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

I for one don't like the idea of dirt getting into my valve cores every time I put air in my tires. It doesn't take much to make those tiny seals leak. I'll keep the caps on.

I for one don't like the idea of dirt getting into my valve cores every time I put air in my tires. It doesn't take much to make those tiny seals leak. I'll keep the caps on.

But think of the weight savings!!!!

That's why schraders are so much better. Prestas suck for tubeless set ups. Schrader valves can dump and take much more air more quickly, and they are hard to plug with sealant. Drill 'em out!

And those plastic caps are useful as they help protect. I have broken off valve stems more than once from flying debris.

That's why schraders are so much better. Prestas suck for tubeless set ups. Schrader valves can dump and take much more air more quickly, and they are hard to plug with sealant. Drill 'em out!

And those plastic caps are useful as they help protect. I have broken off valve stems more than once from flying debris.

Ummm… presta valves have removable cores you know. Works great for injecting high volumes of air.

Ummm… presta valves have removable cores you know. Works great for injecting high volumes of air.

Umm… I know, but its just not the same.

Another plus for bolt on schrader valves, you can use a wrench to tighten down the valve to the rim, instead of using that silly little finger nut used on prestas. :)

Umm… I know, but its just not the same.

Another plus for bolt on schrader valves, you can use a wrench to tighten down the valve to the rim, instead of using that silly little finger nut used on prestas. :)

Funny.. been running tubeless with presta valves since the stone age (10 + yrs) and not a single issue. Go figure.

Funny.. been running tubeless with presta valves since the stone age (10 + yrs) and not a single issue. Go figure.

Oh they work, just not as well.

Show me the way oh wise Wayne!

Lettuce see these bolt on Schrader valve stems

What pressure were you running Taz? How did they feel compared to your current combo?

Thanks to NSMB.com for giving me the opportunity to review these wheels. Please feel free to ask questions or PM me. I check the forum several times a day, so I should be able to respond quickly to your queries.

Initial impression:

My initial impression of the DT Swiss E-1700 29er wheels is very positive. Like JimLad, my wheels were each marked with a QA-type tag which I appreciated knowing that there were a set of actual human hands who checked everything over before they were shipped. Without a doubt, the wheels pass the sexy test. Nice decals (not stickers), satin finish and nothing seemed to be loose or out of place. Spoke tension was all fairly even from the “pluck-test”.

The wheels came with a tubeless kit (tape/valves), but the instructions were incomplete in my opinion(see below). I fitted the rims with one layer of tape and was able to easily mount up my Hans-Dampf/Racing-Ralph combo that I had been running on my previous rims. Minor fiddling required, but they mounted smooth with a floor-pump. These are 26mm inner diameter rims, which is a bit wider than I normally run. The Hans-Dampf and Racing Ralph tires did flatten a bit with the new profile, but the side knobs are still prevalent on the contact patch. If you are running a more square profile (HRII for example, keep this in mind)

I run a 6-bolt rotor, and though that the center-lock assembly was pretty slick. The rotors mounted perfectly to the six prongs on the center-lock, and was easy to tighten up with a bottom-bracket tool. Using a 6-bolt or Shimano’s centerlock rotor has no impact on hub selection from DT, and also allows for some future flexibility with rotor selection. The kit is complete with axle adaptors to quick release. I applaud DT Swiss for their engineering thought process. Minimizing tooling for hub selection is a great way to not only save money as a manufacturer, but also provides the customer with options.

Rotor installed

Install the ring directly to the hub

Connect to the center-lock and add the rotor

Rotor sits cleanly onto the 6-prongs

Add the locking ring and the rotor is securely connected

HUB Assembly: Something I didn't originally comment on.

I was impressed that the DT Swiss folks believe in full-bore cassette installation.

The grooves for the cassette install look like this rather than….

i.e. solid grooves vs, hollow or intermittent.

Concerns or issues from my initial impression:

Now that I have read Jim’s first post, I was disappointed to hear that I should have put on two layers of tape. The tubeless instructions for the wheels only seems to focus on the tubeless valve assembly, without mention of the tape installation, so I reverted to what I knew with Stans or Gorilla. Speaking of tape, I was not a fan of the DT Swiss brand of rim tape. To put it simply, it did not stretch well, and I found I had to spend quite a bit of time working the tape onto the rim and removing air bubbles. I also felt that the tape lacked a bit of adhesion (stickiness), so I’m curios what I will see when I take the tires off after a handful of rides.

First ride impressions are coming up once I can get some pictures.

-Gord

I dropped the pressure further this past weekend.

25/30 is as far as I've gone. It felt good, strong grip, didn't roll, and I don't think I felt the rim bottom out (and I was riding Dale's). It was the perfect test trail; flow up top at high speed, and gnar after the first 1/3.

I will try to drop it another few pounds, but looking at the rear tire while riding, I don't think I have a ton of more room.

-Gord (Taz)

I took to the trails last night for a quick rip around.

I decided to drop the pressure a bit and see if things change. I went to 23/28 and didn't have any major issues. Climbed like a goat which was nice in the rain, and things felt a bit squishy, but I'm not sure if that was a function of the wet/rainy conditions or the tire pressure.

-Gord

Thanks for doing this and keeping us informed. Looking like a good choice so far, but we'll see as the "shiny and new" feeling wears off and the mileage goes up.

Are these hubs modelled off the 240s or the 350 hubs? Or something different?

Are these hubs modelled off the 240s or the 350 hubs? Or something different?

My stock rear hub is a 350, and I'd say this new hub is quite different. The 350 I have is 36 point engagement on the freehub, while the E1700 is only 18. For whatever reason, the ratchet on the E1700 is much quieter than the 350 as well. I definitely notice the difference in ratchet engagement when pedalling over technical sections. Perhaps the lower number of engagement points result in a beefier ratchet assembly?