Mutanoraptors and Fire XC Pros.
This is a review of the Bontrager Race X lite wheelset that came stock on my fully XTR equipped top of the line Trek Fuel 100. I'm a big guy, weigh close to 270lbs, and was very weary of riding these light weight wheels, let alone a very light bike with my heavy six foot frame. These wheels and the bike have held up for years, never needing to be trued (much to my surprise), and roll as smoothly as the first day I got em, to this day. I ride mostly street, but on the few occasions that I went off-road, even with my skinny MTB Maxxis 310 tires, these wheels have held up to some serious rock pounding and jumps. The front wheel is radialy laced, and I was sure I would taco is my first ride. NOPE! The rear is radial laced none-drive side, and an "offset" cross 2 pattern on the drive side.
This wheelset is for rim brakes, but now I'm looking to get a similar disc wheelset from Bontrager for my All-Mountain bike. Cheaper and made in the US, unlike some of the competition from foo-foo France, and cheap Asia. 5 Stars !!!
Similar Products Used: Shimanoo XT WH-M765, a few others.
Bike Setup: Trek Carbon Fuel 100, full XTR, with superlight Maxis 310 tires.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Barry Leslie
a Weekend Warrior
from South Africa
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2007
Weaknesses: Rim cracked with no after sales service
Bottom Line:
Inferior Bontrager Products
I bought a Trek Madone in Oct 2006 (a birthday present from me to me) prior to this I rode a Giant Cadex with Campag Veloce for 100 000 km then I bought a Trek 5200 OCLV with Ultegra and Rolf Vector wheels and road this for about 60 000 km then, I thought I would “upgrade” to a Trek Madone with Dura Ace and Bontrager RaceXLite (like in the Tour de France) well what rubbish the Bontager is, at 11 months (5000 km) the titanium seat rail broke, it was replaced 2.5 months later by The Just Fun Group after a battle. Then I noticed cracks on my back rim, I contacted the South African agents again only to find out that there is a 12 month warranty and they need proof of purchase, well I cant find my proof of purchase and it is over 12 months and will cost me about R1000 for the rim and rebuild. It seems as if these components are only made to last the 4000 km for the Tour de France.
I then went on to the Road Bike Review.Com Web site only to find out that the Bontrager rims cracking is a common problem (over 30 letters to the fact) well this just confirms Bontragers “Quality”. I feel that Bontrager should recall all these rims before they seriously injure or kill someone. I notice that one cannot contact Bontrager direct and have to work via the local agents, I feel Bontrager use these agents as a buffer to take the heat for their inferior products!!!
Submitted by
David Campos
a Racer
from Grandville Michigan
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2006
Strengths: I have both lites and xlites. I absolutely love my xlites. Fast, dependable and smooth and have stayed true over a combined 5,000 miles on both xlite and lites. Great warranty support from Bontrager!
Weaknesses: None. My xlites are flangeless though there is a flange on the drive side on the rear. My original rear xlite flange broke though they were not wrecked, but must have had a weakness when manufactured. Thanks to George at Breakaway Bikes in Rockford MI and to Bontrager, it was replaced with a newer wheel altogether, no hastle.
Bottom Line:
I would recomend bontrager xlites for anyone wanting a fast race rim with a great manufacturer who stands behind thier product. Lots of trouble free miles
Bike Setup: 5200 Trek, 2200 Trek, Mongoose Mountain bike, Trek fuel ex 7 and tons more
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Rene Hoepelman
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Beach
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2005
Strengths: Hugi hubs are quiet. 1430grams total with skewers. Weight weenies dream. Strong. Rims are not blingy no glow in the dark reflective tape on the spoke or rims. no yellow hubs with cheap stickers that peel off.
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
This is by far my favorite wheelset. Hard to beleive they come on a factory bike. I have the race X lites. The "X" lites are the higher end counterpart to the race lites without the x. The difference is the race X lites are made with treks zr9000 aluminum which is lighter and according to trek/bontrager stronger.
The spokes are offset on the rear rim to the left side to counter balance the right side cassette and derallieur. Typical bontrager design. Which works great.
I dont believe there is a lighter wheelset out there. If there is, it cant be much more then a few grams lighter. I am 185lbs and these hold up for me just fine. I dont see any flexing on cornering. Even on tight downhill swicthbacks. I have not had them too long but so far no problem with keeping them trued.
These can be used with tubes or tubless. I dont care for tubless setups so I use tubes. I have the non ceramic version (less headaches)which shaves off a few more grams.
I never heard of Hugi DT Swiss hubs before researching these rims but the hubs work great and they are very quiet.
I like the black rims/spoke with red and white lettering nice touch without over doing it. You'll have the lightest wheelset on the trails and no one will even notice. These rims will probably be passed up by most. They are certainly worth a look into if your shopping around specially the weight weenies.
