DT Swiss XMC 1200 SPLINE in long-term review
06.08.24 08:34 1092024-08-06T08:34:00+02:00Text: NoPain, Erwin Haiden (translated by AI)Photos: Erwin HaidenKickoff in the showroom, soon on the trails: Thanks to patented "out of the mold" manufacturing, the XMC 1200 carbon MTB wheels from DT roll super elegantly, lightly, and stably from the production line directly onto the equally elegant, light, and stable Mondraker Foxy.06.08.24 08:34 2972024-08-06T08:34:00+02:00DT Swiss XMC 1200 SPLINE in long-term review
06.08.24 08:34 2972024-08-06T08:34:00+02:00 NoPain, Erwin Haiden (translated by AI) Erwin HaidenKickoff in the showroom, soon on the trails: Thanks to patented "out of the mold" manufacturing, the XMC 1200 carbon MTB wheels from DT roll super elegantly, lightly, and stably from the production line directly onto the equally elegant, light, and stable Mondraker Foxy.06.08.24 08:34 2972024-08-06T08:34:00+02:00
A few weeks ago, DT-Swiss introduced a whole range of carbon wheels with the new "out of the mold" manufacturing, including four MTB wheelsets and road bike wheels - and that's a big deal. Because what doesn't sound too spectacular at first glance is nothing less than a giant leap in carbon manufacturing technology in wheel building, where every millimeter and gram deviation from the perfect circle - the perfect symmetry - means losses in stiffness, durability, and smoothness. To date, most manufacturing techniques with the material carbon fiber are very complex, correspondingly error-prone, and require a high degree of manual rework and quality assurance.
When you hold the XMC 1200 for the first time, the low weight immediately stands out, and at the same time, you can haptically feel this meticulously perfected minimalism that the Swiss practically celebrate with their new wheel series. As is often the case in development, it is the seemingly simple things that are highly complex in the background. As a technician, I can hardly believe that the XMC 1200 carbon rims, as perfect as I currently hold them in my hands, come out of the mold without grinding and without reworking.
Minimalism is not the absence of something, but the perfect amount of something.
Nicholas Burroughs
1200 - Break the mold!
Break with tradition and explore new paths!
Carbon on the mountain bike
While carbon wheels in mountain biking were considered a new concept and reserved only for top riders until a few years ago, they are now widespread. To assert their role as a high-end manufacturer with the 1200 MTB series, the Swiss needed to further develop the traditional aluminum concept.
A rim manufacturing process unique in the bicycle industry, also used in the new road and gravel wheels, creates durable yet lightweight rims through maximum compression of carbon layers. Additionally, the wheels of the 1200 series are equipped with carbon fiber layers that envelop the entire rim and reinforce the rim horns with their long, uninterrupted fibers to absorb heavier impacts.
This method, combined with components specifically tuned for each riding style, leads to the introduction of the four new MTB wheels XRC 1200 SPLINE (XC), XMC 1200 SPLINE (All-Mountain), EXC 1200 CLASSIC (Enduro), and HXC 1200 SPLINE (E-MTB).
Technology
The patented, revolutionary "out of the mold" carbon rim manufacturing process from DT Swiss offers several advantages. Not only can the rims be produced in a single operation where the fibers of the outer layers do not need to be cut or individual components glued, but the Swiss "in-house" development makes cosmetic rework or final painting unnecessary. This saves weight and ensures a high-quality finish without air pockets or uncontrolled resin accumulations.
Additionally, the quality of each rim can be checked through all layers 100%, and only rims without any material defects are approved for the final system wheel assembly. This ensures that the customer is always on the safe side.
Weil die Schweizer davon überzeugt sind, dass Hakenfelgen die ultimative Lösung sind, wenn es um Sicherheit und Benutzerfreundlichkeit geht, sind auch alle vier neuen 1200er-Laufräder mit Flanschen ausgestattet. Im Vergleich zu hookless rims verzeihen Hakenfelgen fehlerhafte Anwendungen in puncto Druck und Reifenkompatibilitäten mehr und der Reifen hält in sämtlichen Situationen besser auf der Felge. Um die Felgenhörner beim harten Offroad-Einsatz gegen schwerere Stöße zu verstärken, wurden die Laufräder der 1200er Serie mit langen und ununterbrochenen Kohlefaserlagen ausgestattet, die die gesamte Felge umschließen.
Techspecs XMC 1200 SPLINE
| Wheel size | 27.5" (650B) & 29" (700C) |
| Installation width | FR 15 x 110 mm RR 12 x 148 mm |
| Hub | 180 Dicut |
| Brake system | Center Lock or IS 6-bolt |
| Freewheel body | Sram XD & Shimano MS |
| Freewheel system | 54T Ratchet EXP 90T Ratchet DEG |
| Inner width | 30 mm |
| Rim type | Carbon, with hooks, TLR |
| Rim hole | Presta |
| Spokes & nipples | T-head spokes, DT Revolite, black, DT Pro Lock Squorx ProHead alu |
| Lacing | 28 front & rear, 3-cross |
| Max. system weight: | 120 kg |
| ASTM class | 4 |
| Weight* | 29'' from 1,495 g (1,541 g incl. rim tape BB scale) |
| Price | from € 2,499.80 MSRP |
* Weight specifications without rim tape and without valves
Behold! like a golden star.
From the shell, shiny and smooth, emerges the carbon fiber core.
To do justice to the cutting-edge technology of the rims, all wheels in the 1200 series are equipped with 180 hubs: lightweight, stiff, and featuring SINC ceramic bearings. Additionally, the Bio-MTB wheels are built with DT Revolite spokes. These spokes combine strength with extremely low weight and are designed to surpass other MTB spokes in this weight class in terms of durability. The only exception is the HXC 1200 SPLINE, which is reinforced with eMTB-specific spokes.
Tech specs of the Lineup XRC / EXC / HCX 1200
| XRC 1200 SPLINE | EXC 1200 CLASSIC | HXC 1200 SPLINE | |
| Wheel Size | 29" (700C) | 27.5" (650B) & 29" (700C) | |
| Installation Width | FR 15 x 110 mm RR 12 x 148 mm | ||
| Hub | 180 Dicut | 180 Classic | 180 Dicut |
| Brake System | Center Lock | Center Lock or IS 6-bolt | |
| Freehub Body | Sram XD & Shimano MS | Sram XD & Shimano MS Sram XD & Shimano HG | |
| Freehub System | 54T Ratchet EXP | 90T Ratchet DEG | 42T Ratchet EXP Oversized |
| Internal Width | 30 mm | ||
| Rim Type | Carbon, with hook, TLR | ||
| Valve Hole | Presta | ||
| Spokes & Nipples | T-head spokes, DT Revolite, black, DT Pro Lock Squorx ProHead alu | J-bend spokes, DT Revolite, black, DT Pro Lock Hex, alu | T-head spokes, Complite hybrid, black, DT Pro Lock Squorx ProHead alu |
| Lacing | 24 front & rear, 2-cross | 28 front & 32 rear, 3-cross | 28 front & rear, 3-cross |
| Max. System Weight: | 120 kg | 130 kg | 150 kg |
| ASTM Class | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Weight* | 1,303 g | 29" from 1,756 g | 29'' from 1,908 g |
| Price | from € 2,499.80 RRP | from € 2,499.80 RRP | from € 2,499.80 RRP |
* Weight specifications without rim tape and without valves
XMC 1200 Spline
The XMC is the all-mountain wheelset in the line-up of the 1200 series, which is also reflected in the lacing. 28 spokes, 3-cross laced both front and rear, provide sufficient stiffness. A lighter front wheel rim (673 g for the wheel on the BB scale) and a more robust rear wheel rim (868 g for the wheel on the BB scale) are intended to guarantee the ideal mix of agility and durability. Additionally, the customer has the choice between the robust, quick-engaging Ratchet DEG freehub system and the (chosen by us) lighter Ratchet EXP system.
In any case, with the 1200 series wheels from DT Swiss, you get a wonderfully minimalist wheelset in the most positive sense, visually and technically reduced to the essentials.
The assembly
Thanks to the construction as hook rims, you don’t have to worry too much about various rim/tire combinations. For the first test rides on rough terrain, I opted for designated enduro tires from Maxxis (Assegai 29x2.5 3C MAXX GRIP 3CG/TR/DH front and Minion DHR II 29x2.5 3C MAXX GRIP 3CG/TR/DH rear) in combination with lightweight Tubolito tubes. From the 1.36 and 1.49 kg heavy chunks, I expect a lot of fun and grip even in the most adverse conditions. Equipped in this way, the Mondraker Foxy weighs 14.14 kg. During the course of the test, for the sake of comparability, I will also try out my old Michelin Force AM2 29 x 2.4" and Michelin Wild AM2 29 x 2.4".
The assembly of the tires couldn't work more smoothly. Despite the rather stiff carcass, the Maxxis can be mounted without tools, finger pinching, or broken bones. With the sidewalls smeared with a bit of soapy water, the tires slide elegantly and effortlessly into the rim bed. The rest of the conversion is also quickly done. The 6-hole brake discs and the Garbaruk cassette are changed in a few minutes, and the newly assembled wheels fit the bike with millimeter precision, without the need for brake or gear adjustments. The bike is thus ready for its first use in rough terrain, and my first update will follow in the coming weeks.
| Carbon on the mountain bike |
| Technology |
| Techspecs XMC 1200 SPLINE |
| Tech specs of the Lineup XRC / EXC / HCX 1200 |
| XMC 1200 Spline |
| The assembly |
| Links |
