NSMB Forum Testing: DT Swiss E 1700 Spline Two 27.5" & 29" Wheels

1. Currently running Sun Helix TR 27 rims laced to a Formula front hub (15mm), and a DT Swiss 350 rear hub (142x12) on my Norco Range C 7.2.

2. Aside from the rear hub mentioned above, I have a few years experience with the DT Swiss 440 hubs on my DH bike. Overall, they've all been great hubs. I have no experience with DT rims.

3. I guess I'm pretty hard on wheels - I break spokes from time to time, and have smashed my fair share of rims. Most of my wheel smashing happens on my DH bike.

4. I'm currently running tubeless on my Range, and am loving it so far.

5. I have bought complete wheelsets in the past, but I usually just have new rims built up on stock hubs.

6. Yes, my Norco Range.

7. I live in Vancouver, and ride throughout the area - including North Vancouver, Whistler, Squamish, Washington State, etc.

8. Here's a link to a review / bike check I did for my BMX bike: http://www.johnhenrybikes.com/about/norco-rev-bmx-review-pg108.htm

1. WTB Frequency Race i23 rims with DT Swiss 370 Rear Hub / SRAM MTH 716 Front Hub

2. Always used their spokes, current wheelset has DT rear hub.

3. Just the usual - dents. I tend to keep an eye on the spoke tension.

4. Been running tubeless for a few years.

5. Both, on the current bike I am running the stock wheels, previous bike I bought a shimano XTR wheelset for.

6. Transition Patrol.

7. Live in Whistler. Ride all of sea to sky, and further afield occasionally. Lots of trail riding, less bike park these days but still a decent amount. Did some of the BC Enduros last year, doing Retallack and possibly more this year.

8. So for this thread I wrote this little review of a NSB chainring I have on my bike and took some photos…is this the kind of thing you are looking for?? I actually take photos for a living. It would be neat to get into product testing.

"These days we are spoiled for choice when it comes to aftermarket chainrings. Increased chain retention from narrow-wide teeth, and the wide gear range available from 1x drivetrains has eliminated the need for front derailleurs and chainguides. With so many options however, which ring should one choose?

Based out of Whistler, North Shore Billet offer a lightweight chainring machined from 7075 T6 aluminum. The pricepoint is less than the competition, coming in at a reasonable $60. Rings to fit 104, 94, and 88 BCD patterns are available, as well as a direct mount option that has been tested here. This requires SRAM cranks with a removable spider.

Crucially, different versions of the direct mount rings are available for GXP and BB30 bottom brackets. The different offsets allow for an optimal chainline [HTML_REMOVED]ndash; at 48mm the ring sits inboard of all other rings on the market. This minimises cross chaining when using gears at the extreme ends of the cassette, with less drivetrain wear as a result.

The direct mount option also allows for 26t and 28t rings, as well as larger cogs up to 34t. In Whistler there are plenty of long, steep climbs so I opted for the 28t. If you live somewhere flatter or have tree trunk legs you can no doubt push a more manly gear.

So how has it fared? The ring was installed on a brand new Transition Patrol 2 with a SRAM X1 drivetrain in February. Since then it has done several hundred kilometres of trail riding, and recently some days in the Whistler Bike Park. I have yet to experience any dropped chains, and overall the ring has performed very well. The anodised finish did wear away quite quickly, but the profile of the teeth still looks decent and importantly chain retention is still excellent. The laser etched graphics give a clean look when installed on the bike, understated but still noticeable."

Hey there NSMB! I have frequented nsmb.com since probably around 2000 and it has been one of my regular stops on the info highway ever since. It was where I learned about the exploding freeride scene and how I was lead into coming up to ride BC with Freeride tours back in '02. Bikes and styles have changed greatly since then (hell, I took up cyclocross even), but my approach has not. I am still a big(ger) guy that relishes rough and nasty riding. I think my riding has become a lil' more smooth, but my friends say I still ride like a bear that listens to punk rock noise. Now for your requests…

1. What wheels do you currently use? Custom built 27.5" LB carbon 35 AM/DH 32h rims, Sapim Race spokes/nips, Hadley DH Hubs. I started riding these a couple of months ago and they rule. While they are not crazy lightweight, they engage lightening fast, do not deflect in the corners and have been bombproof in my brief time with them.

2. Have you had any experience with DT Swiss wheels? I had a set of DT 350 wheels that did time on my old Nomad 1.0.

3. Have you had problems with spoke or hubs breaking? Other wheelset issues? I've broken enough parts in twenty-eight years of riding to stock a bike shop. I'm an aggressive rider clocking in at around 210 pounds +/- with gear. So in the mountain of broken stuff I have had spokes break, hubs seize up, rims taco and/or crack. Choose your failure and I've probably had it happen.

4. Have you ever tried tubeless? Yep, my current wheelset is tubeless and I'd never go back to tubes offroad.

5. Have you ever bought a wheelset, or do you usually run what comes on the bike you have? It has been years since I used a wheelset that came with my bike, simply because I have built up my own bikes piece by piece. I have bought a handful of factory wheelsets as well as hand built ones.

6. Do you own a bike with 27.5" wheels? Yes. My daily driver is a 2014 Banshee Rune set up for 27.5 wheels.

7. Where do you live and ride? I live in Alpharetta, Georgia (just north of Atlanta) and ride all around the region including my favorite area, the Pisgah National forrest in NC.

**I have included a recent spiel I placed on several forums over at empty beer. Stonebreaker! Also something not about bikes that NPR published: Now I am Feeling the Dying.

I hope that I have made your voting selection easier.** :devil:

Nice photos JimLad!

I really like this idea, especially the voting on who gets to keep the wheelset part.

Love to throw in on this but I'm too old-school on my 26er and 29er! Good luck to the entrants!

1. Bontrager Duster Elite, Tubeless Ready 27.5.

2. Yep! Rode them on both of my downhill bikes, before I went 'enduro'.

3. I've been through 2 duster elite wheels (both front) in the last month. Cracked down the center, pringled to over 20mm out, oh and I've also cracked two Hope Pro 2 hubs and snapped about a wheels worth of spokes…. I like my hucks.

4. Yeah, I've started using it again this year and I think it's awesome! So much more traction!

5. I only purchase new wheels if I've ruined the current set, thinking i need a stronger set on the new slash!

6. I do indeed, the Trek Slash 7 2015 full Chromag, Reverb stealth, Zee and XT!

7. I live in Southern England, in the county of Berkshire (UK). But I race nationwide on the enduro circuit. I actually just won Welsh enduro national champs two weeks back! Swinley forest is my local for hucks and skids though.

8. Over the last month, I've been riding and racing Bontrager's Rhythm Elite wheel set to much success! I've thrown my all at them, and i'm completely satisfied that they've stood up to the job! At the price point of £700 ($1075 USD), they are among leaders in the industry, and for good reason! Their width means larger tires can be housed, further aiding the tubeless ready system to massively increase traction on the trail; their lightweight compound means that even the weight weenies among us would not complain, and their strength is next to none, meaning they are extremely durable in comparison to other competing brands. I noticed the supreme grip when descending the steep, rutted and technical lines at Welsh Enduro National Champs, as the grip allowed me to hold tighter lines than most other people giving me a significant advantage throughout the seven stages.

I earlier had a chance to ride the Bontrager Duster Elite wheel set, which is a cheaper alternative to the test wheel in the Bontrager range. The consistency and strength of the Rhythm shone through when compared with the Duster. Consequently, I cracked and ruined two Dusters, however in the same amount of time, with more frequent aggressive riding; the Rhythm stood out as a genuine class leader with virtually no faults. I found myself more eager to throw myself into sections and flat corners, as I became reliant on the grip provided by the wheel; making it harder and harder for my buddies to keep up!

As I come from a gravity DH background, I love sending things sideways and taking 'interesting' lines over certain sections, which means durability is often a huge issue for me in the AM/Enduro world, however I have not encountered a single sign of weakness over the constant abuse of 4+ 30-40km rides per week. So much so that I would be very tempted to run these personally after the test is over!

This is a great initiative NSMB. Let the peons do some reviewing and see how challenging it can be.

Unfortunately, I'm on wagon wheels, so I'm out.

Taz, I mistakenly thought this wheelset was only available in 27.5 - turns out they come in 29" as well, so go ahead and apply!

1. What wheels do you currently use? Right now I'm running Stan's Flow EX rims on both bikes; one set with DT Swiss 350 hubs, the other with Chris Kings.

2. Have you had any experience with DT Swiss wheels? I've had quite a bit of experience with the DT hubs (440's and 350's), but I haven't been on a set of DT rims in a while. I think the last set I was on was on my 2005 Santa Cruz V10. The rear rim ended up failing, but casing a 25 foot gap probably didn't help it.

3. Have you had problems with spoke or hubs breaking? Other wheelset issues? Rim related issues have been on the decline for me. After some injuries and discovering that light wheels can actually go over obstacles, rather than through them, I stopped destroying wheels on a regular basis. Rear hubs, however, are a different story. Most stock hubs I have run (Formula, Novatec) have blown up after only a few rides. The higher end ones (Hope, Chris King, DT) have stood up really well for me.

4. Have you ever tried tubeless? I did the tubeless thing off and on for a while. But now that the rims and tires are really designed for it, tubeless is all I run. Whether it's the easy to set up Schwalbe Super Gravity tires or some 'XC' tire, it's totally worth the hassle to get tires onto the wheels without tubes.

5. Have you ever bought a wheelset, or do you usually run what comes on the bike you have? I've done both. On my Ibis HD3, I'm running the stock wheel set; well, almost stock. The rear hub blew up after about 3 weeks and Ibis replaced it with a DT 350. For my Nomad, I chose to run Stans Flow EX rims laced to Chris King hubs.

6. Do you own a bike with 27.5 or 29" wheels? Both bikes I own have 27.5 wheels and the same spacing. If I'm lucky enough to test the wheels, I plan on putting them on the more pedally Ibis for about a month, then the more DH oriented Nomad for a month.

7. Where do you live and ride? I live in North Vancouver and live at base of Mt. Seymour. Probably 90% of my riding is on the shore and the remainder would be split up to Squamish, Whistler, and the interior.

8. I just posted a review for the Push ElevenSix rear shock with pictures to come soon (http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?p=2874632#post2874632)

I've been riding the shore for the past 8 years or so and I have had a bunch of wheelsets in the past year, so I have some good comparisons for the DT wheels (aluminum Stans, Light Bicycle carbon, Derby carbon). Unfortunately, I don't have 20 posts in the last month, but I have a background in science and am religious about note taking. I think I would a good fit for this review.

Mike

Am I allowed to submit my name for this again? Full disclosure: I had the opportunity to be a part of the first round of forum testing last year and had a great time and learned a lot. I'd like to think I contributed well and provided honest, thoughtful feedback about the product from a "normal guy that rides a lot".

So, assuming you'd consider me again, here's my go at it:

1. What wheels do you currently use?

27.5" Sun Inferno 27 built with DT spokes on Speed Tuned Hubs (likely Formula hubs…). I've run these for 3 months now. Currently on my Transition Patrol. Good basic wheels. Issues with the stock rear tire led to multiple flats and a dent in the rear rim that I was able to "massage" mostly back to shape. They are now setup ghetto-tubeless with Maxxis Highroller II's and running well.

2. Have you had any experience with DT Swiss wheels?

I've had no experience with DT wheels, but have read about their performance, their hand-building, and the quality of the hubs and engagement, so certainly would be intrigued to see if they live up to the written word. That said, I'm not a crusher of wheels, being 165pounds on a heavy day and don't ride like in a cement truck falling from the sky. Some might call it finesse. I call it fear.

3. Have you had problems with spoke or hubs breaking? Other wheelset issues?

My biggest issue is denting rims on hard hits, as I have a propensity to case large gap jumps. It's my "thing". We all need a "thing" and casing gaps is mine. Both my rear 26" DH wheels are dented and my current 27.5" rear. Never so much that they crack the rims, and I'm good in the shop, so I'm usually able to get them back to functional - good enough to hold sealant and air them up.

4. Have you ever tried tubeless?

Yes. Tubes are for people that don't run tubeless. Literally. Tubeless, to me, is the best way to go for flat avoidance, experimentation with air pressure, and better overall feel. The weight issue is less critical to me. Most of my experiences have been ghetto setups that have worked well.

5. Have you ever bought a wheelset, or do you usually run what comes on the bike you have?

I usually run the wheels that come with my bike. That said, when the rims are finally done, and if the hubs are still functional, I'll re-built my own wheels on a new rim rather than purchase a pre-built set. I have bought pre-built DH wheels for my wife's DH bike - Shimano Saint - and overall had to re-tension as much or more than hand-built.

6. Do you own a bike with 27.5 or 29" wheels?

Yes. My Transition Patrol is 27.5 and this is the bike I would run the test wheelset with. This is my daily driver.

I also have a DH bike that was designed in the "transitional generation" and it is rumoured that it runs well with 27.5 with a flip of the axle chip. The fork is a Dorado, which can also be travel-stopped to allow migration to 27.5. That said, the DH bike wouldn't fit the test wheelset given axle specifications of the stock setup.

7. Where do you live and ride?

I live in Port Moody and most of my recreational riding is done either in the Tri-Cities (Eagle and Burke Mountain), or in Whistler, as our kids are active in weekly DFX and other programs. On a Monday to Friday basis, I ride Burnaby Mountain, as I work at SFU. So, the Transition Patrol is on the trails between 5 and 6 days/week hammering anything from easy "flow" trails to traditional rougher single track to burlier trails with drops and gaps up to 10'.

8. Most importantly: Provide an example of a 'gear shots' style review: select any component (new or old, whether you own it or not) and provide a short review (~300 words), making sure to cover things like performance, design, value, durability, etc. Your gear shots review can be a combination of words, photos, and video - just make sure you give us an idea of your ability to do the job. Things like spelling and grammar count, as well as the quality of the photos and video. They don't have to be 'bangers' but take a bit of time and make your content compelling and informative.

When doing the previous NSMB forum testing, I tried to use a real mix of photography, video, and written word. I think the results were satisfactory. I received personal feedback from our representatives at both Specialized and Ryders with thanks for the commentary - both positive and negative. The response from the forum members also seemed positive. To refresh your memories:

http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=155462[HTML_REMOVED]highlight=nsmb+forum+test[HTML_REMOVED]page=2

http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=154734[HTML_REMOVED]highlight=nsmb+forum+test

So…. that's all I've got. One more appeal to whore myself to the masses and get to test these new DT wheels. Personally, I enjoy doing it. Selfishly, I've got a nice big dent in my rear wheel, so this would be timely. Now it's up to you.

NSMB Forum Testing Program: DT Swiss E 1700 Spline Two 27.5/29" Wheels

1. What wheels do you currently use?
– 29er Revolution 23mm wide (in-house brand from Transition), Revolution hubs

2. Have you had any experience with DT Swiss wheels?
– No. I'm interested to give them a go and see what they are all about.

3. Have you had problems with spoke or hubs breaking? Other wheelset issues?
– Yes, I am around 225-230 lbs geared up, and have done a number on wheels over the past few years. Being a “featherweight” guy riding a 29er on the North Shore, who pretty well never takes the smoothest line, there is an inherent risk of damage. In my case, I have popped several spokes over the years, blown through a handful of free-hubs and also managed to break the weld connection between the ratchet assembly and the hub body itself on one occasion (yeah, my thighs are just that huge). Every few rides, I’m usually checking balancing spoke tension and managing some wobble which I think is more of a function of machine-built wheels rather than my trueing skills.

4. Have you ever tried tubeless?
– No I am very interested to give it a try, but I just haven’t taken the leap.

5. Have you ever bought a wheelset, or do you usually run what comes on the bike you have?
– I normally ride what comes with the bike. However, I have told myself that I will look to an upgrade if I either destroy my current wheelset or lose 20 lbs.

6. Do you own a bike with 27.5 or 29" wheels?
– Yes, 29er Transition Bandit - my do-all North Shore bike

7. Where do you live and ride?
– I live in North Vancouver a few hundred meters from the Hyannis entrance on Seymour. Therefore, I tend to spend most of my rides on Seymour and Fromme (70/30). Having a young family means that my rides tend to be shorter and more frequent rather than 5-6hr epics. I started racing in the Fivers this year and also completed the North Van BC Enduro race last month.

8. Review
Chromag Trailmaster – I got this seat on a whim aka I bent the rails on my beloved Silverado and needed something quick. Friends had been chastising me for using a “roadie” saddle over the years and I figured I would give this a shot to see what all the hype was about.

Initial impressions: This is a well constructed saddle. The finishing is top-notch with clean stitching on top between the leather and fabric. The transition to the rail assembly below looks well thought-out. The graphics on the leather are a nice touch, but I assumed that a combination of ass-sweat and rain/grit would take care of that quickly enough (and I was right). While not the lightest saddle on the market, the long, wide nose was a deviation from what I was used to. So, as my taint quivered in anticipation of the contact ahead, I was cautiously optimistic.

The ride: The long soft nose + my undercarriage seemed to get along from the start. Climbing was comfortable, and some of the pressure points I had seen with my previous saddles seemed to have disappeared. On the way down, the extra length of the saddle did not get in the way when the seat was dropped. (note: riding any long saddle without a dropper can present a risk on technical downhill).

Issues or challenges:

On long, steady climbs (paved or gravel road), my twig and berries would go a bit numb unless I made a point of moving around or hoping out of the saddle every 5-7 minutes. This could also be related to fit/technique.

The saddle creaks like a mother I have tightened down the screws that attach the base to the cover, greased the rails, double-checked tension on the bolts still creaks, albeit less than the first ride, but it is noticeable on quiet roads/trail.

Conclusion – Comfortable saddle that seems to get along with many folks. The saddle has kept the same cushioning over the past 8 months, and the leather still looks fairly new (minus the graphics). When I look for a replacement, I will test other models to see if the creaking was just dumb-luck on my part, but I think my loins are a fan of Chromag saddles.

-Gord

1. Light Bicycle 30mm Hookless AM rims laced to DT 240s CL hubs w/XD driver and 36t rachet installed w/DT Comp spokes and brass ProLock nipples. Light Bicycle 33mm Hookless DH rims laced to Hope Pro2 hubs w/DT Comp spokes and brass ProLock nipples. Giant P-SL0 WheelSystem (Rebranded DT wheel set )

2. Yes! See above and add in the following stock bike wheel sets: DT FR600 wheel set w/240s , DT M480 w/350, DT 5.1D wheel set w/340s

3. Flat spotting and denting rims and some bent spokes.

4. Yes. Currently run both bikes with LB wheels as tubeless setups.

5. I haven’t bought an aftermarket wheel set before but build up custom wheels as upgrades.

6. Chromag Surface

7. I live on the Sunshine Coast. Riding area includes all trails outside of my door as well as XC riding up in Powell River.

8. I have three pairs of Norrøna Fjørå Flex1 shorts plus I recently picked up a pair of the new dri3 shorts based on how much I like the Flex1s. I'll cover the Flex1s as I haven't had to use the Dri3, yet.
The short is made of two separate materials; a sort of ripstop nylon and a short like material that isn't as stretchy as what Sombrio uses but my unscientific finds lead me to believe it is lighter and breathes better. The ripstop-like nylon is placed in the high wear areas: seat, inner thigh and front of knees. A few stitches blew out on the front of one pair as the result of a crash on the rocks on "In Deep."
I don't know what Euro cut is; (I assume it some backhanded 'Merica way of saying slim) but the Fjørå short should allow one to collect many prestige points while out on the trails. The crotch is also cut rather high which is nice to have on a pair of cycling shorts as droopy crotches are best left for selling rock on the block.
Those double ended 3/4 length zippers on the outside are in fact both slightly expandable mesh vents and also how to get leg armour under the short. The short isn't able to ride up over the POC VPD knees I wear when the zippers are closed. An iphone 6 w/lifeproof case is able to fit snuggly in the front pocket and doesn't bother my peddling.
As for sizing I'm pretty close to "Trond" probably a smaller waist but the fit is good with the velcro waist tabs adding to tighten the fit to remove any motion.

Ed - If I could embed an instagram video you could see a clip of myself in said shorts getting some semi legit dirt jump cases in on my Surface and carbon rims. ;)

NSMB Forum Testing Program: DT Swiss E 1700 Spline Two 27.5/29" Wheels

1. What wheels do you currently use?
WTB Frequency I23 ST

2. Have you had any experience with DT Swiss wheels?
I've tested a friend's XR Spline One 29er and loved the way they react and gain speed.

3. Have you had problems with spoke or hubs breaking? Other wheelset issues?
Just minor issues, like spoke's tension and some wheel true.

4. Have you ever tried tubeless?
That's what i'm using.

5. Have you ever bought a wheelset, or do you usually run what comes on the bike you have?
Normally i run with factory wheels.

6. Do you own a bike with 27.5 or 29" wheels?
Cannondale Trigger 29er 3 (2013) - Not the lefty model :P

7. Where do you live and ride?
I Live in Lisbon - Portugal, and normally i ride in Sintra Mountain (with great bike spot's), Monsanto Park (Great Single track's) and other locations nearby.

I consider my self as a multi skills rider, i like trail, Enduro and some Cross country (normally with friend's).
But it's Enduro that i'm ridding most in this days. I've had some crash's but never been hurt more than some bruises.

Hope you guy's would like some testing pictures from Portugal ;)
Rui Ribeiro

when you do a review for lear jets let me know as i can help you out there.

1. Giant P-AM2 rims with Giant Tracker hubs (formula re-branded?)

2. No

3. I haven't had problems with my current wheelset. I have had to replace worn out bearings on older wheelsets as well as broken rims and spokes, but that was mostly due to riding the bike park every day when I was younger.

4. I set up the P-AM2's tubeless, which is my first time trying it out. So far I am very happy with the results (no flats).

5. I usually run what comes on my bike until it needs to be replaced.

6. Yes I own a 2015 Giant Reign 2.

7. I live in Squamish. I mostly ride Squamish, but I usually get a few days in Whistler, Pemberton, the North Shore, or Vancouver Island. I usually get 3 or more rides in a week generally riding the trails above Quest or Alice Lake area.

8. Around February of this year I decided to purchase a new bike, despite my wife giving me a hard time about the fact that there was nothing wrong with my old one, it was definitely time. My plan was to buy the Reign Advanced 1, but after telling my wife exactly how much I intended to spend, she said that there was no way in hell I was going to spend that much money on a mountain bike. I ended up settling for the cheapest of the Reigns, the aluminum Reign 2. Before I had decided on buying a new bike for 2015, I purchased a 42T sprocket, RADr cage, and 30T N/W chainring from OneUp components, knowing that both of the lower spec Reigns had 2x systems. The first day I got my new bike, I stripped off the front derailleur and chainrings and replaced them with all of the OneUp components. Installation was pretty easy using the video guides for reference, although the most difficult and fiddly part was the RADr cage. I ended up purchasing an XT cassette to go along with the new 42t sprocket because the stock 11-36 cassette on the Reign is not compatible with the 42t sprocket. I also ended up removing the taco style bash guard that came on the bike, despite a few people telling me they didn't think it was such a great idea to not have a bash guard. From My first ride until now I have been quite happy with the whole system, nothing has failed. I haven't experienced any dropped or broken chains, which I wasn't worried about, but it seems like quite a few people believe that a clutch derailleur paired with a N/W ring isn't enough. The 42t sprocket is definitely the savior I need to get me up some of the climbs I do regularly in Squamish, although I am definitely not a strong climber, so I need all the help I can get. The downside to the setup is that the 30t front ring does cause me to spin out on fast logging road descents, but not on trail, so that is still fine with me. The shifting does leave something to be desired, I have found that the 16t cog that OneUp provides with the 42t doesn't shift very nicely at all. Sometimes I have to push the shifter a bit more to get the chain to shift up to the 16t. Shifting into the 42t sprocket is also not extremely smooth, it tends to jump into it. I guess the main question is whether or not I would recommend OneUp components as a solution for cheaper 1x10. Yes would, even with the few problems I have had, it does work really well. It has also been more reliable than some people had tried to lead me to believe before the purchase.