A First Look at the New DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30 Wheels

Furthering the evolution of the gravel wheel range they debuted in 2019, DT Swiss unveiled their latest off-road-oriented hoops at the 2024 edition of UNBOUND Gravel in Emporia, Kansas, earlier this morning. Today’s release features two high-end carbon wheelsets for adventure tourers and gravel racers. As is typical with DT Swiss, the new wheels’ naming conventions require a little dissecting to make sense of. In total, there are 22 new model configurations that vary based on rim height/diameter, hubs, spokes, and cassette interface. Read on for a big-picture summary of what’s new and my first-ride review of the DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30 wheels.

At the heart of DT Swiss’s new releases are two new carbon rims, the GRC DICUT 30 and GRC DICUT 50. Both rims share a 24mm internal width but differ in height. The 30mm high GRC 30 rim is tailored more toward adventure riding, and DT Swiss says its key benefits are agility and puncture resistance, owing to its wide flanges. The 50mm tall, aerodynamically optimized GRC 50 rim is targeted at racers, and DT Swiss claims speed is its primary benefit with its low-drag design.

The GRC 30 and GRC 50 rims come directly from the mold, meaning they’re ready to ride and require no finishing work. The patent-pending molding process yields an air-pocket-free layup without resin build-up, which they said improves reliability. It also avoids the need for a final coating and adds to the sleek design.

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Packaged with hubs and spokes, the two new wheel levels released today are the DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT and GRC 1400 DICUT, both of which are available paired with 30mm or 50mm high rims, as outlined above. The GRC 1100 DICUT and GRC 1400 DICUT wheels come with a maximum system weight of 130 kilograms (286 pounds) for rider, rig, and gear, which will be pushing it for heavier riders on loaded bikes. They also sport DT Swiss’s ASTM 2 classification, meaning they’re rated for riding on a mix of paved and unpaved surfaces with drops up to 15 centimeters (six inches).

DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30 OVERVIEW

As pictured, the new DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30 wheels, which they call the “ultimate off-road wheels,” boast lightweight GRC 30 DICUT carbon rims, top-end 180 DICUT hubs with ceramic bearings and a 36T Ratchet EXP System, and 24 of the brand’s lightest bladed DT Aerolite II T-head spokes in a 2-cross pattern. They’re only offered with a center lock disc brake interface and 12 x 100/142mm thru-axle spacing. DT Swiss offers the 30mm high wheels in 650B and 700C versions with Campagnolo N3W, Shimano Micro Spline, Shimano ROAD, and SRAM XDR Road cassette interfaces. Tubeless tape and valves come pre-installed.

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These are unabashedly high-end wheels with a price tag to match. In the GRC 1100 DICUT 30 configuration with 180 hubs and Aerolite II spokes, they come in at $2,999.80/set, which is certainly more than any casual bikepacker or gravel needs to spend. With DT Swiss, it’s generally true that the lower the number, the lighter and pricier the offering, and riders who want to save a little and don’t mind slightly heavier 240 hubs and Aero Comp II spokes can buy the GRC 1400 DICUT 30/50 wheels for a slightly more reasonable $2,399.80/set.

We don’t often cover wheels with just 24 spokes on the site because most dirt-oriented wheels are 28 spokes these days, which seems like a reasonable minimum. I’d guess the relatively conservative weight rating and ASTM classification stem in part from the decision to go with only 24 spokes, though the team at DT Swiss would have knowingly made the compromise in the name of weight savings and added compliance—things riders with a light-and-fast mentality will likely appreciate.

Out of the Box

Pulling the GRC 1100 DICUT 30s out of the box, the first thing that struck me was how the wheels are somehow understated and eye-catching at once. The matte black of the of the rims, hubs, and spokes lends a subtle look, and the metallic silver and pop of red near the valve hole add a little flash. I think they strike a perfect balance between boring and garish, which is by no means a guarantee in today’s wheel market.

When I first handled them, I was also struck by their minimal weight, with the front wheel coming in at just 650 grams and the rear wheel tipping the scales at just 770 grams, both with valves and tape installed. The super light and flat spokes convey that these airy wheels are meant for going fast, and they had me excited to take them out for an initial spin.

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Setting the wheels up tubeless was among the easiest installation experiences I’ve had to date, and my 700 x 50mm Goodyear Connectors went on mess-free on the first try with only a standard floor pump. DT Swiss opted for a hooked rim design, which they say is the “ultimate solution for safety and ease of use,” enabling the tire to sit securely on the rim even when pushed through extreme conditions. Based on wind tunnel testing, they also report a clear aerodynamic advantage to a hooked rim, though that’s not a selling point for me.

First-Ride Review

All of us on the BIKEPACKING.com team appreciate taking our time with products before publishing formal reviews of them, and I’m not at all comfortable making recommendations based on a few rides, especially for high-end items. I typically like to have at least a few months with anything before sharing feedback on this platform. Since I’ve only been riding the DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30s for about a week now, these are merely initial observations and impressions, not buying advice.

I opted for the 700C version of the GRC 1100 DICUT 30 with a Campagnolo N3W cassette interface so I could use them on my Sour Purple Haze with a 13-speed Campagnolo Ekar groupset. It’s a bike I absolutely love and often ride on long mixed-surface day trips and fast gravel loops but rarely take out for fully loaded bikepacking. These wheels are a great match for the way I ride the Sour, and they feel more at home on it than anything else in my stable.

The GRC 1100 DICUT 30s are about 1,200 grams lighter than the aluminum dynamo set they replaced on the Purple Haze, more than enough to make a significant difference in how the bike felt and handled, all other factors (including the tires) being the same. With the significantly reduced weight and top-end hubs, it accelerated more quickly and carried speed better in a way that just about any rider would notice. The distinctive freehub sound of the DT Swiss 180 hubs rounded out its change of character, making it feel like a new bike. These wheels have a luxurious look, feel, and sound.

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I think a 50mm tire on a 24mm IW rim is the sweet spot, and the Connectors felt great through corners on dirt and pavement. The 30mm height is practical for mixed applications, and I can’t ever see myself running a 50mm tall rim; I’m glad DT Swiss is catering to folks in both camps with these new wheels. Part of the beauty of the DT Swiss 180 rear hub is that it’s ingeniously easy to service without tools, which feels slightly at odds with the internal nipples. They add to the clean and minimal look but make minor spoke tension adjustments considerably more involved.

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After a week of riding, I don’t have any notable performance flaws to report. And, being DT Swiss, I don’t foresee longevity being an issue, either. I’m going to keep riding them throughout the summer and will report back if any problems arise.

• Model tested: DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 30
• Rims Available: GRC 30 / GRC 50
• Hubs Available: DT Swiss 180 / DT Swiss 240
• Actual Weight (front): 650 grams (with tape and valve)
• Actual Weight (rear): 770 grams (with tape and valve)
• Price: $2,999.80 USD
• Manufacturer’s Details: DTSwiss.com

These new wheels are available now through DT Swiss retailers. Learn more at DTSwiss.com.