The new DT Swiss Arc 1600 Spline road bike wheels combine the brand’s high-tech Arc rims with its budget 350 hubs.
This combination of parts was suggested to DT Swiss by its UK distributor Madison. It makes DT Swiss competitive in a section of the market occupied by competitors such as Hunt, catering to what shops and riders want.
A Madison spokesperson told BikeRadar at the iceBike* trade show that the wheels deliver Arc technology at a “reasonable price”.
Costing £1,399, the wheels aren’t cheap. But the price is a saving of more than £500 on the other DT Swiss wheelsets that use these rims.
Arc rims
The Arc rims were developed in collaboration with the aerodynamic specialists Swiss Side and launched initially in 2017 before being redesigned in 2020 explicitly for disc-brake bikes.
The rims conform to DT Swiss’s Aero+ philosophy, which accounts for aerodynamic drag, steering and rolling resistance.
This translates to the Arc rims having a profile that DT Swiss says helps reduce turbulence around the wheel.
The rim also has an internal rim width of 20mm to support wider tyres, to improve efficiency and riding characteristics such as traction and comfort.
“Wider tires tend to have a positive influence on rolling resistance. Thanks to their greater volume, they have a broader contact patch and can be ridden with less air pressure without risking a pinch flat,” DT Swiss says.
DT Swiss 350 hubs
The DT Swiss 350 hubs are known for their simplicity and reliability, and sit below the DT Swiss 180 and 240 hubs.
The latest version of the 350 hubs was released in January 2023, when DT Swiss switched their ratchet design to the Ratchet 36 SL system, doubling the number of teeth for 10 degrees of engagement.
Like the 180 and 240 hubs, the 350s use a Star Ratchet system, with two ratchets that simultaneously push together when pedalling.
The Madison spokesperson also said that the 350 hubs bring longevity to a road bike wheelset at this price.
They explained that while the hubs used by other brands may be discontinued, you will be able to find freehub replacements for the 350 hubs in years to come.
Madison will initially get 100 pairs of DT Swiss Arc 1600 Spline road bike wheels, which are hand-built in Europe.
