It’s 2021. New bikes are somewhat scarce as a result of the effects of the global pandemic that saw bicycle popularity soar and demand overwhelm supply. Be patient. New bikes will eventually arrive. Can’t be patient? Then upgrade your wheelset in the meantime. New wheels can improve your ride – significantly. Here’s how…
Why would you want to upgrade your wheels? What are the advantages? Is it worth the cost? You won’t really know this until you ride with a better-quality wheelset, but you could be missing out on the primary benefits of better wheels, including lighter weight, greater rim width, increased stiffness and more. But how do these all translate to improved ride feel?
LIGHT WEIGHT
You can trim a few hundred grams with a lighter wheelset. Because your wheels move constantly, this gives you a noticeably different ride feel, especially on climbs, but also in terms of overall bike weight and manoeuvrability. Put it this way, a light wheelset makes a discernible difference to how your bike rides.
WIDER RIMS
Wider rims can give you more traction from your tyre. This is because a wider rim gives your inflated tyre a slightly different shape to a narrower rim. A tyre on a wider rim will have more ‘lateral volume’ and therefore offer more stability and predictability through turns as there’s more edge tread in contact with the trail surface.
Tyre width/rim width matching guide:
| TYRE WIDTH | RIM WIDTH (INTERNAL) |
| 2.0-2.25 inch | 23-25mm |
| 2.25-2.4 inch | 30-35mm |
| 2.4-2.6 inch | 30-35mm |
| 2.6-3.0 inch | 35-40mm |
STIFFER
Stiffer wheels allow you to ride with more aggression because they have less ‘give’ which means that your tyre and suspension get to manage the forces with little or no ‘wheel interference’. Stiffer wheels also ensure quicker acceleration out of turns and up steep gradients, which translates to greater energy expenditure efficiency. There is a small trade-off for comfort, but if performance is a priority, then comfort isn’t.
FASTER ROLLING
Fast-rolling hubs with high quality bearings make complete sense. This means you have low resistance and that as much of your momentum – whether gravity-given or pedalling-derived – is used optimally making for a smoother, swifter ride.
QUICKER ENGAGEMENT
When you go from freewheeling to pedalling, there’s a marginal bit of drivetrain forward movement, that’s hardly noticeable, until the hub engages and begins being powered forward. That movement prior to engagement can be up to 10 degrees. Quicker engagement means you get to accelerate faster once you begin pedalling.
Bontrager Line Pro Wheelsets
Bontrager’s Line Pro high performance carbon wheelsets comply with all of the above. The rims are made from OCLV carbon and include a hooked bead that increases stiffness and durability and reduces the risk of punctures. They range from 27.5 to 29-inch diameter, with (inner) rim widths varying from 29mm-41mm, so can accommodate wider tyres. They come with TLR (Tubeless Ready) rim tape already installed and a TLR valve stem.
Inside the rear hub is Bontrager’s Rapid Drive 108 freehub system. Six pawls pair with a 108-tooth drive ring to create an impressive 3.3-degrees between engagement points. The hubs have a six-bolt brake rotor mount and are available with Boost width axle spacing only.
The spokes are all DT Swiss, so you know they’re strong, light and reliable.
Great value
Bontrager’s Line Pro carbon wheelsets offer super value for money. You’ll struggle to find high-performance carbon wheelsets this light, stiff and efficient with big-brand backing at this price.
Warranty
Bontrager offers a lifetime warranty to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship. Every Bontrager wheel is impact tested for strength and durability before it leaves the factory. However real-world riding does deliver some unexpected surprises and occasional wheel damage is a reality. Carbon Care offers original owners a two-year repair or replace – full details here.
Bontrager Line Pro 30 TLR Boost 29
Hub: Boost width, Rapid Drive 108 with 3.3 degrees of engagement
Rim: 29mm internal rim width/38mm external; OCLV carbon
Spokes: 28 DT Swiss Competition Race spokes front/rear
Cassette compatibility: SRAM XD 11/12-speed
Weight: 1 760g
Colour: Black
Price: R11999-R13499
Ideal for: Marathon/Trail/Enduro
Bontrager Line Pro 30 TLR Boost 27.5
Hub: Boost width, Rapid Drive 108 with 3.3 degrees of engagement
Rim: 29mm internal rim width/36mm external; OCLV carbon
Spokes: 28 DT Swiss Aerolite spokes front/rear
Cassette compatibility: Shimano/SRAM MTB/Road 8/9/10-speed
Weight: 1 540g
Colour: Anthracite/Black
Price: R9999-R12999
Ideal for: Trail/Enduro
Bontrager Line Pro 40 TLR Boost 27.5
Hub: Boost width, Rapid Drive 108 with 3.3 degrees of engagement
Rim: 41mm internal rim width/46mm external (ideal for Plus-size tyres); OCLV carbon
Spokes: 28 DT Swiss Aerolite spokes front/rear
Cassette compatibility: Shimano/SRAM MTB/Road 8/9/10-speed
Weight: 1 658g
Colour: Anthracite/Black
Price: R9999-R12999
Ideal for: Trail/Enduro
For more information on Bontrager wheels or to find your local dealer, head over here.
Paid partnership with Trek Bikes South Africa
