DT Swiss has just updated their almost top-tier 1500 MTB wheels series, bringing their lightest and toughest carbon rims down to a more attainable pricing level built with their benchmark 240 hubs and now with their unique DEG DF functionality already inside.
In almost every practical sense, these DT Swiss 1500-series mountain bike wheels are the best the trusted wheelmaker has to offer. 1500 delivers all the important tech of DT’s ultra-premium 1200-series MTB wheels at 1/3 lower prices, plus newer anti-kickback tech that didn’t make it into those ultralight, ultra-expensive wheels.
DT Swiss 1500-series carbon mountain bike wheels
DT Swiss MTB added 8 new aftermarket mountain bike wheelsets since the start of April – 5 with carbon rims and 3 in aluminum, from 750€ up to 1700€. That’s really too many to deal with at once. Even these 4 in the all-carbon 1500-series feel like a stretch. But honestly, they all are pretty important for riders looking to upgrade the stock setup to something more high-performance. There are XC wheels, all-mountain wheels, gravity-ready enduro wheels, and extra heavy-duty eMTB wheels.
Now, while there isn’t really much tech inside that we haven’t covered before, these are some of the most feature-packed, high-value wheels that DT Swiss has ever made.
What’s inside and what’s new?
With the new 1500s, you get the exact same light but tough “pure carbon” rims as the top 1200-series wheels. Those are DT’s latest, lightweight carbon MTB rims with stronger continuous fibers at the bead and 100% quality-control of each layer of their layup. DT says they are much stronger and more impact-resistant vs. aluminum rims. The 1500 wheels mix-and-match combos of the same 3 asymmetric ‘pure carbon’ rims that DT debuted last spring, made in their factory in Poland.
At the center of all the 1500-series wheels are various iterations of DT’s reliable 240 hubs, now with faster-engaging DEG freehub bodies for everyone except XC. And also for the first time, these complete wheels (and OEM versions that will start popping up on complete bikes soon) now come with adjustable DEG DF anti-kickback devices already inside.
DT builds them up with new stronger fluted & butted Complite pokes for tougher wheel builds. Actually, Complite has officially existed for more than 2 years now, as the slightly heavier version of DT’s uniquely fluted RevoLite spokes. Complites get the exact same multi- round & flat forging construction as their more premium siblings, just with thicker material that results in a significantly stronger spoke for increased wheel durability.
It really is a ‘best of the best’ setup.
The only fancy tech left out are the ceramic SINC bearings found in the 180 hubs. But here you also get bigger 240 hub shells and flanges that build stiffer wheels. The only actual sacrifice for that extra strength, stiffness, and durability is a few extra grams. But even there, these DT Swiss 1500 MTB wheels are respectably lightweight.
4 separate 1500-series families, but even more MTB disciplines
Pure carbon rims plus 240 hubs and Complite spokes result in solid wheels that will hold up to years of use and abuse.
Then, the fact that the XCM, EXC & HEC wheels all come with anti-kickback DEG DF functionality already installed is a total bonus. Whether your mountain bike suffers severely from pedal kickback or not – more likely with longer travel or a higher main pivot – or whether you can even tell, being able to try out an anti-kickback device that’s already built into your real wheel feels like a big win.
Cross-Country & Marathon
The lightest is the 1384g XRC 1500 Spline cross-country wheelset, the only one to not get an anti-kickback device because it prioritizes lightweight and maximum pedaling efficiency.
The DT Swiss XRC 1500 wheels get built on small flange straight-pull, centerlock 240 hubs with 24 2x T-head Complite spokes per wheel, and a fast 54T 6.67° engaging Ratchet EXP freehub.
All-Mountain & Trail
Probably the most versatile of the bunch is the XMC 1500 Spline all-mountain wheelset at just 1600g +/- for either 27.5, mullet, or 29er setups. With an ASTM Category 4 certification, these cover everything from all-around trail riding all the way up to what most riders call enduro riding, just probably not full-on elite enduro racing.
These DT Swiss XMC 1500 wheels also get built on straight-pull, centerlock 240 hubs. Interestingly like the 1200-series wheels, these XMC 1500 wheels get the same lighter 36mm external cross-country carbon rim up front & the tougher 36.8mm external all-mountain carbon rim in the back. But they also get extra wheel stiffness thanks to the switch to 28 3x T-head Complite spokes per wheel, and bigger rear hub flanges with the move to a 90T, 4° engagement DEG hub. Plus, they are among the first complete DT wheelsets to feature adjustable DF anti-kickback devices out of the box – pick from 0°, 10°, or 20° of anti-kickback movement inside the rear hub.
Enduro also now means Freeride & DH now, too!
Likely the most misunderstood or underestimated wheels in the 1500 line-up would be the EXC 1500 Classics. Officially, DT is phasing out freeride and downhill wheels, because after certifying the enduro line-up for ASTM Cat. 5, they realize that these wheels are plenty strong for any gravity riding and racing, too. Already with the separate EXC 330 carbon rims, DT rated these for downhill racing, so the enduro 1500 series wheels are DH tough, and therefore also come in the latest DH axle standards like Boost & Super Boost Slim to work with SRAM’s latest DH Transmission drivetrains.
The DT Swiss EXC 1500 Classic wheels get built on classic high-flange 240 hubs for traditional J-bend spokes, so you increase stiffness but can also more easily replace a broken spoke – with your choice of centerlock or 6-bolt brake interface. Again, the EXC 1500 wheels get the lighter 36.8mm external all-mountain carbon rim up front & the tougher 37.2mm external enduro carbon rim in the back. They also get built with 28 3x Complite spokes (just J-bend ones) and 90T, 4° engagement DEG hub complete with adjustable DF anti-kickback internals already installed. Weight claims are just 1686g for a 27.5 wheelset or 17.83g for a 29er wheelset. Not bad for a DH-certified enduro wheelset.
Super tough eMTB wheels
Lastly, the HXC hybrid eMTB wheels are built extra-tough to handle the higher torque loads of modern ebikes. They feature the same enduro-spec carbon rim front & rear, laced with 28 3x thicker Hybrid-spec Complite spokes to straightpull 240 DEG Hybrid hubs. These heavy-duty reinforced hubs get tougher bearings, stainless steel freehub bodies, and double engagement 60T Ratchet DEG internals with a heavy-duty DF system limited to 0° or 10° of suspension smoothing movement inside.
All-in, they are 1837g (27.5) to 1939g (29″) carbon wheels built to handle the extra loads of increasingly high-torque ebikes these days.
DT Swiss 1500 MTB – Pricing, options & availability
The beauty of the DT Swiss 1500 carbon mountain bike family is that all these wheelsets sell for the same $2189 / 1700€ price tag, and they all have the same hookless tubeless-ready 30mm internal width, regardless of discipline.
XRC & XMC wheels come just in Boost spacing, while EXC & HXC wheels add more axle options like Super Boost and the latest DH/gravity standards. All DT 1500 wheels are pre-taped for tubeless, include tubeless valves, 6-bolt adapters when necessary, and come standard with both XD & MicroSpline freehubs.
DT Swiss has also added a new stand J-bend flange Classic version of their 240 DEG rear hub that already includes the DF device inside for riders and wheelbuilders looking to get anti-kickback performance from their next custom wheel build.
All of the new carbon DT Swiss 1500-series MTB wheels are available wherever you buy wheels – from online retailers, spec’d on premium mountain bikes, and directly from your local bike shop. And DT backs them with a “fair-share” crash replacement program, so you shouldn’t have to worry about opting for premium carbon wheels.
DT Swiss 1500: First Rides
So far, I’ve had a chance to put in some first rides on two sets of the new carbon DT Swiss 1500 MTB wheels. A pair of XMC 1500 all-mountain wheels on a burly alloy Propain trail bike and a pair of HXC 1500 eMTB wheels on an unreleased alloy ebike that may or may not feature a new super-powered motor!
To be honest, my time on each wheelset so far has been limited, but I feel confident in recommending any 1500-series wheelset based only on the high-value proposition of the tech packed inside.
Much of my home riding is on DT Swiss wheels. I came directly into DT’s 1500/1700 preview event having been riding an XMC 1200 wheelset on some surprisingly tough trails. And frankly, these 1500 wheels felt just as light, stiff, and responsive. Honestly, I would have rather had the XMC 1500 wheelset that weighs just 100g more over the XMC 1200, if only for the tougher Complite spokes, which realistically help blur the lines between all-mountain and ‘light’ enduro where this wheelset sits. The fact that these new 1500-series wheels come with DEG DF built-in is just an undeniable bonus.
DEG DF built into XMC, EXC & HXC wheels
But talking more about reviewing the tech inside the 1500… I ride a lot with wheels I have custom-built myself around 240 DEG and 350 DEG hubs with either alloy enduro EX511 or bulletproof carbon enduro EXC 330 rims. I first picked these no-nonsense hubs for their fast 90T, 4° engagement. (The 240s are the heart of the 1500 series, and the 350s the center of the 1700 series.)
But ever since DEG DF dropped last autumn, I’ve converted a few to the built-in anti-kickback devices.
For the most part, my personal shorter travel trail bikes don’t really need DF. But I have noticed smoother suspension, especially at high speeds in the bikepark on longer travel enduro & freeride bikes. And I get the sense that longer travel eMTBs benefit from DF too.
Parting thoughts…
The beauty of course is that since it is built-in and adjustable, you can decide for yourself whether it improves the feel of your own bike or benefits your riding style. And if you don’t prefer the extra DF lag, you can go back to the 0° setting and still have the 3g weight savings that comes from DEG DF’s simple design. IMHO: I don’t really like the extra lag and clanking sound of the 20° setting. But I’ve found the 10° setting to be beneficial without any noticeable downsides.
So that’s where I stand on the DT Swiss 1500 series MTB wheels for now. Sure, pick 1200 if you are a weight-weenie or if money is no object. But the 1500 series is where the real performance happens. If you actually ride and want the best mountain bike wheels that DT Swiss makes, these are the ones to pick.
I think I’m gonna need to pick up a set of XMC 1500 Spline wheels. And I probably need to get some Complite spokes to re-lace my 27.5 EXC 330 rim x 350 rear hub into proper 1500-series spec for true bulletproof freeride and gravity bashing!
DTSwiss.com
