DT 240s straight-pull hubs

[mvrider]

Interesting new offerings from DT Swiss:
http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/06/18/2013-dt-swiss-forks-shocks-and-road-mountain-bike-wheels-hubs-and-rims-official-pics-specs/#more-44914
http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/240s-straightpull-road-600x171.png

Straight-pull spokes to match, too. Any opinions?

Also recently learned from Joe Young about new wider rims: the RR 440, which are not even on the DT web site yet.

[DRietz]

My opinion is that I hate tensioning straight-pull wheels.

What's the benefit?

[esldude]

Why are tensioning straight pull hubs a problem?

[DRietz]

Why are tensioning straight pull hubs a problem?

Not to be rude, but have you done it? Rather than just tensioning the wheel quickly and without much issue, you're going from spoke to spoke with one hand attempting to keep them from twisting via pliers or similar tools.

It's pretty annoying, at least for me, and takes up some time for no added benefit.

[esldude]

Hey, I only asked a question. If I had done it and disagreed I would have simply stated such.

No I haven't done it. Wondered if the issue was what you described. Apparently it is. But rather than guessing I asked.

[DRietz]

Hey, I only asked a question. If I had done it and disagreed I would have simply stated such.

No I haven't done it. Wondered if the issue was what you described. Apparently it is. But rather than guessing I asked.

Sigh. I said "Not to be rude." :(

Sorry.

Yeah, they're annoying. Some more experienced wheel builders on this board likely laugh in the face of straight pull hubs, but not I...I cry.

[oldpotatoe]

Sigh. I said "Not to be rude." :(

Sorry.

Yeah, they're annoying. Some more experienced wheel builders on this board likely laugh in the face of straight pull hubs, but not I...I cry.

I don't laugh or cry, but see it's mostly marketing. Interesting as well since DT doesn't offer straight pull spokes in general. Another answer to a not asked question that makes for unique to that wheel 'stuff'. Hard to complain about pretty standard rims, hubs, spokes, for a wheel, afterall, but seems many still do. Remember wheels, like the rest of the bike, is there to get you there, little more.

[ultraman6970]

Interesting... I have one set of wheels built with pillar straight pulls and the wheels are great... way better than mavicccc! :D

I agree the darn spokes twist and turn, but nothing hard to figure it out like a piece of plastic with a cut to ohld the spokes, I have used wood sticks and made the cut out using a dremel... But yes I see the point that are not easy to handle if the builder has no patience.

At least my built doesnt go out of true with anything, the tension in the spokes apparently gets higher than with regular spokes too so at least myself i ended with a stronger wheel... 220 pounds with 16 spokes in the front at triplet 24 in the back.

Wonder how much are those hubs. Knowing DT probably like 500 bucks the pair, that makes them out my range from the start.

[torquer]

From the DT cut posted on BikeRumor:
"Nail Head spokes
Due to the specific shape of the straight spoke and the hub contact area, the spokes cannot twist under load or while truing, always keeping their perfect aerodynamic orientation."

I've never had a straight-pull spoke break, and truing wasn't that big an issue the one or two times it was needed; J-bend spokes, on the other hand, almost always break at the elbow (again, in my experience), so why not go with a straight-pull design?

I've long wondered about the dearth of straight-pull hubs offered by manufacturers, especially considering the success of Ksyriums (bombproof, in my experience) and their adaption by Shimano (among others) for their pre-built wheels (C24s are at the top of my lust-after list). I suppose it's just market inertia, but maybe the logjam is breaking with DT's offerings.

[Mark McM]

I agree the darn spokes twist and turn, but nothing hard to figure it out like a piece of plastic with a cut to ohld the spokes, I have used wood sticks and made the cut out using a dremel... But yes I see the point that are not easy to handle if the builder has no patience.

That works fine with bladed spokes, but not with round spokes. For round spokes, you often need a special "twist resist" clamping tool to hold the spokes

At least my built doesnt go out of true with anything, the tension in the spokes apparently gets higher than with regular spokes too so at least myself i ended with a stronger wheel... 220 pounds with 16 spokes in the front at triplet 24 in the back.

Higher spoke tension can often increase wheel strength, but tension is limited by the rim, not by the spokes (regardless of whether the spokes are straight or bent).

[Mark McM]

I've never had a straight-pull spoke break, and truing wasn't that big an issue the one or two times it was needed; J-bend spokes, on the other hand, almost always break at the elbow (again, in my experience), so why not go with a straight-pull design?

If the elbow of a J-bend spoke is properly seated, it won't break at the elbow. In fact, a properly seated J-bend spoke may actually be more fatigue resistant than a straight pull spoke. That's because the grain structure in the elbow is typically more aligned than at the head of the spoke - the head of the spoke is formed by "squashing" the end of the wire and mushrooming it, which breaks up the grain orientation.

It takes more time and effort to properly seat the spoke elbow, so unfortunately many wheels are built with poorly seated elbows. This has led to reputation for spoke elbows breaking. However, in a spoke with a properly seated elbow, it is the actually the valley of the threads which is the weak part of a spoke.

I've long wondered about the dearth of straight-pull hubs offered by manufacturers, especially considering the success of Ksyriums (bombproof, in my experience) and their adaption by Shimano (among others) for their pre-built wheels (C24s are at the top of my lust-after list). I suppose it's just market inertia, but maybe the logjam is breaking with DT's offerings.

For straight pull spokes, the hub spoke holes must be drilled at fixed angles, which limits spoke patterns that can be used. With J-bend spokes, the same hub can be used for a variety of different crossing patterns. In addition, it can be more time consuming to lace straight pull spokes since the spokes all must be threaded through at a different angle (with elbow spokes, there are basically only two angles to thread the all spokes into the hub - from the left, and from the right).

[Bobde1234]

I'm currently looking at hubs/rims/wheels and straight pull seems interesting. I didn't consider straight pull could rotate at the head so I learned something out of this thread for sure. Has anyone built up and own these hubs?

[sales guy]

I don't laugh or cry, but see it's mostly marketing. Interesting as well since DT doesn't offer straight pull spokes in general. Another answer to a not asked question that makes for unique to that wheel 'stuff'. Hard to complain about pretty standard rims, hubs, spokes, for a wheel, afterall, but seems many still do. Remember wheels, like the rest of the bike, is there to get you there, little more.


I get my straight pulls from Paceline. They have always had stock of them. I used to get straight pull for Pulstar hubs from them. QBP and the like may not stock straight pull spokes, which is odd as many companies use straight pull for wheels. Zipp, DT, mavic, Shimano, dash, velocity, campy and others. So they're out there as a pretty stock item being used.

Personally, I don't mind them. It's not a gimmick in design also. Is it worth people to switch everything they have to straight pull, no. But I'm not going to turn away a fantastic hubset because they are straight pull.

[sales guy]

I'm currently looking at hubs/rims/wheels and straight pull seems interesting. I didn't consider straight pull could rotate at the head so I learned something out of this thread for sure. Has anyone built up and own these hubs?


When initially building the wheel or if you're using no lube or using a spoke locking liquid, yes, they turn easily. Once they have tension, they don't turn or turn much. Everyone should use a twist resist spoke tool anyways when building or truing, so I don't see an issue with them.

I have not used this set of dts as they're new. But I have used previous versions and haven't had issues. DT makes an excellent hub. Excellent product in general. I only use DT spokes when building unless someone absolutely has to have something else. And I have found more failures with other brands than DT.

[oldpotatoe]

I get my straight pulls from Paceline. They have always had stock of them. I used to get straight pull for Pulstar hubs from them. QBP and the like may not stock straight pull spokes, which is odd as many companies use straight pull for wheels. Zipp, DT, mavic, Shimano, dash, velocity, campy and others. So they're out there as a pretty stock item being used.

Personally, I don't mind them. It's not a gimmick in design also. Is it worth people to switch everything they have to straight pull, no. But I'm not going to turn away a fantastic hubset because they are straight pull.

Post from June.......but happy with conventional spokes(j bend) and conventional hubs. Not gonna see a rash of straight pull hubs.

[sales guy]

Post from June.......but happy with conventional spokes(j bend) and conventional hubs. Not gonna see a rash of straight pull hubs.

I never looked at the date. You're probably right we won't see a huge amount of straight pull hubs. I do like the DT hubs though. Good solid hubs.

[EricEstlund]

I know this is an older post, but DT does offer several spokes in straight pull (Champs, Comps, Aerolites and Aero Comps). There are also Sapim CX Rays, CX and Leader, not to mention Pillar. Wheelsmith also makes a range.

There is also no shortage of straight pull hubs on the market, both in pre builts and on their own.

[oldpotatoe]

I never looked at the date. You're probably right we won't see a huge amount of straight pull hubs. I do like the DT hubs though. Good solid hubs.

Big fan of DT altho the 240 have gotten expen$ive..350s are very nice and almost identical except for country of manufacture. DA9000 got really expensive also, and they look really similar to 7900, except for the longer FH body, not sure why they got expensive..6800 really nice.

[sales guy]

Big fan of DT altho the 240 have gotten expen$ive..350s are very nice and almost identical except for country of manufacture. DA9000 got really expensive also, and they look really similar to 7900, except for the longer FH body, not sure why they got expensive..6800 really nice.


I agree. The prices of hubs have gone insane lately. Not sure why. But a couple years ago 240's were about 300 a pair retail. Now that's the wholesale price! Crazy. Same thing with campy and Shimano hubs. The only thing relatively consistent is King hubs. They've changed a little but not much given everyone else's price jump.

[Bobde1234]

I do like the looks of the dt straight pull hubs. I'm looking to build up or buy wheels and have been looking at lots of options. I honestly have only ever had one spoke break, but like the idea of easily obtainable spokes. I guess strictly a cosmetic thing is that the spoke head is recessed in the hub hole, and with some rebuilds, you won't have easily visible markings from the last build.

[sales guy]

Bobde,

Straight pulls are available. Will a local shop have them, might, might not. But then again, they may not have the correct j bend ones either.