DT Swiss 54T Ratchet Upgrade Kit: Customer Review

Searching for greater hub engagement but not ready to spend the money on an entirely new set of hubs? The DT Swiss 54T Ratchet Upgrade kit ups the standard 18 points of engagement all the way to 54 at a fraction of the cost of new hubs. In this review, our customer adds the kit to a set of DT Swiss 240 hubs. Check it out!

Overview

Mountain biking on standard engagement hubs is good, but mountain biking on high engagement hubs is great. I thought high engagement hubs were all hype, but after trying them out, I now would categorize them in the same class as dropper posts. Once you get to try it, you’ll definitely like it!

First Impressions

My DT Swiss 240s hubs came standard with their 18 tooth ratchet gears. I chose these hubs for their simplicity, quality, and knowing the engagement was an upgradeable option. They were good out of the box, but the lag before the engagement was the weak point. I think for most road bikers and casual riders this would not be an issue, but for those that are often crossing streams and riding technical terrain, it is definitely a game changer. With the 54 tooth upgrade kit, you increase the number of engagement points by 300%. This equates to 6.6 degrees of pedal movement before the next engagement point versus 20 degrees stock. Those fractional pedal strokes not only get the power to the ground quicker, they will also help keep your feet dry as you tap through those stream crossings.

Installation and Final Thoughts

Install was a breeze even with the cassette on. What I do is lay the rim/tire section of my wheel on a set of wood blocks, step on the tires at those points with both feet and then with a pair of gloves on give the cassette a firm pull straight up which will release the entire cassette and freehub shell. Your star ratchets are now exposed. Lube your new ratchets with the included DT Swiss grease and install in reverse order keeping note of the taper of the springs. You’re done, simple as that.

Check out our full review video on the DT Swiss 54T Ratchet Kit: