DT Swiss say they’ve ‘damaged the mildew’ with their new top-tier 1200 sequence race-ready carbon mountain bike wheels. And what they really imply by that, is that they’ve ditched their previous 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 at the moment are 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 sequence 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 business. However in fact, the brand new “business disrupting rim manufacturing course of” is patent-pending so the small print are fairly imprecise.
What do we all know?
The brand new rims use a mechanical mildew the place DT locations steady fiber layers straight into the mildew (as a substitute of the smaller items which can be conventionally laid up collectively after which positioned right into a mildew), making certain extra constant placement, much less overlap, and fewer want for additional materials as a further security issue to account for slippage inside the layup. Extra consistency, mixed with longer uninterrupted fibers, typically means better lifetime sturdiness and the power to realize the identical power at a lighter weight.
Molded from the skin 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 certain. However DT’s visuals seem like fibers are wound across the within two half-rim destructive molds, whereas some rotating internal factor presses the fabric outward, form of like how a mandrel presses out to form a tube from the within?
It’s unclear how the internal 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 whole mountain bike rim is shaped, DT Swiss provides a number of additional layers of steady carbon from the skin of 1 bead hook, throughout the rim effectively, to the skin of the opposite bead. This extra lengthy, uninterrupted fiber Carbon Defend delivers additional influence safety, additional stopping laborious hits from sporting the bond between carbon layers.
All the new DT Swiss 1200 wheels function Carbon Defend tech, with the extra aggressive disciplines getting extra layers for a harder protect.
Ending and checking
A key level highlighting the exact building is a brand new polished mildew floor, so the rim wants no filler, paint, or clearcoat out of the mildew. 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 (in some way), making certain the each DT Swiss 1200 sequence 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 function front- & rear-specific carbon rims. Lighter up entrance for ‘agility’ and harder rear rim for enhanced sturdiness. DT builds them then on new 180 hubs with quick 54T Ratchet EXP or sooner 90T DEG internals. They usually 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 powerful 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 just a few 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 recommend 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 tech sections and high-speed corners, however not shaking you up by 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 way 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 decreasing the incidence of pinch flats.
That each one sounds fairly good. And I’m psyched to see if the all-mountain XMC 1200 wheels will translate that to extra technical prepare 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 function a 30mm inside, 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.
DTSwiss.com
