WOTD – Raceface ARC Offset rims on Hope Pro4 hubs

Why offset rims?

The cool thing about offset rims, where the spoke holes are offset to one side of the rim (in this case by 3.8mm), is that one is able to use the same length of spokes on the drive- and non-drive side of the wheels, making the life of the wheel builder simpler.

The more important benefit is that spoke tensions on each side of the wheel are much more even than with standard rims, where one side’s tension is often WAY higher than the other.

Not so heavy-metal

Raceface now uses a much harder alloy for their ARC rims, compared to the older model (and also their AR-series rims which use 6061). Harder metal results in less scratching and denting and overall, a more durable rim.

At 27mm inner width, these rims certainly make the most of any tire between 2.1 and 2.4 inches wide, squaring off the profile and allowing tyre pressures as low as 1.0 bar to be used for excellent grip, comfort and reduced rolling resistance.

It goes without saying that these are designed for tubeless use, with tape and sealant. I always deliver the wheel I build fully taped, so that my customers never have to worry about the expense or work of taping their own rims.

The buzz

The Hope Pro4 hubs are a staple at WheelBuilder – the majority of hub I supply and build into wheels are the Hopes – for good reason. Excellent quality anodizing, great bearings, unmistakable freehub sound and compatibility with all major axle and freehub standards makes these hubs a no-brainer.

Brass and stainless steel

As with most of my builds, reliability and durability are a high priority for many of my customers, so I recommend and use DT Swiss Competition double-butted spokes and brass nipples. These spokes have a really nice glossy black finish. Being butted at both ends really ensures excellent fatigue life. The butt profile is 2.0mm at either end and 1.8mm in the middle section. The beauty of these rims, hubs and spokes is that none of them are proprietary, so finding replacement parts will always be possible, and easy.

The all-black look is classic and understated and will surely stand the test of time and look great on any bike. The hubs are convertible between axle and freebody standards so moving these wheels between bikes should be no problem at all.