First spotted as standard equipment on the new Canyon’s Fat Dude, DT Swiss’ entry into the world of fat bikes wasn’t without motivation. After partnering with Canyon to co-develop the wheelset, close attention was paid to the weight using a cutout structure to remove every unnecessary gram. The result is a pair of aluminum fat bike wheels that are very close to the weight of some high end carbon hoops. Of course, the Big Ride or BR 2250s include standard DT Swiss quality in the spokes, nipples, and ratchet hub system as well.
Fresh off a stage win at the Snow Epic in Engelberg, get the details on the new BR2250 Classic wheels next…
There are a number of ways to approach fat bike rim design, but for the first DT Swiss options, cutouts were the way to go. Using a webbed cutout profile, DT Swiss claims they were able to maintain all of the rim’s structural integrity while keeping weight to a minimum. Each hoked aluminum rim has 32 optimized holes for the Pro Lock nipples, and an internal width of 76mm. The wheels are not listed as tubeless compatible, but we wouldn’t be surprised if you could make it work with a wide strip of Gorilla tape, especially given the aggressive looking bead locks.
When it comes to DT Swiss’ vote on axle standards, they have spoken – the BR 2250 Classic wheels will be available with a 150×15 front and 190/197×12 rear hub. Don’t be surprised if this is the way forward since 150×15 front hubs will work on both suspension and rigid forks, and the 190/197 rear standard allows for larger tires and can still be used with narrow q-factor fat bike cranks with the right chainring set up. We’re assuming this means DT Swiss will eventually have the hubs for sale separately which should make anyone looking for ratchet equipped, Centerlock fat bike hubs happy.
Listed with a total weight of 2235g, the BR 2250 Classics will retail for €869, or just under $1,000. Available soon.
