The second generation DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT wheels are here and, in addition to being lighter, they promise to set new records. Can they deliver in real world conditions? To find out, we put the ARC 1100 DICUT 50 to the test.

The introduction of disc brakes opened up new opportunities for engineers in the road bike sector and wider tubeless tires have become the norm. DT Swiss’ second generation Aero Road Carbon (ARC) wheels are here and promise aerodynamic benefits that should make aero, time trial and triathlon bikes even faster. With the AERO+ concept, DT Swiss looked at the overall performance of the wheels, including handling and efficiency, and not just aerodynamics. The latest DISC wheels have little in common with their predecessors, which entered the market 5 years ago and were basically a copy of the previous rim brake version.

DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 50
1,472 g in 700C | € 2,388
DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 62
1,676 g in 700C | € 2,388
DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 80
1,762 g in 700C | € 2,388

A brief introduction to the subject of air resistance on road bikes

From a speed of 15 km/h, air resistance is the greatest force that cyclists have to overcome, and it increases exponentially! The cyclists themselves make up 75% of the drag surface and the road bike is responsible for the remaining 25%. The front wheel accounts for a considerable 8% of the total air resistance. Regarding crosswinds, DT Swiss don’t only focus on minimising their effects, but try to use them to the rider’s advantage. With wind coming in at a yaw angle between 15° to 20°, a deep rim is able to catch the wind like a sail and push the bike forward. As such, the road cyclist is no longer being held back by translational drag, but benefits from negative drag, creating forward propulsion.

At a yaw angle of 18°, the ARC 1100 DICUT 80 wheels have a negative air resistance of -7 watts. The 62 offers around -3 watts and the 50 has a positive air resistance, though it’s the easiest to control.

In addition to translational drag, which accounts for 75% of a wheel’s drag, 25% is made up by rotational drag. This is the additional friction that occurs as the wheel spins. The following applies: the shallower the rim, the less the impact of the sailing effect of crosswinds described above. The longer spokes in shallow rims create more rotational drag.

All ARC wheels have an internal width of 20 mm and are aerodynamically optimised for 25 mm tires. The rear wheel also supports 28 mm tires for improved rolling resistance and comfort.

What’s new on the second generation ARC?

Compared to the first generation, the new ARC wheels have an increased internal width of 20 mm instead of the previous 17 mm and are exclusively compatible with disc brakes. The revised shape of the new DT Aerolite II and DT Aero Comp II spokes is claimed to reduce rotational drag by 1.1 watts and only feature on the new ARC 1100 DICUT wheels. The latest DT Swiss 180 DICUT aero hub featuring the Ratchet EXP freewheel has also been aerodynamically optimised by reducing the size of its silhouette. The hubs are 11 g lighter thanks to small recesses in the Center Lock disc mount. In addition to the 36 t Super Light ratchet system, the ceramic SINC bearings are designed to ensure low-friction and long-lasting operation. Compared to previous ratchet hubs, the inner ratchet wheel is fixed to the hub shell. The advantages are fewer components, less weight and a bigger spacing between the bearings, which in turn should increase the stiffness by 15% and extend the bearings’ service life. In addition to the 700C version, the ARC 100 DICUT 50 wheels are available in a 650B version for smaller riders or small frames, which should mitigate toe overlap issues.

The maximum permissible weight rating for the new ARC wheels is specified at 110 kg
The small recesses in the Center Lock mount of the DT Swiss 180 DICUT aero hub save 11 g in weight
Thanks to the hook, the tubeless ready rims are compatible with almost all tires

Differences between ARC 1100 and ARC 1400

Model ARC 1100 DICUT 80 ARC 1100 DICUT 62 ARC 1100 DICUT 50 ARC 1400 DICUT 80 ARC 1400 DICUT 62 ARC 1400 DICUT 50
Rim depth 80 mm 62 mm 50 mm 80 mm 62 mm 50 mm
Internal width 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm 20 mm
Hub 180 DICUT 180 DICUT 180 DICUT 240 DICUT 240 DICUT 240 DICUT
Bearings SINC Ceramic SINC Ceramic SINC Ceramic Stainless steel Stainless steel Stainless steel
Spokes DT Aerolite II und DT Aero Comp II DT Aerolite II und DT Aero Comp II DT Aerolite II und DT Aero Comp II DT Aero Comp DT Aero Comp DT Aero Comp
Weight 1,762 g 1,676 g 1,472 g 1,837 g 1,753 g 1,552 g
Price € 2,388 € 2,388 € 2,388 € 1,957 € 1,957 € 1,957

DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 50 first ride review

The new DT Swiss ARC 1100 wheels score even before you head out on your first ride due to the easy and hassle-free mounting of the tires. According to DT Swiss, the rims are suitable for tires up to 700x28C wide, which definitely makes sense for a high-performance wheelset and which we think could be the sweet spot of rolling resistance and aerodynamics. The freehub body of the DICUT 180 rear hub can easily and quickly be converted to be compatible with the various systems including Shimano Road 11s, SRAM XDR or Campagnolo, and the end caps can be removed without tools and adapted to suit to all common axle dimensions. These are great features if you have several road bikes sitting in your garage and would like to ride your treasured new wheels on different bikes – but we didn’t expect anything less from DT Swiss.

On the road, the ARC 1100 wheels offer excellent acceleration and they are very responsive for an aero wheelset. The engagement of Ratchet EXP system on the new DT Swiss DICUT 180 hub is impressively fast and direct, making them a lot of fun. The acceleration as you exit the corners is explosive and immediate, which could help ambitious riders achieve new best times. On flat terrain, the new DT Swiss ARC wheels, like their predecessors, impressed us with their excellent efficiency and aerodynamics. Sections of road that you would previously have cursed because of unpredictable gusts of wind are no longer a problem with these wheels since they are largely unaffected by crosswinds. If you don’t like loud hubs, you should always keep pedalling with the ARC 1100 road bike wheels. The DICUT 180 rear hub is definitely one of the loudest we’ve tested to date! If you the love the buzz of spinning hub, you’ll never want to back to another hub.

Our conclusion on the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 50 wheelset

The new DT Swiss wheels are a lot of fun and revealed no weaknesses during the course of our test. Whether accelerating out of a corner or from a standstill, in an aerodynamic position on flat terrain or with crosswinds, the new ARC 1100 wheels excel in every situation and should help you set new record times!

Tops

  • excellent acceleration
  • immediate engagement of the Ratchet EXP freewheel
  • excellent aerodynamics
  • unaffected by crosswinds

Flops


For more information about the new, ARC wheels visit dtswiss.com


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Words: Photos: Valentin Rühl, Philipp Schwab