First Look: DT Swiss 1500 Classic Downhill Wheelset

Jun 8, 2023
by Matt Beer  
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DT Swiss have long been the bread and butter when it comes to alloy downhill rims, and their latest premium wheelset, the 1500 Classic, is ready to take on the first World Cup DH event of the year.

On the outside, the shape and logos are familiar but subtle changes to the rim profile and spoke count are said to improve performance and longevity. Although the specific alloy is kept secret, DT claims the revised rim profile proved to be more resilient to denting and reduced the number of flat tires during their testing.
DT Swiss 1500 Classic Details

• Rim material: aluminum
• Wheel specs: 27.5 or 29" diameter, 30mm internal width
• Spokes: 28 front, 32 rear - J-bend Competition double butted
• ProLock Squorx ProHead aluminum nipples
• Drivers: Shimano HG, MS 12, SRAM XD
• Hub width: 15x110mm, 20x110 Boost - front / 12x148 Boost, 12x150(157)- rear
• Weight: 2028g (actual - MX, 157, XD)
• Price: $1152.80 USD / €899.80 EUR / ₣946.80 CHF
• dtswiss.com


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Rim Details

The redesigned edge has a wider surface area, shown by the lighter grey color. When tested with an undisclosed leading tire brand, the new rim proved to reduce the number of pinch flats by up to 17%, compared to the FR 1950 Classic wheels.

DT Swiss took what they have learned achieved from the success of their EX rim profile and added more material to increase the strength of the sidewall too. At the same time, the weight has been reduced by 7% over the FR 1950 Classic wheels. Another way DT Swiss lowered the mass was by removing 4 spokes from the front wheel. Now, the front and rear rims are specific to 28 and 32-hole spoke counts, however, both retain a 30mm internal width.

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Hub Details

The 1500 Classic wheelset uses double-butted Competition, J-bend spokes which are paired with their popular 240 hubs. At the center of DT Swiss' hub engagement is the infamous 36T Star Ratchet EXP system. Drivers are available for Shimano HG, Micro Spline, and SRAM XD types.

Price and Weight

The Classic 1500 wheelset pricing begins at $1152.80 USD / €899.80 EUR / ₣946.80 CHF and varies depending on the freehub body. The provided 29"/20x110mm Boost and 27.5"/12x157mm wheelset that DT Swiss sent over for long term testing totalled 2028g with a SRAM XD driver and rim tape installed (valves excluded).

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Posted In:
Reviews and Tech First Looks Wheels DT Swiss


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113 Comments
  • 58 10
 Alu nipples...fail!
  • 17 4
 Exactly, they need to stop using the Alu ones. Can't adjust spoke tension without snapping the Squorx heads off. Nice n gentle, lots of WD40: snap snap snap
  • 23 1
 Absolutely. Brass or die!
  • 14 1
 I used to work in a wheel building shop where we had to use aluminum nipples for some of the orders. It was terrible every single time. I can't tell you how many of them I broke, stripped, and twisted during that time. For me, it's brass or pass.
  • 49 4
 for me its brass, or shove the aluminium nipples up my ass (one by one)
  • 18 4
 I've used alu nipples for all my builds for the last 10 years without any problems. Only moments I strip them are when I destroy my rim and try to straighten it with absurd spoke tensions to finish the days, or when I have to work on DT Swiss rims that for some reasons are using a shorter nipple which tend to strip too easily even at normal spoke tensions. But this is a DT Swiss problem, I use standard Sapim, normal length alu nipples and had zero issues aside the type of situation mentioned above.
  • 24 0
 @browner: You do you !
username checks out
  • 7 4
 sending a steel rod into thin aluminum nipples, is pretty much a galvanic-corrosion factory. There's no amount of anti-seize goop that can prevent the nipple from gluing itself to the spoke over time. I'd never buy a wheelset with aluminum nipples - period.
  • 7 0
 alu nipples on my EX1700 wheelset have been a huge pain in the ass. Otherwise it has been an awesome OEM wheelset (with 350 36t hubs), rear rim is almost dead but that's after 2 years of smashing around the Sea to Sky as a big dude, and with only 28h rear.
  • 19 0
 @jokermtb: nipples are anodised and your spokes are also treated otherwise they would be rust rods. While I am aware of the theoretical risk of galvanic corrosion I have never seen it actually happen. Maybe on road bikes as you tend to keep your wheels without maintenance for longer but I ride Enduro and DH, most of my rims rarely last more than 2 seasons. Since you are so worried about galvanic corrosion I imagine that you refuse to ride carbon rims as carbon is one of the worst material for pretty much any metal. Also I hope you are using steel hubs for your steel spokes, right ? Wink
  • 5 0
 I've got/built a few ex471 wheels, all with aluminum nipples, and I've had no problems. I was a doubter about this, but I'm satisfied.

With carbon wheels I've built, their stiffness leans to be very good with aluminum nipples; I've become comfortable with them for that. I haven't built wheels with aluminum rims for a while, but I think they've come a long way.
  • 3 4
 @Balgaroth: It's great that you haven't had issues, but they still suck.
  • 3 2
 those dt swiss nipples are completed useless, lol
  • 3 6
 @browner: real man would take all 60 nipples at once. No linseed oil
  • 5 1
 @Smokey79: It seems to me this is a problem with DT aluminum nipples and not aluminum nipples in general. The DT nipples seem to deform at much lower tension than Sapim. I couldn't even get DT's own rims up to tension without destroying 2-3 nipples in the process. I used Sapim alloys on most of my wheelsets before that and since then, and I don't think I've ever had one deform on me.
  • 6 2
 Is it really such a big deal?
I have 4 DT wheelsets and never had any issues with alu nipples, like rounding quicker than brass, snapping, or whatever.
Replacing spokes was easy and quick and I even bulid myself some fatbike wheels with alu nipples without any issues.
Note that I clean my wheels at least once a mount and use oil on the spoke threads to prevent binding.
  • 4 1
 @dlxah: Sapim enters the chat lmao. DT alloy nipples are simply too soft unlike their Sapim counterpart. No matter how hard I try to play it soft with DT nipple, they still mangle from time to time even though I use linseed oil or heat gun. Sapim secure lock all day everyday.
  • 3 0
 Everyone I know throws away those Squorx nips.I stand by the 471 and 511 rims, though
  • 1 2
 @suspended-flesh: You can get them in brass, which don't instantly snap like the alloy ones, but DT Swiss keep using the alloy ones for their built wheelsets (maybe to keep the weight figures down?) Whatever the reason they need to stop, as alloy wheels are gonna need to be adjusted sooner or later and these alloys nipples will snap.
  • 2 2
 @danstonQ: Agreed! Bike and wheel companies please stop using Alu nips! We don't care about a few extra grams. Brass nips ftw!!!
  • 2 1
 I have seen a set of Rovals, stored for a while over Covid just fall apart thanks to corrosion. If you are a light XC rider you don't rebuild your wheels every 6 months so alloy nips are absolutely the wrong choice for you
  • 3 0
 @up4down: Who's we?
I never had problems with alu nipples,and any weight saving specially at the wheels is welcomed.
  • 4 0
 With DT aluminium nipples (or any alu nipples), I've generally found you get a lot longer lifespan out of them from using DT's own nipple wrench over a generic wrench (e.g. the black Park Tool classic). The DT one spreads the load much better over the nipple's surface and is a lot easier on them over time.
  • 1 0
 @headshot: ironically those a probably the ones most likely to go with light wheels and alu nipples.
  • 2 0
 @Smokey79: tried using the spokey key with 2 steel plates instead of 1?
  • 4 1
 @trailinbobcat: I'm with you regarding the nipple wrench. Any wrench grabbing the nipple on 4 faces will help. I do have a preference for the Spokey or the DT Swiss.
If done right alloy nipples are no evil. It only requires a proper wrench, sapim made nipples, sapim inner washers and some spoke prep or linseed oil. I rarely build wheels with brass nipples those days. But if you're an absolute unit and or a destroyer, I'll go brass with some 350s hybrid, halo T2 36H, 4 cross pattern, and Sapim Strong spokes.
  • 28 1
 No integrated routing?
  • 38 1
 No v-brake compatible?
  • 11 1
 @nozes: No water bottle mounts either
  • 5 1
 @bman33: at least the cables are tucked in nicely
  • 7 4
 You mean cable tourism?
  • 8 1
 The rims go through the headset.
  • 5 2
 No 32inches triangular vegan-friendly version?
  • 17 0
 how are these rims different to FR541?
  • 3 1
 Exactly what I was wondering?!
  • 29 0
 They're more expensive
  • 24 0
 Seems to me like its the complete wheelset using the FR541.... kind of like how the EX1700 wheelset uses the EX511 rims.
  • 56 0
 Call me shelock homes, but if you go on their website and look at the rim dimensions of the "redesigned rims for the FR1500" the embedded image is called DRW_FR541_WEB_SHO_001.png
  • 17 1
 @shr3d: Shelock Homes? Is that Sherlock Holmes Swiss female doppelgänger?
  • 2 0
 considering they are using the same inforgraphic from FR541 displaying rim profile but with inverted the colors for this PR I imagine it is indeed the same rim.
  • 4 0
 @Caddz: yes i totally meant to write is like that. It's the job description of a female locksmith
  • 9 0
 @Caddz: Shredlock Holmes
  • 11 0
 @shr3d: You're incorrect. Female Locksmith would be Sheunlock Homes.
  • 3 0
 They aren't. They are the FR541 rim laced up to a 240 hub for you to make the whole wheelset.
  • 2 0
 @shr3d: I'll call you "Shr3dlock Holmes"
  • 1 0
 @maestroman21: as a DIY mechanic, it's Shedlock Holmes
  • 1 0
 Same rims. This is the complete wheel version. Not a bad price considering it has 240 hubs
  • 5 0
 I remember the silver DT Hugi hubs, bought for my first Hayes brake bike. They were so nice, a quality hub. I'm not sure when, but the 240, which I believe is what the silver Hugi became, is way too expensive now when comparing hubs, like to Hope hubs. I traded a fork and stem for those wheels to my brother with the understanding that he would give them back to me or sell them back to me if he didn't want them. He sold them the next day. Dysfunctional families, I tell ya.
  • 6 1
 We've had 1950s, 1900s, 1750s, now 1500s... When will DT Swiss release the FR1989 Taylor Swift Edition?
  • 6 0
 Think of all that weight they saved with taking out 4 spokes
  • 2 0
 Around 26g I think! lol
  • 5 0
 20mm, 30mm, champion spokes, competition spokes, make your mind up.
  • 3 0
 Probably written by ChatGPT initially. Seemed to have corrected itself.
  • 4 0
 The Swiss Army knife of wheel sets!
  • 4 1
 When a product has Classic, Original, Genuine, Authentic in the name it usually isn't.
  • 5 0
 Classic refers to being J-Bend versus Spline refering to Straight Pull
  • 4 1
 @simcik: Understood. A Chevy Malibu Classic was not a Classic Chevy Malibu and I have an axe to grind.
  • 1 0
 I have the FR1950 and they pinch flat every other ride. Same tires and terrain on xm1501 with even lower pressure, no problems. Fr1950 suck, should have kept the cheap OEM wheels that came on the bike.
  • 1 0
 What spec tires?
  • 3 1
 Is anyone even running FR in DH racing? It seems that EX is perfectly good enough for most.
  • 24 3
 Perfectly good when you have a mechanic to build you a new set every day.
  • 1 0
 @blensen: ask Bruni's mechanic for instance if the EX471 are fragile and unreliable.
  • 2 3
 EX471's are pretty much bombproof if well built and give a better tyre profile imo. I've run multiple DH seasons on the same set with just the occasional spoke tightening here and there, no inserts either. The FR and EX rims strength wise are basically the same, it's purely down to preference.
  • 1 0
 @Freakyjon: Sure is. I prefer the extra strength of the FR
  • 1 0
 @danstonQ: Huh... Smile

youtu.be/gf9mIJPZ5CM?t=157
  • 2 0
 @blensen: Ha ha, thanks, excellent Smile
The Ex471 rim is OK actually, the mechanic must have forgot something to have such loose spokes...
Pro Lock nipples are not too bad, but a bit of green or blue Loctite in each of them is more than welcome.
Cheers Bro!!!
  • 4 5
 "• Wheel specs: 27.5 or 29" diameter, 30mm internal width"

"the front and rear rims are specific to 28 and 32-hole spoke counts, however, both retain a 20mm internal width. "

Which one is it?
  • 16 1
 Common sense says it’s 30mm. Kind of obvious really.
  • 6 0
 Hardly likely to be 20 now is it.
  • 2 1
 I thought the same thing, WTF, 20mm width on DH wheels, maybe that's their new 'trend', lol. Assuming it's 30mm though.
  • 1 0
 30mm internal width
  • 3 2
 Apart from the nipples looks like some great choices, but why is it priced so much higher than their other alu wheels?
  • 8 0
 240 hubs. Would be nice to see a 350 hub variant.
  • 1 0
 @maestroman21: who needs a 240 hub on a downhill bike? I'd put that on an xc bike where weight was more of an issue, but 350s are good, reliable and affordable
  • 1 0
 Anyone else not able to see the video? For me it says, "This video is private."
  • 1 0
 Looks like it's fixed now.
  • 2 0
 €900 does seem like a lot for alu rims.
  • 1 1
 It ain't a classic if it ain't 26" (and maybe 24" in the rear). For the money, getting a pair of 240 hubs is pretty special.
  • 2 1
 People ride with tubes and get pinch flats still? Wild. 17% better though.
  • 10 1
 you can get pinch flats with tubeless.
  • 1 1
 @jzPV: Huh, Guess I never thought of that as a possibility. I run thick casing tires and have never had that happen.
  • 3 2
 Re-branded and more expensive FR451s?
  • 2 0
 TWO BEADS?!
  • 2 0
 29 is dead
  • 1 0
 Only hot girls, as well as me write to me ➤ u.to/mWPGHw
  • 1 0
 Last photo is trIpPy
  • 2 0
 yea your'e right that photo is really tripPy I like to look at it
  • 2 3
 aluminum nipples?
>>>>>FAIL.......guess they're really going for the brochure weight of the wheelset.
  • 5 6
 20mm internal? narrower than my xc bike rims
  • 4 1
 Looks like a typo
  • 1 1
 Yeah, I'm a bit confused with the 20mm internal width, aluminum nipples, double butted DT Swiss Champion spoke (only the Competition spokes are butted - Champions are straight gauge), and 28-spoked front wheel. These are meant for DH biking? It's a heavy set for XC. This is a strange set of wheels - the specs are just strange!
  • 3 0
 @CSharp: 20mm was obviously a typo. It says 30mm in the specs.
  • 1 1
 @redrook: :LOL, it's now corrected to 30mm in both places and double butted Competition spokes! Still, the 28-spoked front wheel for FR/DH and aluminum nipples?
  • 1 0
 @CSharp: Re: Champion vs Competition - that was a typo in the information provided. Indeed Competition is double butted and the spokes used.
  • 1 0
 @CSharp: 28 spokes are more common on strong wheels these days
  • 1 0
 @suspended-flesh: Not really. These 28-holed rims are more for XC style of riding. I tried looking for 28-holed rims with inside widths greater than 25mm. Only ones I can find are from DT Swiss. If you want a strong wheel, it's most likely with 32-36 holes. There's also a reason for this, it's the spoke's tangential angle with the hub. You may get away with it with the straight pull spokes and hub and most of these are built for XC bikes.
  • 2 0
 @CSharp: Fair enough.I should have said 'getting' more common. I know people with them on enduro race bikes. It's true that I personally use mainly EX511 30mm rims with 28 holes 3X laced jbend spokes brass nips and never have a problem Probably helps that they are all 27.5ers
  • 2 0
 @CSharp: I didn't mention the 28 spokes, I was correcting you on your 20mm error, which was an obvious typo.
  • 1 2
 @redrook: LOL, don't sweat it. I think this thread alone helped Matt on correcting a few errors. Wink
  • 2 0
 @CSharp: I'm not sweating it, I didn't make any apology. Happy to clarify your confusion.
  • 2 0
 @CSharp: Psst, now's when you use your gotcha to claim that you were being sarcastic or some such in your original comment, rather than just a moron.
  • 1 0
 @rbeach: Right, gotcha Wink
  • 1 0
 @suspended-flesh: I'd do the 28-hole wheel build myself if I can find 28-hole rims at a decent price point, especially from within Canada. Not easy to find. I do have 28-hole hubs but I've switched to 32-hole front hubs just because it's easier to find rims I want that's not DT Swiss. Maybe with this set of wheels being marketed, other manufacturers may start to make more 28-hole rims with wide internal widths.
  • 2 0
 @CSharp:Got a new Demo and the front wheel seems pretty solid for a DH bike,maybe a touch stiffer than 32 spoke one´s. Roval Dh front wheel is 29 28 holes,28 mm wide and the stock rear wheel is 27,5 32 holes,but I don´t know about the with.
One thing is stiffness vs toughness,more spokes can last longer and if 1 spoke fails is not so dramatic for the overall tension.
Road wheels are far more stiff but less resistant overall. For touring bikes 36 spokes and robust rims are needed to spread huge loads.
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