It’s not just high-end watches and world-class chocolate that come out of Switzerland; the last 30 years have taught us that the Swiss are pretty darn good at making bike wheels too. DT Swiss has become one of the leading manufacturers of all things related to bike wheels, and, learning from its watch-making brothers and sisters, has ventured into the intricate realm of developing and manufacturing suspension.
In the brand’s lineup is a wheel for almost every discipline of cycling, including the D 1900 wheelset seen here, designed specifically for the demands of dirt jumpers and pump-track riders alike. The theme tune for this wheelset sings reliability and durability, ready to case that gap you’ve been eyeing up at the pump-track or under-rotate that 360° you’ve been trying to nail.
Related:
DT Swiss D 1900 Wheelset
Starting from the inside, the D 1900 wheels spin on a pair of DT Swiss 370 hubs, but these aren’t the same as what you’d find on a trail bike. The front hub comes in a Boost 110mm width, and includes end caps for both 15mm and 20mm axles, however has no provisions for a front disc brake. Generally speaking, a lot of folk only run a single rear brake on dirt-jump or pump track bikes for simplicity and to reduce the number of cables, hence the move by DT Swiss to eliminate the front brake mount from the hub.
In the rear, we have another DT Swiss 370 hub, but this time configured for a 135mm axle spacing and in a bolt-up configuration. This will suit the majority of hardtail DJ frames with sliding dropouts on the market, and allows for simple adjustments to chain tension. The hub comes preconfigured with a singlespeed specific freehub inbuilt with a 12T cog, and runs the DT Swiss Ratchet LN36 internals. This is the brand’s 3-pawl system with 36 engagement points, and is well known for being extremely durable and easily rebuildable.
Key Details
- Wheel Size | 26in Only
- Hub Spacing | 110x20mm Front (15mm adapters included), 135mm Bolt-Up Rear
- Disc Mounting | No Brake Interface Front, 6-Bolt Rear
- Freehub | Singlespeed w/12T Cog, Ratchet LN36 internals
- Rim Material | Aluminium
- Rim Width | 30mm Internal
- Spoke Count | 32H
- Wheelset Price | $250 AUD Front, $360 AUD Rear
- Hub Only Price | $159 AUD Front, $299 AUD Rear
- Wheelset Weight | 1,060g Front, 1,294g Rear, 2,354g Total (Claimed)
Spokes are taken care of by DT Swiss’s own double-butted Competition spokes configured in a traditional 3-cross lacing pattern, and secured to the rim via Brass ProLock Squorx nipples.
And to finish things off, a sturdy aluminium, pin-joint rim with a 30mm internal width keeps the D 1900’s rolling. They come pre-wrapped in tubeless tape, but can be run with tubes if preferred. It’s worth noting that the D 1900 wheelset does carry a maximum recommended rider weight of 120kg to be able to handle the trashing they are built for. These are available only in 26in to suit the majority of dirt jump bikes available on the market.
As for price, the wheels are sold individually, with the front retailing for $250 AUD and the rear for $360 AUD. The DJ-specific 370 hubs will be available separately for $159 AUD and $299 AUD for the front and rear, respectively. Given the small price difference, the complete wheelset appears far better value than buying the hubs alone and building the wheels from scratch. However for those just chasing hubs, it’s excellent to see this as an option nevertheless.
We fitted the D 1900 hoops to a Canyon Stitched 360, which were a direct swap for the stock wheels. Following a fair share of heavy landings, they’ve stayed true and haven’t had any detensioning issues.
Aside from that, there’s not a whole lot to be said. We were a little surprised that DT didn’t choose the EX471 rim for the wheel build, as this is the rim of choice for many elite DJ riders. This likely would have pushed the price a bit higher though, and as it stands this is a great value wheelset.
Of course they’re not super-light at 2.35kg for the pair, and the ride quality was similar to the stock wheelset. With weight not being the drawcard, durability and cost becomes the primary selling point of the D 1900s. The pre-built wheelset options in this space are few and far between, forcing a lot of riders to opt for custom-built wheels. These generally carry significantly higher price tags once you factor in the labour to build the wheels. This makes the D 1900s an attractive choice as a replacement upgrade for your DJ bike’s stock wheels once they look like tacos.
