Given the growing popularity of eMTBs, DT Swiss have created a number of components they say can keep up with the times. DT Swiss have said that components need to be able to keep up with the demands they are placed under. Launching a new range of wheelsets and other components, DT Swiss say this means eMTB riders can keep going without concern.
DT Swiss Hybrid
Electric bikes and their uses are evolving and diversifying. At high altitude in the mountains, between the tape on a trail, climbing a steep mountain road or weaving between cars with loaded bags in town, the bikes and their expectations are not the same.
This expansion in the e-bike category requires an adaptation of the components. DT Swiss, a pioneer in the diversification of hybrid components, has upbuilt its Hybrid range. Hybrid Upbuilt answers the new demands of users concerning their electric bikes.
DT Swiss
The press release reads:
DT Swiss pursues its mission to bring eMTB riders the components they need to ride for an extended time without concern.
The sport has grown, the needs have changed and that’s precisely what our range represents. DT Swiss has redeveloped and reimagined its Hybrid line in order to keep up with the new demands of eMTB riders.
Compared to conventional MTBs, eMTBs enable longer tours, rides to previously inaccessible spots, groups with varying levels of rider strength. Thus eMTBs extend the scope of movement, group strength, experience, thereby strengthening a rider’s freedom.
As eMTBs have continued to evolve, not only the riding experience but also the performance has extended significantly in recent years. More powerful electric motors, bigger batteries and a paradigm shift in user behavior have led to an increase in loads and thus in the requirements for eMTBs. DT Swiss has therefore completely revised the Hybrid MTB wheels
Here DT Swiss talk about the changes, new freehub systems and new things in their 2022 Hybrid MTB range. They also discuss compatibility, sizing and adapting the wheels.
The Range
Purpose Built Components
Technical expertise gained over many years has allowed DT Swiss to be an ambassador of new technologies, developing specific components for rapidly evolving requirements.
Much like a chain where each link contributes to the strength of the whole system, each component of DT Swiss wheels has been built to extend performance and experience. Each Hybrid hub has been redesigned with components that can withstand and transmit the full power of the rider and engine directly to the ground, through thicker spokes and reinforced rims.
Due to the battery and motor, eMTBs tend to weigh more than traditional MTBs of the same category.
eMTBs are not ridden less hard; in fact, the opposite is often the case, as tours are longer and the load on the components increases.
Therefore, the hub shell was completely redesigned for the new Hybrid generation. This redevelopment enables better resistance to the higher drive torques from the motors and to the heavier brake torques from the additional weight of the modern eMTBs, improving the hub’s strength and reliability. Finally, as Hybrid mountain bikes and components get bigger and bigger, the new Hybrid MTB hubs get a burlier design while being weight-neutral compared to the previous version.
Ratchet EXP OS
The advantages of the Ratchet EXP system have been retained. With a ball bearing seated in the threaded ring, the bearing distance is larger than in the conventional Ratchet system. This means that the axle is supported wider, resulting in greater hub stiffness, less movement of the axle and therefore less stress on the bearings, increasing their service life.
The fixed connection of the Ratchet and the hub shell, through the integration of the threaded ring and the Ratchet, allows the use of a straight spring. This improves the precision of the engagement since the ratchets are facing the correct angle. With fewer components, the Ratchet EXP system is lighter and easier to maintain. For the top Hybrid MTB model, the HXC 1501 SPLINE ONE has a newly adapted Ratchet EXP OS system, better suited for the additional loads of eMTBs.
This precision allows for an increase in the number of teeth from 24 to 30 compared to the conventional system. This reduces the angle of engagement. On an eMTB, where there is a certain amount of free movement of the cranks due to the motor, this provides a small advantage. Specifically optimized for the requirements of eMTB is the size of the threaded ring and the bearing inside it. Not only are the bearings oversized, but also the threaded ring.
For more information, head to the DT Swiss website.