So today for you DFS is better that XCMS? If you need buy a new set your first option will be DFS?
Regards,
William
What did the set cost?
The complete builds for these wheels are really well priced vs. just getting the hubs.
I've put my set, built with THR R3 hubs and CXRay-Super spokes, through the wringer, and I couldn't be happier, regardless of the price point. I've grown to really appreciate these hubs as they have been reliable, and checking the preload seems easier, and I can get them to roll better than the DT system, which relies on tightening the thru axle to 12nm.
You can see my full review here, which includes both ride impressions and some crude, outdoor, aero testing: https://chinertown.com/index.php?topic=6243.0
There is a part of me that regrets not getting purple Rx hubs, though I am less sure about the newer, lighter rims they have out, since I think I would still go with the same layup given how much I ride and how many potholes and road debris I encounter. I am also curious to see how Sander gets on with the R2 hubs, which I think are positioned as more of the product built to be high-end but still reliable, sort of the DT240 in their lineup.
I have 88/800 + R2 + sapim cx-ray spokes and I can only confirm the great build quality.
R2 hub is dope but might sound loud to certain person. I personally love that but if you don't it might not be a good choice
The conical ratchet used on the R3 and Rx are even larger than the R2 and supposedly louder. Its a different sound, but these are louder than CK hubs. :-[
The actual design of these ratchets is very cool. It's not a unique design, Non-Plus does something similar, though these are Ti vs. coated alloy, so I think the THR hubs have an advantage.
(https://imgur.com/Vlmk814h.jpg)
I also believe that THR Industries is using angular contact bearings like DT Swiss rather than deep groove radial bearings like H-Works. If you can keep them adjusted to the right preload, they should last longer. These hubs are very expensive compared to what most people expect from a Chinese OEM wheel hub, but very cool in terms of design.
Ordered a custom set of DFS gravel wheels. Communication with Angler was smooth and quick. Just got pictures of the wheels before shipment.
44mm rims, UXL version
32mm internal, 39mm external
UD Paintless glossy finish
Hubs: R1 D (entry level hub, not the same as the R1)
CX-Ray spokes
1298 grams
I feel that sub 1k gram wheels would break on me specially on how I ride since I am a calorie collector aka quite heavy
Ideally, I’d prefer a wider internal width (24–25mm). DFS rims are 25mm, and they’ve now introduced a SUXL rim using the same profile as their other models. When I asked how they managed to achieve a lighter rim with the same profile, they explained these rims use T1100 carbon vs T1000. The rims are rated for 90kg rider weight (not system load limit) and have passed 95J impact testing.
238g hubs (20/20H) carbon spokes 3.2mm, This setup comes in at 982g total weight , which is impressive.
And they do hidden carbon spoke nipples I like! ;D
In total agreement with you. Any price quote on this build yet? I wonder if we'll see a Lunar New Year discount next month.
Do they do more budget steel spoked builds aswell?
Where do i best contact them?
Thanks in advance
Received my DFS order the other day. Talked with Angler Wang on whatsapp, very good communication. Prices might change, all in usd, but I paid 899 for the wheels, 404 for the crankset+spider+chainrings, 150 for the axels, and 85 for shipping to Canada. Then he gave me an special order now price of 1500usd for everything ::)
Ordered Jan 14, it was shipped out Jan 30, and I received them Feb 11. Ordered their 'ultralight' wheelset with carbon spokes, 25/32 profile, and 45mm depth. The CT1 crankset + carbon spider + chainrings (just passquest rings), and the dfs carbon axels. Will not have a chance to ride anything outdoors for another few months but initial impressions are very positive! Wheelset is incredibly light at 948g. Mocked up on the frame in the stand and they all seem perfectly trued. The CT1 cranks were the slightly budget option and look great, still very light as well.
https://imgur.com/a/tU5mOt4
$85 shipping is cheaper than I'd expect, did you have to pay any tolls/taxes/etc?
This time I’m going 65/65mm with THRs RX HUB
How do the RX compare to the R2?
Lighter and pricier, probably. But bearings and otherwise similar?
I originally ordered the RX hubs (~205 g) because the weight is impressive, but once I started running the spoke and rim calculations, the build stopped making sense for my use case.
The rims i have chose are 65 mm deep, 25 mm internal, 32.4 mm external, 425 g each, with a 100–110 kg load rating. I’m 78 kg, ~85 kg with bike and kit, so I’m well within the limit but not by a huge margin. On a deep 65 mm rim, lateral stiffness and spoke strength matter more than chasing the last 70–80 g in the hub.
The spoke data is what really pushed me away from the RX:
2.3 mm spokes
• Tensile Force In Destructive Testing: 280–300 kgf
• Outgoing Inspection: 180–200 kgf
• Lateral rigidity failure: 80 kgf
3.1 mm spokes
• Tensile Force In Destructive Testing: 350 kgf
• Outgoing Inspection: 280 kgf
• Lateral rigidity failure: 80 kgf
3.95 mm / 5.1 mm spokes
• Tensile Force In Destructive Testing: 500 kgf
Outgoing Inspection: 320 kgf
• Lateral rigidity failure: 115 kgf
The RX hub only accepts steel or carbon spokes up to 2.3 mm. That caps both the tensile margin and the lateral rigidity before failure at 80 kgf. For a 65 mm rim under an 80+ kg system, that was simply not enough margin.
There is a carbon spoke that fits the RX, but it’s almost 5 g per spoke—so to make the RX work, I’d have to use heavier spokes that completely erase the hub’s weight advantage.
By contrast, I already have an R2 wheelset on 55 mm rims using 3.2 mm spokes, and that setup works extremely well. The R2 geometry clearly supports larger‑section spokes without issues, and the stiffness difference is obvious on the road. That real‑world experience made the decision even clearer.
So I switched to the THR R2 hub (285 g pair):
• 7075‑T651 shell, TC4 Ti axle
• 2:1 rear lacing with 3‑cross on the drive side
• Asymmetric flange layout for better tension balance
• Accepts 3.95 mm spokes without restriction
With the 3.95 mm spokes, I get:
• A huge tensile margin (500 kgf vs 280–300 kgf)
• Higher safe build tension
• A major jump in lateral rigidity failure (115 kgf vs 80 kgf)
• Better stability on a deep 65 mm rim
• A safer structural margin given my system weight
Once you compare the full system:
RX + thin spokes → low stiffness, low margin
RX + heavy carbon spokes → kills the weight advantage
R2 + 3.95 mm spokes → similar total weight, far better stiffness and durability
It becomes obvious that chasing the lightest hub is the wrong optimisation. Spokes and geometry dominate how the wheel actually performs.
That’s why I cancelled the RX (also nearly $1000 USD) and went with the R2 + 3.95 mm spokes.
I still have time and I am looking at other spoke options, but the direction is clear: prioritise spoke section, stiffness, and safety margin over saving a handful of grams in the hub.
Very Short Video Popped up on YT for DFS
https://youtu.be/4FJpWMH1QN0?si=22NtfSMJy8IV_Zjn
Bit short but something!
Looks very amateur.. :O
It's worth noting that tensile strength and stiffness are not necessarily related (especially if you're e.g. comparing carbon to steel spokes). Tensile strength tells you when something will break, but it does not tell you how much it has deformed at that point (i.e. the stiffness). You can have spokes that might have higher tensile strength than other spokes, but still be less stiff and build into a softer wheel. So it's important to know whether the concern is if the wheel or spokes will actually break, or whether the concern is that it's stiff enough during acceleration, hard cornerning, etc.
I'm pretty sure the THR hubs could be drilled for regular carbon spokes as well, unless it was just the RX hub
Does anyone have any input about their Ghost series? I'm looking at 50mm, 985g, 25mm internal, 32mm external, 110kg system weight limit... Sounds insane and a bit too goo to be true? Please share your opinions. Thanks
Limits 100kg?I think non of these have sub 1kg wheels that are also this wide. And except Zen carbon, but Zen carbon comes with a heaftier price tag if i am not mistaken?
Why too good to be true there are a load of Sub 1000g or close to 1000g 50mm wheelsets on the market at the moment
9Velo
Avians
Zen Carbon
Nextie
Overfast
Brisk
Brisk
Limits 100kg?I also found Monokeros on Cyclegears - https://cyclegears.net/products/monokeros-ares-wheelset
Why too good to be true there are a load of Sub 1000g or close to 1000g 50mm wheelsets on the market at the moment
9Velo
Avians
Zen Carbon
Nextie
Overfast
Brisk
Brisk
Long-Term Review – DFS Carbon 60/65mm Wheelset
After 6/7 months of consistent use it’s time to share a proper long-term review. I bought these back in April
Specs
Rims: T1000 UXL
Front: 60mm – 400g
Rear: 65mm – 423.6g
25mm inner / 32.4mm outer width
UV profile
Hubs: H-Works SR270 – 276g 20 spoke holes from and rear
Spokes: 5.1mm wide bladed carbon,
Actual Weight: 1231g (vs 1256g estimated) — This was light when I bought them now these are likley considered heavy afet only 6 monts l :lol:
I bought direct from DFS Carbon after chatting with Angler Wang, the owner. He was persistent in saying he had a quality product — and to be fair, he backed it up. Super responsive, answered all my questions, and gave me confidence to go ahead.
I paid via bank transfer (better rate, no PayPal fees) — and yeah, I did wonder if anything would actually turn up . But everything arrived perfectly packaged and bang on time
……
Hi SanderHey Liam
What’s your opinion on how the 25mm internal U/V rims handle crosswinds, and, is there a material benefit in going with the R2 hub vs the H-Works 270? I’ve been eyeing up a set of wheels with similar specs to yours, albeit currently speced with the U-shaped 25mm internal with Zara at Zen. My decision is coming down to whether the U-shaped rims are an improvement over the U/V shaped in crosswinds (always seems to be windy in SW London) and if the R2 is worth the extra dosh over the 270. I’ll be getting in touch with Angler too hence posting here.
First post so apologies if I’ve messed up the formatting with included your original comment quoted! Sorry if this is already covered somewhere and if so feel free to point me there, but I’ve read all comments on this thread and those for Zen and XMCS so my brains a bit frazzled!
Cheers
Liam
| # | hub | rim depth | XL RIM Sapim cx-ray Weight (±30g) | UXL RIM Sapim cx-ray Weight (±30g) | XL RIM 1423 spoke Weight (±30g) |
| 1 | R280 (285g) | 30 | 1235.4 | 1105.4 | 1340.4 |
| 2 | R280 (285g) | 35 | 1255 | 1120.4 | 1360 |
| 3 | R280 (285g) | 40 | 1295 | 1150 | 1400 |
| 4 | R280 (285g) | 45 | 1325 | 1170 | 1430 |
| 5 | R280 (285g) | 50 | 1365 | 1190 | 1470 |
| 6 | R280 (285g) | 55 | 1445 | 1240 | 1550 |
| 7 | R280 (285g) | 60 | 1495 | 1290 | 1600 |
| 8 | R280 (285g) | 65 | 1520 | 1350 | 1625 |
| 9 | R240 (240g) | 30 | 1190.4 | 1060.4 | |
| 10 | R240 (240g) | 35 | 1210 | 1075.4 | |
| 11 | R240 (240g) | 40 | 1250 | 1105 | |
| 12 | R240 (240g) | 45 | 1280 | 1125 | |
| 13 | R240 (240g) | 50 | 1320 | 1145 | |
| 14 | R240 (240g) | 55 | 1400 | 1195 | |
| 15 | R240 (240g) | 60 | 1450 | 1245 | |
| 16 | R240 (240g) | 65 | 1475 | 1305 | |
| 17 | R1 (275g) | 30 | 1220.4 | 1090.4 | |
| 18 | R1 (275g) | 35 | 1240 | 1105.4 | |
| 19 | R1 (275g) | 40 | 1280 | 1135 | |
| 20 | R1 (275g) | 45 | 1310 | 1155 | |
| 21 | R1 (275g) | 50 | 1350 | 1175 | |
| 22 | R1 (275g) | 55 | 1430 | 1225 | |
| 23 | R1 (275g) | 60 | 1480 | 1275 | |
| 24 | R1 (275g) | 65 | 1505 | 1335 | |
| 25 | R2 (285g) | 30 | 1230.4 | 1100.4 | |
| 26 | R2 (285g) | 35 | 1250 | 1115.4 | |
| 27 | R2 (285g) | 40 | 1290 | 1145 | |
| 28 | R2 (285g) | 45 | 1320 | 1165 | |
| 29 | R2 (285g) | 50 | 1360 | 1185 | |
| 30 | R2 (285g) | 55 | 1440 | 1235 | |
| 31 | R2 (285g) | 60 | 1490 | 1285 | |
| 32 | R2 (285g) | 65 | 1515 | 1345 |
| # | HUb | Spokes | Rim | PRICE $ | Freight |
| 1 | R280 (285g) Basic Model | Pillar 1423 | XL RIM | 399 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 2 | R280 (285g) Basic Model | Pillar 1420 | XL RIM | 449 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 3 | R280 (285g) Basic Model | Sapim cx-ray | XL RIM | 489 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 4 | R280 (285g) Basic Model | Sapim cx-ray | UXL RIM | 569 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 5 | R1(275g) | Sapim cx-ray | XL RIM | 599 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 6 | R1(275g) | Sapim cx-ray | UXL RIM | 679 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 7 | R240 (240g) | Sapim cx-ray | XL RIM | 649 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 8 | R240 (240g) | Sapim cx-ray | UXL RIM | 729 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 9 | R2 (285g) Premium Model | Sapim cx-ray | XL RIM | 769 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
| 10 | R2 (285g) Premium Model | Sapim cx-ray | UXL RIM | 849 | To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me |
Hey, i got the following data from +86 188 5000 7287 via whatsapp.
R280 (285g) Basic Model with Pillar 1420 and XL RIM for only $ 449 Seems great value, competing with the real budget brands, but I see little info about the R280 and R240 hubs. Anyone that can give more info?
# hub rim depth XL RIM Sapim cx-ray Weight (±30g) UXL RIM Sapim cx-ray Weight (±30g) XL RIM 1423 spoke Weight (±30g) 1 R280 (285g) 30 1235.4 1105.4 1340.4 2 R280 (285g) 35 1255 1120.4 1360 3 R280 (285g) 40 1295 1150 1400 4 R280 (285g) 45 1325 1170 1430 5 R280 (285g) 50 1365 1190 1470 6 R280 (285g) 55 1445 1240 1550 7 R280 (285g) 60 1495 1290 1600 8 R280 (285g) 65 1520 1350 1625 9 R240 (240g) 30 1190.4 1060.4 10 R240 (240g) 35 1210 1075.4 11 R240 (240g) 40 1250 1105 12 R240 (240g) 45 1280 1125 13 R240 (240g) 50 1320 1145 14 R240 (240g) 55 1400 1195 15 R240 (240g) 60 1450 1245 16 R240 (240g) 65 1475 1305 17 R1 (275g) 30 1220.4 1090.4 18 R1 (275g) 35 1240 1105.4 19 R1 (275g) 40 1280 1135 20 R1 (275g) 45 1310 1155 21 R1 (275g) 50 1350 1175 22 R1 (275g) 55 1430 1225 23 R1 (275g) 60 1480 1275 24 R1 (275g) 65 1505 1335 25 R2 (285g) 30 1230.4 1100.4 26 R2 (285g) 35 1250 1115.4 27 R2 (285g) 40 1290 1145 28 R2 (285g) 45 1320 1165 29 R2 (285g) 50 1360 1185 30 R2 (285g) 55 1440 1235 31 R2 (285g) 60 1490 1285 32 R2 (285g) 65 1515 1345
# HUb Spokes Rim PRICE $ Freight 1 R280 (285g) Basic Model Pillar 1423 XL RIM 399 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 2 R280 (285g) Basic Model Pillar 1420 XL RIM 449 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 3 R280 (285g) Basic Model Sapim cx-ray XL RIM 489 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 4 R280 (285g) Basic Model Sapim cx-ray UXL RIM 569 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 5 R1(275g) Sapim cx-ray XL RIM 599 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 6 R1(275g) Sapim cx-ray UXL RIM 679 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 7 R240 (240g) Sapim cx-ray XL RIM 649 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 8 R240 (240g) Sapim cx-ray UXL RIM 729 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 9 R2 (285g) Premium Model Sapim cx-ray XL RIM 769 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me 10 R2 (285g) Premium Model Sapim cx-ray UXL RIM 849 To USA and Europe $105 included tax others contact me
I’ve just been speaking to Angler at DFS Wheels. He’s asking me (persistently) for payment, based upon an email conversation. So whilst we’ve discussed my requirements, he’s not quite confirmed what I’m paying for. Just checking that was everyone’s experience and to ensure that I’m not getting scammed.
I’ve just been speaking to Angler at DFS Wheels. He’s asking me (persistently) for payment, based upon an email conversation. So whilst we’ve discussed my requirements, he’s not quite confirmed what I’m paying for. Just checking that was everyone’s experience and to ensure that I’m not getting scammed.