[eyebike66]

1. Given a similar wheel build, which tubless system is lighter? The Stan's people and Bonty rep disagree (no surprise).

2. Other disagreements: Which system is easier to maintain, holds air better, and allows you to run lower tire pressure? I'm running Stan's right now and can't find a lot of people who have tried the Bontrager TLR system. Does it work as well?

3. I'm 180 and ride a Spyder over mostly rocky trails. Somewhere between XC and AM. Given their similar wheel weights, which rim would give me the least flex, the bonty race X-lite or the new Stan's ZTR "Arch" with a similar build?

Thanks, this is an expensive decsion.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

1. Given a similar wheel build, which tubless system is lighter? The Stan's people and Bonty rep disagree (no surprise).

2. Other disagreements: Which system is easier to maintain, holds air better, and allows you to run lower tire pressure? I'm running Stan's right now and can't find a lot of people who have tried the Bontrager TLR system. Does it work as well?

3. I'm 180 and ride a Spyder over mostly rocky trails. Somewhere between XC and AM. Given their similar wheel weights, which rim would give me the least flex, the bonty race X-lite or the new Stan's ZTR "Arch" with a similar build?

Thanks, this is an expensive decsion.

You are not going to get a lot of feedback since hardly anyone has tried the Bontrager LTR, let alone both.

The Stans is a good system. If you want proven, and long-term experiences, a lot of folks can chime in.

There's a 26er review of the Bonty here. here:http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Wheelset/product_127881.shtml

I have used a couple of these $750 Bontrager wheels and they are a bit flexy (I'm 145 lbs).

I think you should just get a Mikesee wheelset with Stans rims. Just talk to the man and he will build you a set custom to your needs. http://lacemine29.com/

fc

 

[mgersib]

I have used a couple of these $750 Bontrager wheels and they are a bit flexy (I'm 145 lbs).

I think you should just get a Mikesee wheelset with Stans rims. Just talk to the man and he will build you a set custom to your needs. http://lacemine29.com/

fc

Sage advice... Mike builds great wheels, and you get exactly what you need, which in the end is exactly what you want.

Why go prebuilt when you can have handbuilt, especially when it'll likely cost you less?

Cheers,
MG

 

[mikesee]

1. Given a similar wheel build, which tubless system is lighter? The Stan's people and Bonty rep disagree (no surprise).

Well--which wheelbuild? Hubs? Spokes? Etc...? Hard to compare 'em when we don't know what to compare.

2. Other disagreements: Which system is easier to maintain, holds air better, and allows you to run lower tire pressure? I'm running Stan's right now and can't find a lot of people who have tried the Bontrager TLR system. Does it work as well?

Dunno. Probably not enough experience out there on the Bontrager's yet to comment.

3. I'm 180 and ride a Spyder over mostly rocky trails. Somewhere between XC and AM. Given their similar wheel weights, which rim would give me the least flex, the bonty race X-lite or the new Stan's ZTR "Arch" with a similar build?

Pretty close call. The Arch is noticably stiffer than the 355 with only a tiny (~35g) weight gain. The Bont rims are heavier than both, BUT they allow you to use a slightly lighter spoke (because of the OSB feature) while still remaining very, very stiff.

At your weight and riding a 29" FS bike the way you describe, you'd do yourself a great service by not counting grams in the spokes. Sure, you could (for example) save ~28g by using SuperComps instead of Comps, but you lose considerable stiffness in the process. Not remotely worth the weight loss IMO.

MC

 

[Padre]

Mike,
how does the spoke progression go...

aerolite
supercomp
comp
champ

something like that?

 

[mikesee]

Mike,
how does the spoke progression go...

aerolite
supercomp
comp
champ

something like that?

Close.

Aerolite 2.0/0.9
Rev 1.8/1.5
Rev 2.0/1.5
SuperComp 2.0/1.7/1.8
Comp 1.8/1.6
Comp 2.0/1.8
Champ 1.8
Champ 2.0
Alpine 2.3/1.8/2.0

Of these, I really only use the ones in bold type. There are also a few bladed models that I didn't list, because they really aren't (IMO) appropriate for disc brake use. And like it or not, discs are on 90+% of the bikes out there these days. Not to mention that those unlisted bladed spokes are heavy, require slotted hubs, and are inferior (for MTB use) to several of the others listed.

MC

 

[shiggy]

...2. Other disagreements: Which system is easier to maintain, holds air better, and allows you to run lower tire pressure? I'm running Stan's right now and can't find a lot of people who have tried the Bontrager TLR system. Does it work as well?...

There is only one tire designed to be used tubeless on the Stan's rim, The NoTubes The Crow.

The Bonty design is to UST bead spec and they offer three TR tires for the rims. There should be other UST-type bead 29er tires available in the future (the Python 29er is planned to be a tubeless-ready model).

My preference in tubeless is the UST-type rim/tire bead interface. While I am not a fan of sealants I find the Bonty TR system to work very well and be extremely reliable. (this is based on the 26" TRs. Hope to get a set of the 29s soon.)

 

[nimble]

bonty tlr vs stans

I Have both in my basement. The stans 29er strips are thick heavy rubber strips that I cound not convince myself to use.... The new race x lite bonty wheels seem pretty nice, & the rimstrips are light weight plastic with an inner bead to hold the tire in place.
(I actually thought the inner ridge should have been extruded in the aluminun rim, but that would be car rim technology....) Since TLR tires were not available, I mounted irc notos with stans sealant.

How? Mount tire with tube, seat beads, remove 1 bead, remove tube, install valve stem, place 2.2 of those cups of stans goop , soap suds up the unseated bead, inflate with small co2, add floor pump , pump like wild until hear pop of bead seating, swish sealant until sealed.

Now approx 30 hours since inflating & have lost no air. Still at 40 psi.

Tomorow, say prayer & go ride in sub zero temps.....

 

[jonassterling]

I still have not been out on my new Arch rims, but I can tell you about my tubeless conversion experience.

Yellow tape only, mount both beads of tire, 2oz stans goo, pump like mad with floor pump, done.

No rubber rim tape needed at least for me.

 

[nimble]

I must have old stans....rubber rim strips & no yellow tape.

 

[LIV2RYD]

I recently finished a set of Stans ZTR355's mated to DTSwiss 240's, sweet package. I have been running the new Rampage on them with 2 oz of Stans in each. I mounted them up w/o any Stans and inflated using my compressor to set the bead. Once the bead was in place, I removed the valve core and injected 2 ozs of Stans into each tire. Replaced vavle core, inflated and did the swish, jiggle, spin thing to set the Stans. Worked mint, no leaks, no mess and it takes no time. If you do not have a compressor, get a 10 gallon air tank ($25) and have it filled at a gas station. That will hold enough to do 4-6 tires twice (once to set the bead, the other to inflate).

There is nothing that compares to a light, fast wheelset with no tubes! The Rampages rock BTW. Here is New England, I run between 20 - 25 PSI and they blow away all the other tires I have used to date (Exi, Bonty ACX, Klaws).

 

[jaxson]

Bummer that those new Bonty TLR rims are flexy for a 145lb. rider. I ordered a set last week. At 165lb., obviously they'd flex on me as well.

I had a wheelbuilder suggest that I do Mustang hoops w/ XTR 32H hubs laced with DT Revolution14/17's. He said that these would be a nice, sturdy set of race wheels and thought that they'd come in around 1700g + for the pair. Sounded great, but I really wanted to try the tubeless thing, and having no experience with Stan's I did'nt want to trial & error different tires to see if I could get them to work. Seems like it's too risky to try and NoTubes the Bonty XRs' & ACXs', but I've had such good luck with those tires as tubed.

Maybe I'll cancel the order and do the custom build after all ...

 

[ndbike]

I know this is for 29ers, but I currently run a set of Bontrager Race-X-Lite TLR 26" wheels with the Bontrager plastic rim stips and Stan's sealant. The first set of tires I ran were the Jones ACX TLR until I tore a 1/4inch gash in the tire that even Stan's wouldn't seal. Then I put on a set of Continental Explorer Pros. They aren't UST tires, just plain old tires designed to use tubes inside, except, not tubes, just Stan's sealant. I used a CO2 to get an initial large volume of air in the tire quickly and then finish by pumping like crazy with a floor pump to seat the bead. So far I've been really happy with the bontrager wheels and their tubless rim stip setup. Never used the Stan's rim strips so I can't help you there.