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I've been thinking about a new set of wheels for my Swift. I have DT Swiss G1800s on my gravel bike and something like the X1900 or XR1700 would suit the Swift.
The problem is that the Swift is QR but it would just be a case of swapping over end caps (my current Hope XC wheels came with thru-axle & QR caps in the box).
So now we come to it, DT Swiss end caps are £35 a pair so I'd be looking at £70 on top to convert any DT Swiss wheels to QR, which seems absurd.
Would there be any cheaper ways of converting to QR? If not I'd probably look elsewhere if I do get new wheels for the Swift.
Swap the end caps with your existing wheels and then sell the old wheelset as bolt through, which will increase its resale value.
The end caps are silly money. You can buy them for less than £35 if you shop around but many SH sales it is difficult to tell exactly which part is for sale (there are different versions for different hubs and freehubs). For the front you can use a generic reducing axle (about £10) to go from 12mm to qr. I've not looked but bet there is a similar 15mm to qr available.
Another alternative is to buy a second hand hub/wheel with the correct ends caps then sell it with the set you don't want. I've bought multiple 100mm 350 front hubs for under £35, some brand new. 26" wheels van be bought cheaply.
Pre-built pairs of DT wheels should come with multiple end caps. My E1800’s did anyway.
I think there is certain combinations that you can't swap end caps on, I sold on my 240 QR wheel as I couldn't get thru axle caps. I think if it had or hadn't been 6 bolt it made a difference.
I may have some end caps kicking around in my spares box (I know have have some but they may be hope rather than DT swiss and they might not even be QR).
I’ve got a pair of qr 350’s on stans iron rims, I’d be willing to part with
paul. sal@ btinternet.com
This is where you can benefit from showing your face in the LBS and buying a few bits now and then. "Don't suppose you've got an xyz in your parts drawer, have you?"
Serviceable used bits and bobs, upgraded from and left with the shop, practically hidden from view, offensively pricey if you buy them new. Might be £10-20 rather than £75, or biscuits if you're lucky.
Edit: Or a guy called Paul on the internet will send you some without you leaving the sofa!
Thanks for the replies.
If the wheelsets come with suitable end caps then that's problem solved. My G1800s didn't include any, but also didn't include 6 bolt adapters, cassette spacer or warranty paperwork, so I guess that Wiggle palmed me off with OEM kit (they were sold as RatcheLN & turned out to be 3 pawl too).
If I go down the new wheel route, it might be worth checking with Freewheel what's included.
If you are buying the retail sets rather than OEM then the DT Swiss sure lists the included parts. The 1700 come with centre lock adapters but but end caps (guess as the current model is boost only there is a tiny market for boost qr).
Another thought was to look for 9mm and 10mm though axle caps. These with appropriate 'oversized' qr axles will fit your qr frame. They tend to be less, especially second hand.
The Swift's just standard 135mm QR, not boost. The Hopes it has at the moment came with thru-axle caps (12x142 I think) & QR.
I'm wondering whether 12x142 DT Swiss wheels might do the same.
Retail ones might. They certainly did at some point include both ends caps (and sometimes multiple freehubs) for the retail road wheelsets.
Your going the right way for there to be more chance of a swap.