Hub Details
DT Swiss presents to the cycling world an intriguing line of hubs with their 350 series. Aimed at bringing DT’s legendary craftsmanship and quality down a notch in price, the 350 is an excellent choice for budget-minded cyclists who nonetheless desire a high quality, hand-built wheelset. In order to keep prices low, DT Swiss has simplified their manufacturing by making these hubs available in limited spoke counts; these straight pull versions are only available in 24 front, 28 rear counts. While that may limit rim options somewhat, a 24/28 spoke wheelset will provide excellent durability and long life for a wide range of rider weights and riding conditions.
So, why choose a hub designed for straight pull spokes over a standard flanged hub, designed for standard J-bend spokes? Our response: Why not? First of all, they’re simply different; and different is, well, cool. DT, of course, have done an excellent job of designing their straight pull hub shells, keeping things simple with sharp, angular lines and bold logos. Beyond the aesthetic, though, straight pull hubs do offer a modicum of performance benefits. Straight pull spokes, lacking the bend of a traditional spoke where stress can accumulate, experience a lower rate of failure and have the potential for a much longer fatigue life. It can also be argued that a straight pull hub is aerodynamically superior, producing less “dirty air” around the spoke interface.
350 rear hubs are equipped with DT’s star ratchet freehub mechanism. This simple, yet extremely durable system has proved itself with well over a decade of use within the industry. The star ratchet system is 100% user-serviceable, requiring no special tools for cleaning and re-lubrication. Also, the freehubs are easily interchanged between Campagnolo and Shimano, with 100% compatibility between either manufacturers’ 10 and 11 speed cassettes.
The highly regarded reputation and expansive proliferation of DT Swiss hubs within the cycling market makes the purchase of a DT hub set a very safe investment indeed. The hubs are easily serviced and use common bearing sizes, so the likelihood of your local shop possessing the necessary tools and knowledge for proper overhaul are quite high. Also, the failure rate among DT hubs are perhaps the lowest in the industry, and all hubs are covered under a 2-year warranty against defects in materials and production.
