DT Swiss wanted to speed up the engagement of their signature Ratchet hub internals without sacrificing durability, so they went back to the drawing board to design an all-new 240 DEG. Inside a slightly enlarged driveside hub flange, DT fit a 40% larger diameter Star Ratchet ring so they could boost engagement to a quick 4 by increasing tooth count to 90T, without resorting to smaller, weaker, more failure-prone engagement teeth. DT Swiss sent up one of the first 240 DEG hubs to use and abuse, to see how it fared long-term. And we can comfortably say, that if you are looking for proven DT Swiss durability but feel like you need faster engagement, then 240 DEG is for you!DT Swiss 240 Ratchet DEG hub speeds up engagement(Photos/Cory Benson)The premise is simple. Many more mountain bike hub makers have in recent years developed faster-engaging hubs. And more mountain bikers have decided they want more POEs (points of engagement) in their hubs. DT Swiss had generally refrained from more. Because with their Ratchet system it meant smaller teeth, which negated much of the positive full engagement and bulletproof durability that comes from their iconic Star Ratchet design in the first place (vs. the more flimsy pawl solution). But with Hope Pro 5 now offering 108 POEs, Qvist 120 POE, Zipp 3Zero Moto 132 POE, Project 321 G3 288 POEs, and Industry Nine Hydra a whopping 690 POE through various freehub systems (to name just a few) DT Swiss felt they kinda needed to catch up. But only if they could retain the ratchet reliability that makes it the most-copied freehub system these days.DT already offers a 54T upgrade kit for those looking for faster engagement than their standard 36T performance hubs. But they needed more. How does it compare to a standard DT hub?90T Ratchet DEG (l) vs. 36T Ratchet EXP (r)In order to get more teeth, without making them smaller, DT decided to increase the overall size of the Ratchet ring itself. Of course, that means its not a simple upgrade to existing hubs, but needed an all-new hub shell design.The new hardened steel DT 240 DEG ratchet rings are 10mm larger in diameter than their original star ratchet. That means that the 90-teeth on the Ratchet DEG ring are the same size as the 54-teeth on the upgrade Ratchet & Ratchet EXP rings. That means you get the same strength and durability, but with much faster engagement.DT 240 DEG (l) vs. 240 EXP (r)A side benefit of the new, bigger diameter Ratchet DEG rings is that the 240 DEG hub has slightly wider bearing spacing and the hubs are easier to service. (Graphic/DT Swiss)The wider spacing works because the outer driveside bearing now fits inside of the ratchet. And since you dont need to remove the ratchets threaded ring to get to that bearing anymore, it can be removed for servicing without any specialized tools.The only real downside (besides it not being backwards compatible) is that the 240 DEG hub is slightly heavier. DT says a new 240 DEG 90T weighs 270g vs. a comparable standard flange 240 EXP 36T hub at 225g just a 45g weight penalty for almost 3x as fast engagement.But wait, do I actually need faster engagement?The obvious first qualifier here is do you really need or even want faster hub engagement? Generally speaking, road and gravel riders are perfectly well served with 36T engagement. More POEs means faster response from coating to putting down power to the rear wheel, but a bit more drag. Really, you only want or need more POEs if you are riding more technical terrain or prefer a more connected feel in your drivetrain, to have your bike jump the instant you stomp on the pedals. But of course, faster engagement also does some wacky feedback with full-suspension bikes (especially big travel & high-pivot bikes) to the point that Ochain exists to put some slack back in your drivetrain.I can say that personally, I have gotten used to 36T/10 engagement as the performance standard. And I am happy with that. But I ride a lot of steep and rocky technical trails where I need to often quickly ratchet on the pedals to get up over an obstacle or through an especially tight section of trail. In those instances, the 90T/4 DT Swiss 240 DEG hub was a big functional improvement. Riding with the DT Swiss 240 Ratchet DEG hubWe rode the new DT Swiss 240 Ratchet DEG hub hard, built into a 30mm internal XM481 alloy rim with 32 spokes for more than half a year, starting in the middle of winter. I put it in 2 different hardtails 1 trail & 1 enduro and 2 full suspension bikes 1 120mm trail bike and 1 150mm all-mountain bike. And we rode it in mud, snow, ice, and eventually sunny blue skies, never servicing the hub beyond occasionally rinsing off the whole bikes. (We were trying to see how it fared in bad conditions, not just trying to neglect our bikes.)The hub worked flawlessly the entire time. And when we opened it back up half a year later to send back to DT so they could see how the hub internals looked, the grease was still clean and even, and engagement was as smooth as ever.Faster engagement takeawaysWhile riding, the difference in faster engagement vs. the standard 36T ratchet was immediately noticeable. The 36T/10 movement translates to 30mm at the pedal vs. just 12mm for the DEG 90T/4 movement. Its enough difference that a bike instantly felt more responsive when we swapped the wheels over to the 240 DEG. With that said, I liked the 240 DEG hubs engagement a lot. But I dont feel the need to ditch my old wheels just because of their slightly slower hubs. However, the next mountain bike wheelset that I build WILL for sure have a DT 240 DEG hub in it. I dont ride any bikes with real pedal kickback issues, so the faster hubs with proven DT Swiss reliability will be a welcome addition to my MTB stable. And in the meantime, I think Ill look at upgrading my current DT Swiss Ratchet & Ratchet EXP mountain bike hubs to their 54T/6.6 ratchets which should split the difference between the 90T & 36T ratchets I have been riding.DT Swiss Ratchet DEG Pricing, options & availabilityFor now, DT Swiss is only making the new 90T Ratchet DEG faster engagement system available in a single hub line the $500 / 377 240 DEG rear hub. Their thinking is that the weight weenies who buy 180 hubs dont want the weight penalty, and the 350 & 370 buyers are looking more for lower prices. You can only get the DT 240 DEG hubs in 6-bolt classic flange for J-bend spokes (28- or 32-hole drilling) and MTB spacing 12mm thru-axle Boost or Super Boost. The 240 DEG does of course require its own special freehub bodies, but those come in Shimano MicroSpline or SRAM XD. Sorry no HG option, so limited compatibility beyond the latest 12-speed MTB groups from Shimano & SRAM.There are already a few new pre-built premium carbon mountain bike wheels that feature new 90T engagement hubs too. The latest DT Swiss carbon 1200-series wheels offer two options that feature Ratchet DEG engagement inside special straight-pull 180 DEG hubs. For $2912 / 2500 you can get a set of 1540g XMC1200 all-mountain wheels or 1801g EXC1200 enduro wheels.And the slightly more affordable carbon XMC & EXC 1501-series offer a bit heavier builds with special straight-pull 240 DEG hubs for almost $900/800 less.DTSwiss.comThe post Review: DT Swiss 240 DEG Hub Boosts Engagement with Oversized 90T Ratchet Ring appeared first on Bikerumor.

Tadej Pogacar is a Slovenian cyclist who rides for UAE Team Emirates and is known for his many titles within cycling. A climber and stage-racer of specialty, he has won the 2020 and 2021 Tour de France editions, and has throughout his short career already taken wins at Tour of Flanders, Lige-Bastog...

UPDATED August 1, 2024BY Guest AuthorINOrient Express no comments The Orient Express: 3 Countries in 3 WeeksBecky Timbers is the Assistant Tour Leader on the 2024 Orient Express Cycling Tour. She sends her first report from Vienna, Austria.Its been about three weeks since the riders of the Orient Express set off from Paris and made their way through the first three countries of the trip: France, Germany and Austria. Along the way, weve cycled through the bucolic countryside, passing in and out of quaint European villages and enjoying rest days in historic cities like Freiburg, Ulm, Regensburg and now Vienna.The 3,840 kilometre route recreates the original Orient Express train journey that first traveled between Paris and Istanbul in 1889. But instead of railway tracks, the riders will cycle along bike paths, quiet roads, and gravel tracks, all the while enjoying the sights and experiences of daily European life.Here are a few highlights of the first three weeks of the Orient Express 2024!FranceThe Orient Express started in Paris, the City of Light. As we prepared to set off on our trip, the city was preparing to host the Olympics. There was a lot of construction and buzz happening, which added to the excitement of our departure. The first stage of the tour took us on a circuit around the city to see the iconic sights like the Eiffel Tower (displaying the Olympic rings), the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, and a cruise down one of Pariss most famous streets, the Avenue des Champs-lyses.From Paris, the riders headed out through the patchwork countryside of France and into our first rest day in the charming city of Troyes. It has a rich medieval history and its layout still reflects the shape of a champagne cork, a nod to the Champagne region in which it is located. Troyes also boasts an impressive collection of timber-framed houses. Many of these buildings date back to the 16th century!GermanyAfter saying au revoir to France, the next country we cycled into was Germany. One of the highlights was seeing the source of the Danube River in the historic town of Donaueschingen. The ornamental Donauquelle Spring marks the confluence of the Brigach and Breg rivers, which forms the Danube. The river is one of Europes most significant rivers. It flows through 10 countries Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine before emptying into the Black Sea. On the Orient Express, well be following the banks of the Danube for a significant portion of the trip!Another highlight of Germany was cycling through the Black Forest, a region in southwest Germany known for its dense forests, picturesque villages and rich cultural heritage.AustriaAnd now the riders are in Austria, enjoying a double rest day in Vienna! For the last few days, weve been cycling on the Danube bike path along with many other bicycle tourists enjoying their own summer bike trips. Vienna is the capital of Austria and a fantastic city to explore for its musical heritage, baroque architecture and UNESCO world-heritage sites. Theres something for every rider to enjoy!RELATEDTOUROrient ExpressIt was in 1889 that the original Orient Express train completed the Paris to Istanbul route for the first time. Our cycling version of the Orient... Related Posts:Leave a Comment for "The Orient Express: 3 Countries in 3 Weeks" Cancel reply

The last time an American woman medaled in Olympic road cycling was in 1984 when Connie Carpenter took gold and Rebecca Twigg took silver. Team U.S.A. members Chlo Dygert and Kristen Faulkner will compete in the women's road race at the Paris Olympics on August 4.

The transfer window is no officially open in the cycling world and the rumour mill, already in overdrive over the past few weeks, has now reached fever pitch. One man who knows more than most about the transfer drama, is super-agent Alex Carera. The transfer market for riders this year is a growin...

A Department of Finance suggestion that congestion charges would be more efficient and equitable in achieving environmental goals compared to a workplace car parking levy has been questioned by a senior Trinity College Dublin academic focused on transport.Legislation for a parking levy was introduced in 2008, but it was never implemented. The levy would charge employees for the use of parking facilities provided by their employer in designated urban areas. The original idea was that it might first apply to Dublin City Centre.There has been little public pressure or even mention of implementing a parking levy except from the Climate Change Advisory Council, the NTAs Greater Dublin Area Transport Plan which was published a number of years ago, and a promise to investigate the issue further in the Governments traffic demand management policy.Political sources contacted for this article were unaware of any political pressure for a levy at this time and mentioned the low likelihood of such a measure being advanced so close to the general election next year. The Department of Finance said: A Car Parking Levy would be difficult and time-consuming to implement in Ireland and would require further periods of planning, expert advice and public consultations, for instance, it took twelve years (2000-2012) of consultation and planning before the WPL in Nottingham was implemented and the smaller city of Oxford cite a minimum of three years of such work prior to implementation.Speaking on Newstalk last week, Brian Caulfield, Professor at the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin, said: Congestion charges are one of the ways to go. The document you mentioned there by the Department of Finance kind of puts a lot of effort into looking at the Workplace Parking Levy as a solution. How that would work is a 200 per year charge on people who have a parking space at work.They say thats unequable and its not feasible to introduce. They also say in the same report that theres 705 parking spaces paid for by the taxpayer at cost of almost 1m, so thats about 13,000 per parking space, and yet they say that its difficult to bring in this 200 charge [for a parking levy], he said.Caulfield said: Bringing in a congestion charge would mean thousands of cameras around the city at great expense, a lot of planning, and it would take a lot longer than the parking levy to be introduced.Newstalk presenter Ciara Kelly asked how much it might be influenced by the Department of Finance are among those with some of the car parking spaces which it would be inequitable to put the levy on. She also asked if Caulfield was sceptical of the Departments bona fides.Caulfield said that, as an academic, he has to remain objective. When Kelly rephrased and asked if the reports stance was an unusual position to take, Caulfield said, It is an unusual position to take.He explains: They go to great pains to suggest that the parking levy is something we shouldnt introduce, but yet congestion charges are mentioned and theres very little talk of the possible issues with it, he said. Caulfield said that the same is the case for weight-based charges for cars, which does not go into any details on the possible issues, with very little on equability or public acceptability. He said that higher rates of parking are proven to help shift people to public transport.Congestion charges are often debated but have been ruled out in the short term by the Minister of Transport, Eamon Ryan, who said a number of times that public transport would have to be improved first, hinting at pushing the charges to at least after major rail upgrades were finished in Dublin.Minister Ryans position on congestion charges is at least partly supported by a 2022 report by the OECD for the Climate Change Advisory Council and the Department of Transport reports.On congestion charges, the OECD report said that Complementary public transport improvements were implemented [in other cities] before the charges took effect, helping to gain acceptance of the innovation. The Five Cities Study on demand management of our transport network said that There will be a lead in time required to plan and ensure acceptability of the measure, although that 2021 report also said that congestion charges could be in place by 2025. The more recently published Government traffic demand policy, Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to the Improved Efficiency of the Transport System in Ireland, outlines that congestion charges would be left up to local councils but that the legal framework would be looked at. In relation to the Workplace Parking Levy, it said, It is intended to review existing legislative provisions in this area.It suggested that other alternatives to the workplace levy are also possible, including removing the income taxbenefit in kind exemption for employee car parking or that free parking at work could continue to be tax-exempt only if commuters who do not drive to work are offered a benefit of equivalent value.It added: In summary, it is recommended to review the provision in the Finance Act, provide an update in context of the objectives of this Strategy and bring forward recommendations as part of the budgetary process. The Review will also evaluate a wider set of options to disincentivise workplace parking including provision of cash alternative to parking BIK.

The men's mountain bike at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games was nearly two hours of absolutely thrilling racing as Tom Pidcock retained his gold medal in the most dramatic of circumstances ahead of France's Victor Koretzky.One man missing from the start line however, was Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutchm...

The road races at the Olympic Games are always a chaotic and hard to control affair. With only a select few nations having the maximum four men teams, the number of domestiques are limited and as such, the chance for a surprise winner is much increased.Two of those riders hoping to capitalise on the...

While countries of favourites like Belgium, Denmark and France will have four riders at the start of the men's Olympic road race, the Netherlands will only be riding with three riders. This puts a lot of pressure on the shoulders of Daan Hoole,"There are a few countries that we really cant let rid...

Time trialist are typically, how to put it... unique kind of almost masochists who love torture themselves on the uncomfortable TT specials in chase for those marginal gains. Not so the two-time world champion Chlo Dygert whose biggest secret is that she doesnt like bikes! The rumour has it that t...