# Should I stick with my stock Bontrager Race wheels or my custom built's?



## headcasey321 (Jul 25, 2013)

I just purchased a 2013 Trek Madone 5.2. It comes stock with Bontrager Race tubeless ready wheels. I have a set of hand built wheels with the following specs:

White Industries T11 hubs
DT Swiss RR 465 hoops
Dt Swiss spokes (steel, not bladed)

I had the wheels built for my old road bike which is a Surly Pacer which I'm converting back to a commuter/light touring bike. Would it be beneficial to swap my hand built wheel set to my new Madone? Or are the Bontrager's good enough?

Thanks!


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

headcasey321 said:


> I just purchased a 2013 Trek Madone 5.2. It comes stock with Bontrager Race tubeless ready wheels. I have a set of hand built wheels with the following specs:
> 
> White Industries T11 hubs
> DT Swiss RR 465 hoops
> ...


It seems easy enough to throw the custom wheels on the new bike and give em a ride to compare? unless you've got the wrong freehub on it. 

I have more faith in custom wheelsets than factory builds, but if you like riding tubeless, i can see that being a good reason to stay on the bonty's


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## alegerlotz (Feb 8, 2013)

headcasey321 said:


> I just purchased a 2013 Trek Madone 5.2. It comes stock with Bontrager Race tubeless ready wheels. I have a set of hand built wheels with the following specs:
> 
> White Industries T11 hubs
> DT Swiss RR 465 hoops
> ...


The "Bontrager Race" wheels that came with my 2011 Madone 3.1c where heavy and so low end that you couldn't find any specs on them on the Trek web site... they said "Bontrager Approved" somewhere on them and the consensus on the forum was that they were just rebranded "Bontrager Race" from whoever would build them cheapest at the time.

I would think/hope that on the 5.2 they are better than those, but my guess is that they still aren't great. See if you can get specs on the Trek web site.


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## echo7 (Sep 7, 2010)

I used to have a trek bike and I was told that bontrager approved wheels are actually Alexrims..


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## headcasey321 (Jul 25, 2013)

Thanks for the reply,
I've never ridden tubeless and seeing what it's like is probably the only reason I'm debating keeping them on. I think the freehub will work with both bikes but my knowledge doesn't go that far. I know the T11 is 11 speed compatible. Although, I had the set built for my Pacer which is a 9 speed and my trek is a ten speed.


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## headcasey321 (Jul 25, 2013)

I cant find any specs on the trek site for my "Bontrager Race" wheels either so I'm assuming they are similar to the ones on your 3.1c. I'm still waiting on the bike to ship so I'll have a better idea next week when it shows up.

Thank you for the reply.


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## headcasey321 (Jul 25, 2013)

Really? Alexrims are what came stock with my Pacer and what influenced me to buy a custom set. In actuality, the Alexrims held up pretty well but where HEAVY.

Thank you for the reply.


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## alegerlotz (Feb 8, 2013)

headcasey321 said:


> I cant find any specs on the trek site for my "Bontrager Race" wheels either so I'm assuming they are similar to the ones on your 3.1c. I'm still waiting on the bike to ship so I'll have a better idea next week when it shows up.
> 
> Thank you for the reply.


If that's true, I'd dump 'em. In my case, I saved 1.6 lbs by going from the stock "Bontrager Race" wheels a set of Rol Race SL wheels.

I sold the Bontragers with my old bike and kept the Rolf Vector wheels from that bike as spares.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Stock sucks. 

No other reason needed. 
I just built a set of WI hubs laced to RR415's. they are the smoothest wheels I have ever ridden.


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## NWS Alpine (Mar 16, 2012)

headcasey321 said:


> I cant find any specs on the trek site for my "Bontrager Race" wheels either so I'm assuming they are similar to the ones on your 3.1c. I'm still waiting on the bike to ship so I'll have a better idea next week when it shows up.
> 
> Thank you for the reply.


Here are the specs Bontrager: Race TLR (Model #11063)

Your custom rims are much better. You can run them tubeless too. The only thing special about the TLR rims is they have a rim strip and valve kit made for them. I still prefer stans tape though for tubeless setups. I would run the Bontrager tubeless tires on your custom rims. The new R3 and R2 tubeless tires are excellent.

EDIT: Just checked the specs on the 5.2 and it doesn't come with tubeless tires so you would need to buy new tires if you wanted to go tubeless.


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## headcasey321 (Jul 25, 2013)

Thank you for the very informative input. I think stans tape setup on my custom wheels will be the end result.


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