DT Swiss vs Hope rims

Had hair line splits around the spoke nipples on hope rims and hunt rims! The DT Swiss rims are much harder wearing imo

DT all the way

I have some DT EX371 on two rear wheels and a DT EX511 on the front.  The rears are 8 years old and going strong. One has a ding but otherwise still going strong. (ran with Ard inserts on the rear).

I notice the 511 and the subsequent squarer front tyre wants to stand up more and takes a bit more work to get it onto its side than the 371 did (which used to be the front and built onto an old pro2 hub I converted from 26" 9mm qr).

I've three bikes with DT Swiss rims - a mixture of 511s, the e-bike variant of the 511 (h552?)and some scrawny cheapo XC set I bunged on the crush. They all appear to be infallible, despite my dubious line choices.

A friend is selling a set of DT 350s on EX511 with 250miles use if they would be any intrest?

I'd go with DT Swiss over Hope rims, Hope hubs with DT rims is a popular choice for a reason, although I've also found Spank rims to be decent but I'm under 80kg.

Had hair line splits around the spoke nipples on hope rims and hunt rims! The DT Swiss rims are much harder wearing imo

I wouldn't be surprised if Hope and Hunt rims are both Kinlin? I'd bought Kinlin rims on various recommendations and found them really soft, I think DT are known for being a harder alloy (based on something I think I recall reading a while ago and never bothered fact checking, so not exactly definitive! 😂)

I'd go DT rims and DT hubs every time, I never realised cartridge bearing hubs could spin so well until I bought DT.

DT Swiss make the best rims available to mankind.

I went with XM481 last time because I wanted a wider, lighter rim than the Hope's I had. I accepted that if they were too light and I killed them, I'd have it rebuilt with something tougher. But, they survived 2 Alps trips and a bunch of uplift days. I'd still be riding them now if they weren't stolen.

Just for parity - I've had a Hope Fortus 30 (29) on the front of my E-bike for circa 400 miles now receiving some serious rock abuse at 18psi and it's holding up way better than the previous Roval rim that I had

Fortus 30 is a different beast to the Fortus 30 SC. Normal 30 is heavy duty DH style, SC lighter, trail/enduroish style.

Fwiw, I've had 35W in the past with no issues, but went with DT XM481 as they were about 100g lighter than the 35's.  EX511 were about the same weight as the 35's.

DT Swiss are great. FR541 is a beast of a rim - even at 100kg those should be bombproof. I'm 88kg with EX511/EX471 front/rear on my GeoMetron, XM421 on 130mm travel trail bike and hardtail, and XR391 on gravel bike. All great.

Google 'EX471 Leogang World Cup' for an idea of how good DT Swiss rims are...

Stans Arch mk3 I used on trail bike developed hairline cracks around spoke holes.

Have a couple of XM481's that have done over a million feet of descending, 2019 vintage. They've had a couple of spoke sets through them, still going strong.

Always use DT Swiss, everything else is heavier or not as tough (latest stans rims are so soft and crack at the spoke holes)

Being a lazy git and not being arsed to research, can someone please explain the letters/numbers on DT rims?

And do they do any with stealthy decals, rather than the ugly ones I normally see?

Thanks

XR is XC (or gravel for me!) - there is a few in that range (331 and 391 maybe)

XM is all mountain I'd say. 421 is 25mm internal and 481 30mm.

EX is enduro with 471 being 25mm and 511 30mm.

FR is DH or freeride.

It will depend on your weight and finesse what rim works your riding style, XM481 front and EX471 rear being my current choice.

XR = lighter application (think XC)
XM = middling (general trail use)
EX = tougher trail / enduro (or DH if you're talented)
FR = toughest

Or at least I think that's about it.

Decals are a bit garish. Easily removed though or Slik sell stealthy replacement decals: https://www.slikgraphics.com/make/dt-swiss/

XR = XC/Trail
XM = Trail/Enduro
EX = Enduro/DH
FR = DH/pie eaters

On the rim only option the decals are just stickers. You can just peel them off. If you must, someone like Slik make replacements in any colour.

The wheel systems are not stickers & cannot be removed.

I wouldn’t pick anything from Hope over any option from DT personally.

Just to reiterate I’d take DT Swiss alloy rims over Hope every day of the week. Either lighter or tougher (or both) like for like.

I’m running a variety of XM481 / XM 421 across 2 bikes. So far the XM481 on my Sentinel is surviving with no dents but it has gone out of true a little more than the one I had in 27.5” size on my last enduro style bike (only a little out of true - 5 mins with a spike key sorted it).

In hindsight I’d have gone EX511 on the rear I think.

FR rims are about as bombproof as you can get.

And do they do any with stealthy decals, rather than the ugly ones I normally see?

No but they peel off really easily, no residue. All my rims are thus plain black.

Invisiframe also make DT rim and Hub decals in any colour you so desire if red and white's not your thing.

https://www.invisiframe.co.uk/decals/rim-kits/dt-swiss-rim-decal-kits?_gl=1*nzkf92*_up*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7pGelbeOggMVhMvtCh3QvQk2EAAYAiAAEgKjivD_BwE

I've got XM481's on both bikes and they're plenty strong and a good weight. I did replace the rear on the full sus after 3.5 years as it had a decent wobble, a couple of dents and was more silver than black from all the scratches etc. That 3.5 years would have included maybe 350k metres of descending in the Peak, Lakes etc. with picking bad lines at a reasonable speed.
The replacement is still fine nearly 2 years on and if I did break it, I'd replace with the same.

Never had Hope rims, went from Stans Flow and then Flow EX to DT Swiss EX511 and XM481, mostly on Hope hubs (although the newest ones are DT Swiss XM1700 factory wheels). Still have some 27.5 Flow EX on Pro 2 Evo non-boost that I really should sell!

XR = lighter application (think XC)
XM = middling (general trail use)
EX = tougher trail / enduro (or DH if you’re talented)
FR = toughest

So which of these would you chose for bikepacking with a heavy rider and load on rocky trails… would you go for FR? Or is that overkill?

I'd say FR's would be overkill, EX's for that use.

DT all the way for hubs and rims, way better than anything else.

@gowerboy I've done bike packing on xm421, not mega smashing the rocks, but I am 14st so not light. All fine.

@gowerboy XM421 will be fine,

I'd go for 32 hole, Sapim Race/DT Comp spokes and  DT  Squorx brass nipples. The set on my stumpy is 2500miles in (on 28 hole and ali nipples) with no issues, I hover around 90kg

I’d say FR’s would be overkill, EX’s for that use.

EX471 rear and`EX511 front might be optimal OP.

Or 471 both ends if you favour a narrower front tyre.

thanks all for the replies. Seems like the consensus is DT rims all the way.

Might mix things up with FR on the back and Ex front but I'm edging towards a pair of EX’s with Pro5 hubs

@rockthreegozy - thanks for the heads up. I really like the Hope hubs so going with a new build

Thanks again all - happy trails!

I hover around 90kg

Impressive at that weight!

I like my DT Swiss rims, but for similar money the Reserve alloy rims have a crash replacement policy which DT Swiss don't. 

I’m a big fan of EX471 on Hope hubs. I’m still not sold on “the wider rim is better” mantra but at 100kg I’ve not broken a pair of DT Swiss rims. They’ve been my go to ever since I stopped using Mavic 521s. 

I’m a big fan of EX471 on Hope hubs. I’m still not sold on “the wider rim is better” mantra

Having gone back to 471s on the rear, I definitely think they're better there.

Bit lighter, seem to spin up easier and roll quicker (tyre profile related?) - and the rim gets a bit more protection too.

i love hope stuff, but not rims, remember splashing out on the enduro rims 6-7 years ago, dinged them on first ride on a flat path :0(

DT swiss all the way.

Wheels ordered - DT EX511 on Pro5 hubs

build time is about a week so hopefully will be able to get them on the bike for a trip to Swinley the weekend after next 

If Hope just supplied their wheelsets with DT rims I'd never buy anything else.

The whole 'Fortus' makeover didn't make any difference to the performance in my experience.

DT Swiss rims seem pretty indestructible. Running EX511 front & rear and they've both survived the Cairngorms / Golfie /sharp pointy bits of France, despite my healthy lack of ability. Built them up with 240 hubs just to see what all the fuss was about (have previous as a Hope Fanbuoy). Have to say I like them, but would be more than happy on a Hope hub. I'm still running a Pro 2 / Stans Crest wheelset on the hardtail - but re-spoked them a good while back with DT Swiss comp spokes, as the original Sapim ones started breaking. Should add, I'm running the lightweight XC cushcore in the 511's.

Yep, I’m with you on that. My first “real” pair of wheels were hope/DT but as they were 26” they went years ago!

Where from? Uk or eu? Been looking at fun-works as I ordered before but with brexit tax they are a bit pricey now

In the UK - bought them from Bike Wheels Direct. Great service from the guy that owns it, he built up a pair of hope RD40’s for me a few months ago for my gravel bike and they’re great

Bikes wheel Direct, Moonglu, 18 Bikes or 20Twenty all build a good wheel.