Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!)

swim_to_survive

Jul 11, 14 10:36

Post #1 of 17 (6628 views)

Let's talk shop.
Next round of FLO's go on sale soonish. If you know anything about FLO, you know its 95% of the performance benefit at 25% of the cost of ZIPPs.
There are pros, there are cons.
Now, I've been in the mindset totally ready to buy a set of FLO 60s with a FLO 90 rear clincher and then get wheelbuilder to make me a cover for it (as done by a ST member I talked to).
And then this shit happened.
My team's Director of Sponsorship scored us a 40% off any Bontrager wheel product until the end of July.
I know nothing about Bontrager, other than the fact that there is some Bontrager parts on the new Trek SC 7.5 I might be getting.
Would some of you please help educate/inform me about Bontrager? What products do you like? What is comparable to FLO? What is better than FLO? I assume that in the end result they are all very similar and preform similarly, but given the fact that I could score anything from Bontrager for 40% off - is there something there that would be good to grab?
The thing I know about FLO is (again, assuming I understand correctly) they have an aluminum rim and between that and the price point of the wheels, the can break a bit better and be used for training without worrying as much as compared to ZIPPs.
If I get the Trek, I'm thinking of turning the rear clincher that comes with it into a trainer wheel. I do have a road-bike that I want to keep for recreational riding when I don't want to go out on my new tri-bike. Though if I put any wheels on that, I don't know if I'd put anything too seriously deep.
Thanks for your input.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 10:54

Post #2 of 17 (6578 views)

but given the fact that I could score anything from Bontrager for 40% off - is there something there that would be good to grab?

yeah...I'd say there was...like a pair of Aeolus 9 D3 clinchers !

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 11:04

Post #3 of 17 (6558 views)

Would you be looking at the Aura 5 (50mm deep aluminum clincher or tubular with carbon fairing) or the Aeolus (full carbon clincher or tubular). It looks like the Aura is only available in one depth - 50 mm. If you want a deeper rear you'll have to get he Aeolus.

Last edited by: link5485: Jul 11, 14 11:04

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [link5485] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 11:16

Post #4 of 17 (6531 views)

This^

I dont know the savings difference between a front 50 vs 60 (you were considering the flo 60 front thats why im not mentioning an 80mm+ front) but in the rear, if you are going to cover it the trek 7.5 bike you can do the string test to see if a wheel cover could fit. From what i see its hit or miss with wheelbuilder and Catalyst says they can fit but they wont promise it. Either way going to a 80+mm rear vs a 50mm rear my guess on a frame like the 7.5 the time savings there isnt major but im not an aero expert. So if you go with the Aura, at the discount you state its hard to skip over those wheels at that price. I guess my suggestion would be go for teh Aeolus D3 9s because those are just badass wheels.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 11:38

Post #5 of 17 (6488 views)

I have a new Trek SC 7.5. I have flow wheels. I like the aluminum brake tracks and aero wheels really don't do enough to justify the huge price differences unless you have a lot of disposable income. I have more than most and still couldn't justify it.

Paul
Current Top 2:
7 Things Non-cyclists Should Know About Road Cycling
The GORUCK Challenge Ruined My Life

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 11:42

Post #6 of 17 (6481 views)

The bontrager aura 5 are very similar to the flos in terms of construction and they would be cheaper with your discount. I'd go with the Bontragers and a cover.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 20:08

Post #7 of 17 (6290 views)

1st Don't compare flos to zipps.
2nd Bontrager.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 20:40

Post #8 of 17 (6261 views)

The thing with Aeolus is they're full carbon clinchers. You'll need different pads vs aluminum rims. I would go for the Auras if they cost less with the discount and get a wheel cover. For whatever reason I didn't see a non tlr version of the aura on the bontrager website. Also make sure you get the proper free hub body - there's 11 and 10 speed versions for shimano listed. Maybe see if you can get the 11 and use a spacer if you're currently running 10 speed as future proofing.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 21:10

Post #9 of 17 (6242 views)

The Flo wheels are what they are. Great wheels on a budget price. I have a pair of Flo 60's that I ride all the time, but they are heavy wheels that are not great in cross-wind conditions. You get what you pay for and the current designs are better if you want to pay a premium price. At a 1,000$ for a pair, Flo's rule. A little more gets you Jet Express wheels, and a lot more gets Zipp or Enve wheels. Take your pick, but the difference between great and good aero wheels comes down to ride quality these days.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 11, 14 22:12

Post #10 of 17 (6210 views)

Former owner of Aeolus 7 D3 clinchers

Pros:
-fast
-very well built. You can tell they're stout and I recall reading something bananas about the destructive testing of the OCLV rim.
-smooth. The hubs just spin and spin and spin and, IMO, the rims absorb a bit of road noise

Cons:
-for me, the 7 front was twitchy in cross winds. Depth isn't really an issue for the rear.
-aerodynamics optimized around the Bontrager R4 tire. Good crr but a bit fragile.
-sub-par braking power and modulation. This gets worse if the road is at all wet.

Flos are optimized around the GP4000s iirc. Good crr, aero, and durability. Aluminum rims are hard to beat for braking power. If I were in your position, I'd go Flo.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 12, 14 14:00

Post #11 of 17 (5993 views)

Outside of the pros and cons above, Here's the aero data compared if you're interested.

When I was deciding on which wheels to get I found a site that had aggregated all of the aero data and just did my own thing with it.(http://www.cyclingpowerlab.com/...entAerodynamics.aspx)

If you get really nerdy you can do some multi-citeria decision making, but that doesn't take 2 seconds like this does.

There's all sorts of argument on the weight/aero benefits, but I'm not opening that can of worms. Just food for thought here.

My 2 cents, take the aero data, weight priority, and price, then decide. The Aura is really similar to Flo as the other folks have said.

Full disclosure, I have Flo's. 60/90 combo, disc, and 30's for training. I can swap the wheels in and out without mucking with the brakes and don't have to change pads for a carbon brake track.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [ATLTri] [ In reply to ]

Jul 12, 14 14:09

Post #12 of 17 (5980 views)

Not very useful to compare data sets from different test sessions unless there is some sort of baseline. Way too many variables even at the same facility to make educated decisions.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [Runless] [ In reply to ]

Jul 12, 14 14:14

Post #13 of 17 (5972 views)

Runless wrote:

Not very useful to compare data sets from different test sessions unless there is some sort of baseline. Way too many variables even at the same facility to make educated decisions.

Not only that, but based on the Flo 90 and 60 curves, that doesn't appear to be their latest data taken with a GP4000S tire on them.

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

Last edited by: Tom A.: Jul 12, 14 14:19

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [Tom A.] [ In reply to ]

Jul 12, 14 14:48

Post #14 of 17 (5928 views)

Sure, I have a few minutes (obviously). So I eyeballed it. I didn't know they went back to the tunnel.

It's intended to be a data visualization, we don't have all the wheels in the same tunnel at the same time and under the same conditions. The market doesn't provide that data, maybe you'd like to front the $ so we could all make an educated guess.

You can be a stickler if you want, it's up to the OP if he thinks it's useful. The companies publish the data, I like to look at it side by side and see what is being marketed.

If you'd like to split them out independently feel free to do so.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [ATLTri] [ In reply to ]

Jul 12, 14 21:10

Post #15 of 17 (5804 views)

The visualization isn't terribly useful though. It's different tunnels on different days so comparing wouldn't lead to a useful conclusion.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [swim_to_survive] [ In reply to ]

Jul 12, 14 21:29

Post #16 of 17 (5795 views)

If you can get Brontrager wheels for the price of Flo wheels you'd be silly not to.

Flo wheels are great if you want cheap aero wheels. They are what the are (like someone else said), box wheels with a carbon fairing. Zipps (and from what I have seen but not ridden) Bontrager are just better quality wheels at a much higher price. I got some Flo wheels for a second bike and wow...nothing even close to Zipp quality, but maybe just as aero...certainly not as light. It is that diminishing returns question, but you seem to be able to eliminate the diminishing with a sweet discount...get the better wheels.

Re: Flo Cycling Wheels vs Bontrager Wheels (Bring Your Knowledge!) [link5485] [ In reply to ]

Jul 13, 14 8:36

Post #17 of 17 (5684 views)

Hey, we can agree to disagree. I think it does help you come to a conclusion of where your money goes given the price difference.

If price is not an issue, it comes down to the qualitative decisions, e.g. brake track and ease of swapping training vs race wheels, etc. that folks have already raised.

I have a hard time buying, given how closely the results do track, that there is an ultra significant variable missing from one day to the next. If that is an issue then all of this data is useless because it has nothing to do with the more important influences on your riding such as clothing, body position, hydration setup, etc.

If that is your argument then basically all of the wheels are the same and you shouldn't bother with making a decision with anything other than how cool you'll look on Zipps in your race photos.

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