Question about DT Swiss rims-advice needed

karen47
karen47 Posts: 4
edited February 2009 in Workshop
I have been offered a nearly new set of road wheels hand built with DT Swiss rims, Royce hubs and a Shimano block (12/27). I have not seen the wheels yet, and clearly I will check them for wear (including the block). However I'm told they have only been ridden for about 200 miles. They are being sold at a pretty decent price by someone from my club who has bought Zipps instead, so wants to offload these wheels. Can anyone tell me about the quality and ride of DT Swiss rims? I'm concerned that the guy selling them tells me that he 'never got on with them'. Would appreciate an independent asessment of these rims.

Comments

  • garyspain
    garyspain Posts: 105
    I've got a pair of hand built dt swiss 1.1s with dura ace hubs built with 32 spokes and they're great, you won't go far wrong with a pair of hand built , easy repair, comfy ride etc
    http://www.vamoscycling.com/blog
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    They're very high quality. Assuming they've been well built, these will be an excellent set of high-end wheels.
  • croggy
    croggy Posts: 116
    I've been using DT Swiss RR1.1 rims with Hope Pro3 hubs for a year-4000 miles approx.
    Brilliant wheels,still dead true.
  • Lagavulin
    Lagavulin Posts: 1,688
    Had my DT Swiss RR1850 (RR 1.2 rims on 240s hubs with DT Aero spokes) since August 2007 and love 'em. Not light but prefer 'em to my Racing 3s.
    2010 Cannondale CAAD 9
    2008 Wilier Izoard
  • karen47
    karen47 Posts: 4
    Hi guys,

    Thanks for all the reassuring info about these rims. I'll check them out and if they are in as good a condition as the seller says I'll buy them. Now all I need to do is build a bike round them...
  • blorg
    blorg Posts: 1,169
    Have a pair of DT Swiss RR 1450s myself- RR1.1 rim on 240s hubs and Aerolite spokes. Had the rear rebuilt with a new RR1.1 rim after a crash. They are great wheels, light and buttery. The standard components and easy rebuildability compared to factory wheels is a big bonus.
  • sylvanus
    sylvanus Posts: 1,125
    I would avoid them like the plague. The RR 1.1 (and I'd guess that's what they are) are famous for their pringle-like quality and developing cracks around the eyelets. I replaced one pair and then found that Terminal Pursuits, the distributor, expected me us to pay when they failed in just the same way again. I threw them away and kept the hubs.

    They're fine for featherlite riders on perfect roads but for no one else.

    Have a look at this thread - URL

    I've resolved never to touch any DT product again! :o
  • markmw
    markmw Posts: 131
    I'd find out if the rims are single or double eyelet. In my current wheel build I got advised against single eyelet DT Rims (double were fine) so went for Open Pros instead.
  • edeverett
    edeverett Posts: 224
    I've got 36 hole RR1.1 rims on Ultegra hubs and they are nice wheels.

    But I do find the front wheel has an unpleasant flex occasionally that my Open Pro wheels don't. On smooth roads it's not a problem but on bumpy roads it can be a problem. I'm 85 - 90 kg and not the smoothest so for lighter riders they are probably good comfortable rims; once I find some spokes for my Shimano wheels they'll be going on the girlfriends bike where I'm sure they do good service.

    I don't think there's anything wrong with them, they just aren't for me.
  • pete.whelan
    pete.whelan Posts: 788
    We have three bikes with DT rims, and find them excellent.

    The Royce hubs should be super smooth.

    [I've used Royce BB for many years and never had to do anything to them in 15yrs, and they have had a lot of abuse on a tandem and winter weather, etc]
    Recipe: shave legs sparingly, rub in embrocation and drizzle with freshly squeezed baby oil.
  • SteveR_100Milers
    SteveR_100Milers Posts: 5,987
    What about R1900's with a heavy rider??
    http://www.pontypoolrcc.co.uk/
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  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    Nothing wrong with DT rims, more robust and longer lasting than modern Mavic rims, which in my experience crack-up after a couple of seasons (I've got some 15 year old Open CDs that are as good as new).

    Royce hubs are fantastic, just need some caution if using a drip on / wipe off chain lube, which can draw water into the bearings (I guess this applies to other hubs too). I always take the rear wheel out and use a chain carrier to lube my chain now. Same experience as earlier poster with Royce BBs, fit and forget.
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    sylvanus wrote:
    The RR 1.1 (and I'd guess that's what they are) are famous for their pringle-like quality and developing cracks around the eyelets.

    Those are sypmptoms over over-tensioned spokes. You can't blame the rim manufacturer if the wheels are built too tight. There's nothing wrong with DT rims.
  • karen47
    karen47 Posts: 4
    Hi everyone. This e-mail stream has been very informative. I can summarise the views expresed best by saying that these are very good rims but only if your race weight is less than 65 kgs (mine isn't) and the roads you ride on are smooth (I ride in pot-holed North Wales). For these reasons the rims aren't suitable for me no matter how well made they are. I suspect that this may be why the vendor is selling them on, because they probably don't suit him either. I've told the guy I won't be buying the wheels for the reasons above. He wasn't best pleased but I don't want to take the risk of spending £250 on wheels that might crack going over a rough road in Flintshire. Thanks to everyone for all the info, and I'm bringing this topic to a close.
  • ednino
    ednino Posts: 684
    DT SWISS CHEESE :lol:
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    edeverett wrote:
    ] I do find the front wheel has an unpleasant flex occasionally that my Open Pro wheels don't.

    There are lots of variables affecting the lateral "give" of a wheel. What are the spoke tesnions like? What sort of spokes too - diameter, double-butted or plain gauge? Hub flanges the same depth and distance apart? Lacing pattern the same? Unless everything else is equal, you can't really compare the rims like this.
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    Karen, have a read of the "what makes a wheel strong" thread in the Mountain bike workshop and tech forum - it's a "sticky" so stays near the top of the list. It's very informative and you'll pick up thatthe strength of a wheel comes from the tension held within the spokes, not from the rims.

    It is worth asking if the rims are the RR1.1 double-eyelet. if they are, theycan take a mximum recommended tension of 1200N, as opposed to 900N for a Mavic Open Pro, for example, so they are capable of being built into very strong wheels.

    Those Royce hubs are beautiful as well. I'd have another think about it. (No, I'm not on commission :-) )
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    karen47 wrote:
    rough road in Flintshire.

    To be fair, the only issue with roads in Flintshire is the pathetic method of surfacing roads they use - I don't see any where near as many potholes as I do in Manchester, in Manchester as long as you avoid the million potholes the surface is quite smooth :wink:

    ......some times I think I might as well be riding a pneumatic drill in North Wales.......
    I like bikes...

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  • blorg
    blorg Posts: 1,169
    I use my DT 1450s (RR1.1 rims) on pretty bad road surfaces around Ireland, I can assure you, they have been bumped over many a pothole. Thousands of km on them and I range between 75 and 82kg. DT have a max rider weight suggestion of 90kg on these wheels so I don't know where you are getting 65kg from.

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