DT SWISS E 1900 SPLINE WHEELSET

With their new E 1900 wheels, DT Swiss have repackaged most of the tech from their EX 1700 and EXC 1501 hoops at a more affordable price point. The 370 hubs use the brand’s star-ratchet internals, rather than traditional pawls and springs, but in cheaper, heavier ‘Ratchet LN’ form, with 20-degree engagement. Similarly, the 30mm-wide (internal) E532 rim is sleeve-jointed, not welded, and laced with less costly DT Champion spokes.

We tested the 29in wheelset, with Boost axles and Center Lock disc mounts, which weighed 2,170g (1,028g front, 1,142g rear). The factory-fitted rim tape provided an airtight tubeless seal and required no patching or repairs. Inflation was an easy affair, with a high-volume track pump proving sufficient to seat most tyres. Over rough terrain – whether that was chundery rock gardens or root-infested off-cambers – the E 1900s provided impressive insulation from vibrations and harshness, feeling supple and forgiving enough to help the bike track its course, without being so flexy or under-tensioned that steering accuracy was compromised. Their balance of stiffness and smoothness impressed us.

If you’re focused on reducing your bike’s weight, the E 1900s won’t be for you, but otherwise, their low asking price, ratchet hub tech and forgiving ride quality make them a seriously appetising prospect. They offer the cash conscious top-level performance that, in our experience, exceeds that of their pricier, albeit lighter, stablemates. Alex

Faultless performance and a forgiving ride quality at an excellent price