# Do Bontrager Race Lite TLR Wheels Use a Shimano Brand Freehub?



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

While cleaning the drive train on my CX bike, the cassette wouldn't sliding off like it's supposed to because 3 of the cogs have started "biting" into the free-hub. I tapped them loose for now, but I imagine I'm going to have to do something about this eventually. 

The cassette is a Shimano 105 10-speed cassette with a spacer mounted on an 11-speed Bontrager Race Lite TLR wheel). 

*Does anyone know if the freehub on these wheels is a Shimano freehub or some other brand?* I can't tell just by looking at it (See photo below.) 









The reason the cogs are digging-in is that the 105 cogs in the middle gears don't have "teeth" for each spline in the freehub body, which means the teeth that do exist are under more stress and have obviously done some damage. Below is an example of a 105 cog. Note the gaps between the inner "teeth":









I think it would behoove me to get a 10-speed Ultegra cassette which I ~think~ has more spline teeth on the cogs, but I'm not sure what to do about the freehub body. If I can't find a new freehub body for a reasonable price (or at all), perhaps I'll just have to try a new cassette for a while until something goes horribly wrong. :blush2:

** Edit: Yikes... Ultegra 10-speed cogs also have missing "teeth" in the middle gears from what I'm seeing. Now I have no idea what I'm going to do... makes no sense to replace everything only to have this happen over again.


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

I think I've found one possible solution:

American Classic 10 Speed Clip Kit

Diagram for how these work (PDF)

I find it interesting that Shimano hasn't addressed this issue. I'm finding tons of people having a similar issue with aluminum freehub bodies.


----------



## CrankyCarbon (Dec 17, 2014)

i think they are made in house nowadays in addition to DT Swiss hubs.
Be best to check the Bontrager website for replacement freehubs.

This is Interesting. Campagnolo solved this problem back in 1998. Their cogs only have 4 inner splines which are much taller/deeper with the freehub body to match.


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

CrankyCarbon said:


> This is Interesting. Campagnolo solved this problem back in 1998.


My mountain bike's 10-speed Deore XT cogs have more spline teeth (one tooth for every spline) and so do my 11-speed Ultegra cogs on my Domane. I think Shimano might've learned that these old 10-speed road cogs were a bad idea and fixed the issue on some of their groups, but those of us with the 10-speed road groups are stuck.

I was thinking that a Deore XT cassette might be the solution because the cogs have more spline teeth, but the mountain cassettes are all geared too low on the high end. I don't need a 32+ tooth high gear with the Ultegra rings up front. Grrr.


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

I'm thinking that perhaps the hubs are made by a company called Formula. The following hub on their web site has a freehub body with the same part number on it as mine. 

Formula


----------



## Mackers (Dec 29, 2009)

You need the hub manufacturer to address this problem, not Shimano. 
Shimano only uses either steel or titanium freehubs, that don't have these problems.
(The 7800 series aluminum cassette bodies had higher splines and didn't have these problems either.)


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

Does SRAM have any 10-speed cassettes that might be a bit more “aluminum freehub body friendly”? (I.e., do SRAM cassettes have more “spline teeth”?) It’s hard to tell how SRAM cassettes lock on the freehub from most pictures I’ve seen online.

If I just replace the freehub with a newer model of the same brand, but don’t address the problem, I’ll just be in this same boat again.:-/


----------



## Mackers (Dec 29, 2009)

The SRAM Red cassettes are pretty aluminum friendly, but are also very expensive.

If I were you and provided you can live with the limited number of sizes (3?) I'd try a 4600 Tiagra cassette or if you can still find them, one of the 6600 junior cassettes. The Tiagra contains a unit of 8 cogs riveted together (thus spreading the load) and only the two smallest cogs as individuals. They're dirt cheap and the 11-25 shifts well (only size I've tried). The 6600 junior cassettes are similar, with the 3 largest cogs and the 5 next largest cogs riveted together. These are more expensive and quite rare, but give you 14-25 and 15-25 in almost straight blocks.


----------



## Kendogz161 (Aug 17, 2007)

I have an old Bontrager RXL wheel with a Dura-Ace gear set. I just smooth out the high spots on the spline and reinstalled the cassette. Has never given me a problem ever since. I can upload a pic if you want .


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

Mackers said:


> I'd try a 4600 Tiagra cassette...


Thanks, Mackers. So far the idea of a Tiagra cassette seems like the best idea. I'm not real excited about loosing the 28t if I go with the 11-25t cassette, but but I like this idea best.

I was about to order the American Classic Speed Clip Kit, but since the freehub is already damaged across all the middle cogs, those pins wouldn't really help keep the center cogs lined-up where they should be as opposed to the Tiagra cassette solution.



Kendogz161 said:


> I have an old Bontrager RXL wheel with a Dura-Ace gear set. I just smooth out the high spots on the spline and reinstalled the cassette. Has never given me a problem ever since. I can upload a pic if you want .


The issue doesn't just continue to get worse? I'd assume that the cogs would just keep digging their way through the splines until one day they break all the way through (and send the rider over the handlebars :blush2.


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

Although a little late now, this is interesting...


PoorInRichfield said:


> Aluminum freehub bodies will always develop marks on them from the individual cogs of a Shimano cassette. One of the most important things is making sure you tighten the lockring down enough. I have seen many guys tell me that there aluminum freehub body was damaged and when I asked them about how tight was the lock ring, they say something like "tight enough but I didn't want to strip the threads". Most aluminum free hub bodies need at least 40nm of torque or the cogs can slowly "move" and cut into the splines.


If I don't get a bike torque wrench as a Christmas gift, I'm going to buy one from Sears. 

Also, Shimano's parts web site has wonderful diagrams that show all the details of their cogs.


----------



## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

PoorInRichfield said:


> Although a little late now, this is interesting...
> 
> If I don't get a bike torque wrench as a Christmas gift, I'm going to buy one from Sears.
> 
> Also, Shimano's parts web site has wonderful diagrams that show all the details of their cogs.


BUT...some aluminum free hubs can't be torqued to 40nm. Like DT for instance...who makes the RXL units that Bontrager uses. Not the one you use, but the next level up. And you can minimize it by tightening the lockring to the proper torque on a steel or Ti body, but on the alloy ones it's usually just going to keep happening.


----------



## Kendogz161 (Aug 17, 2007)

Not really, it just stopped. I got over 10k miles from that rear wheel before the rim started to crack at the spokes. I wasn't in the mood to spend money on it, held up fine.
I still have it, just use it now as a tubular stretching wheel.
Here are the pictures after a smooth it out.


----------



## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

It stopped _on your wheel._ Which is great, for you. Believe me...I've seen it go much further than that. Remember, I tend to see just a few more bikes than you do.


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

I got a new Tiagra 11-25 cassette today. I had to file down the dig marks from the old cassette in order to get the new one to slide on. The new cassette looks nice and will no-doubt solve the spline cutting issue. 

Looks like I'm going to have to put on a new chain, though. I'm not able to get the replacement chain pin to sit properly. It sticks-out just hair and it causes the Dura-Ace chain to 'skip' in low gear. Now that I've taken a closer look at the chain, I see it has 3 replacement pins in it! Apparently the person I bought it from must have made a "Frakenchain" or something.

Anyone see any reason why I shouldn't opt for a KMC X10SL chain? I like the idea of having a master link so I can remove the chain for cleaning it.


----------



## Kendogz161 (Aug 17, 2007)

I went from a Shimano to KMC chain just because I had a new take off in my tool box . I liked it so much I now run KMC chains on all my bikes. 
It feels like it shift a it faster a smoother than the Dura-Ace chain that I had when it was new.
Also with the quick link, it's easier to clean the chain too.


----------



## PoorInRichfield (Nov 30, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback.


----------



## r1lee (Jul 22, 2012)

This happens a lot to dtswiss hubs. Just look it up, the body is made of aluminum and is prone to tearing up.

They use to also make a steel freehub, but not sure if they still do.


----------

