loading
reading
writing
saving
searching
Trek DTSwiss Bontrager Paradigm Elite Road Gravel Bike Wheels Wheelset - $380
QR Code Link to This Post
These have only 309 miles on them, no damage or rim hits. Tires are not included. Valves and tubeless liners included.
OPTION: You can have a brand new Extra Light Easton EA90 SLX front wheel instead of the Paradigm front wheel, for the same price.
Pick up in Duluth or I will ship them to you for $25.
Below is a review of the disc version, which are identical except for the hubs.
BONTRAGER PARADIGM ELITE TLR – GREAT HANDLING AND CRUISING
Bontrager added the Paradigm Elite TLR rim and disc brake models to their line a couple of years ago. They sit above the Paradigm Comp and Paradigm models. All of them use the same rims but the Elites use DT 240 hubs that you’ll see on many of the better alloy and carbon wheelsets sold by a wide range of top brands.
So, my question was, are they “Elite” compared to the performance of disc brake wheelset upgrades from other brands in this review?
Paradigm Elite Disc Road Disc WheelsetOne of the first things my fellow tester Moose (90kg/200lb) and I (68kg/150lbs) both noticed after riding the Paradigm Elites was their handling performance. They tracked very well in and out of corners on the flats and on downhills, giving you plenty of confidence.
We ran them with the recommended Bontrager 26C tubeless tires and at about 10 psi lower than regular clincher pressure. This, in combination with the wheelset’s 19.5mm internal width likely helped produce the solid handling platform.
What makes many alloy wheels an upgrade over the stock set is the way they roll – usually smoother and quieter. The Paradigm Elites are good, on par with the hubs on the Zipp 30 Course.
These wheels, while stiff enough for most riders, aren’t as stiff as the Zipp, Easton EA90 SL or Mavic Ksyrium Elite for heavier enthusiasts.
Comfort? With tubeless tires and inflated to a lower pressure than a tubed clincher, the Paradigm Elites absorb the bumps better than most. But, I still felt bumps, surface cracks, and rougher roads and it seemed that the tires were dampening them more so than the compliance of the wheels.
Speaking of the tires, the Bontrager 26C R2 TLR on these wheels measured 26.7mm wide once installed (a piece of cake) and inflated (one with a hand pump, the other took a compressor).
Overall, the Paradigm Elite wheelset gives you an enjoyable upgrade over the average stock set – confident handling, smooth rolling, and dampened rough road surfaces. At $950 through this link to Trekbikes.com, they give the cruising enthusiast a good option for a better ride but don’t stand out among this strong group of road disc wheelset upgrade options.