Degrees of Freedom

Easily adjustable, low maintenance and adding no weight, the new DF technology offers additional degrees of freedom in tuning the riding characteristics of your bike. By allowing the freehub to rotate a specific range before engaging, the influence of the chain on the rear suspension is reduced, allowing the suspension to work freely. The system gives you the freedom to find the right setup for different types of terrain or bikes without using any tools. And if your goal is to optimize your bike kinematics, you have another degree of freedom.

*Degrees of freedom: the number of values that have the freedom to vary in the final result of a statistical calculation.

modules.ep_teaser.buttons.buttons Replay

For a suspension system to absorb a succession of shocks and not pull on the chain, an additional movement is required that does not influence chain tension and can reset itself quickly. To reset the DF system, we don't need any additional components. It’s simply the rotation of the wheel during freewheeling and the drag from the pressure of the springs on the ratchets that forces the DF system backwards into reset or disengaged mode. As soon as the chain is moved forward by pedaling or chain pull through the frame suspension design, the DF system can move forward a specific degree of freedom without transmitting force. It thus prevents pedal kickback caused by the frame suspension design. At 0° the high engaging hub functions per usual. When adjusted to your preferred degrees of freedom, and as long as the system is freewheeling, it will be able to act as an anti-pedal kickback device.

The new DF technology is an anti-pedal kickback device simplified to the max. Retrofittable to all Ratchet DEG freehub systems and lighter than other solutions, just replace the hubs threaded ring and the two ratchets to enjoy three different degrees of freehub movement: 0°, 10° and 20°.

The new DF technology is also available for eMTBs. Due to the higher torques in this specific field of use, the degrees of freehub movement are 0º or 10º. The technology is available as a hybrid upgrade kit for Ratchet DEG hubs featuring ratchets with 60 teeth.

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degrees of freedom

WORLD cup
downhill rider
opinion

«What I love most is how incredibly lightweight it is – it feels like it doesn’t weigh anything. It’s super easy to maintain; you don’t have to constantly adjust or replace things. Just a quick clean and it’s good to go. Taking it apart or swapping the degrees is simple too.

But what really stands out is the feeling on the bike. I can feel the difference right at my feet – that harshness is completely gone. It just feels smooth, direct, and efficient. Honestly, I don’t think I could ever go back to riding without it.»

ANDREAS KOLB
YT MOB

WORLD Cup
head mechanic
opinion

«So far, it’s been amazing – the whole team is loving it. What really stands out is the simplicity and how fast you can change the engagement from one degree to another.

I still remember our first test session when the engineer showed us how it works – we were all blown away by how easy it is. No issues at all so far.

Swapping it is quick: the right tool, unscrew the lock ring, drop in the new parts, grease, and you’re ready to go. If I feel like starting with 10 degrees instead of 20, I can literally pull the wheel, twist the freehub, and have it back together in under two minutes. That’s pretty cool.»

PATRICK ECKL
YT MOB

WORLD cup downhill rider
opinion

«Since testing it back in the off-season last November, I’ve been getting on super well with the new hub. We’ve even been exploring some future ideas with higher engagement, but honestly, the 20 degrees we have now already feels amazing.

I raced on it in Poland and felt totally dialed – ended up taking P2, and the bike just felt perfect. I haven’t taken it off since that first team test with DT Swiss.

Everything’s working smoothly, and for us downhill racers, getting rid of pedal kickback is a huge advantage. In a sport where every microsecond counts, this hub gives us that edge to ride faster through the rough without any unwanted feedback through the pedals. It’s exactly what we’re after.»

OISIN O CALLAGHAN
YT MOB