My interpretation is that they’re using the old design star ratchet, just upping the tooth count.
Not sure the end caps have really changed. IIRC a 350 has always been able to swap freehubs without tools.
1 Like
The endcaps are updated … not sure if dimensionally different where it matters.
14 Likes
yeah they REALLY needed to call the 2021 update the “DT351” or something. In the DT Swiss spoke calculator, the new ones are distinguished from the old ones as the “2021+” version.
it sounds like this “updated” road hub is them just sticking the 36T star ratchet in as the default in the road configuration of the 350, rather than any further changes from the big 2021 update
with the 2021 update, instead of just a generic “350” rear hub, you could get the 142mm spaced version from the factory as a:
- “MTB” hub with 32 spoke holes, 36T ratchet, and a SRAM XD or Shimano HG 8/9/10 freehub body
- “Road” hub with 24 or 28 spoke holes, 18T ratchet, and a SRAM XDR or Shimano HG11 freehub body.
But there’s no actual difference between the hub bodies that makes them road- or MTB-specific and prevents you from mixing&matching and making a 32-spoke version with an XDR body, or whatever.
(This video was a great overview of the changes back then)
4 Likes
There is some fuckery related to road vs mtb in their wheel systems that comes into play if you are upgrading to Ratchet LN as it was explained to me, but we never investigated beyond “N3W driver no worky on this M series wheel”.
From what I can tell the updated endcaps are dimensionally the same as the old ones. The hub shells seem to have gotten subtle updates to the machining but internally all appears the same.
The only real drawback is the new matte finish (which does look really good) no longer matches up cosmetically with dynamo hubs.
Also, the logos are no longer stickers. This is cool, except no more easy upgrades to DT 420 series.
The sleeper update is the 350 Hybrid hub. Way beefed up flanges, stock steel driver, and 16t ratchets for the man of substance (or as one of my customers refers to himself, “Shrek on a Trek”).
13 Likes
Kind of a bummer that the updated 350 hubs aren’t available off the shelf in 32H in road center lock config. Guess if you want that (and don’t want to piece stuff together), buy them while the older hubs are still available. The older road hub is like $60 cheaper anyway.
4 Likes
Built up a new set of lightweight roadie wheels (my fourth and fifth wheels built, respectively) and was somewhat dismayed to find that the Mavic Open Pro USTs I got on the cheap from Italy turned out to weigh 480g not the 430 claimed by Mavic. Ah well, they are at least theoretically tougher than not. A facebook marketplace Chris King rear hub, a discounted bitex that almost matches the blue, a fun wheel adventure.
17 Likes
Love the ottoman tool bench.
2 Likes
I like having a soft spot to set down the tension-o-meter
2 Likes
Anyone lace their wheels by putting all the spokes into the hub first? I’m experimenting with it today to see if it saves me any time. So far it’s showing promise if I can figure out how to keep from tangling everything up when I start to cross.
yes
I’ve tried it, the tangling is real rough.
if youre in practice, the spaghetti monster is more efficient for sure. i used to be able to do this but i haven’t built a wheel in a few years
- tape your pokey outy spokes together like pigtails on both sides
- hang you pokey inny spokes down on your 2nd side and tape them together
- lace the pokey inny spokes on 1st side then loosen and work your way through the bundles
1 Like
Just tried this, works great!
I modified for the front wheel and laced up all the pokey inny spokes together while the pokey outy spokes were in pigtails. Once I get the hang of this it’s going to save me so much time and frustration!
1 Like
i never bothered taping anything. just start with the key spoke and skip grap skip skip skip nipple, rinse, repeat. was kinda frustrating when i looked at it as a whole thing but when i stopped worrying about the spaghetti it started working well.
definitely much faster
Mack’s can cut you any size straight gauge DT.
I can dig in the basement of my shop to see if we have what you need collecting dust down there if you want some vintage wheelsmith spokes
1 Like