[crembz]

Looking into a 29er wheelset, not looking for a crazy setup just something reasonable to get me rolling. Something with around 30mm inner.

Top of the list so far is the DT Swiss M1900 or the Bontrager Line Comp 30.

They're more or less the same price, little weight difference in favour of the DT.

I'm looking at the hubs though. The DT uses their 3 pawl system which I think is 18POE vs the 54POE on the Bontrager.

Anyone compared the two directly or have any experience with either?

 

[NYrr496]

No experience with either but I can throw a monkey wrench into the works and give you another option.
Have a look at RaceFace Arcs and Bike Hub Store hubs. Lace it all up with a nice double butted spoke and you get 54 poe, excellent tubeless and good strong wheels.

 

[Pack66]

I just made this decision a few weeks back when I broke my 27.5+ rear rim. I went with the Line Comps. Currently have Maxxis DHF 29x2.5 and Rekon 29x2.6 (both great deals) f/r respectively. With a few rides in, I'm really happy with the setup. For $330 shipped to REI (w/10% back next year), 54 poe upgradeable to 108, I think it's the best deal out there. Time will tell how they hold up, but I'm happy so far. Ama.

 

[crembz]

Had a look at bike hub store. Looks like in boost they're more or less the same price as DT 350 with the ratchet drives.

How did you get on with the Line Comps Pack66? I have read that they bend easily.

 

[crembz]

Also looking at a step up to the m1700 which includes the dt350. That works out closer to $550 for the wheelset.

 

[Lone Rager]

Bontrager Line Elites are around $600/set and have worked well for me. 104 POE, 29 IW... They come with molded rim strips installed and valves with bases that seal with o-rings. Totally easy and bulletproof tubeless setup. No taping. Weight is a very reasonable 1950 gm.

 

[Pack66]

@crembz I've only had them on for a week and only have three rides on them. So far, I really like them. With the ability to upgrade to 108 poe for $20 in parts, I think they're a great option at the $300 price range. Check back with me in a year and I'll tell you whether they're reliable or not.

 

[changingleaf]

The ratchet system on higher end DT hubs is much better than the pawl system.

 

[crembz]

The ratchet system on higher end DT hubs is much better than the pawl system.

Yeah that's what makes it hard to decide. However on the m1700 I believe the ratchet actual has lower Poe than the pawl system (24 vs 18).

 

[Schulze]

Get an M1700 or E1700 take-off on the used market. I have two sets of hubs I pulled from these wheelsets, paid $300 shipped for each one. If you just want the non boost 22.5mm version there are tons of those. 25mm is a bit more, 30 and 35 the hardest to find.

 

[crembz]

Yeah I'm chasing boost 30mm. Locally here (Australia) they're not that easy to find at reasonable prices used.

 

[Rngspnr]

OK. Bontrager wheels are incredibly soft. One of my buddies just bought a new Trek. I saw the bike after he had ridden it three times and his back wheel was flat spotted in two places. DT Swiss rims are much better than Bontrager. As far as the star ratchet vs pawl on DT the star ratchet is a much more durable system. From what I understand the pawl hubs can be converted over to star ratchet if you really wanted. Overall I'd go DT Swiss over Bontrager.

 

[crembz]

That's what I have read also, the hub seems really nice for the price though.

I have a dt pawl based wheelset on my cx bike, and whilst it's rolls really smooth and feels great, I do notice the lack of engagement occasionally. I'm guessing it would bother me more on trails.

From what I've read the conversion isn't worth doing once you factor the cost of the required parts and tools.

 

[Biggs427]

Three months ago I bought a set of 27.5 Line Comp 30 cause I had a killer price. I have 45 hours on it. (500-600km)

I upgraded the hub to 108 pawls. Seems to help on technical climbs. (Might be the placebo effect LOL)

Considering I'm went from WTB SX 19 it is a major impromement but like it has been said before the wheels seems a bit on the soft side.

Even though I'm quite happy with the weelset so far, for about the same price I'd choose the DT.

 

[crembz]

Yeah the DT pawl hubs are about 24 Poe. They're not horrible and I think I prefer them to the 18t ratchet. Benefit of the ratchet is upgrading to 36/54.

I have a set of cheaper novatech hubs, counted the poe last night ... 44. For a $30 hub that damn good engagement! Can't believe 18 poe is still the entry level for DT.

 

[Pack66]

@biggs427, could be that I went from 27.5 to 29er on my Line Comps (but I've had a 29er before), but I felt my climbing was better over technical stuff too. I've never had a higher engagement hub, and I've really enjoyed the extra POE compared to the stock 17' Fuel Ex8 Plus rims.

Btw, the stock rims lasted me close to three years. Im not gentle and I ride fairly rocky stuff here in AZ and experimented quite a bit with psi. I'm not saying they're not soft, but they weren't horrible for me.