I am beginning to think, considering road/gravel, straight pull, hubs, that the DT 350 is actually DTs best hub all around. Yes, the 240 and 180 are a little lighter, and the 180 has ceramic bearings, but the weight difference is small, and ceramic bearings are of questionable benefit anyway…. Considering that big part of the weight difference is due to the 240 and 180 using smaller bearings in the hubs for the most part (freewheel body bearings are the same size), it is likely that the 350, with its larger bearings, will have less rolling resistance, and longer bearing life, as larger bearings will be faster and last longer. Of course one could always outfit the 350 with ceramic bearings aftermarket as well once the OE bearings start going bad (which IME takes a long time with the 350 hubs).
I just do not think the small weight difference is significant at all, and the larger bearings have got to offer benefits, what do others think?
I am not going to argue that it’s their “best” hub. But it is the hub that appeals to me the most, comparing price, weight, etc. All of my wheels that have DT hubs have 350 hubs. Great value.
Yeah. IDK. There are different freehub mechanisms; pawls, standard ratchet, EXP, and DEG. I have a standard ratchet on one wheelset and EXP on another. IDK the relative merits, except the DEG has higher POE.
I did emphasize that my choice was for road/gravel, where the 36T ratchet standard on the 350 is ideal, more engagement does not matter. EXP and DEG really are of no advantage unless we are talking about MTB racing. My point was that it seems to me the 350 would actually have lower rolling resistance due to the larger main bearings, and that the only drawback was that the 350 is a little heavier, but the weight difference is extremely marginal in terms of performance.
Totally. I emphasized I didn’t know the relative merits of the different ratchet systems, only knowing that DEG has higher POE, and not suggesting one or the other whether it’s a benefit.
I think for 90% of situations and riders, the 350 is the best hub out there. The only advantage of rhe 240 is it’s lighter. The 350 is more robust, has high engagement, and is more easily serviceable (bearings are way easier to get out). Maybe im a little biased because I just had a serious battle wi trying to replace a 240 bearing!
240 or 180 only really make sense on a race wheelset where weight is high priority. For daily drivers, 350 all the way.
Out of curiosity, are there any other hubs that are of the same quality as DT Swiss hubs, which are available separately?
E. g. I have a 3T-branded hub on my carbon wheels, which have been flawless after 4 years of use. They use a basic, rugged design, which means they are very easy to service. But I don’t think they are available for purchase separately.
Shimano hubs are (in my experience) great, I have never done any maintenance on any of them without any issues. But you are limited to HG or Microspline cassettes.
I’ve had several pairs of 350’s over the yesrs, not one issue. I just recently upgraded to a 54 tooth rachet and honestly cant tell the difference. I did have a pair of 240’s several years ago and went thru the bearings in one season.
Tons of hub brands, but it’s arguable as which are better/worse and for what reasons. Some that come to mind: Chris King, White Industries, Hope, Industry 9, Tune, Phil Wood, Onyx, Enve, Zipp, One Up, Hunt, …. I have Bitex hubs, Novatec hubs, and SRAM hubs I’ve bought individually. Those are generally considered “value” hubs rather than high end.
Exactly. I have had 350s, 240s, 180s. 240s are more than enough for a solid race setup and really nice but nothing can beat the value of a 350 with a ratchet upgrade. Plus it’s so easy to find parts and swap freehubs and end caps to move around parts and easy-ish to service in the rare chance you need to. May not be the sexiest option but it’s bulletproof for most.
The 350s on my gravel bike have seen 4 seasons of use so far, with about 6K miles per season, and the bearings are still buttery smooth. I suspect the smaller bearings used in the 240s just do not last as long due to their size. Smaller bearings save weight, but it seems a trade off with durability, and, perhaps even rolling resistance. Of course, changing out bearings is not that big of a deal, but given that the weight difference is not really all that significant, I kind of think that the 350s are the better choice, even for racing: saving a few ounces makes no real world difference, even in racing.