RIDE PRECISION
content
ROAD 8 «Our Mountain, My Wheels» 10 «Need for Speed» 14 «365»
MTB 16 «From World Champion to World Champion» 22 «Snow Epic»
COMPONENTS 26 «Ratchet Man» 30 «382 Years of Expertise»
SUSPENSION 34 «Work Bike Balance» 38 «Carbon Meets Future» 40 «Service Competence»
PRODUCTS 2016 42 «Wheels Road» 44 «Wheels MTB» 46 «Suspension» 48 «Components»
Le Mont Chasseral
Mont Chasseral is admittedly not one of the highest mountains in Switzerland. And yet, at around 1,607 meters it is one of the highest mountains in the Swiss Jura range. Above all, it is its location that has made it our local mountain. We've tested so many things here: climbing, descending on-road and off-road. Apart from clocking up the greatest possible vertical distance, the aim is to put our products through their paces.
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Over the years, Mont Chasseral has become our mountain, «mon Chasseral». It has cemented its place in the development of DT Swiss products, so we decided to name a product after it. Not just any product, of course, but the ultimate climbing wheel. A product that is a prime embodiment of Swiss precision, high quality, reliability and lightness, in short: everything we stand for.
The RC 28 SPLINE® C Mon Chasseral has it all. At first glance, it is stunningly understated, but closer inspection reveals its true worth. With the RC 28 SPLINE® C Mon Chasseral, there is now a wheel that can confidently be called state-of-the-art. The combination of Swiss expertise, high-end materials and the latest technologies, put to the final test on our local mountain, Mont Chasseral.
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Need for Speed For three years, the Swiss IAM Cycling team has been a fixture on the international cycling scene and this year they have made the step up to the pinnacle of cycling: the World Tour. Countless wheels were ridden for thousands of kilometers, prototypes tested intensively in races and new technologies used in training. This has given rise to an extremely valuable pool of experience, which has enabled us to continuously improve
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our road wheels over the years. And it's not just the riders' feedback that we benefit from. The suggestions for improvement and ideas of the team mechanics, who work with our wheels day in day out and strive to provide the riders with the best possible equipment, are of key importance as well. Many riders are extremely picky about their bike setup down to the smallest detail in order to exploit every little po-
tential for improvement. Aerodynamic Aerodynamic rim shapes, minimal bearing friction resistance and perfect spoke tension are topics that not only engage our enen gineers, but cause several IAM Cycling professionals to go into raptures. These sometimes include unmeasurable benefits that inspire the riders to peak performance. Knowing that they can trust their equipment 100 % gives the racers the necessary punch in the decisive moment of the race.
With the new RRC 65 DICUT速 aero wheels, the IAM Cycling team is riding with an absolute top-class product that meets the extremely high demands of the world's best. A curved, aerodynamic rim profile, super smooth spinning ceramic ball bearings and a lightweight 18 mm wide rim are just a few of this wheel's outstanding features. After the first
prototypes of the RRC 65 DICUT速 were tested at the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France time trials last year, Matteo Pelucchi, Mathias Frank, Martin Elmiger and their team mates now ride the wheels in road races as well and the question of when the RRC 65 DICUT速 will be ridden to its first victory is only a matter of time!
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RRC 65 DICUT « «
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Heinrich Haussler I really push my wheels to the limit - braking sharply at the last split second and accelerating 100 % after the corner! It goes without saying that the wheels should look super-cool and fit the rest of the bike, of course!
Sylvain Chavanel The RRC 65 DICUT® is the ideal wheel for fast, windy races. I want to take advantage of the aero effect not only in time trials, but also on extremely fast stages and in one-day races. At speeds of 50-60 km / h, the difference you feel between «normal» and aero wheels is enormous!
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®
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Martin Elmiger I can never stay in the peloton for too long and prefer to find my salvation in the breakaways. What I need are wheels that spin extremely smooth and offer very good handling, to have the necessary reserves in the tank for the final kilometers.
Jonathan Fazan The first prototype tests that we conducted with the new aero rims last year were very promising. We were able to use the wheels in time trials last year and from this spring on we've been riding the RRC 65 DICUT® in road races as well, because the wheels are perfect for any flat, fast courses.
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365 There are many aspects to road riding. It's not just about the big races – the World Championships, «la grande boucle», the spring classics in the north. It's about getting on your bike and riding – whenever, wherever and for one reason above all: because we love to ride! Whether it's with your colleagues on the local roads, on the way to work in the morning, after work in the evening sunset, or on the weekend looking for new Strava KOMs ... It's about enjoying every ride, escaping the noise and traffic of the city, just pushing the pedals and getting into the zone. Guys like Michael Bucher live this passion. Early every morning, «Michu» sets off on his bike on his way to work through the city traffic. In the evening, he cycles back again. So it is not surprising that you can sometimes see the wheel engineer working on his bike until late in the evening, before climbing into the saddle – for one reason: He loves to ride!
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Nino Schurter Pro rider, Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team World Champion XC (Elite) 2009, 2012, 2013
Marcel Waldmann Head of sample wheelbuilding, DT Swiss World Champion DH (Masters) 2007, 2008, 2014
Marcel Waldmann is a veteran of the Swiss MTB scene, 3-time Masters Downhill World Champion and wheel construction specialist at DT Swiss. For over ten years, every prototype wheel built at DT Swiss has gone through «Waldi's» hands, from customized samples and prototypes for internal testing to test wheels for the top stars.
Nino Schurter, 3-time Elite XC World Champion, observes closely. After all, this is the equipment for the World Cup season. Everything must be perfect. But Marcel isn't thrown, even with a professional looking over his shoulder – a real pro.
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Nino training on his ultralight Scott Scale, BMC Racing Cup Solothurn 2015
As an active downhiller, Marcel knows that a reliable wheel is key for every rider. Especially under race conditions, the material must perform exceptionally well and prove its reliabilty. However, a reliable wheel does not just happen. It is the result of a combination of several factors: first-class components, years of experience and mechanics' hands with ÂŤthe feel for the wheelÂť are prerequisites for building top-quality products. Enthusiasm for the product has to be there too, of course. That's
the only way a perfect wheel, a wheel that meets the highest quality requirements, comes about. At DT Swiss, quality has always been the top priority. With DT Swiss' huge wheel building expertise and the help of modern technology, top trained professionals assemble every single series wheels by hand. This ensures that the end product meets the high demands for functionality and safety. Before a wheel leaves the factory, it is
carefully examined and equipped with a quality certificate. This ensures that the products that end up on the market are top-quality and meet the demands of World Champions.
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XMC
20
1200 SPLINE
速
diverse
included
Snow
Epic
Mountainbiking in the snow? A bike race on ski slopes? What may sound crazy at first has now become reality with the first edition of the Snow Epic event in Engelberg, Switzerland in January 2015. The organizers of the Cape Epic, Herman Coertze and Kevin Vermaark, have realized this daring concept and achieved a resounding success.
Although the usually snow-covered slopes around the Titlis mountain in the Engelberg region were more green than white during the week before the race, winter showed its best side on the weekend of the race and provided a proper powder spectacle on the last race day. In the midst of the action were, of course, our brand-new Big Ride wheels, which celebrated a brilliant start. Whether it was the floodlit Eliminator race or climbing the Brunni-Alp, the victory was taken on DT Swiss wheels. The superlight BR 2250 CLASSIC wheels proved themselves to be the ideal competition weapon on any terrain and passed their baptism of fire.
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Man
Ratchet Stefan Spahr
Stefan Spahr, 54, Head of Wheels, has been with DT Swiss since 1995 and is the man behind the classic 240s hub. Quiet, thoughtful and with a sixth sense for solid innovations, he is responsible for all wheel projects at DT Swiss. In the interview Stefan talks about his life and DT Swiss:
When and how did you join DT Swiss?
In March 1995. I'd just properly got the biking bug and had bought myself a Muddy Fox from the United States, but I didn't think there was anything like a bike industry. Then I came across an advert for DT Swiss AG, which had recently been established. The three owners were looking for their first engineer after the management buyout. What do you do first thing in the morning at work?
Look at my emails (just look!) and have a coffee.
What are you working on most at the moment?
Two main topics: On the more practical side, we are currently developing Boost 148 options for all our standard hubs from 180 Carbon Ceramic up to 350 and for customized products. We are also developing new products in the field of carbon rims, where we are honing new processing methods and aerodynamic approaches. Likewise, we are pursuing new approaches to construct even better aluminum rims, especially in larger widths. How many projects are you working on with your team right now?
215, no joke.
Coffee or tea?
Black coffee Cheese or chocolate?
It's got to be chocolate. Tube or tubeless?
Tube
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First hub you designed?
The 98 Hügi hub Last hub you designed?
The hub for the 1200 SPLINE® wheels Best road bike product?
Electronic gears Best MTB product?
148 mm rear wheel standard Best DT Swiss product?
Two: the 240s hubs & the RWS thru bolt Best wheel builder?
Two: Gerd Schraner & Bernd Warth Most important person in the bike industry?
Sorry, it's got to be three: Keith Bontrager, Gary Fisher & Tom Ritchey Favorite staff member at DT Swiss? ... Just kidding.
What's the inspiration behind the 240s hub classic?
What were the main steps in this evolution?
What makes the 240s such a classic in your opinion?
We wanted to build a lightweight hub that was easy to build and service. At the same time we were also thinking about the modularity of the product, so that it can cover a wide range of applications with the smallest of modifications. On top of that, our customers were demanding ever lighter, cost-effective products. So I tried to develop a hub that required few parts and was easy to assemble and disassemble. The hub had to work with the precision of a Swiss watch.
It all started with continuous improvements to the existing concept behind the Hügi hub. With the introduction of the Hügi 98 hub, we improved the ball bearings, optimized the seal system and increased the precision. In the following Hügi 240 generation, we reduced the weight, developed new star ratchets and replaced the bearings with new products. When the 240s as we know it today came into existence, non-contact seals, stainless bearings, a new material and a new surface treatment for the star ratchets were added.
The uniqueness of the freewheel system, which makes it possible to construct lightweight hubs and to respond to customer demand for a wide variety of hub forms. Of course, it also combines reliability and precision with super-easy maintenance.
Number of hubs you've designed?
2450 models (without the different hole counts) Smallest tolerance?
± 0.002 mm Largest tolerance?
± 0.1 mm 28
Where do you get the inspiration for new developments?
I visit many trade shows in other industries, such as mechanical engineering, watchmaking and the motorcycle industry. That's where I get ideas that I can implement in wheels. I search for balance while riding my bike and my motorbike or while sailing my little boat. It's during these activities that I come up with the ideas – nearly everywhere except in the office, where I've not had a single idea EVER!
Where is the development of the wheel heading?
Clearly to system wheels. Hubs, spokes, nipples and rims are increasingly becoming unified into one unit. In the future, the individual components will no longer be replaceable. Together with the use of new materials and new processes, this will lead to the emergence of ever better wheels.
ÂŤ
What will road bikes look like in 2035?
They will also no longer be comprised of interchangeable components. The components will be integrated into the frame. Aerodynamics and riding dynamics will gain in importance. And mountainbikes?
Similar to road bikes. A particular feature of mountain bikes is that there will be gears and numerous sensors that constantly analyze and correct the behavior of the bike while it is being ridden.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into the bike industry as a career?
You have to cope with a rapidly changing environment. Visions and ideas alone are not enough. It takes perseverance before a product works and is marketable. You have to be able to quickly implement market and customer requirements without compromise. Under these conditions, life in the innovative bike industry is a lot of fun.
The 240s hub embodies DT Swiss, Switzerland, our tradition and our skills: it is precise, understated and reliable.
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Then
There are 382 years of tradition behind DT Swiss Swiss. Various wire products have been manufactured at the Biel site since 1634.
Photograph of the former DT Swiss site on Solothurnstrasse, Biel, in around 1925. Production of wire products. Photographer unknown 30
Today In the early 20thh century, bicycle parts – such as spokes – were added, which laid the foundation for the company DT Swiss AG as it exists today.
Knowledge from many hundreds of years of wire-working lives on in the DT Swiss products. Today, this experience is combined with state-of-the-art engineering knowledge to manufacture spokes and nipples of the highest quality. Various spoke types / visual inspection of nipple blanks
An intuitive touch is also required when assembling hubs. With the help of high-quality Swiss assembly and testing tools, a team of mainly women install bearings and assemble freewheels at a breathtaking pace and with the utmost concentration. Beata Salachna lubricating the parts of a DT Swiss 240s 6-bolt front wheel hub that machines cannot reach
Despite modern, automated production, some important steps can only be performed by experienced staff and only by hand. No machine in the world has as much feeling as Michel Gremaud's thumbs. Polishing and inspection of a welding joint at the rim manufacturing site in Biel
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Lunch Ride Loops
Favorite
STATS
Balance 1. Sam Trail 2. Tiki-Taki Trail 3. Steep Trail 4. XC-Loop Safnernberg 5. Schw端mmbad Trail 6. Handicaptour
Our Suspension department is always present when it comes to one of the many DT Swiss lunch rides. Every lunchtime, they are on the BĂśzingenberg, on a fast XC circuit towards Safnernberg or tackling one of the many enduro trails around
Magglingen. Of course it's not all play – there's also some work. Every day, tests are conducted according to strict criteria, and not just by professionals, but also by our employees, with their ordinary hobby-biker requirements.
New seals, new lubricant additives, or a carbon steerer prototype: they all see many trail kilometers before they are packed up and sent to the bike shops for the first time.
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with ideas for new products. Teamwork is taken seriously in all departments at DT Swiss and the suspension team lives this concept 100 %: from maintaining trails together and cooperating
STATS
The suspension team consists of all kinds of riders, covering the whole spectrum of mountainbiking. When riding, they chat, eat together, have fun together and even come up
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on various projects to an after-work beer, the results of their work are down to collective effort rather than any one individual.
wheel diameter of staff bikes: 27.82" number of mountain bikes in the bike parking at DT Swiss: 30 number of bikes owned by a DT Swiss employee: 4.24 travel on staff bikes (front): 128.33 mm travel on staff bikes (rear): 102.5 mm number of different lunch rides: 12
TEAM
Damian Eggli Newly-infected with the bike virus, technical designer Forks / Shocks Remo Heutschi European Champion Enduro (Masters) 2015, PM Suspension Jer么me Hofmann Amateur Enduro Rider, Engineering Suspension Forks / Shocks Karsten Richter Amateur Rider, Head of Suspension Tobias Schmid Trail Rocket, Mechanic Prototype Manufacture Roman Siegenthaler Amateur Enduro Rider, Engineering Suspension Forks / Shocks Valentin Wendel Ex Elite XC Rider, Engineering Suspension Forks / Shocks Sam Zbinden Ex Elite Downhiller, Engineering Suspension Forks / Shocks
Sam Zbinden For a long time, Sam was a World Cup downhiller, a pioneering slopestyler and, last but not least, Swiss Elite Downhill Champion 2002. He is currently developing a new damping system, optimizing oil cooling in particular. His setup: 150 mm front & rear, slack, low and preferably with spikes 37
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the art
carbon
State of
The TFP method (Tailored Fibre Placement) is the next evolution in light weight carbon construction. It allows for a load corresponding production of each element. Carbon fibers are processed along the line of flux with a CNC-controlled embroidery machine and woven to fabric. Especially developed impact-resistant resins undergo a computer-controlled curing process to complete the high performance compound. This is how the incredibly light crown and steerer unit is made: from the first draft to the testing with Nino Schurter until the last carbon fiber all made in Switzerland.
The tree-mode O.D.L damping system by DT Swiss is made entirely of high-quality aluminum and steel parts, as is the high-end Two In One Remote Lever, which allows the simultaneous control of both shock and fork. Just a couple of clicks and you've got the perfect setup.
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Service Competence Compete 46 Service Centers – 38 Countries – Top Quality
For 11 years, every shock sent to the Service Center in Switzerland has passed through Ainkaran Shanmugavadivel's hands. In order to ensure the same high quality of service anywhere in the world, each of the 46 DT Swiss Service
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Centers is equipped with identical tools and devices from Switzerland. The staff in each Service Center are also trained by the same experts. But in terms of experience, no one can teach Ainkaran anything in a hurry.
DT Swiss race technician Jeremie «Jey» Zeller and Michiel van der Heijden (Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team), shortly after Michiel rode with the new DT Swiss OPM O.D.L Race fork with the TFP carbon steerer unit for the first time.
Jey is the first point of contact for riders like Michiel at every World Cup and many other races. He ensures that the riders start each race with perfectly adjusted and maintained suspension products – an extremely important factor when riding your bike at World Cup level.
For Jey, constantly wrenching on bikes and working with the most demanding customers is the best job in the world. He is always experimenting and optimizing both his own and others people's bikes. Damping and chain oil truly flow through his veins!
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On the Road DIC
UT ®
Aluminum RR 21 DICUT® 1415 g* / 1470 g* (db)
R 20 DICUT®
SP
LIN
E®
1535 g*
R 23 SPLINE®
R 24 SPLINE®
1605 g* / 1655 g* (db)
1725 g* / 1775 g* (db)
R 32 SPLINE® 1740 g* / 1720 g* (db)
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* weight per wheel set ± 5% db = disc brake
TR AC K
DIC
UT ®
CA RB ON
CA
RB ON
Carbon
RRC 65 DICUT® tubular • 1405 g* clincher • 1585 g*
RC 55 TRACK
SP
LIN
E®
CA
RB
ON
tubular • 1645 g* clincher • 1810 g*
RC 28 SPLINE®
RC 46 SPLINE® H
clincher • 1385 g*/ 1325 g* (db)
clincher • 1695 g*
RC 28 SPLINE® Mon Chasseral clincher • 1250 g*
RC 38 SPLINE®
RC 55 SPLINE®
tubular • 1310 g* / 1325 g* (db) clincher • 1395 g* / 1455 g* (db)
tubular • 1405 g* clincher • 1575 g*
PLI NE ®
ON
E
On the Trail
15 01 S
Alum Aluminum A um minu num um
XR 1501 SPLINE® ONE
E®
TW
O
1400 g*(26) / 1460 g*(27.5) / 1510 g*(29) 20 mm inner width
PLI N
XM 1501 SPLINE® ONE
170
0S
1535 g*(26) / 1580 g*(27.5) / 1670 g*(29) 22.5 mm inner width EX 1501 SPLINE® ONE 1650 g*(26) / 1720 g*(27.5) / 1810 g*(29) 25 mm inner width
X 1700 SPLINE® TWO 1610 g*(27.5) / 1680 g*(29) 20 mm inner width
M 1700 SPLINE® TWO
* weight per wheel set ± 5%
1705 g*(27.5) / 1785 g*(29) 22.5 mm inner width
E 1700 SPLINE® TWO 1840 g*(27.5) / 1910 g*(29) 25 mm inner width
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E® 0S PLI N 19 0
X 1900 SPLINE® 1770 g*(27.5) / 1865 g*(29) 20 mm inner width
M 1900 SPLINE®
Carbon ON
1845 g*(27.5) / 1940 g*(29) 22.5 mm inner width
RB
E 1900 SPLINE®
CL
AS
SIC
120 0
SP LIN
E®
CA
1905 g*(27.5) / 2000 g*(29) 25 mm inner width
XRC 1200 SPLINE® 1340 g*(27.5) / 1445 g*(29) 21.5 mm inner width
FR 1950 CLASSIC
XMC 1200 SPLINE®
2020 g*(27.5) 27.5 mm inner width
1410 g*(27.5) / 1495 g*(29) 24 mm inner width
BR 2250 CLASSIC 2230 g*(26) 76 mm inner width / 81 mm outer width
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FO RK S
Traction Control
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OPM O.D.L Race
OPM O.D.L
100 / 120 mm // 27.5 / 29 • 1455 g* carbon crown
100 / 120 / 150 mm (27.5) 100 / 120 / 130 mm (29) 1585 g*
OPM O.D.L LTD
OPM O.L
100 / 120 mm // 27.5 / 29 • 1455 g* carbon crown
100 / 120 / 150 mm (27.5) 100 / 120 / 130 mm (29) 1585 g*
S OC K SH X 313 O.D.L
X 313 Carbon O.D.L
165 x 38 / 190 x 50 / 200 x 50 / 200 x 55 185 g*
165 x 38 / 190 x 50 / 200 x 50 / 200 x 55 145 g*
M 212 O.L 165 x 38 / 190 x 50 / 200 x 50 / 200 x 55 185 g*
* weight per fork (27.5, 100 mm) // shock (165 x 38)
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HU
BS
Bits & Pieces
180 Carbon Ceramic SINC Ceramic bearing new road disc version
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240s
350
SINC Ceramic upgrade available
Big Ride & boost versions
S RIM RR 511
XM 481
533 g* / 488 g* (db) 18 mm inner width
490 g*(27.5) / 525 g*(29) 30 mm inner width
R 460
XM 551
460 g* / 450 g* (db) 18 mm inner width
595 g*(27.5) 40 mm inner width
* weight per rim ± 5% db = disc brake
FR 570
BR 710
570 g*(26) / 590 g*(27.5) 27.5 mm inner width
Big ride • 675 g* (26) 76 mm inner width
News 2016 only – for a complete overview of all DT Swiss products as well as detailed specifications, please visit www.dtswiss.com
Publisher
DT Swiss AG Längfeldweg 101 CH-2504 Biel www.dtswiss.com
Editing
Marco Giarrana Julia Oberle Michael Riehle Alex Schmitt
Design Printing
Photos
Stefanie Burri Koprint AG
Michael Riehle Fred Leiser Stephan Boegli IAM Cycling
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2015 DT Swiss AG. All rights reserved.
www.dtswiss.com