DT Swiss has long been associated with bike wheels, as its original area of expertise was spokes.

More recently it has moved into whole wheels, with its top models being well received. The DT Swiss R-1900 wheelset sits at the bottom of the range and is seen as an all-round training wheel suitable for racing.

The wheels feature a ‘sleeve joint’ rim that creates a strong and barely noticeable joint. The mid-section rim has an aero profile and a machined braking surface that has wear indicators built in. 24 bladed spokes on the rear with 20 front are built into a DT manufactured hub. The rear hub features DT’s two-pawl system, as well as sealed roller bearings.

The first thing about the DT Swiss R-1900 that one notices is the quality of the bearings. It’s an area that is often overlooked, even in some higher spec wheels. After soaking up the worst British winter we have seen for years, the hubs are still running as smoothly as the first day they were ridden. Factory-built wheels can be a hit and miss affair, especially in poor conditions on poor roads. These wheels have proved themselves more than capable of surviving rough treatment. Despite coming with a nipple key and spoke tool, they have stayed true.

Verdict

DT Swiss has delivered a classy and well made product that is more than capable of surviving the Great British winter and will not be out of place in early season races or sportives. The only area where it the DT Swiss R-1900 lets itself down is with the lack of a Campagnolo freehub body.

Reviewer: Ben Wilson