The result is that the weights come it at 642 grams front, 798 grams These wheels feature 18 spoke front and 24 spoke rear DT 14/17 bladed spokes in a straight pull configuration. So with Bontrager's design, you get a wider, more stable feel without really sacrificing weight.Īnother interesting feature of these wheels is what Bontrager calls "Locally reinforced spoke nodes reduce rim weight without sacrificing strength." Translation: there is extra aluminum around the spoke holes where you need it, and less material between the spokes where you don't. The 23mm wide rim and and 23mm wide Bontrager TLR tires I tested had a cross section that might look like that of an egg, In contrast, I would describe most aerodynamic clinchers wheels and tires have these days as having a cross section like a big scoop of ice cream on a pointy cone. Next, I noticed that while wide, these rims are not very deep or pointy. There is a reason that road racing motorcycles have such wide tires. Therefore, cornering is naturally enhanced. The result is that the tires have a greater volume and width when inflated. At 23mm, the rims are wider than most road clinchers, usually 19-21 mm wide. Several things jumped out at me about the Race X Lite TLR wheels. Their new TLR line contains three dedicate road tubeless wheelsets, the entry level Race TLR, the mid level Race Lite TLR, and their top of the line Race X Light TLR. When this strategy did not meet their expectations, the old product was pulled and they went back to the drawing board. The company hoped it would find success by re-branding tires from another manufacturer for use with wheels from a third party. Nevertheless, the company, now owned by Trek, made some early missteps in the area of road tubeless. The company's namesake Keith Bontrager, was a pioneer in mountain bike tubeless tires. In fact, I was able to inflate the tires with a hand pump instead of a compressor.
#Bontrager race x lite wheelset install#
I then proceeded to quickly install a the included Bontrager tubeless valve and a pair of Bontrager TLR Road tires. Unlike conversion strips, there is no time consuming installation to worry about, it just pops on. TLR stands for Tubeless Ready, and they come with the exact same plastic strip as I still use on my Bontrager mountain bike wheels.Īnd do you know what? It works as good on my road bike today as it did on my mountain bike over the last ten years.
And, it is removable and reusable when a spoke needs replacement.įlash forward ten years, and I have just received a pair of Bontrager Race X Lite TLR road wheels and TLR tires (look for a review of these tires here soon). The rim strip goes from bead hook to bead hook, and has the appropriate valve hole as well. I easily inserted the rim strip, which required no adhesive, and never used a mountain bike tube again. To my surprise, they sold me a pair of simple plastic rim strips that were designed to make my wheels to tubeless compatible. So I marched into my local bike shop and asked what I needed to do to go tubeless. These wheels were, and still are, hot stuff, but I wanted to try tubeless. These were the ones with the Chris King hubs and the ceramic coated rims. I had purchased a top of the line pair of Bontrager mountain bike wheels. (Item in the photograph is the item for sale)ġ00mm, (front) 135mm (rear) Quick ReleaseĬycletrade® | The Place To Buy & Sell Premium Bicycles & Partsīrowse our stock of Certified Refurbished Parts.The first time I tried tubeless tires was about ten years ago. There is one scratch on the rim which has been photographed.
#Bontrager race x lite wheelset full#
Item that has been used and will have a small number of cosmetic blemishes but is in full functional order. They are in very clean condition.įull Mechanical Order/ Slightly Worn, but plenty of life left This has reduced the spoke count by four but increased strength because there are now 10 pulling spokes at the rear compared to six on the old wheelset.īearings running smoothly and wheels are true. The front is still radially laced but the rear features the single cross pattern on both sides of the hub. Gone is the two cross pattern of old and in comes the new single cross. The Race X Lites also feature a new hub and a new lacing pattern.
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