Until 2009, the wheel experts at DT Swiss used conventional spokes, hubs and rims to shake up the wheel market with their own classic-style wheelsets. With the "Tricon" wheels, the company has for the first time departed from the design paths blazed by "wheel guru" Gerd Schraner and launched a system wheel design.

The "Tricon" bikes were the first to use components that could only be used within this product group and could not be used in classic wheel construction. At the 2011 Eurobike, DT Swiss followed suit and presented a second system wheel line with "Dicut".

The "Dicut" product line sought to achieve a symbiosis between aerodynamics, technical sophistication and sleek design. The cover cap integrated into the rotor seal, which enables a wider flange spacing and increases the lateral rigidity of the road wheel, is particularly eye-catching on "Dicut" wheels.

For the 2013 model year, DT Swiss is now completing the "Classic", "Tricon" and "Dicut" product groups with the new "Spline" line. The abbreviation stands for "Straight Pull Line" and describes the way in which the spokes are positioned in the hub: straight, without a spoke bend.

These "Spline" wheels were already in use at the 2012 Mountain Bike World Cups, but Friso Lorscheider from DT Swiss points to the longer experience in Biel with this design: "We have been producing Straigth Pull hubs for our customers for over 10 years. Lance Armstrong relied on Bontrager wheels for his seven Tour de France victories and the straight pull hubs he used there came from DT Swiss. Now we are combining this know-how with our own branding".

"Quick releases are dead"
Lorscheider also points out that the focus of the new "Spline" bikes is on thru-axle systems, although quick-release versions are still available for the rear wheel. "Even in the cross-country segment, the demand for quick-release hubs is falling, 15 millimeter and X-12 are the mass of the hour".

Straight Pull Hub wheels for race to all-mountain use
The highest quality wheels in the "Spline" group are the "XR1450 Spline" wheels, which are available in 26 or 29 inch sizes. Both versions rely on a 24 millimetre wide aluminum rim, are white in colour and the small version weighs 1430 grams. The 29er version weighs 1555 grams and is, according to the company, the wheel with the best weight to stiffness ratio with an aluminum rim on the market. The 1450 line allows the front hub to be converted from 15 millimeter standard to quick release or 9 millimeter DT Swiss RWS thru axle. In terms of quality, the hubs here are at the 240 level and aero spokes are used. The body of the hub contains the tried and tested toothed disk freehub.

The "X 1600 Spline" and "X 1600 Spline 29" models do not use a welded rim like their lighter counterparts above, but a sleeved rim. Here, the rim is pressed with an insert at the joint - i.e. at the point where the rim profile bent into a circle meets. The hubs used are of the same quality as the 350 series hubs from the DT Swiss hub line, and aero spokes have been dispensed with in favor of spokes with a round cross-section and thinner middle section, so-called "butted spokes". A toothed disk freehub is also installed here. The 26-inch wheel in black weighs 1635 grams, the 29er version, also in black, weighs 1770 grams, the rims are both 24 millimetres wide.

The 26 and 29-inch versions of the "X 1900", which are both black in color and slightly chubbier in terms of weight at 1875 grams and 2027 grams than the higher-quality 1600 and 1450 versions, are also used for entry into the "Spline" business.

For the new mid-range "Spline" wheelset "M 1700", DT Swiss installs a 26 millimetre wide 26 inch rim for a wide range of applications, gives it the color black and specifies a weight of 1720 grams.

Juggling three wheel sizes
Nino Schurter had already caused quite a stir with the use of a tubular wheelset from DT Swiss in the trendy 650b size. This exact wheel for tubular tires is being used exclusively for the Scott Swisspower team in the Olympic year and is not freely available on the market.

But the Biel-based company is not missing the opportunity to get involved in the new wheel segment. With the "M 1700 Spline 650b", DT Swiss is presenting a wheelset for the 2013 model year that, according to Lorscheider, "represents a sensible measure of weight, price and rim width". This sensible solution, especially for OEMs, is black, equipped with a 26 millimeter wide rim and weighs 1720 grams.

Lorscheider also gives an assessment of the trend towards 650b bikes: "The first rumors about 650b made the rounds at Taichung Bike Week in November 2011. Since the end of March 2012, we have seen a complete change in the market. Manufacturers are suddenly all-in for 650b. For 2013, this wheel size is the big innovation, especially for the European markets". DT Swiss will not only be launching a 650b wheel this year, but also rims in this size. For the 2014 model year, DT Swiss is holding out the prospect of expanding its range in the 650b segment.

www.dtswiss.com