Wheels

DT Swiss RR21 Dicut wheelset

Aluminium hoops which prove there's more to life than carbon

While carbon wheelsets are often a point of pride for many roadies, they’re not the be all and end all of cycling performance. DT Swiss’ RR21 Dicut wheels prove it – we were big fans when we originally had them in for review.

Centre-stage with the RR21 is the weight, coming in at a claimed 1,415g (630g front and 785g rear), which means climbing performance is naturally one of the strong points. Of course, this is arrived at using a shallow 21mm rim, but it’s not like they’re built as svelte as humanly possible.

That’s because the inner rim width measures at 18mm, while the outer is 22mm, and in order to arrive at those widths DT Swiss have naturally had to use a touch more material. The upside is spot-on compatibility with 25c and 28c tyres, bringing additional comfort and grip benefits when run at lower pressures.

On top of that, if you make the most of the tubeless compatibility, you have wheels which are serious all-day, comfortable, lightweight competitors.

Features include an asymmetric rear rim, designed to boost stiffness. It means power input from the drivetrain, naturally on the right-hand side of the bike, is distributed more evenly through the wheels – resulting in a cleaner, more balanced ride that eschews flex.

DT Swiss have opted to use their own spokes – Aerolites only in the front wheel, and a mix of Aerolites and Aero Comps in the rear – and they have straight pull, ‘nail head’ design, which means they can’t twist under load or while truing, so they should maintain their original aerodynamic orientation.

Those spokes are laced to DT Swiss’ Dicut hubs; a design concept introduced in 2012 with the aim to increase stiffness thanks to the wider flanges.

The Dicut 240 hubs also provide a notably efficient and reliable platform for the wheels, thanks to DT Swiss’ own ratchet system. DT Swiss are world-renowned for their hubs and the bottom line here is you’re getting a very stiff, efficient set of wheels.

DT Swiss RR21 Dicut

As a result, the RR21 Dicut hoops are real players in the lightweight alloy wheelset market. Aluminium might not be able to match carbon when it comes to aerodynamics but here you’re getting a set of wheels with neat and innovative design touches that maximise stiffness and stability, while being versatile for everyday use.

“The DT Swiss RR21 Dicuts aren’t just practical, they’re can-do wheels which deliver wherever they’re needed,” was our original review verdict – and it remains true to this day.