Bontrager Aeolus AC50 vs. Hed Jet 60. Are they pretty much the same wheel?
The Bonty is a carbon clincher rim, whereas the Jet is alum. Otherwise, same wheel.
Not sure if the Bontrager is a deep rim or like the HED is a rim with a fairing? The other difference is the cost.
As the others mentioned. The HED Jet line is an aluminum rim with a carbon fairing. The HED Stinger series is a full carbon, structural toroidal shape, but tubular only.
The Bontys are full carbon structural clincher. Not many of those (like the Reynolds as well) and they are all very pricey. How much of a diff this actually makes I don’t know (other than the full carbon should be lighter, but not likely worth the way higher price).
Hi,
I was looking at the bontragers myself about a week ago. I called Trek and got the scoop. They are the All Conditions wheel or their bombproof training wheel for discovery. It is basically a race x lite rim with their race lite hubs (which are made by formula) with a thin carbon fairing bonded to the aluminum rim. They are supposed to be availible in about 3 weeks from now. They are a good weight but after seeing a bontrager aeolus 6.5 in person I decided I wanted something a little bit better for my money. The 6.5’s that I saw were about a year old and the fairing was rubbing against the spokes and creaking and what not, just making alot of noise which I cant stand so that helped me make up my mind right there.
They seem like nice wheels but not worth retail in my opinion espcially when they are supposed to retail at almost $400 more than the heds. The only benefit is that the customer service at bontrager is second to none. Good luck
I’ve never had an issue with HED’s wheels at all, and thus never had to deal with their customer service. But we’ve got guys on our team that train and race on HED Jet 50’s and beat the piss out of them, and the wheels are still as good as new, even if they’ve been in a crash or two.
Actually none of the Aeoleus’ are structural carbon, they’re all carbon fairings bonded to carbon (6.5 and 5.0) or aluminum rims (5.0 AC, as in “aluminum clincher”)… I’m pretty sure that the 5.0 is just like a Jet… an aluminum rim which is then shipped off to Hed to have the deep-section skin bonded. You can see in the pictures that the carbon is just a faring like a Jet:
Ah, yes - thanks! Just different spoke lacing/hubs then really.
I’d go with Jets then 
VERY few true all carbon clinchers for sure (like the Reynolds)
I’m with you… although I’ve never seen any, from what Speedy said about them the Jets are hard to beat for that price point.
the small “HED” on the bontrager fairing also suggests that bontrager is using the Jet fairing.