Race Face Arc 30 Wheels: Customer Review

The Race Face ARC 30 is the go-to rim for aggressive XC and all mountain riding. For those looking to gain stability from wider rims, these things are for you! Our customer Hayden upgraded big time going from 22mm to 30mm Race Face ARC rims and is loving it so far. Check it out! 

Overview

So to introduce myself and why I’m here in the first place is quite simple. My name is Hayden Grimmett, I have a YouTube channel (BuckNDive Productions), and I am a HUGE Bandwagoner when it comes to new MTB trends. The wider rim craze was no exception to my list of impulse buys.

So let’s get some context up in here (up in here!). I had some 2015(?) Spank Spike Race 28 rims which, despite the name, had an internal rim width of 22mm. So naturally, my tires had more of a round-ish profile than a block like profile which I was okay with in spite of the fact that it means I had less of a contact patch on the ground resulting in many painful yet humorous crashes trying to figure out my jumping technique... ANYWAY!

Set Up and First Impressions

After using those rims for a while, they finally had seen their better days and needed to be replaced. I did a TON of research on new wheels (more than the average bear) and came across the new Race Face Arc 30 rims that were, as advertised, 30mm of inner rim and not falsely telling me the outer width like the spanks, and surprisingly lighter (not that I’m a gram counter.... shut up!!!). I laced the rims to my blue Hope hubs as well. Added some go-fasters (blue and orange decals) and took’em to the trails and all I have to say is... HOLY GNAR!!! I never knew I could feel such a difference with such a seemingly slight upgrade. The extra 8mm of width gave me the contact I needed to stay grounded when I want and jump when needed too! I’m able to lean into corners much more confidently and fly through the air knowing when I get down my wheels will set me straight!

Final Thoughts

My bike is a beginner build that has been upgraded significantly over the last 3 years. So much so that the only original part is the frame! Next to my suspension, this has been the most noticeable upgrade I’ve done. I’ve become much more confident both in speed and in style and feel like I have a much smoother and enjoyable ride (not that mountain biking isn’t the most enjoyable thing you can do because a quite frankly.... it is!). Even better, my bike looks ten times cooler with the many decal options that are available for them! Now get out there and ride your damn bike!

Happy Trails!!!