Bike tires are the main contact point between you and the road and can be a major factor for comfort and speed. Bontrager’s new Aeolus RSL TLR are marketed as “ungodly fast” and are designed to maximize speed on the road. Marketed as a road racing tire, the Aeolus RSL TLR has a $89.99 retail price and is available in sizes from 700×26 to 700×32 to fit a wide range of bike setups. One of the key features of the Aeolus RSL TLR tires is the impressive 320 TPI cotton casing which offers a supple and smooth ride. The Bontrager tires are also tubeless ready and have a dual thread design to optimize rolling efficiency.
The Bontrager Aeolus RSL TLR tires combine a plush 320 TPI cotton casing with a fast and grippy dual thread design.
| Retail Price | $89.99 |
| Rating | Grip: A Weight: A Comfort: A Value: A– |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 319 (each – 700×30) |
| Likes | + Supple ride with 320 TPI construction + Dual tread design provides speed and grip + Great puncture resistance despite focus on speed |
| Dislikes | – Cotton casing design limits color options to tan only |
| Where to Buy (US) | Trek |
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Bontrager Aeolus RSL TLR tires have an attractive black and tan sidewall appearance. The tan coloring is the natural color from the cotton casing beneath it which has an almost sand-like color to it compared to the darker tan on other brands. Bontrager currently offers the tires in four different sizes from skinny 700x26mm to more modern sizes like 28, 30 and 32mm. Compared to the R3 TLR tires, the Aeolus RSL TLR has a claimed 3.7 watts saving and has been aerodynamically optimized. In terms of branding you have the sleek Aeolus text and RSL printed on the side walls next to the tire size. These tires are also compatible with hooked and hookless wheel setups and have the maximum pressure for each application printed on the tires for easy reference.
One of the key features of these tires is the impressive 320 TPI cotton casing which makes this a soft and supple setup. That should translate to a smoother ride that conforms to the road and reduces lost watts to vertical movement. The tires have a dual compound rubber design which uses a harder center rubber compound for speed and a softer rubber on the shoulders for cornering. This is a feature you see on many tires like American Classic and Goodyear use as it helps straight line rolling resistance while still providing confidence to take corners at speed. Trek has also incorporated a breaker belt underneath the center of the thread for puncture resistance. The combination of the puncture resistance and a tubeless setup should help avoid flats whether you’re racing or training.
THE RIDE
With its bold claim of being “ungodly fast” we were excited to mount up the Bontrager Aeolus RSL TLR tires on our Trek Emonda ALR with a Aeolus Elite wheelset. As you would expect, the 320 TPI construction translates to a soft and flexible casing that installs with ease. No need for tire levers or profanity as you can simply roll the tires on with your palm. We installed the Aeolus RSL TLR tires as both tubeless and a tubed setup in our riding. Using a little soapy water we were able to mount the bead of the RSL TLR tires using our Topeak JoeBlow Tubi 2Stage floor pump without any drama.
We also swapped over to a tubed setup to see how well the tires would hold up to training and weekend rides. In both cases, the 700×30 setup provided a smooth and plush ride to dampen out the rough potholed roads. Compared to our normal Continental GP5000 which is already an excellent tire, the Aeolus RSL TLR had a similar smooth and grippy feel at normal speeds. What impressed us was the feel of the tires at higher speeds such as descents where the smooth ride and optimized tread results in the sensation of speed and acceleration. Over the few months of riding we also did not experience any flats in both the tubeless or tubed configuration. Given the road racing intent of the tires, we were impressed with the puncture resistant. The tires also still look good unlike past race tires we’ve used which sacrifice speed for longevity.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Bontrager Aeolus RSL TLR tires to be fast and supple tires. Bontrager has used a soft 320 TPI cotton casing to give the RSL TLR tires a smooth ride that also results in fast speeds. The optimized tread and design meant the RSL TLR tires are on par with some of the best tires on the market and feel subjectively faster at higher speeds. We were also impressed with the puncture resistance of the tires which kept us riding rather than repairing flats on the side of the road. The only downside of the tires is that the unique construction means they are only available in the tan color unless Bontrager decides to add some color dye to add more options. That said, the Bontrager Aeolus RSL TLR are modern road tires that provide a smooth and low rolling resistance.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Bontrager. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.