components: Test: DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut vs P 1800 Spline – Lightweight or Inexpensive?

Test: DT Swiss builds attractive aluminum wheel sets from their own hubs, rims and spokes. Velomotion looked at the lightest and the cheapest aluminum model - two wheel sets that not only differ significantly in price and weight: The DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut and the DT Swiss P 1800 Spline.

According to what you see on the street, aluminum wheel sets still have many friends. Not everyone is able and willing to spend a four-digit amount for "rolling stock" whose aerodynamic advantages only really come into play at speeds well above 35 km/h. Especially since aero wheel sets also have certain disadvantages: they are usually susceptible to side winds, and only light if they are really expensive.

In general, the weight. Wheelsets weighing less than 1.500 grams (without clamping axles, etc.) can be considered relatively light; anything that weighs more than 1.700 grams is rather heavy. This applies to aluminum as well as to carbon, and that brings us to the topic: apart from the weight, what actually distinguishes a wheel set with 1.450 grams from one that weighs 200 grams more? First of all, of course, the price, and that is very different for our two candidates: DT Swiss offers the lightest aluminum model, the DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut, for 828 euros; the DT Swiss P 1800 Spline, which looks identical at first glance, costs 388 euros. The editorial scale shows exactly 1.450 grams for the expensive set and exactly 1.650 grams for the cheaper one – each with tubeless rim tape, which corresponds to ten grams per wheel. First of all, the weight specifications of the manufacturer are pretty much adhered to; In addition, the question arises: How does the weight difference come about, and what else differentiates the two wheel sets?

Let's start with the clamping axles: DT Swiss no longer uses the classic eccentric levers; RWS clamping axles are used on both wheelsets, where the axles are simply screwed on. On the DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut, the axles have an attractive aluminum lever; the DT Swiss P 1800 Spline comes with plastic levers from the MTB segment that are significantly larger. Both types of tensioners are equipped with a ratchet system so that the lever can be adjusted after tightening; at around 100 grams per set, they are identical in terms of weight, and the steel axle is the same too. First and foremost a visual difference - does that also apply to the hubs?

"Dicut" stands for a diamond profile on the flanges, "Spline" for an overall slimmer shape. And while the more expensive hubs have a matt coating and lasered logos, the simpler variants have a glued banderole on the glossy painted hub body.

However, the hubs are also constructed differently. First of all, this applies to the freewheels: The Dicut has the DT toothed disc freewheel, in the top version with 36 grid steps. It impresses with its rich sound, low idle travel and power transmission evenly distributed over 36 shoulders, while the spline freewheel works with three pawls and engages 24 times per revolution. In practice, however, the noticeable difference is small; as far as stability is concerned, you can also trust the pawl freewheel. However, the ratchet freewheel is easier to maintain.

There are big differences in the hub bodies - and not just on the outside: The significantly larger flange diameter of the DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut is particularly noticeable at the front, which ensures a flatter spoke angle and thus, in theory, a stiffer wheel. The flange distance is the same for both front wheels. At the rear, the flange spacing and diameter are larger on the more expensive impeller; the tangential spokes of the DT Swiss P 1800 Spline are also inserted in two levels.

The different design also has an effect on the bearings: the Dicut wheel set uses significantly larger ball bearings with end caps for the 5 mm clamping axle. At least in theory, these bearings should offer advantages in terms of friction and wear.

With 20 radially arranged spokes at the front and 24 tangential spokes at the rear, the number of spokes on both wheel sets is identical, but not the spoke pattern: the Dicut rear wheel is constructed with a single cross on both sides, the Spline rear wheel is double-crossed.

The steel rods themselves are also different. Thin Aerolite spokes with a width of 2,3 mm are used on the Dicut wheelset, while the "Aero Comp" spokes on the Spline are visibly flatter at 2,8 mm and are also a bit thicker. If you trust the DT catalog data, the spokes are responsible for a weight difference of a good 70 grams (and for a euro more for each Aerolite spoke); whether they also differ aerodynamically can hardly be said seriously.

The same applies to the rims of the two wheel sets. The most striking distinguishing feature is the matt sheen on the noble dicut; moreover, one has to look closely to discover that the Spline rims are 23 mm high, while those of the DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut are only 21 mm. On the more expensive wheel set, an asymmetrical rim is also used at the rear, which in turn ensures a flatter spoke angle. When braking, it is noticeable what can be proven with the caliper: On the braking surface, the spline rims are a good deal wider at 23,4 to 21,9 mm, which also indicates the depth of the wear marking. The rims of the cheaper wheel set should therefore be more durable, but also slightly heavier. The Dicut rims are one step ahead in terms of processing quality: Unlike their simpler relatives, they have no visible or tangible rim joint.

It is noticeable that the assembly of tubeless tires on the cheaper wheelset is much easier. In order to mount a set of new 1400 Schwalbe Pro One wheels on the DT Swiss PR 28 Dicut wheels, an additional layer of rim tape had to be glued to both rims. With the DT Swiss P 1800 Spline, the identical set of tires, now even slightly pre-stretched, could be attached without any problems. On the other hand, the rim joint on the Spline front wheel was noticeable when mounting a narrow Hutchinson tubeless tire: Before sealant was poured in, air escaped at this point.

1.450 to 1.650 grams - and a lot of other differences: If you look closely at the two wheel sets, you can see that they differ in almost every detail. What is of particular interest in practice, however, is the driving behavior, and one has to say that anyone who thinks there is a difference here can hear the fleas coughing and the grass growing. Both wheelsets appear stiff and agile and please with good braking behavior; What is much more noticeable than the choice of wheel set is which tires are mounted on it. With the 28er Schwalbe, both wheel sets rolled softly and comfortably and delighted with a lot of security when leaning; other tires changed the character of the wheels significantly. A Hutchinson Intensive on the spline improved handling uphill when pedaling out of the saddle thanks to its extremely narrow design (only 25 mm despite the 23 nominal width), but was very hard on somewhat rougher asphalt; the Vittoria Corsa G+, which we drove on the Dicut for a long time, rolled extremely smoothly and with its Graphene rubber compound and 27 mm width it just sticks to the asphalt in fast corners.

Aerodynamic disadvantages are not noticeable with either wheel set, even at consistently high speeds. Aero tests on the cycle track have also shown that wheel sets with rim profiles, as used by DT Swiss here, can definitely keep up with many high-profile rims in frontal headwinds and a side flow of up to around 5°. Aero wheels save propulsive power when there is a side flow, but only up to the point where their susceptibility to cross winds comes into play.

So in terms of performance, DT Swiss Dicut and Spline draw level; But you also have to realize that the PR 1400 has an air of exclusivity, while the P 1800 look a bit like "bread and butter". If you own a noble racing bike and value the 200 gram weight saving and the rich sound of the toothed disc freewheel, you should invest in the more expensive wheelset; If you are primarily looking for solid quality and very good functionality for your mid-range bike, you are well advised to go with the cheaper version. In both cases, the following applies: DT Swiss shows that even in the age of aero carbon wheel sets, aluminum wheels are not a thing of the past.

Conclusion

The comparison shows: Even if the DT Swiss wheelsets differ in many technical details, they are identical in terms of handling. The toothed disk freewheel speaks for the PR 1400 Dicut, the thicker rim flank for the P 1800; the many other differences are of more theoretical importance. However, a weight difference of 200 grams weighs heavily, especially for fans of lightweight construction. On the other hand: 440 euros extra are also not without…