Bontrager Line Elite Wheelset - Review
Bontrager Line Elite Wheelset
The wide rim resurgence doesn't show any signs of losing momentum, and Bontrager's Line Elite wheelset is one of the newer additions to the field of contenders. Designed to meet the demands of all-mountain riders, the wheelset uses aluminum rims that measure 28mm internally and 33mm externally. Those rims are laced up with 28 straight pull spokes and come tubeless ready thanks to Bontrager's plastic TLR rim strips. Weight: 1750 grams, 1850g w/ TLR strips. MSRP: front, $461.99; rear, $537.99 USD.
Details
• Rims: 6061 aluminum
• Intended use: trail / all-mountain / enduro
• Width: 33mm outer, 28mm inner
• Diameter: 27.5''
• Tubeless ready
• Spoke count: 28 DT Swiss 14/15 gauge
• Weight: 1750 grams, 1850g w/ TLR strips
• 15x100 front, 135/142x12 rear
• MSRP: front, $461.99; rear, $537.99 USD, XD driver sold separately
• www.bontrager.com
• Rims: 6061 aluminum
• Intended use: trail / all-mountain / enduro
• Width: 33mm outer, 28mm inner
• Diameter: 27.5''
• Tubeless ready
• Spoke count: 28 DT Swiss 14/15 gauge
• Weight: 1750 grams, 1850g w/ TLR strips
• 15x100 front, 135/142x12 rear
• MSRP: front, $461.99; rear, $537.99 USD, XD driver sold separately
• www.bontrager.com
Construction
The 6061 aluminum rims found on the Line Elite wheels are drilled asymmetrically, with the spoke holes closer to the non-drive side, a feature the Bontrager calls OSB (Offset Spoke Bed). This allows for the tension and spoke length on both sides to be equal, as opposed to a traditionally drilled rim that requires the drive side spokes to be shorter and under a higher amount of tension. The 28 straight pull spokes are laced to a set of impressive looking hubs, which use Bontrager's Stacked Lacing on the drive side. Stacked Lacing means that that the spoke holes in the hub are oriented one atop of the other, another step that's meant to improve the bracing angle and increase wheel stiffness by keeping the spokes situated as far out on the hub as possible.
Inside the rear hub are 54 teeth that work in conjunction with a three pawl drive body for a quick 6.6 degrees of rotation between engagement points. To help keep the pawls from slipping under heavy loads, each one has three teeth to maximize the amount of contact with the drive ring.
Installation
The Line Elite wheelset comes with Bontrager's TLR rims strips pre-installed, and a standard floor pump and some sealant was all it took to quickly get tires installed and ready to roll - there was never any need to resort to an air compressor to get them seated. The plastic rim strips are part of the reason this process is so easy, although the gram counters out there could knock 100 grams or so off the total weight by replacing them with a wrap or two of tubeless rim tape.
On the Trail
Wider rims do bring a slight weight penalty compared to narrower options, but at 1750 grams the Line Elites are still reasonably light, especially given their all-mountain designation. Even shod with meaty tires they felt quick to accelerate, and there wasn't any popping or skipping from the freehub body when mashing on the pedals to get through a technical climb, or sprinting out of the exit of a corner. Wheel stiffness can be difficult to quantify when 160mm of travel and big tires are added to the equation, but that being said, there wasn't any noticeable flex when snapping through tight bermed turns or touching down after a jump or drop.
At 28mm, the Line Elite's inner rim width allows for most 2.3” tires to be run without drastically altering the tire profile, and even though the overall tread profile does become a little more squared off the handling characteristics are still preserved, with the added benefit of a slightly wider footprint and the ability to run lower pressures. We ran a number of tires during the review period, including Maxxis' Minion DHF and Highroller II, along with Bontrager's XR4, and were able to run pressures between 22-25psi without any trouble - no tires rolled off the rim, or emitted even the slightest burp of sealant at any time. There are still some naysayers who aren't convinced that there's a noticeable difference between a 28mm or wider rim and one that's 23mm or less, but I'm firmly convinced that going wide brings with it appreciable benefits for any rider. It's not a night and day difference, but the extra traction and diminished feedback from small obstacles on the trail make it worth choosing a wider rim if given the choice.
Durability
This wheelset was subjected to a fair share of nasty winter riding, including driving rain, thick mud, and deep puddles, conditions that are tough on even the best sealed hubs out there. In this case, it was the large drive side bearing that sits just outside the drive ring that suffered, becoming gritty and corroded enough to need replacement after only a couple of months. Better sealing behind the XD driver body would help fix this, and after talking to Bontrager it sounds like plans are in the works for a design update in the near future.
The other issue we ran into was the rims' tendency to dent rather easily. Admittedly, the wheels did get ridden in extremely technical terrain, but they still seem fairly soft and prone to developing flat spots, and riders that are typically hard on wheels may not find the Line Elites to be dent-resistant enough to meet their needs.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | The Line Elite wheelset may not be the flashiest offering out there - there's no purple anodized spokes, or odd lacing patterns to be found - but they're chock full of features that riders in search of a new set of wheels will appreciate. The wide, asymmetrically drilled rims, slip-free and quick engaging rear hub, and easy tubeless setup are all appealing, although the dent prone rims are a chink in the Line Elite's armor. For riders who typically aren't hard on rims this likely won't be an issue, but it is something to keep in mind for anyone with dreams of enduro race glory - extra-hard chargers may end up needing to replace a rim before the season is over. - Mike Kazimer |
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Hmmmm....
Usually when you're late to the party, your product is either stronger, lighter, more efficient, or at least cheaper.
In this case, Specialized fired the first salvo with their Roval Fatties, which are STRONGER(I'm 245lbs, ride predominantly over rocks thanks to the drought here in Socal, yet haven't so much as had to true a rim yet), LIGHTER(I weighed mine right out of the box~1682gr's w/rim strips), and CHEAPER(MSRP~$600).
Trek saw Specialized unveil the Fatties LAST SUMMER, yet inexplicably did JACK SQUAT(to quote the Late Great Chris Farley) with the extra time they afforded themselves by effectively waiting 'til the next model-year to bring theirs to market.
Instead, they obviously blew their wad on the Boost 148-wheels we don't need, and didn't ask for.
Still, one would think that even as an afterthought, it wouldn't have been too difficult to even half-ass a set of wide wheels that were at least in the same ball-park price-wise. Who the heck is gonna pay a grand for a set of wheels that are clearly inferior, not to mention almost TWICE AS MUCH as their competition?
After having Fatties on my Enduro 27.5", I didn't even bother looking to see what Trek/B-trager had to offer when I purchased my 2015 Trek Slash. I just ordered up another set of Fatties. After reading this article, I see that I made the right choice.
Also, the Bontrager tubeless system uses bomb proof rim strips vs tubeless tape. This TLR system is by far the best tubeless system on the market. The tape systems work fine, but I just love Bontrager's system.
Thanks for the informative reply, but a I gotta disagree with one or two items.
Firstly, IMO the TLR strip is needlessly heavy, and in my experience, at least NO more reliable than tape, or at least the tape that comes stock on the Fatties.
The TLR strip on my almost-new B-trager Duster rear is pulled/dented up on the side, and the thing has MAYBE 15mi on it.
I'n gauging this based on the rest of the strip and the front.
Conversely, this is my second set of Fatties, and the third set of ['aftermarket', i.e. bought separately] Rovals I've owned. The first three survived 250lbs+ beating the crap outta them over SoCal rocks for I have no idea how many hours/miles, and never had any of the tape pull up.
Next, I wasnt aware that my first Rovals(Carbon) came with the Star Ratchet hub so I checked into buying the Star Ratchet mechanism before my LBS bothered to tell me I already had it, and the cost was cheap(I wanna say like $30).. I also gives you more engagement points.
Lastly, regardless of all this, you're still left with rims that are apparently too weak for what the wheels are marketed for, and you're still paying almost DOUBLE what the Rovals cost.
I get that you're a fan of Trek/B-trager, so that's where you wanna spend your money.
In my old age I've learned to be pragmatic, so apart from staying away from Chi-com manufactured goods as much as possible(trying to do my part to bring back American manufacturing)-which isn't altogether easy I admit, I'll buy whatever I think is gonna work best for me(and I can afford).
IMO, at least as far as these B-tragers and Fatties are concerned, IMO the Fatties are the best buy by a sizeable margin
By the way I have a set of real Bontrager - Valliant rims as from 1998!!!! and they are still going strong.
Translation: Tell those re magka. Trek thinks that it sells Rolex.
Carbon hoops, Chris King hubs, CX Ray spokes, brass nipples... pretty easy to get above 1,700 even with carbon. I'm sure my wheels are stronger/stiffer, but still. There's more to the story than the scale says.
I'm sure its a good wheelset, no doubt about it but I think the issue lies on the price of this bontrager set. you can build a relatively on the same weight, and maybe stiffer/stronger aluminum wheelset for less money.
but that's just me.
also I dig carbon stuff. though sadly I wasn't able to snag a $500 carbon reynolds wheelset on 26 when a supplier offered it to me. too bad.
Once again, thank you Trek.
True, enduro94, it is definitely smart from a business perspective. I've had Trek/Bontrager bikes myself in the past, and though the parts certainly all work fine, they are just meh, because Bontrager parts have to hang off soccer mom hybrid bikes as well as DH sleds. What I meant to say was that Bontrager does not equal Passion for me these days, as there is nothing cutting edge, high design, innovative, or bling about their products.
In the end it's mostly marketing (i.e. brainwashing), getting us to pay more for a higher-end seatpost, stem, etc. than what comes stock with the bike.
Do you think the Remedy 9.9 sucks because Trek also sells the 8.2 DS?
I will try again: Bontrager brands a lot of low-to-mid range stuff for Trek. This article is about a $1,000 wheelset. Why would I want to buy such a wheelset from a company NOT known for high-end products, if my new wheelset is supposed to be an UPgrade from the mid-range one that came on my bike?
You don't think the majority of what Trek sells is also low to mid range stuff? Same with almost every other brand on the planet. Low to mid range cars make up most of their sales. Just for another example--Chevy Cruze vs. Chevy Corvette Z06. Chevy sells WAY more Cruze's, but that doesn't mean the Corvette isn't a beast. I have no idea what gets sold in the Ukraine so it's harder to make relevant examples...
Notice my use of the pronoun "I," not "you" throughout the conversation. While a Corvette is indeed fantastic, it would not by MY choice.
I still have a choice, don't I?
Again--Just about every bike manufacturer sells low end stuff and high end stuff... specialized, trek, race face, fox, rockshox, and so on... The only manufacturer I can think of who ONLY makes high end stuff is ENVE.
There's a lot of dislike for the Bontrager stuff out there, but their R&D has improved over recent years and the warranty is about as hassle free and forgiving as it can get.
Anyway it's an example and it would be just fine for "AM" use.
My experience: 1:Bontrager Tubless Set-up is good 2:Stans Tubless rim/valve strips also work great in these wheels 3:Wheels need trued about once a season.
PSI between 20-25# with 2.3 inch tires ridden hard on rocky terrain would be the reason for denting ANY rim in my experience.
$600 Price Point would make these wheels much more appealing ($1k is just to much unless its Carbon)
I'm in the process of looking for new wide rims to replace my Crossmax Enduros.
I love everything about the Crossmax but all the talk of wide inners has been tempting me away in hope of even better traction.
With the right tyres (set up tubeless) you should be able to get down to 20psi
For ex..Maxxis dhf needs a 2.4 option as the sides of 2.3 buldge on wide rims, and r too narrow on reg width rim anyways. Tires choice is limited for wide-ish rims, esp. Ibis/derbys
No. no they don't. The ONLY thing that can give you a bigger contact patch is lower pressures. A 29er running 2.7" tyres on 35mm rims at 25psi, will give you exactly the same contact patch size as a 20" running 1.9" tyres on a 15mm rim at 25psi.
Good review, but please get your facts straight. Not trying to be rude, but if you are going to write professional reviews, you need to get details like that sorted.
The smaller tyre under the rider's weight , due to it's small volume will result in a relatively higher pressure .
The big tyre with it's larger air volume will keep it relatively lower => better contact patch .
Same as a token in your rockshox fork basically ...
This holds true whatever the shape and size of the tyre. vl95 makes the good point that the pressure in the tyre goes up as the tyre compresses, so if you took the example to extremes (eg standing on a ping pong ball pumped to 100psi) the contact patch will be smaller, as the pressure rise will be dramatic. However when we are talking about the differences between a 29mm rim and a 25mm rim (or two other reasonably close variables) then the effect is infinitesimally small.
The contact patch is the result of different factors , the pressure of course, the weight of the bike/rider, the ground and the way the structure of the tyre will react to these forces.
And I guess a wider rim will MOSTLY affect the last one.
I haven't researched a lot about these " wide rims " because I agree with you , I really doubt that they make a big difference .
Above all these pressure,psi,.... reflexions, I think that the main advantage is that a wider rim will make the tyre have a more " square" shape , instead of " round".
I still think that in reality there are factors (knobby bicycle tire made of rubber with some hardness rolling on uneven dirt surface at some angle of lean, etc.) that may alter this relationship but I have no idea how the ones related to tire volume would interact. Thanks to @gabriel-mission9 for 'splainin' stuffs!
The rest of the stuff you said is true, but has little effect on the size of the footprint of the tyre. Shape yes, size no.
Want a bigger footprint? Drop your tyre pressures. Its the only way