Bontrager Race Lite Wheel question



My experience is on Bontrager wheels that come on bicycles of the local, Trek
sponsored riders/racers/ that come to us for service. Sorry, on a truing stand,
these wheels just aren't great, IMHO.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"
 
I think it's important to pint out that Mike J and I have completly different
business models and that accounts for a lot of our differences.

We sell no complete bikes out of boxes. We start with framesets on every bike
we sell. We are not constrained by $ or anything else to sell package anything.
So it's not unusual for Mike J to speak well about Trek packages and me to
speak well of custom wheels, since that's what we each do.

I think we are both right.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"
 
> There are about 50 Trek OCLV bikes in my local riding club. At least half
> of
> them have a problem with the bearings with these Race Lite and Race X Lite
> wheelsets. I was suprised at the increase in riders who discovered they
> had a
> problem after a meeting in which the subject was discussed.
>
> Trek does not acknowledge nor give a tinkers damn that the bearings they
> supply
> with these wheels are basically cheap Japanese ( Shimano ) products.


Well, actually they're not Shimano bearings at all. The hubs on the Race
Lite and Race X Lite are made by DT/Swiss (formerly DT/Hugi, but I'm told
the "Hugi" thing is no longer part of the company name). I haven't check the
sourcing on the bearings, but would have no reason to suspect that a
bearing, because it's made in Japan, would necessarily be bad.

> I went through hoops with Trek Technical people, and with one of the
> owners of
> Trek. Their only response was that the bearings had ³less² rolling
> resistance...???


Yeah, I'd be saying ??? if somebody told me that too. I'll look into this
one a bit but, as I'd mentioned, we haven't seen much trouble (and we sell a
lot of them). Plus, I'm usually the first one to come up with bearing
issues, since my bike sees a bit more ill-weather use than it really should
(I do have a "rain bike", but unless it's pretty nasty, I really prefer
leaving it in the garage and riding the 5900 instead).

> If you have this problem, get DT Swiss bearings from Hugi. Problem solved.
>
> BTW, Mike J. Thanks for your help in this.


Just trying to make the world a bit better place for bikes, one bearing at a
time, I guess!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
>I think it's important to pint out that Mike J and I have completly
>different
> business models and that accounts for a lot of our differences.
>
> We sell no complete bikes out of boxes. We start with framesets on every
> bike
> we sell. We are not constrained by $ or anything else to sell package
> anything.
> So it's not unusual for Mike J to speak well about Trek packages and me to
> speak well of custom wheels, since that's what we each do.
>
> I think we are both right.
>
> Peter Chisholm


Yes, plus it's probably a bit easier for me to sound upbeat about things
since you're finally thawing out from some pretty cold temps a week or so
ago, while people 'round these parts whine about a bit of rain?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
snip

> > If you have this problem, get DT Swiss bearings from Hugi. Problem solved.
> >
> > BTW, Mike J. Thanks for your help in this.

>
> Just trying to make the world a bit better place for bikes, one bearing at a
> time, I guess!
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>

Jeez, Mike. Not THAT slow I hope!

My LBS, a chain of stores, is the largest Trek dealer by volume in the USA and
they sell a ton of OCLV bikes. My particular branch is also the largest Moots
dealer in the East.

There is a lot of money in this area. ( I wish I had some! )

I know you sell a ton of these, too. What percentage of the ones you have sold
do you see back in your shop for regular maintenence?

What percentage of your customers would know that they have wobble with these
rims?

Curious minds want to know.....:)


HAND

Still drooling over Campy Hyperion wheelset at 50% off. Just $1595!
 
Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:

> I think it's important to pint out that Mike J and I have completly different
> business models and that accounts for a lot of our differences....


So this process involves drinking beer in a pub? ;)

--
Tom Sherman - Rock Island County Illinois
Tetrahedral carbon lattices are not forever.
 
>> I think it's important to pint out that Mike J and I have completly
>> different
>> business models and that accounts for a lot of our differences....

>
> So this process involves drinking beer in a pub? ;)


I usually stay out of competitions I don't have a chance at, and, since I'm
up to, say, 12 drinks/year these days (way up from zero for a number of
years)....

My guess is that Peter would keep going long after I'd passed out (probably
after my 2nd beer).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 

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