Home > MTB

Review: Bontrager Line Pro 30 wheels

Updates to the reliable carbon-fibre hoop pay off on the trail

Bontrager Line Pro 30 Photo by: Matt Stetson

Years ago, Bontrager first introduced its Line series of wheels touting the hoops’ durability and affordable price, which, at the time, were essentially unmatched. Today, there are several wheel manufacturers offering lifetime warranties on their carbon rims at reasonable prices. So, can the new Bontrager Line Pro 30s live up to the performance of their predecessors?

Bontrager Line Pro 30
Photo: Matt Stetson

Right out of the box, these wheels look slick. All black satin finish with gloss accents and big Bontrager logos give the Line Pro 30s a stealth bomber-type appeal. The hubs are designed for the six-bolt disc mount with either SRAM or Shimano drivers. The relatively humble sounding freehub has 108 points of engagement, which allow you to get on the gas quickly when coming out of corners or climbing uphill. The front and rear hubs are each laced into the rims via 28 straight-pull spokes.

RELATED: Bontrager Line Elite 30 and Line Pro 30

Bontrager uses its proprietary rim strip for tubeless application, which offers a great seal. Due to the thickness of the rim strip, however, it’s very difficult to install the tire. You may need to opt for a more traditional rim tape in order to fit your desired tread. Luckily, I managed to coerce my tires on with the provided rim strip, but it did take two tire levers and a few other tricks.

Riding the Line: Bontrager on the trail

Once on the trail, the Line Pros spin up to speed nicely thanks to their light, 1,760g weight. They are easy to keep turning over on climbs, too. With the 29-mm internal width, tires anywhere from 2.25″ to 2.6″ wide have a great profile, although the 2.35″–2.5″ range is the sweet spot. I paired the wheels with a set of 29 x 2.4 Schwalbe Nobby Nics and rolled through rock gardens and over exposed roots. The lower profile rims really allow the tires to conform to obstacles better as the rims stay on line. This setup allows for more confidence through rougher sections. After I pinned through a few rock gardens and felt some impacts, the hoops remained true and straight. I know a few people who are still riding the previous version of the Line Pro 30s. I expect the new wheels, which are slightly more expensive than the old ones, to hold up just as well.

Bontrager Line Pro 30

The new Line Pro 30 wheelsets, as well as the Line Elite 30 are available immediately through Trek retailers. The wheelset is available in 27.5″ or 29″ sizes.

Bontrager Line Pro 30
Line Pro 30’s with fresh rubber, ready to roll. Photo: Matt Stetson
Line Pro 30 pricing

Wheelset: $1,730.00
Front wheel: $770.00
Rear Wheel: $960.00