Race Face releases AR and ARC Offset rims

Responding to what it see as a rise in demand for custom wheels, Race Face has introduced its new, 2019 model year offset AR, ARC and ARC HD rims.

Race Face thinks choosing to buy custom wheels should mean you can get exactly what you want from your wheel, including the option for more different price points of aluminum rims. Custom shouldn’t just mean boutique carbon rims at a price point that many riders would associate with a buying whole bike, not just a wheelset.

Why should riders be interested in custom wheels? With the proliferation of new tire sizes, all of which are designed to work best with specific rim widths, and a variety of new specialized styles of mountain bikes, the old categories of “cross country” “trail” and “downhill” no longer match up perfectly with the way riders are using their mountain bikes. Offering it’s whole range of aluminum rims, including the previously OEM only AR aluminum rim, Race Face says, means building the wheel that matches your own riding style for a range of different budgets. It also means there’s more options for rebuilding your old wheels, which may use a different hub standard, with more modern rim widths.

With three new rim options from Race Face, the AR, ARC and ARC HD,  in a range of widths from 25 mm to 40 mm, there is an aluminum rim option for for any style and terrain from DH and e-bikes to straight up cross country racing.

Race Face redesigned their rim profile to utilize an asymmetrical profile designed to optimize spoke tension balance, durability and stiffness. The new AR, ARC and ARC HD Offset rims all make use of this asymmetrical design, but differ in their construction.

The AR rim uses durable 6061 alloy, which Race Face claims provides comparable strength to it’s previous generation of rims with the change to the Offset design. This is the first time Race Face has offered the previously OEM only pricepoint rim for purchase separately.

The ARC Offset rim uses a new 6069 alloy construction to improve the rims strength-to-weight ratio over Race Face’s previous rims, improving the rim’s toughness and durability.

The ARC Heavy Duty Offset rim steps up to a 22 mm depth from the ARC’s 20 mm and comes in a 30 mm width. The ARC HD is designed to add a stronger rim to make sure the ARC line provides options to cover downhill and e-bike build options.

All rims feature Race Face’s tubeless ready bead. You can further customize your wheels with your choice of eight different colour-matching decal kits, which are sold separately from the rims.

Race Face ARC and ARC HD Offset Rim details:

• Available in 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm or 40 mm internal width, and 30 mm ARC Heavy Duty

• Offset nipple bed for improved spoke tension balance and wheel strength/stiffness

• Tubeless ready

Rim Material: 6069 High Strength Alloy

Rim Depth: 20 mm, 22 mm Heavy Duty

Internal Rim Width: 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 30 mm Heavy Duty

External Rim Width: 28 mm, 33.5 mm, 38.5 mm, 43.5 mm, 34 mm Heavy Duty

Spoke Holes: 32, 28. Heavy Duty only 32-hole

Max Spoke Tension: 122 KGF / 1200 N

Race Face ARC & ARC HD Offset rim: 27.5″

Rim Weight*: 25 mm – 428g, 30 mm – 494g, 35 mm – 530g, 40 mm – 570g, 30 mm Heavy Duty – 565g

Rim Offset: 25 mm – 3 mm, 30/35/40 mm – 4.5 mm

Rim ERD**: 562mm (25-40mm), 558mm(Heavy Duty)

Race Face ARC & ARC HD Offset rim: 29″

Rim Weight*: 25 mm – 450g, 30 mm – 525g, 35 mm – 563g, 40 mm – 598g, 30 mm Heavy Duty – 595g

Rim ERD**: 600 mm (25-40 mm), 596 mm (Heavy Duty)

ARC Offest Rims MSRP: $119.00 – $125.00 CAD

Race Face AR Offset Rim details:

• Sizes from 25mm internal width to 40mm

• Offset nipple bed for improved spoke tension balance and wheel strength/stiffness

• Tubeless ready

Rim Material: Sleeved 6061 alloy

Rim Depth: 2 0mm

Rim Offset: 25 mm – 3 mm, 30/35/40 mm – 4.5 mm

Internal Rim Width: 25 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm

External Rim Width: 29 mm, 34 mm, 39 mm, 44 mm

Spoke Holes: 32

Max Spoke Tension: 122KGF / 1200N

Race Face AR Offset rim: 27.5″

Rim Weight*: 25 mm – 448g, 30 mm – 514g, 35 mm – 552g, 40 mm – 595g

Rim ERD**: 596 mm all widths

Race Face AR Offset rim: 29″

Rim Weight: 25 mm – 470g, 30 mm – 545g, 35 mm – 583g, 40 mm – 626g

Rim ERD**: 600 mm all widths

AR Offset Rims MSRP:  $81.00 – $87.50 CAD

*+/- 5%

**Assuming 2mm Nipple head height