DT Swiss Spoke Butt Lengths - Shortest Cut for Spoke Cutting
 

Hi, I'm looking for some details on DT Swiss spokes and hoping someone knows this stuff, or has some inventory on hand to check. What I'm looking for is the length of the butted section on the threaded end. In other words, what's the shortest spoke that can be cut and threaded from them. Does DT Swiss have 2 sizes of blanks like Wheelsmith spokes? Anyone know the sizes? I'm mostly interested in the Competition model, but any model information would be appreciated.

For example Wheelsmith has 2 lengths of DB14 (2.0/1.7/2.0) blanks:
310mm (shortest cut 280mm)
278mm (shortest cut 246mm)

I checked the DT Swiss Tech Catalog & website, but it only lists the spoke butting diameters and the overall size range 238-300mm

Thanks!

I've got some DT swiss competitions at home... I'll try to remember to measure them when I get there.

EDIT: Mine are 295s and 297s... so that may not help you, but I'll measure them anyway.

IIRC, the butted section didn't go very far past the threading. Definitely not far enough to cut spokes short enough for 26" wheels.

For pretty much all manufacturers, butted spokes come in two specs:

Racing/Competition - Short Butted End
L45 - 45mm Butted End

For some the spec is by model line, for some it's however the distributor or retailer wanted their spokes.


For example, most DT Swiss 2.0 / 1.8 / 2.0 are L45 with 45mm end butts. Most shops will order 310s, 280s and 250s for their comprehensive spoke needs.


But most DT Swiss 2.0 / 1.6 / 2.0 will have the "Racing" or "Competition" spec with a threaded end that has only 5mm of butting left. In other words, there's not much room for cutting and rethreading.


What DT Swiss specs are for 2.0 / 1.7 / 2.0? I don't know...but I won't be surprised if it turns out to be the same for 2.0 / 1.6 / 2.0.


When I order CNspoke double butted, I go with L45 and order 310s, 280s and 250s.

=8-)

Glad to see you back posting!!

I just checked my wheel with DT Swiss 14/15DB & 15/16DB.
They appeared the same as each other, just using the "notch gauge" from my TM-1. & eyeball from me.

I have the a set of 295mm competition spokes and they have 25mm of butted section left AFTER the threads. Threads are 10ish. Measured just a few minutes ago. My competition spokes are 2.0/1.8/2.0.

My 297mm (or maybe 298... I forget) DT swiss revolution spokes (I believe they're 2.0/1.5/2.0) only have 6mm of full diameter butted section after the 10mm of threaded section.

My guess is DT Swiss considers 2.0/1.5/2.0, 2.0/1.6/2.0 and 2.0/1.7/2.0 to be the lightweight racing class spokes and go the limited butting route.

=8-)

I don't have any * / 1.7 / * to test so I really can't help the OP here.

=8-(

BTW, Sapim lists the CX-Ray as 182mm to 310mm.

CX-RAY | Sapim

Butted spokes vary, but for example, their D-Light (2.0/1.65/2.0) is listed from 135 to 310.

Thanks for the info everyone.

mrrabbit - I was listing wheelsmith's 2.0/1.7/2.0 just as an example spoke, not as the specific DT Swiss spoke I was looking for. Sorry to lead you astray on that

According to the DT Swiss site there are 2 Competition models of spokes, one with 2.0/1.8/2.0 and another with 1.8/1.6/1.8. I'm interested in hearing about both of those if anyone else has some spokes around.

The 2.0 / 1.8 / 2.0 have L45 long butted ends.

This I know as I just built a set of 700c downhill tubeless wheels with em last week from the DT Swiss box packaging.

=8-)

I do a lot of builds with CX-Ray and find that usually there is room to shorten by 8 to 10mm, but not much more than that.