New Wheels

[MountainBiker]

I got a good deal on some Bontrager Race X Lites the other week , but have not yet put them on my Madone 4.7. I have read mixed reviews about the wheels but I think I am o.k.
It seems that if you are over 200 lbs, then these wheels had some cracking and bearing problems, but being 155lbs it shouldn't be a problem.
I have read, however, that you sort of have to re learn how to ride your bike because the performance and handling is that much more improved

[JuneBug]

I demo'd a Gary Fisher with those wheels and they were fast, fast, fast, really easy to spin right up to speed. What kind of tires are you running with them?

[MountainBiker]

Continetal 2000's

[JuneBug]

Sorry I didn't read closely. Those are the ROAD wheels if they are for your Madone! Bontrager also makes various X Lites in mtn bike version. How are you liking them so far?

Is the weather such that you can still ride on the road? Don't know much about winter weather anymore; I moved back to Texas from Colorado 12 years ago and real winters are a distant memory. My husband and one of his riding partners just go back home from a (non) road ride. It is about 47 degrees with a brisk north wind (cold front came in last night) and nobody showed up to ride.

[MountainBiker]

Hey Junebug, sorry for the late reply...been busy with work
Yes, the Race x lites are for the road bike...I have DT Swiss for the Mountainbike which I really like, though the bike is getting heavy for my age It's a full suspension and I am thinking of going back to a hard tail

[kennyrayandersen]

Hey Junebug, sorry for the late reply...been busy with work
Yes, the Race x lites are for the road bike...I have DT Swiss for the Mountainbike which I really like, though the bike is getting heavy for my age It's a full suspension and I am thinking of going back to a hard tail

Just get a lighter fully -- I'll never go back to a hardtail -- it just beats you up too much. I'm riding a Cannondale Rize 2 and it only weighs about 24 pounds... there are lighter ones, but I spent enough on it and it's light enough. I guess it depends on what kind of riding you do, but I feel the same after 3 hours on a fully as I do on a hardtail after just an hour. I'm getting too old to absorb all that pounding.

I'm a bit heavier and I'm riding some Easton tempest IIs. I haven't had any problems and they are stiff enough. The road bike is a Kuoda Kredo. it weighs in about 17 Lb and is all carbon (when you compare weights it's quite amazing that you can make a full suspension bike with 130 mm of travel that only weighs 7 pounds more than a very light road bike!

[Steve_Cox]

I got a good deal on some Bontrager Race X Lites the other week , but have not yet put them on my Madone 4.7. I have read mixed reviews about the wheels but I think I am o.k.
It seems that if you are over 200 lbs, then these wheels had some cracking and bearing problems, but being 155lbs it shouldn't be a problem.
I have read, however, that you sort of have to re learn how to ride your bike because the performance and handling is that much more improved

I have those wheels on my Gary Fisher Triton, I work at avoiding roadbed irregularities more with this bike than any I ever had. I'm 220# and with 24 spokes I can feel the wheels flex in deep turns. But they are fast and fun. I'll let you know if I can break them.

[Fenlason]

Hey Junebug, sorry for the late reply...been busy with work
Yes, the Race x lites are for the road bike...I have DT Swiss for the Mountainbike which I really like, though the bike is getting heavy for my age It's a full suspension and I am thinking of going back to a hard tail

Just get a lighter fully -- I'll never go back to a hardtail -- it just beats you up too much. I'm riding a Cannondale Rize 2 and it only weighs about 24 pounds... there are lighter ones, but I spent enough on it and it's light enough. I guess it depends on what kind of riding you do, but I feel the same after 3 hours on a fully as I do on a hardtail after just an hour. I'm getting too old to absorb all that pounding.

I'm a bit heavier and I'm riding some Easton tempest IIs. I haven't had any problems and they are stiff enough. The road bike is a Kuoda Kredo. it weighs in about 17 Lb and is all carbon (when you compare weights it's quite amazing that you can make a full suspension bike with 130 mm of travel that only weighs 7 pounds more than a very light road bike!

We have someone on a full suspension bike..[although it does not have 130mm of travel] but it is lighter than your road bike...

It's insane....

[kennyrayandersen]

Hey Junebug, sorry for the late reply...been busy with work
Yes, the Race x lites are for the road bike...I have DT Swiss for the Mountainbike which I really like, though the bike is getting heavy for my age It's a full suspension and I am thinking of going back to a hard tail

Just get a lighter fully -- I'll never go back to a hardtail -- it just beats you up too much. I'm riding a Cannondale Rize 2 and it only weighs about 24 pounds... there are lighter ones, but I spent enough on it and it's light enough. I guess it depends on what kind of riding you do, but I feel the same after 3 hours on a fully as I do on a hardtail after just an hour. I'm getting too old to absorb all that pounding.

I'm a bit heavier and I'm riding some Easton tempest IIs. I haven't had any problems and they are stiff enough. The road bike is a Kuoda Kredo. it weighs in about 17 Lb and is all carbon (when you compare weights it's quite amazing that you can make a full suspension bike with 130 mm of travel that only weighs 7 pounds more than a very light road bike!

We have someone on a full suspension bike..[although it does not have 130mm of travel] but it is lighter than your road bike...

It's insane....

yeah there are some crazy bkies out there (road and MTB), but they command a price I'm not willing to pay either in shear dollars, or in comfort or a combination of both. A guy at the LBS built a KOM (Kuota) for a guy that weighed something stupid like 13 Lb, but it had this wafer thin seat and all kinds of other crazy stuff -- I think the wheels were only 1 Kg and ran $5K just for the wheels -- now that's crazy! Too much money and too little comfort!

[Fenlason]

Hey Junebug, sorry for the late reply...been busy with work
Yes, the Race x lites are for the road bike...I have DT Swiss for the Mountainbike which I really like, though the bike is getting heavy for my age It's a full suspension and I am thinking of going back to a hard tail

Just get a lighter fully -- I'll never go back to a hardtail -- it just beats you up too much. I'm riding a Cannondale Rize 2 and it only weighs about 24 pounds... there are lighter ones, but I spent enough on it and it's light enough. I guess it depends on what kind of riding you do, but I feel the same after 3 hours on a fully as I do on a hardtail after just an hour. I'm getting too old to absorb all that pounding.

I'm a bit heavier and I'm riding some Easton tempest IIs. I haven't had any problems and they are stiff enough. The road bike is a Kuoda Kredo. it weighs in about 17 Lb and is all carbon (when you compare weights it's quite amazing that you can make a full suspension bike with 130 mm of travel that only weighs 7 pounds more than a very light road bike!

We have someone on a full suspension bike..[although it does not have 130mm of travel] but it is lighter than your road bike...

It's insane....

yeah there are some crazy bkies out there (road and MTB), but they command a price I'm not willing to pay either in shear dollars, or in comfort or a combination of both. A guy at the LBS built a KOM (Kuota) for a guy that weighed something stupid like 13 Lb, but it had this wafer thin seat and all kinds of other crazy stuff -- I think the wheels were only 1 Kg and ran $5K just for the wheels -- now that's crazy! Too much money and too little comfort!

We have sold some light road bikes.. 13 to 14 pound range.. and they are very rideable...although yes expensive. In this case at least they are owed by riders and the bikes are ridden.

That light mountain bike I referred to was stupid light. [in my opinion] The guy is a racer.. 24 hour solo racer... and he did win his class at the Great Glen race... and with almost 25,000 vertical feet of climbing I guess light is good.. ......but he has things like one piece carbon seat and post.. and has broken two this season. He used to have super light brakes.. and after not being able to finish a race because he wore them out in only part of one race.. he is learning that weight only, is a poor deciding factor, even when racing.

[MountainBiker]

I got a good deal on some Bontrager Race X Lites the other week , but have not yet put them on my Madone 4.7. I have read mixed reviews about the wheels but I think I am o.k.
It seems that if you are over 200 lbs, then these wheels had some cracking and bearing problems, but being 155lbs it shouldn't be a problem.
I have read, however, that you sort of have to re learn how to ride your bike because the performance and handling is that much more improved

I have those wheels on my Gary Fisher Triton, I work at avoiding roadbed irregularities more with this bike than any I ever had. I'm 220# and with 24 spokes I can feel the wheels flex in deep turns. But they are fast and fun. I'll let you know if I can break them.

24 spokes??? I counted mine and there are only 18!. Mind you, my racing weight is between 155 and 165 lbs, so I should be o.k.