# So what's the deal with Bontrager



## Zeekster64 (Dec 23, 2010)

I think most people agree that Trek makes solid road bikes but how do you guys feel about their in-house Bontrager brand? I always feel like there is something inherently ...blah about having a top of the line Madone with in-house stem, wheels, post and seat on it. . Is Bontrager up there in quality with Easton, Renyolds,Mavic, 3T, Ritchey, etc?

PS my Bontrager carbon seat post has a crack in it and I'm not a super heavy guy.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

Is your carbon seatpost cracked near the clamp where it's inserted into the frame, or, somewhere else?


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## Zeekster64 (Dec 23, 2010)

It's cracked a bit above the clamp but that doesn't mean that the clamp being on too tight has nothing to do with it. I didnt even tighten the thing because when I was fitted two years ago, the LBS guy did it. Now that I've raised the seat a bit due to a new fit, I noticed the crack. Lame!


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

Keith Bontrager is a pretty well respected guy in the industry. Pre-Trek take-over, he was making some pretty cool stuff. I haven't used much of their components, but in my experience the stuff I have used has been solid. Maybe not as cutting edge as others in the market, but definitely pretty decent stuff.


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

It is what it is, IMO...OEM-grade stuff that's more than sufficient for 95% of people on bikes. I love their bar tape, and I'm really enjoying the saddle I got from them.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

Suck!

The good news is that I'd bet half of the carbon seatposts out there are cracked kinda like that... it PROBABLY won't break! 



Zeekster64 said:


> It's cracked a bit above the clamp but that doesn't mean that the clamp being on too tight has nothing to do with it. I didnt even tighten the thing because when I was fitted two years ago, the LBS guy did it. Now that I've raised the seat a bit due to a new fit, I noticed the crack. Lame!


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Frankly, I've been disappointed with some of the Bontrager branded stuff, particularly the "soft goods" and tires. A pair of gloves fell apart after a few months.

But the new line of tires is a great improvement. I've become a big fan of the new R3+ road tires. I've also had very good luck with both RL and RXL wheelsets, although our shop has seen problems with a lot of RL's. But that has been mostly with 200+ lb riders.

The RXL alloy stems I have are as light as most comparable offerings from other brands. I've also grown to really like the VRS bend bars. At 180 grams, my RXXXL carbon bar is a gem.

My RXL Inform 146 saddle has replaced my beloved Selle Italia original Flites as my all time favorite. I will concede, however, that its cosmetic durability leaves something to be desired.

Finally, the Bontrager shoes I have, the RL road and RL mountain are the first shoes I've been able to wear without custom orthotics.

And we just saw the new Oracle helmet. If it fits your head (I don't know yet as the rep only had a medium and I need a large - very large) it's as nice as the top offerings from Giro, Bell, etc. and a bit cheaper.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

I also love the Bontrager bar tape - it has a good amount of cushioning - and have had good tyre life from the OEM Race Lites (and the Hard Cases on my commuter), although for racing you'd want to look elsewhere.


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## Oldguybikingnewb (Jan 25, 2011)

Had a thier XxX stem, liked it alot, but needed one a tad shorter went back with Richie, cause my LBS didn't have the Bont in the slightly shorter size (there a Trek store).

Seems like I have the Seat post as well, and have had zero problems with it, and I'm a heavy, strong rider, 6'1", 230. Legs are strong, just need to get rid of the food baby.

Not tried any of their other items though.


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## GetReal (Jul 26, 2010)

After 2 years and 13000 miles, the crank was toast. I figure the Isis bb (?) was more of a factor in the issue. Ultegra replacement was the way to go.

I'm a big rider and I haven't had an problems with the carbon post or alum stems etc over a period of 26,000+miles. Matter of fact, I snapped a frame on a climb but never damaged a Bonti component other than the crank issue.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

The Bonty stuff isn't sexy, but it does get the job done is most cases.

Like others, I like their cork tape, good stuff (but a birdie told me all so many years ago that all cork tape is made by the same manufacture in Asia somewhere, and just colored and stamped to spec for the OEM.) 

I do like their RXL tires, again a pretty decent race clincher. The RXL tubies are good too. (But again a birdie once told me that their high end tires are outsourced to a fairly well known tire manufacturer --- true?)

I must say though that I cracked a set of their RXXXL handlebars in a crash. I didn't know it at the time. During inspection later, I found the crack a couple inches above the lever clamp, about a 1/3 of the way around the bar...So I tried to have some fun with them. I stood on one end of the cracked bar and tried to pull it apart...I could slide a screwdriver into the broken carbon, but try as I might, I could not break the bars...Needless to say I replaced with with another set of Bonty carbon bars. What I tried would have tacoed a set of alloy bars in just a couple of seconds. Was it Bonty, or just the carbon, I don't know and don't care, but I do know I wasnt picking up teeth because of a bar failure on the road.


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

*Seatpost cracked*

this was on my buddies bike from last years ride. He road it in to the 47 mile stop and had to abandon the rest of the century.


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## Doctor Mabuse (Jan 17, 2011)

Bontrager TurboCharger Floor Pump = best, reasonably-priced pump I've ever owned.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

Bontrager lost its allure for me when Keith was eaten by Trek.


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

Average at best...


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Not a big fan of Trek/Bontrager in general but my Race XXX Lite wheels are very light and after two years of use are proving to be extremely durable.


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## 8toes (Feb 28, 2010)

i had Bontrager gear on my LeMond and, while probably not the best of stuff, it never let me down. That is all I was looking for. I tried to kill the stock Bontrager Select wheels and couldn't do it, even at my 210+lbs. I like their bottle cages and their bar tape. I was not thrilled with their tires or saddles though.

Cheers,

Brian J.


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## peedee (Dec 2, 2010)

Decent stuff, though I believe it's all Asian made.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

My bonty mountain bike post was the worst piece of bicycle equipment Ive owned. Its pretty hard to screw up a post, but they managed.

My bonty select 25c's however, are a hidden gem.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

The whole "Bontrager-approved" thing annoys me, and I'm a bit unsettled about the idea of any component getting on a non-Trek bike. They're almost interchangeable in reference. "Hay, swapped on the Bontra-I mean, Trek handlebar." But if I had a Madone or something, doors are wide open to use some of that stuff.

Their Speed Limit (alloy versions) are nice looking, as well as some of their white components. I know the Speed Limit XXX's are an exceptional item, somewhat related to the Revl calipers as both are made by TheHive and work awesomely.


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## Trouble (Apr 3, 2004)

TomH said:


> My bonty mountain bike post was the worst piece of bicycle equipment Ive owned. Its pretty hard to screw up a post, but they managed...


Ritchey did that with their 2 bolt post...junk.

Trek is too big and too corporate for my taste, but...
Bontrager has warrantied 2 rear wheels for me and I have stems and seatposts that I like.


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

peedee said:


> Decent stuff, though I believe it's all Asian made.


yeah those Asians... man... they only like make 99% of everything I own.

My tv, my computer, my bike, my parents, etc... :cryin:


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

It's funny how perception plays are role in how someone judges the quality of part... 

Personally, I've never considered Bontrager a second tier brand but I consider Ritchey a step below top brands and I've never had much luck with Easton components- .. 

If the part works for you, ride it.....don't worry about the label


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## cydswipe (Mar 7, 2002)

Bontrager has had growing and expansion pains. The same could be said for most companies that follow the same path. Nike had problems with their cycling and skateboarding shoe lines at first, they got it figured out to a certain extent. Bontrager had a component base at first. When Trek and Rolf wheels fell out, Bontrager came in. Now Bontrager offers a lot of things that Keith probably wouldn't have considered back in the day.


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## acg (Feb 13, 2011)

I have a Bontrager rear rack.... and I have tried researched many racks in the past. It was well made and the design appeared to be more sturdy than some of the other competitor products out there.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

My Fisher MTB came with Bontrager cranks and post. The cranks were anodized with a clear coat that started to flake off after a year. The worst part was that they clear coated the entire crank including the surface that mates with the bottom bracket. To this day it is the creakiest crankset I've ever used. I contacted Bontrager to let them know about the issue and never got a response. 

Back in the late 80's, Keith Bontrager was at MTB races selling some nice cutting edge stuff. I raced two seasons on Bontrager rims which were basically a 26" MA40. Now it's just a name owned by Trek.


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## lalahsghost (Aug 27, 2007)

Bontrager RXL Hardcases from January-April when the roads are slushy-shoddy.
The gel tape is soft, available in two sizes and repositionable like no one's business!


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

My experience:

Wheels: very durable, no truing needed after several years of hard use, including some semi-offroad stuff with my kids (i.e. rough paths with some ruts, roots, bread-loaf size rocks, etc.) and commuting loaded with laptop, lock, etc. (approx. 20lb-ish). Sorry, don't know the model. Got them about 7 years ago, road wheels, paired spokes. On my touring frame that I use as a commuter/rain/grocery/fooling around bike.

Tires, 35mm: expensive but cheap feeling with low max psi (about 75psi, if I remember correctly). Switched them out as soon as I could get a decent (and I'm talking Performance house brand here) tire. Again, this was several (more than 5) years ago, and it was not one of their top-of-the-line tires (although I felt it was priced like one).




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## J24 (Oct 8, 2003)

No more Bontrager stuff for me:

Gloves fell apart after 4 months of use

Saddle covering came unglued from the base before I had 1000 miles on it.

Pretty much your low end generic asian product.


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## pushpull (Jun 27, 2010)

My knowledge of Botranger is minimal and only began last week when my wife got these shoes from the Trek store.








They are the road WSD.

I don't know how they'll hold up but they look to be the most detailed and well-put-together shoe I've ever seen. The artistic detail and intricate assembly/stitching is impressive. They were on sale for $100. Not bad for having a carbon sole, I think. So far she is very happy.


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## Fishbike (Sep 23, 2008)

Perception is everything. When my LBS put together my Orbea Orca last year, it used a Bontrager post, stem and bars. I was not happy. The LBS willingly switched the parts for a brand more in line -- in my likely warped mind -- with a 4K bike. I am sure the Bontrager parts would have performed fine, but in my mind the bike deserved a brand higher on the food chain. I also felt that the LBS was trying to cheap out the build. 

But I do have 3 Bontrager bars that I like the shape of a lot.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*nope*

Would not consider buying it, or just about any other OEM brand. Any time a name gets bought by a big company, seems like quality takes a dive. 



Zeekster64 said:


> I think most people agree that Trek makes solid road bikes but how do you guys feel about their in-house Bontrager brand? I always feel like there is something inherently ...blah about having a top of the line Madone with in-house stem, wheels, post and seat on it. . Is Bontrager up there in quality with Easton, Renyolds,Mavic, 3T, Ritchey, etc?
> 
> PS my Bontrager carbon seat post has a crack in it and I'm not a super heavy guy.


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## Guest (May 16, 2011)

I like my Race X Lite Wheelset with titanium spokes, but I don't ride a Trek and I peeled all the labels off.


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## tommyrhodes (Aug 19, 2009)

evs said:


> this was on my buddies bike from last years ride. He road it in to the 47 mile stop and had to abandon the rest of the century.


Was this on the greylock century by any chance?


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Bontrager is one of the sponsors of the team that I am on, so they must be great products.
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I do not use any Bontrager products......
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I would, if I was on our Elite team, that gets free goodies, but I am not, so I can only get them at a discount........... I use "other" components.


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## cleon (Jul 19, 2011)

cleavesf said:


> yeah those asians... Man... They only like make 99% of everything i own.
> 
> My tv, my computer, my bike, my parents, etc... :cryin:


:d :d :d :d :d :d


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## JTrider (Jun 27, 2011)

Doctor Mabuse said:


> Bontrager TurboCharger Floor Pump = best, reasonably-priced pump I've ever owned.


I bought the Bonti Charger pump for under $40.00. Works great. I don't know why anyone would pay more for a floor pump.


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## jmio (Aug 19, 2008)

had a trek equinox, the bike was a pig, weighed a ton, and the wheels were horrible! I don't get why they even put the parts on there. the wheels weighed 2600 grams between the front and rear. somewhere in that ball park. My mountain bike wheels were better at spinning up.. OTOH the frame was nice, and i pretty much had to swap everything bontrager out because of fails. I no longer have anything to do with trek. I will try my luck with specialized now.


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## Milk-Bone (Jul 10, 2011)

No problems here with Bontrager. I'm an average rider that just goes out and rides. I'm not looking for ultra-light race components that will probably do me no good as I'm sure I am the weak link in the equation. The Bontrager components that came on my 2011 4.5 Madone are doing what I want them to do. When I get to the point were I'm a good enough rider that will benefit from "better" components I might reluctantly upgrade. Then again, maybe not. I'm very happy with my bike the way it is.

Forgot to add. I did change out the cork tape to black as the stock tape was white. I'm sure the white tape would have performed just as good as the black, but white tape wasn't for me.


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## SolidSnake03 (Jun 22, 2011)

Only Bontrager parts I have are a pair of Race Lite bottle cages which are actually really awesome cages. They have held up well to some abuse and grip the bottle quite strongly without being Specialized Rib Cage "OMFG-I'm-going-to-snap-this-thing-tight"


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## real stonie (Mar 30, 2006)

Keith is one of my LinkedIn connections...I'll send him a link to this thead in the morning.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

I seem to like their tire levers much much more than Park Tool...

and.... the Race All-Weather HardCase meets my expectations.


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## RD-Man (Jan 2, 2003)

I ride a Trek Madone. Immediately got rid of the Bontrager saddle. Bontrager wheels went a year or so later. Slowly but surely un-Bontrager-izing my bike, if that tells you anything. My 2 cents.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

I bought a pair of Bontrager RL MTB shoes a month or so ago. They're acually pretty well designed for the price point, Probably because they fit me so much better than my old MTB shoes (which I bought mail order in the 90s).....Except....

... the buckle absolutely SUCKS. It is a real crappy buckle and they should be embarassed for using it when there's such common options available.


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