Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Tucson AZ and Medford MA
Posts: 66
Bikes: Calfee Tetra Tandem, Ventana ECdM Tandem, Kent Eriksen Custom Coupled Tandem, Meridian Coupled Triplet, Canondale MTB Tandem, Landshark Tandem, Giant TCR, SantaCruz Blur LTb
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I had some email exchanges with DT Swiss support yesterday. They didn't really have much to say as to why this happened. I suggested shifting under load as a cause and they did not just say yeah, that's why. They suggested maybe a bent axle, but I checked and mine is not bent. I suggested a material defect, to which they replied: "Typically if there was a material defect of the ratchets, they would let go right away – this is a rarity." So, in conclusion, no idea why this really happened.
One thing though. Being home now and looking at the damaged ratchets, it really seems like other than the tiny chip pieces causing some skipping issues, even with all of the teeth damaged, I think the hub would not have failed. Unless the actual ring cracks, there is still a lot of material to engage and make the hub work. It is a pretty cool design.
And they are sending me a new star ratchet.