DT Swiss say they’ve ‘damaged the mould’ with their new top-tier 1200 collection race-ready carbon mountain bike wheels. And what they really imply by that, is that they’ve ditched their outdated carbon rim molding for a brand new rim manufacturing course of that maxes out compression of the carbon fiber layers throughout manufacturing in additional exact tooling that requires no post-finishing. The result’s straight out-of-the-mold carbon rims that DT can high quality management layer-by-layer, which are actually extra sturdy and lighter. Whether or not you’re racing XC, exploring all-mountain, smashing enduro levels, and even shredding light-weight eMTBs.
All-new DT Swiss 1200 collection light-weight carbon MTB wheels
4 wheelsets. 4 new carbon rims. Self-discipline-specific hub and spoke specs. And race-ready 1200-series carbon MTB wheels for XRC cross-country, XMC all-mountain, EXC enduro, and HXC light-weight eMTB.
What actually units all of them aside is the brand new carbon rim building, which DT Swiss describes as distinctive to the biking trade. However after all, the brand new “trade disrupting rim manufacturing course of” is patent-pending so the small print are fairly obscure.
What do we all know?
The brand new rims use a mechanical mould the place DT locations steady fiber layers straight into the mould (as an alternative of the smaller items which are conventionally laid up collectively after which positioned right into a mould), guaranteeing extra constant placement, much less overlap, and fewer want for additional materials as a further security issue to account for slippage throughout the layup. Extra consistency, mixed with longer uninterrupted fibers, typically means higher lifetime sturdiness and the flexibility to realize the identical energy at a lighter weight.
Molded from the surface floor layer of the rim first, and dealing inward step-by-step, DT is ready to extremely compress every layer into the one earlier than it. That maximizes uniformity, urgent air bubbles and additional resin out for a extra constant completed carbon product.
We don’t truly know for positive. However DT’s visuals seem like fibers are wound across the inside two half-rim damaging molds, whereas some rotating interior component presses the fabric outward, form of like how a mandrel presses out to form a tube from the within?
It’s unclear how the interior rim mattress is shaped, maybe individually in an analogous course of, then joined to the outer rim partitions and beads?
Then, as soon as the entire mountain bike rim is shaped, DT Swiss provides a number of additional layers of steady carbon from the surface of 1 bead hook, throughout the rim properly, to the surface of the opposite bead. This extra lengthy, uninterrupted fiber Carbon Defend delivers additional impression safety, additional stopping arduous hits from sporting the bond between carbon layers.
The entire new DT Swiss 1200 wheels characteristic Carbon Defend tech, with the extra aggressive disciplines getting extra layers for a more durable defend.
Ending and checking
A key level highlighting the exact building is a brand new polished mould floor, so the rim wants no filler, paint, or clearcoat out of the mould. Simply uncooked matte out-of-the-mold end that even saves weight.
DT additionally says they’ve one other patent pending on a “layer-by-layer nondestructive inspection” course of that lets them conduct high quality management on each single rim. To make sure that the product meets exacting trail0ready requirements, each rim is totally scanned (by some means), guaranteeing the each DT Swiss 1200 collection mountain bike rim is “100% fault-free” earlier than it will get constructed right into a wheelset.
Construct specs
The three DT Swiss 1200 wheels characteristic front- & rear-specific carbon rims. Lighter up entrance for ‘agility’ and more durable rear rim for enhanced sturdiness. DT builds them then on new 180 hubs with quick 54T Ratchet EXP or sooner 90T DEG internals. And so they match them with SINC ceramic bearings. Plus. DT laces them with their new premium multi-butted & fluted RevoLite spokes.
The sunshine eMTB HXC wheels get the identical robust rim entrance & again, an ebike-specific hubset with the outsized 42T Ratchet EXP, and ebike-specific CompLite Hybrid spoke spec.
XMC 1200: First Impressions
We’ve solely had the brand new DT Swiss XMC 1200 carbon wheels for a number of weeks. And I’ve began driving them on my all-mountain/enduro hardtail and individually for a spin on a carbon full-suspension path bike. First rides counsel a light-weight wheelset that’s laterally stiff however doesn’t appear that stiff vertically. That interprets to an on-trail really feel of snappy acceleration, precision monitoring by means of tech sections and high-speed corners, however not shaking you up by means of rock gardens and over roots & ruts.
That backs up some XC race groups we’d spoken with that described the brand new XRC wheels as a lot sooner for XC racing as a result of they’re apparently rather more versatile vertically. They describe wheels that flex when hitting sharp-edged rocks & roots on technical XC programs, sustaining traction – particularly up techy climbs, feeling lowered rolling resistance, and lowering the incidence of pinch flats.
That every one sounds fairly good. And I’m psyched to see if the all-mountain XMC 1200 wheels will translate that to extra technical practice driving.
DT Swiss 1200 wheels – Pricing, availability, and choices
DT Swiss gives 4 whole wheelsets within the newly revamped 1200 carbon wheel lineup.
All of them characteristic a 30mm inner, hookless tubeless bead. And ricing is identical irrespective of the self-discipline: $2912 / 2500€.
You simply have to choose the 1303g DT Swiss XRC 1200 for cross-country? Or go for the 1495g XMC 1200 for all-mountain with EXP or DEG, the 1756g EXC for enduro. Or lastly, the 1908g HXC for the most recent light-weight eMTB driving.
