Anyone got any experience of them?

How durable/reliable?

How strong are the XM compared to the EX?

Either wheelset tough enough for the Lakes on a 160mm bike?

For that use, I’d go EX 1501. The 471’s on that wheelset are proper strong.

I’ve got a set of XMs on my Radon Slide with HR2s. Plenty strong enough for the Lakes, I reckon, unless you are particularly heavy.

Very good wheels. Run a set of ex for a couple of years including Alps trips and not had a single problem with them. I’m hard on wheels and have trashed plenty of others. The only annoyance is the straight pull hubs – I’ve got a slightly bent spoke and no lbs holds the stock of spokes required – which would be a ball ache if I ever bust a couple on a holiday/weekend etc.

Go ex on that kind of bike, they’re still very light for the strength. Xm are slightly narrower IIRC.

Im running xm 1501 on my Genius and switch between 2.4 x-king, 2.4 mountain king and 2.4 trail king mounted tubeless.
Plenty strong enough for whistler and squamish trail/”enduro” riding and wide enoug to keep a reliable bead when charging on the machine built high speed corners. I have some xm’s also but havent felt the need to go with the wider heavier wheelset yet. Maybe if i run next years genius with 36’s or if i was on an LT?
Either way, super solid wheels!

Only thing is, they seem pretty expensive for what you get- you can assemble much the same wheelset from equivalent components (and proper spokes, none of that straight pull shite) for less, and tweak the spec a little if you want. If you’re willing to put in the time and find some used DT240s you could get an equivalent wheelset on your bike for… Ooh, £350, £400 on the high side?

DT seem to be their own biggest competition in some ways.

Two ridings buddies ran these; one on EX who gave them hammer and the other on the XM is more gentle. Both sets held up to plenty of Lakeland action. The tougher EX wheels eventually cracked a rim around a spoke hole, but I think that was more to do with truing a big dink beyond the spoke tension the rim could tolerate.
The hubs seem to need less attention than Hope hubs, who in my experience eat freewheel bearings and pawls.

To Northwinds bargain hunting I would add German wheelbuilding specialists and a keen exchange rate can also yield goods savings.
I got DT350s on 481s last year when the exchange rate was good for under £400 from this shop action sports
This shop was cheaper but didn’t have the rims I wanted in stock laufraeder design

Apologies for the temporary thread hijack but I’m confused about replacement straight pull spokes for XM 1501 29er wheels. I’d like to get some as spares. A link would be handy.

I’ve had both 🙂

Both are very stiff, and feel pretty great. The Ex have a wider rim, so generally I’d sacrifice the 200g for the extra width.

Both are a brilliant wheelset.

I found rosebikes.co.uk where the cheapest shop when I bought some about 6 months ago.

I found rosebikes.co.uk where the cheapest shop when I bought some about 6 months ago.

I’m still confused. What sort of spokes … length etc.?

If you look on the wheel rim, they have a sticker which gives the lengths required, or at least mine do. DT competition Straight pull.

Then google is your friend.

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/dt-swiss-competition-14-15g-straight-pull-spokes-2-18mm-black-id82130.html?gclid=CJSgzbKFw8oCFagewwodNwYINQ

Other sources available, it was just the first that came up

Jimw .. I’m obliged. 🙂

Glad to be of service

Only thing is, they seem pretty expensive for what you get- you can assemble much the same wheelset from equivalent components (and proper spokes, none of that straight pull shite) for less, and tweak the spec a little if you want. If you’re willing to put in the time and find some used DT240s you could get an equivalent wheelset on your bike for… Ooh, £350, £400 on the high side?

DT seem to be their own biggest competition in some ways.

Found the Spline 1 1501 XM wheelset from a web shop for £450

OK, that’s better than I found 😆 I’d rather have j-spokes and maybe change from the Comps to Comp Races but if you want Comps then it’s a better deal than I thought.

Ta Northwind

Haven’t bought them yet but seems a good deal and they get great reviews. I normally get wheels built for me using Hope hubs and a suitable rim but fancy a change. I have never owned a pre built factory wheelset but these DT Swiss look really good at that price.

However it’s only a deal on the XM’s so maybe I need the EX’s for better durability.

duir – Member 
Found the Spline 1 1501 XM wheelset from a web shop for £450

Sorry for the bump, but what was the shop if you don’t mind me asking?

I’m struggling to get the XM or the EX for much less than £700 the set now, even importing from Europe once factoring in the exchange rate, shipping and card fees.

Found one place that seemed perfect, maybe the 2016 model, was just over £500, but out of stock and discontinued.

Northwind – Member 
Only thing is, they seem pretty expensive for what you get- you can assemble much the same wheelset from equivalent components (and proper spokes, none of that straight pull shite) for less

I’ve looked into this but then came to the realisation that the XM/EX wheelsets are 100 to 200g lighter generally than what I can get built myself. Seems the Spline 1 hub, while same internals as the 240, is lighter.

I’m no weight weenie, but looking to replace particularly light wheels on a bike I really like for being very light. I don’t really want to add more weight. The XM actually comes in slightly lighter than my current carbon wheels! The EX would add another 100g which I could live with. If I built up a 240 with EX471 it’s another 100 again.

Though I could shift the equivalent off the belly 😀

Oh, and slight niggle with the XM models is they are all centrelock on the 2017 models now. The EX still has a 6 bolt option. Does come with an adapter but it’s the faff of the locking system and whether it adds much weight with the adapter. I flat refuse to buy into CL discs though. I don’t like 2 part discs and they’re way more expensive anyway.

I have a set of 2016 650b XM1501’s i’m selling (only because i’ve got a 29″ now).

I bought a set of this chap on pinkbike, brand new in DT boxes with the build certificates, hub adapters etc. I believe they are team issue. Came really quick and he was great to deal with. Been super chuffed with the wheels so far, bit noisy as the spokes bedded down for the first ride but so far have survived be hamfisted and heavy ass riding for a month. Including 2 trips to BPW

http://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/2065441/

22.5 rims I take it? Given they’re 6 bolt so makes it older model and 25mm rim I think is 2017 or maybe 2016 (either way only seen them with centrelock).

Would prefer 25mm and looking for retail with warranty really given my experiences with wheels (and even then warranty has been hassle). Still though, it’s a good deal with current prices.

Nice that it coped with BPW. Was wondering with the XM how it would hold up to that, though for the bike I’d use these on I’m not looking at BPW type riding.

Does come with an adapter but it’s the faff of the locking system and whether it adds much weight with the adapter

DT reckon that a centrelock hub with their 6-bolt adaptor is lighter than the equivalent 6-bolt hub + bolts. Hence why all thier wheels are Centrelock with 6-bolt adaptors in the box.

The exception is the 20 mm front axle option as 20mm axles and centre lock don’t play nicely together.

It’s 27mm external diameter which I think is around 22.5 inner. They are the 2016 model, I want surprised at all as to how well they have held up. Seem to come spec’d on some of the longer travel higher end German brand bikes now and are popular with some local Enduro racers they are also classed as “AM” wheels for whatever that means. I am really hard on wheels (broken Chinese carbon, mavic Enduros, arches ) and was conscious around the warranty situation. Ultimately given as had bought them new and can prove that I would ‘give a claim a go’ if needs be, but the saving over other retailers was worth the risk. I think the cheapest i forum in the uk as £575 I paid £450 delivered

I would wait and sign up for rczbikes email subscription.
They have done numerous deals on XM1501 spline 1 wheels.. I kept looking at them myself as they were doing them for around £350.
I decided against it as I prefer the new ones where you can choose the width of the rim..

Can’t remember the website some dodgy European one I think. I ended up getting a set from Rose Bikes and when they arrived they were clearly used! There were scratches and marks on the rims, axles and decals! Needless to say I sent them straight back. In the end I bought the Mavic Crossmax XLs and so far they have proved to be very tough, reliable and easy to work on.

Goldigger – Member 
I would wait and sign up for rczbikes email subscription.

Reasonable price on there at the moment, though still over £550. 20 days wait though.

Even better price today, use code RCZDTW by midnight tonight 300 euros..