Flanders tech: Bontrager prototypes
The VeloNews crew eyeballs Leopard-Trek's prototype Bontrager wheels before Tour of Flanders.
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KORTRIJK, Belgium (VN) — Team Leopard-Trek had two pairs of prototype Bontrager wheels in its truck, and VeloNews was lucky to see them in the team parking lot. Unfortunately, Trek team liaison Ben Coates couldn’t comment on the wheels.
From the looks of them, they are designed to take on Zipp’s 303 and similar wheels. The have a wide carbon rim that supports Schwalbe 25mm and FMB Paris Roubaix 27mm tires well. The rims are laced 16-spoke front and 24-spoke rear to Bontrager’s XXX Lite hubs with bladed spokes. Mechanics will be happy to see that they use external spoke nipples.
We may see these under Fabian Cancellara either at Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. Be on the lookout!
