Enthusiasm for e-mountain biking

Daniel Berger, a DT Swiss veteran and member of the management team, doesn't hold back with his enthusiasm for e-mountain biking. At the presentation of the new hybrid wheel series, he proudly shows his completed elevation and Elevation loss, the average speeds, the distances covered and the maximum torque elicited from the electric motor. Berger's enthusiasm for motorized mountain biking began in spring 2015 and the new sport was so much fun for the Bernese rider that it soon became clear to him that the e-mountain bike was "the next big thing". It was also clear to Berger that DT Swiss would develop its own products for this trend.

How are the bikes designed?

The Biel-based wheel experts have therefore rethought the wheels for e-mountain bike use from the ground up and designed them accordingly: There is more material on the rim in the center area, which means that even the strongest pull from the spokes does not result in material deformation. The spokes also feature a new design: this hybrid straight-pull spoke is newly butted, i.e. its diameter has been adjusted several times using the cold forging process. The diameter of this spoke is 2.34/1.8/2 millimetres and thus corresponds to a cross between a DT Competition spoke and a DT Alpine III spoke. The hybrid hubs, inspired by the proven 240s hub, have more meat on the bone, to put it simply: The wall thicknesses and diameters of the hub body are higher, the rotor on which the cassette sits is made of steel instead of aluminum, the industrial bearings are larger in diameter and the toothed disc freehub has 24 meshing teeth for a rapid drive response when pedaling.

These wheels are available now

The HXC 1200 Spline represents the pinnacle of hybrid wheels and is available in 27.5 and 29" versions. It is based on a carbon rim with a width of 30 millimetres and weighs 1678 grams for 27.5" and 1786 grams for 29". This is the only wheel in the hybrid series that is only approved for a system weight of 120 kg. All other wheels are approved for 150 kg system weight. This additional 30 kilos in the approved system weight ultimately represents the main innovation of the Hybrid series, which is very welcome and important on the E-MTB.

In addition to the carbon top model, DT Swiss presents the high-quality hybrid system wheel HX1501 Spline One in various versions: With a 25 millimeter aluminum rim in 27.5" (weight 1898 grams), with a 30 rim in 27.5" (weight 1978 grams) and 29" (weight 2081 grams) and with a 35 rim in 27.5 inches (weight 2088 grams).

In the original equipment market, the H1700 Spline system combo is likely to be frequently encountered: This hybrid wheelset is also available with 25, 30 and 35-inch rims and weighs between 2000 and 2200 grams. The 25 and 35 mm versions of the H1700 are 27.5 inches, while the 30 mm version has a 27.5 or 29 inch wheel size.

The new wheel range is rounded off by the H1900 Spline series, with a weight of 2203 grams and three rim widths, with the middle 30 size available in 27.5 and 29" and 25 and 35 rims in 27.5".

All hybrid wheels are based exclusively on the Boost mounting dimension and have 28 spokes at the front and rear, which are triple-crossed. The system wheels are available immediately, with individual hybrid rims, spokes and hubs to follow later for wheel manufacturers.

First impression

Ride tested an HX1501 Spline One wheelset on the Jura trails in front of the DT Swiss headquarters in Biel. The wheels behaved extremely inconspicuously, which is a very positive result. The Maxxis Minion tires in 2.8 inches on the test bike achieved good support on the 35 mm rim and the wheels contribute to a track-following and safe ride, which is certainly also supported by the Plus tires. While the first impression on a four-hour test ride can be considered positive, the DT Swiss hybrid wheels will probably only really show their capabilities "on the long run".

In the test lab, DT Swiss impressively demonstrated that the hybrid wheels are clearly superior to conventional wheelsets in terms of stability. An identical impact test, in which an anvil strikes the rim flank, sent an Enduro rim into the old metal clay. The special design and alloy of the hybrid rim ensured that only a small dent remained on the sidewall and the wheel could still be used.

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