![]() Let’s take a look at them.Įxternally, the new 350 is vastly different then the previous version. However, if you’re considering a new wheelset and going downhill fast is what you like, I would totally recommend the new 350 or 240. In my experience, I’ve always found that I get used to what I’m riding very quickly, whether it’s an 18t engagement 350, or an infinite engagement Onyx hub. If you want to see the math and physics behind it all, check out DT's rundown here.ĭoes this mean that you should go and trash your current, high engagement wheel? Not at all. In a world where most of us are riding for the downhills, that’s a pretty compelling argument. When you push back against that kickback with your legs, as one usually does, the bike’s rear suspension is unable to move into its travel properly.ĭT makes the case that by running hubs with greater than 36 points of engagement, where the hub engages once every 10 degrees of rotation, we are creating a situation where we detract from the functionality of our suspension. The higher the engagement of your hub, the more your forward facing pedal will kick back as you move into your rear wheel’s travel. Might it actually detract from a downhiller’s riding experience though? That is the argument that DT Swiss makes, and there is absolutely logic to it. High engagement is cherished by people who love techy, challenging climbs, and is generally seen as a hallmark of performance.ĭT Swiss upgraded 54t rings on top, and their base-level 18t rings on bottom. That is obviously not as much as the Industry Nine Hydra’s 690 points or Onyx’s instantaneous engagement. The 2021 DT 350 comes stock with 36t ratchets, while the previous gen had 18t. People are quick to point out that this design has a maximum of 54 points of engagement, and that’s only if you upgrade it with a new set of rings. In fact, the original US patent for this design was filed in 1995, 26 years ago, and has been licensed to massive OEM brands like Roval from Specialized and Bontrager from Trek. It’s a design that doesn’t have any tiny parts to lose or break, isn’t affected by a little dirt and grime, and has withstood the test of time. The outer splines keep the rings from spinning in their housing, while allowing them to move towards and away from each other, and the ramped teeth push the rings apart in one direction while locking in the other. ![]() It’s simply two metal rings with splines on the outside and ramped teeth on the inside, which are pushed together by a large spring on each side. The ratchet design common to DT hubs, the thing that makes them so special, can be seen in the photo above. Two large springs sit on the outside of the toothed rings. The stunningly simple DT Swiss Ratchet system. Today, we’ll take a look at the Ratchet mechanism that makes the 350 such an amazing hub, as well as the newer Ratchet EXP design that the ultra-lightweight 240 hub runs, and we’ll examine what changed between the new and old versions of these hubs. Even so, this is a piece that has stood the test of time as one of mountain biking’s most easy-to-own hub designs, and has now been further refined into a component worthy of the dreamiest build you could put together. The specs of DT 350, on the other hand, have never been much to write home about, nor do its looks or sounds conjure images of the gorgeous custom builds Fanatik is known for. If you’ve seen our videos on the Industry Nine Hydra hub and Onyx’s hubs, you know how wildly cool those designs are, and the incredible advantages that precisely machined pawls and sprag clutches can bring. Of all the different designs out there, the DT Swiss 350 blew me away with its genius simplicity.ĭT Swiss's new 350 MTB hub, on top, with the long-standing previous generation on bottom. When I started working at a shop as a young teen, I finally had the tools I needed to dive into the inner workings of bike hubs. In particular, the clicking that bikes make while freewheeling always drew my interest, but I could never figure out how to get inside the hub to find out where this noise was coming from. I’d often take components apart, and much to the chagrin of my parents, be unable to put them back together. ![]() I grew up thinking bikes were engineering magic.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |