In The Know Cycling

The DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 50 gives gravel racers and regular gravel riders who occasionally race a top-performing, highly durable, and good-looking wheelset option.

That’s what my fellow tester Conor concluded after riding and racing these wheels for over 1,000 miles across Vermont’s range of dirt roads to technical trails and at the business end of several of the Green Mountain State’s top gravel events.

STAND-OUT PERFORMANCE

While the GRC 1100 DICUT 50 stakes DT Swiss’s place in the next stage of gravel wheelset evolution, its performance stands above its design.

It’s a “go-fast” wheelset in every sense.

It feels stiff and lively when you do hard accelerations from a slow or steady pace, ride through corners, or change your line on all but the steepest terrain.

The GRC 1100 is also surprisingly stable in stiff crosswinds on open roads. It seems to ride faster than any 50 mm-deep wheelset should in these conditions.

Its responsiveness, aero performance, and stability improve on what we experienced with the DT Swiss GRC 1400 Spline DB 42, the wheelset the GRC 1100 replaces, and one we ranked highly among dedicated gravel wheelsets.

And somewhat surprisingly, it rides more comfortably than the GRC 1400, a lighter and shallower wheelset.

No, it isn’t as plush as wheels that focus on comfort, like the Campagnolo Levante we recommend for all-day, adventure-type riding. But it’s also not harsh.

Instead, Conor found that if you, like him, are always pushing for speed and ride the full range of gravel class surfaces, the GRC 1100 DICUT 50s with a 45 mm-wide tire will give you a kind of Goldilocks “just right” amount of comfort.

DESIGNED FOR SPEED

While wheelset design doesn’t lead directly to performance out on the road or trail, DT Swiss created this model to be more aero for the 20mph/32kph and faster average speeds that top gravel racers now ride.

The rims measure 50mm deep and 36.5mm at their widest point. And, the rim profile recalls the toroid shape used in early Zipp and HED aero road wheels.

Notably different, however, the rim suddenly narrows from that widest point, at what almost looks like a bevel cut angle, ending at the rim’s tire edge with a modern-day road wheel’s internal width of 24mm and hooked rims.

The GRC 1100 DICUT 50’s bladed DT Swiss spokes and hidden nipples reinforce its aero intentions. The DT Swiss 180 hubs aim to make the wheels roll incrementally smoother. However, it is impossible to determine whether these components achieve their objectives from field testing.

The wheelset, with its rims, spokes, and hubs, looks stunning, and not just to Conor and me. Its rim shape, semi-gloss finish, and silver logo and graphics were magnets for positive comments from fellow riders.

The added depth and width make the GRC 1100 DICUT 50 quite heavy overall compared to most gravel wheelsets, though not much more than those from Zipp, ENVE, Hunt, and others with similar rim dimensions and racing intentions. These aren’t climbing wheels, but the added weight helps maintain your momentum across long, flat stretches of rough gravel surfaces at higher speeds.

Throughout our testing, the wheels were rock-solid. They emerged functionally and cosmetically unscathed with zero issues, and they remained true after several months of hard rides and races.

All of this comes at the high price of US$2910, £2400, €2400, available from BTD (BikeTiresDirect) and Freewheel. However, if the performance, design, looks, and durability that define the DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT 50 align with how you ride gravel and what you value in your gear, this is a hard wheelset to pass up.

In The Know Cycling is ad-free, subscription-free, and reader-supported. If you want to help keep it rolling without any added cost to you, buy your gear and kit after clicking the store links on the site. When you do, we may earn an affiliate commission that will help me cover the expenses to create and publish our independent, comprehensive and comparative reviews. Thank you, Steve. Learn more.

See how these wheels compare to others in my review The Best Gravel Wheels.