Bontrager Rolls Out 2-Year, No-Cost Carbon Wheel Replacement Program

Dec 19, 2018 at 13:08
by Trek Bikes  
Bontrager wheel and tire

PRESS RELEASE: Trek/Bontrager

Trek and Bontrager announce today that all Bontrager carbon wheels will be covered under a two-year, no-cost replacement program through our Carbon Care Wheel Loyalty Program.

The parameters of the program are simple: in the unlikely event that you damage your Bontrager carbon wheels within the first two years of ownership, we will replace them for free.

This major update to Bontrager's existing Carbon Care Wheel Loyalty Program goes into effect immediately and applies to all Bontrager carbon wheels purchased within the last two years. It covers Bontrager carbon wheels that come stock on bikes as well as aftermarket purchases, and comes at no additional cost to the original owner. The updated program also offers coverage beyond two years from the original date of purchase, with steeply discounted rebuild or replacement available to all original owners of Bontrager carbon wheels, regardless of the date of purchase.

Earlier this year, Bontrager shook the industry by releasing a full lineup of quality carbon hoops at uncommonly approachable price points. Our lineup includes Line Pro 30 and Kovee Pro 30 MTB wheels ($1200 MSRP), Aeolus Pro 3 and 5 road wheels ($1300 MSRP), and Aeolus XXX road wheels ($2400 MSRP).

bigquotesNice carbon wheels are a big investment, and one that's worth making. But wheels take a lot of punishment. Riders want the assurance that if something does go wrong, they haven't wasted their money. With Bontrager, you get confidence in your purchase along with the amazing performance of our carbon wheels."—Graham Wilhelm, Bontrager Wheels Product Manager

The updated Carbon Care program reinforces Bontrager's commitment to standing behind our products and our customers. In addition to the updated Carbon Care Wheel Loyalty Program, Bontrager backs all its products with the Unconditional Bontrager Guarantee, which offers all customers 30 days to love a Bontrager product, and our Bontrager Crash Replacement Guarantee, which offers free replacement of any Bontrager helmet if it's impacted within the first year of ownership.


For more information contact Trekbikes.com

MENTIONS: @trek


Author Info:
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Member since Jan 16, 2002
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60 Comments
  • 30 2
 I did a word search for "lifetime" and found: 0 of 0 results.
  • 28 2
 Try your search again on the Santa Cruz Carbon Reserve wheels article...
  • 18 7
 @bityw: By the end of two years we'll all be on 148.99mm rear spaced wheels anyway.
  • 19 2
 We Are One and Santa Cruz offer lifetime..........
  • 6 1
 @FreedomBikeShop: my We Are One rims should be here Friday, I'm super stoked!
  • 5 0
 @DallasJW: Received mine yesterday. Couldn't be happier.
  • 3 0
 Welcome to the party...but e*thirteen and others are already offering lifetime warranty.
  • 1 0
 @mookmeister: wont get any soon. Still happy. Enjoy them mate
  • 4 2
 Yep, I'd rather support a 'Made In North America' rim like 'We Are One'. Lifetime free crash replacement has me seriously considering them.
  • 1 0
 E*thirteen Components offers lifetime warranty on all their carbon wheels. Any type of of break. New wheel sent out no questions asked for original owner.
  • 13 0
 The fun part of "lifetime" is figuring out if they mean your lifetime, or the expected lifetime of the product (2 years)
  • 1 0
 @DallasJW: I have a season on mine. You won't be disappointed! Build quality and ride quality are both top notch.
  • 2 2
 I don't get the point of Santa Cruz carbon wheelsets...they weigh more than your average DT Swiss or similar aluminium wheelset. Of course the rim is gonna be "indestructible" at some point when you just keep adding material...
  • 1 0
 @DallasJW: Crank Bros as well for the Synthesis hoops
  • 21 5
 The verbiage for the Reserves leaves room for SC to claim abuse and refuse a full warranty. I've had a couple of carbon Bontrager wheel warranties come through with zero hassle or questions asked of Bontrager. For one guy his came off a Slash 9.7 which has the Line Pro rim, but the bottom end hubs. Well, they don't sell that combo after market, so for one cracked rim he got a full wheelset replacement and upgrade to the aftermarket build which comes with the higher end 108pt hubs. SC is a lifetime warranty, which also allows meaning for lifetime of the product. That leaves room for interpretation on their end as to how long the wheels are intended to last. Trek's is a 2 year guarantee, no questions asked. I don't necessarily condone warranty abuse, but with Trek, blow your wheels up 2 months shy of two years and get a fresh set for nothing. Or, apparently if you get a complete with the low end hubs, blow up a rim and get a fresh new better spec'd set. I'll take the Bontragers.
  • 2 0
 This warranty support isn't limited to just Bonti wheels - same goes for their (pretty awesome) helmets. I know which lid I'm going for next.
  • 3 0
 Glad you've clearly done your research...

"Santa Cruz Reserve carbon wheels carry a warranty for the lifetime of the original, registered owner"
  • 2 0
 @sngltrkmnd: the helmet replacement is for any damage within the first two years, no questions asked, get a lid, return a lid. As long as you have proof of purchase, you're good. I've had customers come in with minor scuffs, and Bontrager/Trek send new helmets.
  • 11 3
 Nice try but the bar has been raised to lifetime warranty by Santa Cruz and We Are One at similar prices. Not sure why anyone would get anything else.
  • 11 2
 Are they lifetime free crash replacements or free warranties? If you drove over your bike would you get new rims? Because Trek says no questions asked.
  • 4 1
 @j-t-g: we are one is the same.
  • 2 2
 ...and e*thirteen
  • 1 0
 @j-t-g: it’s no questions asked from Santa Cruz on nearly all their carbon parts. Reserve rims, bearings, and frame. You just need your shop to take care of the logistics.
  • 1 0
 @Happypanda1337: actually you don’t even need the shop. I’ve just done my first bearing swap and have cracked a set of reserve 27s and gotten them replaced with the 30s without so much as a call to the shop I got the bike from.
  • 6 0
 I have never questioned the one year limited warranty of my high end alloy wheelset that I have been running for two years with no issue. My friends still like me even though I do not have carbon wheels.
  • 5 1
 "in the unlikely event that you damage your Bontrager carbon wheels"
Since 5 of 6 people I know who have these wheels broke them within the first month of riding them.. I would say it's actually pretty likely you will damage them!
  • 4 0
 i broke mine on my 2019 slash 2019 before the 80mi mark, looked to me like a defect where the tire bead sits. did get a new wheel though for free, only took 2 weeks! it was just normal riding conditions too, i never knew where i broke them on the trail. i noticed it halfway through a ride but they still held strong with minimal crack propagation.
  • 2 11
flag markar (Dec 19, 2018 at 19:52) (Below Threshold)
 Yeah bontrager and trek carbon is garbage
  • 1 0
 @markar: because it's not the same as 80% of the carbon bikes out there?
  • 1 0
 @TylerG96: Same, got a '19 Slash as well and cracked mine third ride similar spot. New wheel with nicer hub, however doesn't match my front as I was just riding those until I could sell them after aluminum rims arrived Frown . This might be a trend and its good to see they're backing their products and customers.
  • 5 1
 I always love when companies come out with new policies that are more forgiving than what they used to be as if they doing it for us, but in reality they are just trying to stay competitive with SC or We Are One etc...Where was this wordage a year or two ago, when the same circumstances existed for riders.
  • 4 0
 So basically carbon rims have such an absurdly high markup that companies are offering free replacements when they inevitably explode just so riders will take the $1500+ bait.
  • 4 0
 So are carbon wheels such a sham that you need to buy in to some sort of replacement program? Or is that not just what a normal warranty is?
  • 5 0
 Yah man I have never worried about a warranty on any of my metal bike parts hmmm
  • 3 2
 It's for the people that are surprised when they run super low pressures with weak side walls into rock gardens and are surprised when they break their carbon rim, and then get suddenly very angry that riding like a fuckwit and breaking your shit doesn't fall under the warranty policy.
  • 2 1
 You haven't seen noth'n yet. wait till I launch my new recycled fiberglass wheels. They will come with a 30 day, no questions asked warranty, and a fiberglass field patch kit containing sun cure resin. Carbon wheels and their PB reviews every other day should just die.
  • 1 0
 Nice by me. Got my Line Pro 30's on my Slash and it is nice to know the upped coverage on the hoops if things go south. Also interesting someone pointing out 26psi minimum for the carbon rims from Botranger, I run 28 rear 2.4 tyre but the front on a 2.6 tyre goes down to 22psi. Seems to work.
  • 3 0
 Nice! Just picked up a set a few weeks ago. Glad to know I have that extra coverage from my hack riding...
  • 1 0
 Gone through 2 rear line pro 30 wheels since August and both were covered and service by bontrager was a joy. I’ll continiue to support Trek and bontrager for their customer service alone.
  • 2 1
 Did my first one 6 rides in on a grassy trail. Wonder if they'll cover the cost of the cush cores I fitted to stop it happening again.
  • 1 0
 Cush cores void your warranty on their carbon wheels...
  • 1 0
 The fact no one asks for a lifetime warranty for aluminum wheels is telling enough about how people really feel about carbons durability
  • 1 0
 WE ARE ONE! No questions asked lifetime replacement if you wreck it. And they are perfect stiffness!.... thats what she said
  • 1 2
 At the end of the day a warranty is only as good as the turnaround time. Nothing like getting a warranty and waiting 6 months for a manufacturer to get their ducks in a row to get you taken care of. In my opinion if a warranty cannot be taken care of in 7 business days it is a total wet dream. Everyone wants to sit around while the bike shop makes a decision and sends their investigation to the manufacturer to wait while the manufacturer makes a decision then to wait on shipping. At the end of the day a warranty is Just Like A Hemorrhoid a major pain in the ass to deal with. I never buy a product believing in a warranty. Way too many of you slimy manufacturers in the cycling industry have came up with every reason under the sun to not honor your warranties. My favorite wheel warranty denial is you used ammonia based sealant in your rim. F*** off cycling industry almost all of you all suck
  • 1 0
 Its a calculated risk just like insurance. They bank on 90% of owners not riding their bikes hard enough to ever hurt the rims.
  • 2 0
 Love my Bontrager wheels, this makes em even better.
  • 2 1
 remember everyone, Bontrager carbon MTB wheels have a 26psi MINIMUM tire pressure. keep that in mind
  • 1 0
 Since Santa is bringing me a Crockett this year, looks like I'll be asking for some Line Pros next year!
  • 1 0
 How does it come that we can have better warranty and replacement policies on rims than frames?
  • 1 1
 So Santa Cruz offers a lifetime warranty on the Hoops .Bontrager offers two years. Boy that's a tough decision on which one to buy.
  • 1 0
 So I can sell my wheels, new dude breaks them, and I get a new set? Sweet!
  • 2 5
 I read carefully that if you have the receipt Bontager will give you a deal on new wheels and from what I can read that's for more than two years.
Seriously 1200$ wheels should be guaranteed against material defects for a minimum of five and more like ten years.
If the rims have dents then warranty void and crash replacement kicks in.
Sorry Bontager but this is not a good example of backing your product.
  • 5 0
 I think you need to read the first part again. It's two years no questions. After that it's discounts/repair. www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/carbon_care_wheels
Also, carbon doesn't dent...it just fails spectacularly...and there is no mention of that in the warranty.
  • 2 9
flag markar (Dec 19, 2018 at 19:53) (Below Threshold)
 @haroprease: trek carbon is garbage yeah
  • 1 1
 @haroprease: yes I read the two years no questions.
1200$ is serious money to put down just on wheels.
What happens after two years is what I'm interested in.
A ten year conditional warranty with life time crash replacement at least.
Or buy Canadian made We are One wheels. They cost a bit more but we are talking 1200$ minimum investment to start for carbon wheels.
  • 1 2
 Doesn’t mean much unless it’s a no questions asked warranty. How do we know they won’t say the wheels were abused?
  • 1 1
 When will the turner sultan be available
  • 1 0
 Why carbon wheels?
  • 1 2
 'uncommonly approachable price points' ..... for a dentist
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