Hey wheel guys...

[richwagmn]

Was doing hill repeats a few nights ago and came across a guy stopped at the top of the hill looking at his front wheel. I asked if he needed help and had found he had broken a spoke on his front wheel. Happens right?

Well, this guy was riding a pretty spendy Madone with a custom paint job (the one where you configure it and then go into a store to have someone review it and order it for you). I'd say he was at least 250lbs (good for him doing hill repeats!) and was riding these wheels:

http://www.bontrager.com/model/09776 (18 spoke front radially laced).

I immediately thought that the store should have had this guy order something that would support him BUT trek says this wheel has no weight limit???

Isn't that complete BS? How can an 18 spoke front wheel support that much weight?

I was actually kind of frosted about it. I'm sure he'll get a new wheel but it seems to me there's no way he should be on a wheelset like that.

Anyways, I helped the guy adjust his front brake so he could ride back down the hill and I hope the store when he got it recommends something stronger.

In case someone thinks this is just a bash trek post, I ride a Madone frameset (with a non-trek wheelset though).

 

[ElChingon]

So many factors to consider. You only knew the guy for the minutes you talked with him but do you know if he actually take care of his stuff or just tosses the bike after a ride in the garage next to some toxic chemicals or if others in his household take the bike out and jump curbs or what not?

Assuming everything is legit, its possible he had a bad spoke and it broke. Weight limits, if they were stock wheels I'm sure they can take the average Joe's weight again assuming he's not somebody who's double as wide as a 700cc wheel. Could of been a bad built, could of been a spoke that was hit by the guys foot or other object and weakened it. Even with the broken spoke it got him home so don't think they are not working for him.

 

[biker77]

In addition to no weight limit, they are also apparently crazy fast in the wind tunnnel.

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

Bontrager is probably the 2nd worst name in wheels behind Mavic. I worked at 3 Trek dealers over my 20 year career. Broken spokes, rims, extremely uneven tension and true, fried bearings. You name it Bontrager has got it all.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Was doing hill repeats a few nights ago and came across a guy stopped at the top of the hill looking at his front wheel. I asked if he needed help and had found he had broken a spoke on his front wheel. Happens right?

Well, this guy was riding a pretty spendy Madone with a custom paint job (the one where you configure it and then go into a store to have someone review it and order it for you). I'd say he was at least 250lbs (good for him doing hill repeats!) and was riding these wheels:

http://www.bontrager.com/model/09776 (18 spoke front radially laced).

I immediately thought that the store should have had this guy order something that would support him BUT trek says this wheel has no weight limit???

Isn't that complete BS? How can an 18 spoke front wheel support that much weight?

I was actually kind of frosted about it. I'm sure he'll get a new wheel but it seems to me there's no way he should be on a wheelset like that.

Anyways, I helped the guy adjust his front brake so he could ride back down the hill and I hope the store when he got it recommends something stronger.

In case someone thinks this is just a bash trek post, I ride a Madone frameset (with a non-trek wheelset though).

Absolute and utter BS. The bike shop should be ashamed at putting a guy this size on those wheels. Not trek but trekspecializedgiantcannondale...etc. They take a bike outta a box, regardless of the rider, and say it's fine and dandy..then the rider wonders why the crappy wheels go to hell instantly..the bike shop then does the 'thousand yard stare', and blame the rider for breaking the wheel.

Bad spoke? YGBSM..18 spoke wheel for a 250 pound rider....bad spoke?

We put together a guys Specialized, with Roval wheels...went to hell in one ride...

 

[Master50]

There are only 16 aluminum spokes on my Shamal Front wheel and I would trust them under a 250 pound rider.

 

[biker77]

There are only 16 aluminum spokes on my Shamal Front wheel and I would trust them under a 250 pound rider.

I don`t know how much you weigh but I would have to ride with an extra 85lbs of weight to achieve 250. I would not trust 28 spokes, let alone 16, doing that.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

There are only 16 aluminum spokes on my Shamal Front wheel and I would trust them under a 250 pound rider.

Since you aren't the 250 pound guy, I bet you would.

PLUS that rim weighs about 650 grams.