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review

Pro-Lite Bortola A21 wheelset

9
£349.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Solid all rounders that'll stand up to the daily commute while being stiff and light enough to race on
Weight: 
1,540g

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The Bortolas are new to Pro-Lite's range for 2015 keeping the light weight and stiffness of the well-received Bracciano but adding tubeless capability and wider rims.

The 1540g weight is impressive for an aluminium wheelset even if that is about 65g over the claimed weight. With the Bortolas Pro-Lite haven't sacrificed strength or durability to achieve it, it's more of a by-product of well chosen, proven components.

The 6061 alloy rim is actually wider than it is deep, 23.2mm from braking surface to braking surface in relation to a depth of just 21mm. Internal width is 17mm up from the traditional 13mm that you see on the Braccianos for instance.

You can find the Pro-Lite Bortola A21 wheels online at Wiggle.

If you are using 25 or 28mm tyres the wider rim gives the tyre a better profile when fitted. A more rounded shape than the lightbulb effect you'll get with the standard rim. You can run lower pressures too thanks to the larger tyres increasing comfort.

Prices are still pretty steep for tubeless tyres but if it's a route you fancy going down the Bortolas are ready for it. All you'll need is tubeless valve kit.

Pro-Lite build their wheels by hand in their own facility and as with the rest of the range the Bartolas use Sandvik stainless steel spokes which are in a straight pull design here with a butted, flat 'aero' body. Lacing is 20 radial up front with a 2-cross pattern for the rear 24 spokes.

The hubs are Pro-Lite's own and use Japanese EZO bearings, highly regarded by many wheel builders and if they remain as good as they feel now you're in for a lot of smooth rolling miles. My own Braccianos using a similar design and setup are currently on 20,000 miles with no issues.

So, how do they ride?

Well, very well. I've had them on my Aithien for the majority of the testing and they've suited the light weight raciness of the frame thanks to sharp acceleration and lateral stiffness. The Bartolas pick up speed quickly thanks to a svelte rim and make climbing a joy especially giving a little out of the saddle dig on a steep section.

Aero spokes can often make a set of wheels feel harsh but that isn't the case here as the Pro-Lites feel smooth on the road and comfortable when running 23mm tyres at a decent pressure.

Swapping to larger tyres and putting them on the commuter gives you a very dependable, comfortable, long distance wheelset that'd be great for credit card touring or a spot of audax while still offering a bit of speed when you want it. The only downside from using them on a year round machine could be the alloy nipples. They don't like the salty roads so brass would have been a better option for this type of wheel.

The braking surface has been machined so you don't get any little bumps at the join when the pads are applied.

Overall the Bortolas are perfect all rounder wheels that only really lose out in terms of aerodynamics due to that shallow rim. For all but really high speeds though that is irrelevant. With an rrp of £349 there is a lot of stiff competition out there but I'd take the Pro-Lite's over the likes of Mavic's Ksyriums or Fulcrum 3s purely down to the complete package of durability, light weight and stiffness.

They're available for Shimano/SRAM 9, 10, and 11-speed and Campagnolo 9, 10, 11-speed sprockets plus the freehub is swappable so you can chop and change.

Verdict

Solid all rounders that'll stand up to the daily commute while being stiff and light enough to race on

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Pro-Lite Bortola A21 wheelset

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Bortola wheelset is an all rounder type wheelset with its wide and shallow rim but offers the same performance as a lot of race wheels.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

*21mm rim depth

*21mm external, 17mm internal rim width

*Sandvik SS aero spokes - 20F radial, 24R two cross

*Tubeless ready

*Shimano/Campag freehubs

*Japanese EZO bearings

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

A really nice wheelset that has many applications.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

A great all round package

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Alloy nipples could be an issue for four season riding.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

A great all round wheelset that is just at home on your summer bike as the winter commuter. Being capable of entry level racing as well as all day cruising is a big plus if you only want one set of wheels.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Kinesis T2  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithien

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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4 comments

Avatar
hectorhtaylor | 8 years ago
0 likes

Bravo for making them tubeless. It's the way to go, you know...

Avatar
kev-s | 8 years ago
0 likes

Could be tempted by these for my work/winter bike

Currently running vision tc30 wheels (1550 grams) 30mm deep rims etc..

Was going to be going for fulcrum 3's

Avatar
rapid4 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Already have 10% off on Wiggle- down to £315, makes them a very serious contender.

Avatar
Luv2ride | 8 years ago
0 likes

Very tempted by these given the wide rim, although see they suggest the weight should be comfortably under 1,500g. Have some Braciannos which have been great, so these could be a good bet.

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