Race Face ARC Offset 40 Rim
The Race Face ARC Offset 40 is the plus-tire rim in the ARC range: 40mm inside for 2.8 to 3.0in tires, 20mm deep, about 598 grams in 29in, extruded from 6069 alloy and drilled with the 4.5mm offset spoke bed that balances tension on a Boost rear wheel. It is the alloy rim for 27.5+ and 29+ bikes that need a wide, tough, sensibly priced wheel.
This page covers the Race Face ARC Offset 40 Rim in 29in, 27.5in. The ARC 40 is not sold bare. You choose the hub and the rest of the build in the configurator, and it ships from our shop in Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The ARC range shares one profile in four widths: 25, 30, 35 and 40mm inside, 20mm deep, with the spoke bed offset 4.5mm on every width except the 25, which gets 3mm. Offsetting the bed toward the non-drive side narrows the difference in bracing angle between the two sides of a rear wheel, so both sides sit near their ideal tension; on a front disc wheel the same trick balances the rotor side against the non-rotor side. The result is a wheel that goes out of true less and can be built to higher, more even tension.
How it rides
An ARC 40 wheel with a 3.0in tire floats over roots and rocks and grips on loose climbs, and the 40mm bed keeps the big tire stable at the 12 to 15 psi that makes plus riding work. The offset rear and the 6069 alloy keep the wheel true and dent-free under the abuse a plus bike sees. It is a heavy rim, as every 40mm alloy rim is, and on a plus bike that is the right trade.
For 2.6in tires the ARC 35 is lighter; for 2.8 to 3.0in, the ARC 40 is the Race Face rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 600 (29in), 562 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 40 mm |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Weight | 605g (700c/29in), 570g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Spoke bed | Offset 4.5 mm |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the 29in, 27.5in listing of the ARC 40, 32h, about 605g, 40mm inside, mm deep, disc. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
This is the disc-brake ARC 40: plain sidewalls, no brake track to wear, a touch lighter. It fits any disc-brake bike and it is the version most of our customers now build; the rim-brake version is a separate listing.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Race Face ARC Offset 40 Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the ARC 40 on Race Face Vault and Trace hubs, DT Swiss 350, Industry Nine 1/1 and Hydra, Hope Pro 5 and Bitex BX 211 hubs in Boost spacing, usually with Sapim Race or DT Competition spokes and brass nipples.
Tire range on the ARC 40 is 2.8 to 3.0in. Pick plus as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build it with us
We build this rim to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the Race Face Arc Offset 40 Rim already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for tandem and e-bike, mountain bike, MTB single-speed and fat bike builds, and the configurator will not let you assemble a combination we would not build.
Spoke head is decided by the hub, not the rim: this rim builds equally well with J-bend or straight-pull spokes, and the configurator only offers the spokes that match the hub you pick.
What Race Face says about testing
Race Face publishes no impact-energy, fatigue-cycle or standards figures for its rims. Its ARC Offset, ARC HD Offset and Turbine alloy rims are made from 6069 aluminum, which Race Face states gives "superior strength" and a better strength-to-weight ratio than its earlier ARC rims; the asymmetric nipple bed is intended to balance spoke tension. The ARC Carbon rim uses a unidirectional carbon layup at 24mm height with 4.5mm offset. Turbine and Era rims carry the Anvil Edge, a wider 2.5mm rim edge that "disperses the energy of a pinch flat across a broader, flatter surface."
Warranty: Race Face states that wheels are covered by its Lifetime Warranty, "Crashes Included," which "covers all product failures related to riding, inclusive of crashes." Race Face states that if you dent or flat spot a Turbine rim and the tire still holds air, the warranty does not apply, and that roof-rack or intentional damage is excluded. In countries such as Germany the coverage runs 10 years. Products not covered may receive a crash-replacement discount.
Certifications
- Lifetime Warranty, Crashes Included — Wheels and ARC/Turbine rims covered for riding failures including crashes; 10-year term in countries such as Germany (source)
- System weight rating (Era wheels) — 140kg (306 lbs); eMTB maximum drive assist torque 65Nm (source)
Sources on Race Face's site:
- Explore Lifetime Warranty – Race Face
- Warranty Information – Race Face
- Turbine is the Alloy Answer to MTB Wheels – Race Face
- ARC Offset Rim – Race Face
- ARC HD Offset Rim – Race Face
Race Face publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the rim into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Race Face makes the ARC 40; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Offset rims need the spoke lengths calculated per side, which we do from the ARC 40's measured ERD and offset; every ARC 40 wheel is tensioned in stages with a gauge, stress-relieved and trued before it ships. Tubeless tape and a valve are fitted on request.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
Warranty
Race Face's warranty. Race Face's lifetime warranty covers many of its hard goods, wheels included, and extends to parts broken while riding. Products outside that program are covered for two years, or longer where local law requires. In countries that restrict lifetime warranty claims the term is stated as ten years.
ProWheelBuilder. Lace this into a wheel here and the finished wheel gets our own one-year warranty as well as the maker's. For twelve months we replace broken spokes however they broke, and the work on the wheel is on us - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild where it is needed. If the rim or hub is covered by its manufacturer we put the claim in and chase it; if it is not, we supply an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off the current retail price. Carriage both ways is the customer's, and this does not cover wheels built from parts you send in.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
ARC Offset 40 Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 40mm inside this is a plus or fat width, for tires from about 2.6in upward. Running a narrow tire on a rim this wide leaves the casing stretched and vague, so match it to the tire it was designed around.
What does offset mean on the ARC 40?
The spoke holes are moved 4.5mm off center, which evens out spoke tension between the two sides of a disc or geared wheel. The ARC 40 stays true longer and can be built stiffer.
Is the ARC 40 tubeless?
Yes. The ARC 40 is tubeless-ready with a strong retention bead; we tape and fit a valve on request.
Is the ARC 40 e-bike rated?
For light trail e-bikes with the right spokes, yes. For heavy e-MTB use Race Face makes the ARC Heavy Duty 30.
Which spokes suit the ARC 40?
Sapim Race or D-Light, or DT Competition, with brass nipples for most riders; the configurator recommends from your weight and bike type.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. Race Face lists the ARC Offset 40 Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Which spoke count should I choose?
It depends on your weight, terrain and the hub, not the rim alone. The configurator recommends a count from your bike type and rider weight, within the drillings this rim is made in.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
