DT Swiss Freehub 11spd road to 12spd grx 1x

Tech Tech Help
1

I am getting my head in a spin about DT Swiss freehubs. For GRX 1x12 do I need microspline or microspline road freehub? What’s the difference?

2 sets of wheels with DT Swiss 240 hubs: 1 is exp, 1 is non exp

New pivot vault with grx 1x12 Currently using a 12 speed hg cassette (from Airbike Uk) works ok but want to use proper shimano cassette for better shifting. I will use an SLX 10-45 cassette

Speaking with DT Swiss UK support they say I need microspline road freehubs with following part numbers:

EXP version - HBDT1960S

Standard Ratchet - HBDT1961S

Being the cheapo I am I hoped I could use this from Merlin:

DT Swiss Ratchet EXP Freehub For Shimano MS12

It says for 142x12 or 148x12 but am confused whether it is ms road, ms mtb or if there is a difference? (Merlin weren’t so helpful, no product code on the website and told me to contact DT Swiss).

If only we could have stuck to a single freehub standard…

2

The easiest way to think about it is referencing what freehub you’re removing. If you’re removing an XDR or HG11 Road freehub (it’s called that even though it fits Shimano 12 also), you get the Microspline Road replacement. If you are replacing an XD or HG10 freehub (it’s called that or HG11 Mtn), then you use the “standard” Microspline freehub. The road freehubs that aren’t Microspline are 1.85mm longer. With that, the right end cap is longer, and the hub shell is technically about 1mm shorter. If you stuck a standard Microspline freehub and end cap on a “road” hub, the axle end to end would measure 141mm instead of 142.

There are other side effects, cross compatibility issues and workarounds, but I feel like I’ve already said too much.

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3

Awesome thank you. That makes sense.

I hadn’t appreciated the difference between MS and MSR. I understood XD and XDR. Cheers