Bontrager Race Lite - worth rebuilding?

Triathlon Forum
1

Nine year old rear wheel slightly out of round, so I took it to LBS and several of the spokes are frozen. He is soaking them but indicated that I might want to start looking for new wheel. I ride with the owner and trust him. Unfortunately, I know zero about wheels and don’t want to drop $400+ on new ones. If the rim & hub are still in good shape, is it cost effective to just replace the spokes?

2

Are they the bladed spokes? Or just double/triple butted spokes?

Any descent shop should be able to replace a few spokes in a wheel quickly and relatively inexpensively.

3

Are they the bladed spokes? Or just double/triple butted spokes?

Any descent shop should be able to replace a few spokes in a wheel quickly and relatively inexpensively.

Bladed…10 pair.

4

Anything else wrong with the wheel? Brake track wear, cracked eyelets, shot bearings?

5

Anything else wrong with the wheel? Brake track wear, cracked eyelets, shot bearings?

I looked over the wheels very closely and they seem fine, although I did not look for cracked eyelets. My friend closed his retail shop and just works on bikes for friends. Haven’t checked with him on the cost of new spokes. Couldn’t find any on ebay. Where is the best place to buy new spokes?

6

take off very good condition much newer (sometimes brand new) race lites can be had on ebay for significantly less than 400 bucks.

7

Not sure with these wheels. The bladed spoke may be discontinued.

If I remember correctly they are typical with 90 degree bent head. If you do not care you can replace with a simple double butted spoke like a DT competition.

Not as aero, but functional. A spoke like this would be a couple bucks a piece. Not sure about cost to true a wheel as it varies regionally. And I would just do it myself so I have not paid for a while. I no longer wrench at a shop (have not done so for at least 6years)

8

I have a pair from 2010… they might be RXL’s by same design. You could replace it with a standard spoke the same length. That’s what I’d do.

9

thanks for the help guys
.

10

http://www.velopress.com/…-maintenance-4th-ed/

Pick this up. Part of racing a bike should include becoming competent on maintaining a bike.

And get this if you really want to learn about wheels.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Bicycle-Wheel-3rd-Edition/dp/0960723668