DT Swiss ARC 1100 DiCut Aero Disc Disc Brake Rear Wheel

The DT Swiss ARC 1100 DiCut Aero Disc Disc Brake Rear Wheel is what happens when an engineering team is given a clean brief and the tools to execute it properly. Developed in collaboration with Swiss Side — the aerodynamics laboratory behind some of the fastest wheels in professional racing — the ARC 1100 DiCut disc is built around one governing idea: remove drag from every part of the equation that can be controlled, and don't compromise anything structural to do it. Ride it once on a fast road and the intention is immediately clear. It is stiff where stiffness matters, composed in crosswinds where shallower wheels flutter, and quiet in a way that tells you the bearings and build quality are both doing their jobs.

Disc-specific design is the foundation that makes this wheel possible. Without a braking surface to protect, DT Swiss had no obligation to shape the rim profile around heat management or brake track geometry. The ARC 1100's rim exists purely to move through air efficiently — and that freedom shows in the numbers. A 20mm inner rim width supports the wider tire pairings that DT Swiss recommends through their Aero Wheel Tire System strategy. The logic is straightforward: a correctly sized wider tire on a well-matched rim creates a smooth, continuous aerodynamic profile from tire shoulder to rim flank. There is no abrupt transition to trip the airflow. Pair that geometry with a 28mm tire at appropriate pressure, and you are also lowering rolling resistance and absorbing road texture more effectively than a narrower setup at higher pressure would allow.

At the hub, DT Swiss fitted their 180 DiCut shell with Ratchet EXP internals and SINC ceramic bearings — the top of their component hierarchy, not a marketing tier. The Ratchet EXP system uses a spring-loaded two-ring ratchet mechanism that engages fast and handles the torque spikes of hard accelerations or steep climbs without the hesitation or flex that lesser engagement systems can introduce under load. SINC ceramic bearings are designed to reduce rolling resistance compared to standard steel alternatives and to maintain smooth operation over a longer service life. This is a hub that rewards regular maintenance and returns that investment with performance you can feel on every ride.

DT Swiss ARC 1100 DiCut Specs at a Glance

• Rim Material: Carbon fiber
• Brake Type: Disc brake
• Inner Rim Width: 20mm
• Tire Compatibility: Tubeless-ready
• Hub: DT Swiss 180 DiCut
• Engagement System: Ratchet EXP
• Bearings: SINC ceramic
• Drivetrain Compatibility: Shimano / SRAM 11-speed and XDR
• Aerodynamic Development: Engineered in collaboration with Swiss Side
• Wheel Position: Rear

Design Benefits

1. Disc-Optimized Rim Profile: Because disc brakes move the braking function away from the rim entirely, DT Swiss was free to shape the ARC 1100's carbon rim profile around aerodynamic efficiency alone. There are no brake track constraints, no concessions to heat dissipation — just a rim geometry developed in a wind tunnel with a single performance target.
2. Wide-Rim Tubeless Architecture: The 20mm inner width is sized to work with modern 28mm tire recommendations, allowing tire and rim to form the integrated aerodynamic shape that DT Swiss's Wheel Tire System approach targets. Tubeless compatibility adds the option to run lower pressures — reducing road vibration and rolling resistance — without the puncture vulnerability of an open system.
3. Ratchet EXP Engagement: The 180 DiCut hub's Ratchet EXP mechanism is built for reliability under load. Fast engagement and high torque capacity mean power transfers cleanly when you accelerate out of a corner or push hard over the top of a climb — with no lag between input and output that can cost momentum in a race or a fast group ride.
4. SINC Ceramic Bearing Precision: DT Swiss's SINC ceramic bearings sit at the top of their bearing range, designed to minimize friction and extend service intervals compared to standard steel bearings. Over a long ride or a race season, that reduction in rotational drag accumulates into a measurable difference — and the smoothness underfoot is something you notice from the first warm-up kilometre.
5. Swiss Side Aerodynamic Collaboration: The ARC 1100 was developed with wind tunnel input from Swiss Side, an aerodynamics consultancy with a track record in professional cycling. That collaboration shaped the rim's depth, profile geometry, and tire pairing targets — ensuring the aerodynamic performance holds up across a range of real-world conditions, not just at zero yaw in a controlled environment.

Final Take

The ARC 1100 DiCut disc rear wheel is built for riders who treat their equipment as a long-term investment and want a tubeless carbon disc wheel that performs with the same consistency it was engineered for. It suits the serious road cyclist who races, rides fast sportives, or simply refuses to leave performance on the table — and who understands that a hub like the 180 DiCut with SINC bearings is a different proposition to what most wheels at any level offer. This is a wheel you build a serious set around.