DT Swiss 54T Ratchet Upgrade Kit: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Are you looking to get a bit more performance out of your DT Swiss rear hub? The DT Swiss 54T Ratchet Upgrade Kit might be your best bet. With this upgrade kit and a quick install, you can transform your rear hub with much faster engagement. Here in this review, our customer Mike Smith breaks down how he is liking his 54T ratchet upgrade. Check it out below!

I have a lot of trouble getting excited about spending $100 on any bike part. I mean, shit, that's more than 10% of what I paid for my car. So if I'm going to throw down a days wages on something new, I want it to be obvious, shiny, sexy, whatever. A star ratchet is pretty much the least visible, least sexy, least exciting thing I could throw down for. But it's also one of the best things I've done to my Yeti sb5 and the way any $6k+ bike should come from the factory. Gripes aside - this feels like a no brainer for anyone who pays attention to what they're riding.

Installing the 54t Ratchet Kit is stupid easy. Not only do you not need a cassette tool, but you also don't need any tools - or a brain if we're being honest. If you can take your wheel off, you can make this happen. Pop off your cassette - literally. Just give it a yank. Boom. Practically done. pull the spring, pull the ratchet, pull the other spring. Now repeat in reverse order with the new parts. Gobs of DT grease is included; which is awesome because you'll never need to go online and ask the internet trolls what to service your DT Swiss hubs with now. High five, you're done.

Conclusion

With install out of the way, you can enjoy your super rad new 54 tooth ratchet! I'm not sure this is going to get you any new KOMs on Strava, but you'll notice it next time you go to pedal kick up whatever rocky obstacle that's been your nemesis this season. It could mean the difference between dabbing or not. Perhaps it is because of my background in trials, but I find the difference to be night and day. Worst case, you'll impress all your friends and hopefully stop scaring hikers with the new whiirrrrrring noise your bike makes while you're freewheeling. It's not like a Hope or Chris King hub that sounds like an angry swarm of bees chasing you, but it's a pleasant sound. Compared to a new hub, this is actually a pretty inexpensive upgrade and well, well worth it. - Mike Smith