We actually spotted the new wide CRC 1100 Spline T race tubulars ridden by the pros back in November’s World Cup, but now they are ready for us mortals too. Plus, DT is matching them with a new lightweight CRC 1400 tubeless clincher wheelset that also gets a new, wider full carbon rim. This cyclocross season might have come to an end, but these should make race-ready wheels to handle a mix of dirt & gravel as you ride year round and prep for next season.
CRC 1100 Spline T carbon tubular cyclocross race wheels
The new top of DT’s Cross Road family, the CRC 1100 T wheels feature an all-new, wide carbon tubular rim specifically designed for disc brake cyclocross racing. The wheels are built around 240s Spline hubs with SINC ceramic bearings for the best performance in the harshest conditions.
This is the first CX-specific tubular from DT Swiss and replaces the RC38T which had been a popular cross over from the road. The new carbon rim is wider at 26mm to better pair with UCI CX-ready 33mm cross tires. DT didn’t go wider, as they say this offers the best balance of tire support, while allowing the tubular tire to flex to maximize grip.
It also gets a revised rim bed curvature to perfectly match up with those 33mm tires, ensuring the best possible gluing surface to securely bond your race tubulars, without having to resort to building up the bed with additional material.
The 38mm depth carries over from its predecessor as a good balance of light weight, stiffness, aero performance, and that cross desire to cut through deep mud & sand. The CX-specific rim also gave DT the impetus to create a UD carbon structure especially resistance to the rim strikes that occur racing cyclocross at super low tire pressures. The rim overhaul also allowed DT to incorporate a more modern, blunt U-shape to the rim for improved aerodynamics (even though these wheels get raced at relatively low speeds) and a more forgiving, bump-absorbing ride.
There is nothing new on the hubs and lacing, as the Spline road wheels share the same centerlock 240s hubs as many of DT’s other top wheels. The faceted, machined Spline 240s hubs are the lightest DT makes, and feature wide-set, straight pull spokes and a 36 tooth Star Ratchet freehub. They use tool-free, modular end caps to work with any QR or thru-axle standard, plus you can get Shimano or Campagnolo freehubs or even a SRAM XDR driver. The CRC 1100 T wheels do include DT’s top SINC ceramic bearings, with low friction seals, and a lighter alloy freehub body.
DT Swiss laces both new carbon wheelsets up with 24, two-cross butted & aero bladed spokes front & rear. The front wheels actually use Aerolite spokes, and Aero Comp spokes on the rears to balance weight savings and stiffness needs. And thankfully, both wheelsets use external Pro Lock Squorx alloy nipples for easy servicing.
The new CRC 1100 Spline T carbon wheels claim weights from just 1332g (589g front, 733g rear) and will sell for $3103/2408€. They have a rider weight limit of 120kg/265lb.
While we saw the new carbon tubulars being raced in mid-season World Cups, they also did get ridden to a new World Championship under U23 winner Eli Iserbyt, as well a silver medal by fellow Belgian Micheal Vanthourenhout in the elite Worlds race.
CRC 1400 Spline carbon tubeless cross/gravel wheels
The new carbon tubeless clincher wheel at the top of the Cross Road family is meant more for segment crossover. DT have been working with tire makers to try and match the real Elite race performance of tubulars. And they even worked with Swiss XC & CX racer Nicola Rohrbach who competed on the new carbon tubeless wheels down to 18psi with Schwalbe X-One tubeless tires in the World Cup. But for the time being, they see these wheels more targeted for riders looking to ride & race off-road on wider tubeless gravel and cross tires.
The wide carbon CRC 1400 tubeless clinchers are more shallow than their tubular sibling. They feature a new 24mm deep carbon rim with a 22mm internal hookless bead, 28mm outside. DT says the wide hookless design delivers more impact resistance for the fully tubeless-ready rim, and comes out to a rim weight of just 390g a piece.
The carbon clincher wheels get the same 240s Spline hubs of the CRC 1400, and look the same from the outside. They still use a 36T Star Ratchet but get DT’s standard alloy freehub body which is a few grams heavier. They also feature DT’s standard high-quality stainless steel bearings, since you’re less likely to torture them as much with a pressure washer.
The new CRC 1400 Spline carbon tubeless clincher wheels claim weights from 1389g (622g front, 767g rear) and will sell for $2549/1978€. They also have the same high rider weight limit of 120kg/265lb, and ship with tubeless tape and valves.
DT Swiss’ Cross Road family
The two new carbon wheel offerings in tubular & tubeless clincher now join the two, more affordable alloy wheelsets that DT introduced back in September. Those – CR 1600 & C 1800 – both share the same 23mm deep aluminum rim, with a 22mm inner width to offer affordable tubeless-ready cross wheels at all price levels.
DT says their wider Cross Road family is for those “there may be a road” rides. What that means to each rider can vary – maybe it is an hour racing circles in a muddy field or maybe it’s a paved road that turns into dirt, before finally devolving into singletrack.
The new carbon wheels are making their way out through distribution channels as we type, and will be available to consumers in March 2018 through your regular DT dealer.
