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New 2020 DT Swiss wheels 1501 SPLINE ONE Carbon & 1700 SPLINE for xc, trail and enduro

07.07.2020
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DT Swiss have doubled down on carbon wheels for 2020. Alongside the 1200 SPLINE series, the 1501 SPLINE ONE wheels will now come with carbon rims for all cross-country, trail and enduro models though fear not, there are also aluminium developments brewing with the 1700 SPLINE series. We’ve got all the details on the new wheels here.

Carbon rims are hard to escape on high-end bikes. It’s solely gravity-oriented riding where both manufacturers and teams still rely on aluminium rims and even DT Swiss didn’t offer a carbon wheelset for hardcore enduro use until 2019. We spent several months testing that wheelset, the EXC 1200 SPLINE, and came away impressed. You can read our detailed review in the latest ENDURO issue #043. Like ours, DT Swiss’ scepticism about carbon seems to have diminished, which sees the Swiss wheel giant expand its offerings with the 1501 SPLINE ONE carbon wheels.

We were able to ride the new DT Swiss EXC 1501 SPLINE ONE wheelset, fitted to a Specialized Enduro and ridden down full-on enduro stages, for several days.

Three new carbon wheels

In typical fashion, DT will offer three versions of the 1501 SPLINE ONE for cross country (XRC), Trail (XMC) and Enduro (EXC). The wheelsets differ in the construction and weight of their carbon rims but all maintain the 30 mm inner rim width. All of the wheels are built around DT’s premium 240 Ratchet EXP hub with a Centerlock disc mount. Solely the EXC wheelset, due to the request of enduro team riders, will be offered with a 6-bolt rotor mount too. That not only allows the use of 220 mm brake rotors but also makes small repairs, such as tightening rotor bolts on the trailside, possible with a multi-tool. The XRC cross country wheelset is only available in 29″ while the XMC and EXC also come as a 27.5″ version.

DT Swiss EXC 1501 SPLINE ONE | from 1,609 g (27.5”) | € 1,499
DT Swiss XMC 1501 SPLINE ONE | from 1,545 g (27.5”) | €1,499
DT Swiss XRC 1501 SPLINE ONE | 1,544 g (29”) | € 1,499

DT Swiss EXC 1501 SPLINE ONE wheels in detail

We’ve already had the chance to ride the enduro version of the 1501 SPLINE ONE wheels, testing them on enduro stages over the course of multiple days. For our testing, we used a Specialized Enduro fitted with Schwalbe Magic Mary Super Gravity tires. It’s too early for a detailed review or ride impressions. However, we’ve got all the most important details of the new carbon wheelsets for you here.

DT Swiss put a particular focus on durability and impact resistance for the EXC 1501 rim.
As is typical for this price bracket, DT Swiss use their high-quality 240 hubs…
… with the new Ratchet EXP freehub body at the rear. Both XD and MICRO SPLINE versions are available.
The EXC 1501 wheelset is available with either 6-bolt or Centerlock rotor mounts. Because we’re running 220 mm rotors up front, the 6-bolt version was the obvious choice.
The lightweight aluminium valves are included as part of the package. The cap does double duty as a valve core removal tool.

Fair-Share: crash replacement for carbon wheelsets

DT Swiss make things transparent and doesn’t hide terms and conditions in the small print with its guarantees and crash replacement. In addition to the statutory 24-month guarantee, DT offer their Fair-Share Policy crash replacement scheme. You will be able to replace or have a broken wheel repaired (e.g. cracked rim) for € 249 by DT Swiss for 10 years from the date of purchase.

But what about the high-end aluminium DT Swiss wheelsets?

DT Swiss continue to use aluminium in their range and have updated the 1700 SPLINE wheelsets. At € 700, they cost around half as much as the new 1501 carbon wheels. The 1700 SPLINE is also available in three versions for cross-country, trail and enduro use.

DT Swiss EX 1700 SPLINE | from 1878 g (27.5”) | € 698.80
The 1700 SPLINE is built up with a robust DT Swiss 350 hub…
… though the rear has been upgraded to the lighter 36 t Ratchet SL.
This freehub is also in XD and MICRO SPLINE versions.
You’ll miss out on the nifty aluminium valves on the more affordable 1700 wheelset.

For more info, visit dtswiss.com

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