DT Swiss launches eight new wheels with wide rims

No joke - the Biel-based wheel specialists present the latest generation of the "1501 Spline One" system wheels. These come with wider rims that provide better support for the tires and more comfort. But intensive work has also been done on other details. With a total of eight new wheels, DT Swiss has the right wheel for every type of rider.

The "1501 Spline One" wheel series was a big hit for DT Swiss. Reason enough to build on this success story and not only expand this model series, but also broaden and improve it. This means the following: eight new wheels from cross-country to all-mountain to enduro rolling stock with new hubs and, above all, new and wider rims of up to 40 millimeters. DT Swiss is thus following the trend towards wider supported tires, but clearly adapting the wheelsets to the respective intended use.

What is the same for all 1501 Spline One system wheelsets, however, are the new Spline One 240 hubs with the 36-tooth ratchet system. Compared to the previous hubs, these are slightly lighter, but still allow Sram XD and Shimano freewheels to be swapped without tools.
Anyone who thinks that the new splines only feature carbon rims is wrong. DT Swiss relies on aluminum, and that is commendable. Because the properties of this material prove to be better for off-road use than carbon. Where the latter are usually very hard, aluminum rims have better damping properties and are more resistant. Anyone who remembers Aaron Gwin's World Cup downhill ride on the naked DT rim can assume that a carbon rim would not have been able to cope with this.

The wheel family at a glance
The "XR 1501 Spline One" cross-country wheel has one rim width. This has an inner width of 22.5 millimetres and therefore has the same width as the previous "XM" all-mountain wheel. What is special about the new XR is that it is the only one of the Spline One family to have an asymmetrical rim. Which in turn is the same as for all "family members": the rim has a very narrow rim flange.

The biggest growth can be found in the XM wheels for all-mountain use. Here DT offers five system wheelsets with rim widths of 22.5, 25, 30, 35 and 40 millimeters. The narrowest rim differs from the XR rim in terms of its outer width and straight shape.
However, the other rims have not simply become wider. Intensive work has been done on the design, resulting in amazingly thin rim flanks. That this still holds up?

With rim widths from 30 millimetres, DT Swiss is already appealing to fans of plus-size tires. The Biel-based wheel manufacturer recommends a tire width of up to 2.8 inches for the 30-millimetre rim, while the 40-millimetre rim is even suitable for fat bike tires up to four inches wide. DT specifies a weight of just 1,880 grams for the front and rear wheels, which is really not much for this type of wheelset.
The XM wheels are available from 22.5 to 30 millimetres in 27.5 and 29 inches, while the 35 and 40 millimetre versions are only available in 27.5 inches.

Last but not least, the "EX 1501 Spline One" - the Enduro wheel. Apart from the hub, very little has changed here. The rim design is the same as the previous model and is still tried and tested. This means that the sidewalls are also thicker than on the XM models. In addition to the 25 millimeter version, there is now also a version with an inner width of 30 millimeters. This should be very popular with enduro fans, as the tires are supported wider, which has a positive effect on stability when cornering at speed.