While disc brakes dominate, DT Swiss hasn’t given up on rim brake fans just yet.
In a quiet but deliberate show of support for road bikes, the Swiss brand continues to produce – and crucially, update – its high-end rim brake wheels.
“Almost all new developments in the bicycle industry now feature disc brakes,” explains Ralf Eggert, road marketing manager at DT Swiss. “This creates the impression that rim brakes are becoming obsolete.”
But that’s not entirely the case. “While demand for rim brake wheels in the OE [original equipment] market is significantly declining, they still play a role in the aftermarket.”
“As a premium manufacturer, we remain committed to all DT Swiss fans and continue to produce a variety of rim brake wheels for road bikes in different price categories, made from both aluminium and carbon.”
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A mature technology – with room for refinement
This includes the ARC 1400 Dicut, a carbon aero road bike wheelset that shares much of its tech with the company’s top-tier disc offerings.
The ARC 1400 Dicut rim brake wheels sit just below DT Swiss’ flagship ARC 1100 range, sharing much of the same aero-focused tech but with slightly heavier hubs and conventional steel bearings.
Available in 48, 62 and 80mm depths, all use a wind-tunnel-tested carbon rim developed with aerodynamic partner Swiss Side.
The internal rim width sits at 17mm – narrow by today's standards, but wide enough to provide a good shape with modern 28mm tyres, without troubling the generally limited tyre clearance of rim brake road bikes.
As with all DT Swiss wheels, the rims use a hooked bead design and are tubeless-ready out of the box.
Rim brake wheels may no longer see radical innovation, but that doesn’t mean DT Swiss has stopped improving them – even if the changes are subtle.
“Rim brake technology is highly mature and refined,” Eggert says. “New developments in rim brake wheels focus primarily on the selection and use of components.”
For the ARC 1400 Dicut wheels, that includes DT Swiss’ latest aero spokes and updated hub systems.
“In 2021, the ARC Aero carbon wheel series was made even faster with new aero spokes and freehub systems,” Eggert says.
Laced to the rims are DT’s Aero Comp T-Head spokes – a bladed, double-butted spoke with a straight-pull design that reduces drag and is said to improve stiffness and durability.
The hubs are DT Swiss 240 level, with steel bearings and the brand’s Ratchet EXP 36 freehub system.
Tech aside, DT Swiss has also quietly kept the look of its rim brake wheels up to date, visually aligning its rim brake wheels with its disc offerings in 2023 – a change that passed us by
Still supported, still upgradeable
While the number of complete rim brake wheels in its line-up has reduced, DT Swiss says riders (like me) holding on to good old-fashioned rim squidgers shouldn’t be worried about long-term support.
“We guarantee the availability of spare parts for at least five years beyond the end of a product’s lifecycle – though in most cases, it is significantly longer,” Eggert explains.
“Many components are used across multiple wheel models. This is particularly true for spokes, nipples, hubs and their freehub systems.”
Even older wheels can be modernised. “An older DT Swiss wheel with a pawl freehub can even be upgraded to the Ratchet LN freehub system today,” says Eggert.
Still worth it?
So, should you buy new wheels for a rim brake road bike in 2025?
“We have quickly adapted to disc brakes and wider tyres for both road and gravel,” Eggert says, “but a large number of bicycles still use rim brakes, including relatively new, well-equipped models.”
In many cases, new wheels are the best way to upgrade or refresh these bikes, both in terms of performance and aesthetics.
For committed #savetherimbrake riders who haven’t updated their wheels in some time, expect to enjoy the benefits of tubeless technology, wider rim profiles and better aerodynamic performance – with good long-term spares availability to boot.
Those who haven’t made owning a rim brake bike their personality (guilty as charged) and are considering a new bike – most of whom are likely to go disc – may also find an upgrade of this ilk will bring new life to a bike, and be cheaper than a full new bike.
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