

This past year has been chock full of new carbon wheels hitting the market, but when



The Line Pro 30 wheels are a different story, with a list of specs that's tough to beat. The 29” version weighs in at 1700 grams, has an internal rim width of 29mm, and uses a hub with only 3-degrees between engagement points.

This past year has been chock full of new carbon wheels hitting the market, but when Bontrager's Line Pro 30 wheelset debuted last April they attracted a little more attention than usual. Why? Their impressive price vs. performance ratio. We're starting to see more affordable carbon wheels emerge, but there's usually some sort of sacrifice that accompanies a low price, whether that's a base-level hub, or a rim from a little-known company that may or may not answer your email if any issues arise.The Line Pro 30 wheels are a different story, with a list of specs that's tough to beat. The 29” version weighs in at 1700 grams, has an internal rim width of 29mm, and uses a hub with only 3-degrees between engagement points.

Bontrager Line Pro 30 Details

• Intended use: trail / all-mountain / enduro

• Carbon fiber rims

• Sizes: 27.5'', 29"

• Internal width: 29mm

• External width: 34mm

• Rapid Drive 108 hubs

• Boost spacing

• 28 straight pull DT Swiss Aerolite spokes, 3x lacing pattern

• Weight: 1700 grams (actual, 29" with rim strips)

• MSRP: $1200 USD

• www.bontrager.com

• Intended use: trail / all-mountain / enduro• Carbon fiber rims• Sizes: 27.5'', 29"• Internal width: 29mm• External width: 34mm• Rapid Drive 108 hubs• Boost spacing• 28 straight pull DT Swiss Aerolite spokes, 3x lacing pattern• Weight: 1700 grams (actual, 29" with rim strips)• MSRP: $1200 USD

The Line Pro 30 wheelset uses a six pawl freehub body and a 54 tooth drive ring. The pawls are offset, which creates a quick 3.4-degrees between engagement points.

Performance

Setup:

Feel:

Durability:

The hookless carbon rim has an internal width of 29mm.

Pinkbike's Take

Bontrager may not be the first name that comes to mind when it comes to aftermarket wheelsets, but the Line Pro 30 wheelset is deserving of a place on any rider's wishlist. The fact that they're only available with Boost spacing does mean that they won't work for everyone, but other than that they're a standout option, proof positive that high-end performance doesn't need to come with an astronomical price tag. — Mike Kazimer

Those features are accompanied by a $1200 USD price tag – there are wheels out there with the same specs for double that price. The Line Pro 30 wheels are available in Boost spacing only, and come stock with a Shimano freehub body - upgrading to an XD driver is an additional $100 USD.I've had a few different tires on the Line Pro wheelset by this point, and in all instances there wasn't any trouble getting them seated and sealed. Bontrager uses a removable molded plastic rim strip rather than tape, which adds a few extra grams, but it's also more durable, and less likely to need replacement. The 29mm internal rim width is right in the sweet spot to work with a range of tire widths, and I had good luck with tires from 2.3" all the way up to 2.6".The Line Pro 30 wheels have a liveliness to their handling that, when combined with the quick engaging rear hub and relatively light weight makes for a set of wheels that feels fast and precise. They're nice and stiff, yet manage to avoid feeling overly harsh or “wooden,” a trait that makes a big difference when you're spending hours plowing down rough trails. For comparison, I'd say that as far as stiffness and vibration damping go they fall in between Race Face's Next R wheels and e*thirteen's TRS SL wheels, which is a very good place to be. The Next R wheels feel a touch stiffer, and the TRS SL wheels have a slightly more damped feel out on the trail.When it comes to evaluating a wheelset, no matter if it's carbon or aluminum, durability is a key factor to consider. After all, no one wants to buy a fancy, lightweight set of wheels only to have them the rim turned into a useless pile of carbon fragments after only one ride, and the same goes for hubs – the bearings need to survive repeated mud baths, and the pawls need to keep engaging even after months of use. For those reasons, I've been pounding on the Line 30 wheels for nearly eight months in order to see how they held up.The result? The rims are still intact, even after countless rough rides, and some enduro racing thrown in for good measure, and all of the bearings are still spinning smoothly. The rear wheel spent about five minutes on the truing stand about halfway through the test period, but that's the only attention they've needed. In other words, the Line 30 wheels live up to the hype – carbon wheel manufacturers who are rolling out wheelsets for nearly $3,000 should take note.