We Are One Adds More Arrival Options, Previews New Rim Shape - Sea Otter 2022

Apr 7, 2022
by Mike Kazimer  
Arrival 170

Arrival 130 & 170

Less than a year after the launch of the made-in-Canada Arrival, We Are One are adding two more version of the bike into their lineup. Well, sort of. Initially, the ability to have an Arrival 170 or an Arrival 130 will be reserved for current owners – We Are One is going to start off by selling different linkage kits to change the travel to existing customers who want to try something different.

The Arrival launched with 152mm of travel, but that can be reduced to 130mm by swapping out the upper link and installing a 5mm stroke reducer into the shock. The travel can also be increased to 170mm by installing a new upper and lower link, and a new shock. The initial run of bikes were spec'd with a Fox 36, which means the fork travel can easily be changed with an air spring swap. According to We Are One, the geometry remains relatively unchanged with the different links - the ride feel differences will come from the increased or reduced travel, rather than drastic head angle alterations.

The link for the Arrival 130 uses a carbon fiber bridge.
The Arrival 130.


We Are One Sea Otter 2022

New Rim Shape Preview

We Are One were also showing off versions of a new carbon rim that's in the final stages of development. The unique 'twisted' shape is designed to allow the spoke nipples to have a more even seat, rather than pushing against one side of the spoke hole.

There's no official name for the new rim, but it's aimed at trail and enduro riders, and when it launches later this summer it'll be available in 28, 30, and 33mm widths. The 17mm rim height profile is lower than We Are One's current rims by around 4mm. The rim is said to be 30% more impact resistant than the Union rim, thanks to a combination of the shape and a new layup that We Are One wasn't quite ready to discuss yet.

The new rim is said to be 30% more impact resistant, according to We Are One's in-house testing.
We Are One Sea Otter 2022
There will be 28, 30, and 33mm widths available.


Posted In:
Reviews and Tech First Looks Trail Bikes We Are One We Are One Arrival Sea Otter 2022


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117 Comments

  • 301 4
 Meh. I thought the new rim shape would be a square and it is yet another round rim
  • 90 6
 Pick a wheel shake and be a dick about it
  • 363 9
 @CantQuitCartel:
Be a dick about autocorrect and lack of an edit button.

Rim shake.

What a maroon.
  • 52 1
 I thought they were going to turn round rims into ovals so I don't have to do it myself
  • 5 0
 @JPostuk: They also look faster in photos, as long as the photographer times it so that the longer axis is horizontal.
  • 2 1
 I was hoping for trapezoid. Also disappointed
  • 14 13
 @hllclmbr: does one tiny error justify downgrading someone by calling him a maroon?
  • 21 0
 I was thinking an oval. So you can have 27.5 and 29 best of both worlds!
  • 2 2
 @hllclmbr: classic
  • 9 37
flag mhoshal (Apr 8, 2022 at 4:09) (Below Threshold)
 @hllclmbr: settle down Grammer police... I bet a hundred bucks you've done the same because we all have at one point or another. No need to be a goof.
  • 21 2
 @mhoshal: grammAr
  • 9 1
 @hllclmbr: God amend autocorret
  • 5 0
 Isn't a circle just a polygon with infinite side faces? Clearly you're not looking close enough
  • 9 1
 @hllclmbr: hahaha duckin god dammit
  • 8 0
 @CantQuitCartel: pick a duck shake and be a wheel about it
  • 2 1
 @hllclmbr: moran
  • 4 19
flag mhoshal (Apr 8, 2022 at 9:35) (Below Threshold)
 @vhdh666: eat a bag of dicks bitch!!!
  • 1 0
 Ahhhh...A pre-Taco'd rim shape. Sweetness
  • 7 2
 @mhoshal: Who's Dick's bitch?
  • 3 0
 @vhdh666: for ducks sake, only decks will nitpick a pretty decent joke!
  • 4 1
 @BigHerm:

retart
  • 45 4
 PB comments told me links are dumb. Why would anyone do that?
  • 7 0
 yeah, don't click on them if they pop up in your mails
  • 8 1
 YeAh YoU bOuGhT tHe WrOnG bIkE!
  • 10 0
 @bashhard: So I shouldn't give the Nigerian prince 3000 USD?
  • 7 0
 @DaFreerider44: Only if you get a million dollars back
  • 1 20
flag Muscovir (Apr 8, 2022 at 3:23) (Below Threshold)
 You mean expensive aftermarket links that achieve functionally the same as a MegNeg air can and a proper compression-damping tune, but at more than twice the cost?
  • 15 1
 @Muscovir: There is no magic air or coil spring or damping tune that can replicate a different leverage curve. They are fundamentally different things.
  • 1 8
flag Muscovir (Apr 9, 2022 at 15:00) (Below Threshold)
 @CascadeComponents: That's completely besides the point. Now you're just being intentionally obtuse.
  • 36 1
 Love this company There making amazing components
  • 45 12
 *they're
  • 45 1
 There, making amazing components
  • 29 1
 Their sure are.
  • 25 0
 ...Amazing they is, Much to learn, you still have
  • 30 2
 They're making their components there.
  • 3 0
 @barp: Well done!
  • 4 0
 there, there...Everyone makes a 'they're' error here and there.
  • 1 0
 Whatever they are building is going on my wish list. It's that simple.
  • 28 0
 Great update.

Fingers crossed for some different builds (SLX... XT...) and/or a Frame-Only option soon too!
  • 4 1
 Update- the GX AXS kit on the one in the photos suggests some other build options could be coming.
  • 15 0
 Seconded, eager for frame only
  • 7 0
 @Quinn-39: based on a Blister interview podcast, the current build kits were more about what they could get, as opposed to wanting to spec high end builds (paraphrasing). They intend to have other level spec’s.
  • 1 0
 @metroneck: Awesome, that does make a lot of sense these days. In line with offering the upgrade kits vs committing them to full bikes at this time.
  • 24 1
 Y'all are missing the new super deluxe coil that is being shown...
  • 2 0
 exactly my thoughts! ... was looking for this comment.
  • 14 0
 This rim profile looks good. It should help with spoke and nipple angulation, giving really good spoke path alignment to the hub flange. For whatever reason, a lot of rim manufacturers don't get this. Glad to see WAO giving more thought to nipple bed profile and drilling. No doubt these will make for even better whee building.
  • 13 0
 Boner jam. These guys are on fire
  • 3 0
 Maximum firey boner jam!
  • 9 0
 Smart design on the rim to improve impact strength. It's essentially modeled after this wall design:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crinkle_crankle_wall
  • 8 0
 Well today I learned that there are walls called crinkle crackles.
  • 7 0
 WR1 dudes are freaking rad! Love what they do from the frame to the wheels and even the new protos coming soon! Always rad stuff! If only the bike had longer chainstays for an XL, I’d have bought it already
  • 3 0
 Agreed. Understand why they are starting the way they are and love the brand. They'll get past modular frames and into size specific rear centers soon. When they do, I'll pull the trigger quick.
  • 1 0
 @dancingwithmyself: Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.
  • 6 0
 When is rockshox finally going to release their new shock? It's been on the world cup factory bikes for more than a year now.
  • 7 0
 Not just stronger, but those rims make it less likely for me to put a spoke in the wrong hole.
  • 1 0
 Amen!
  • 2 0
 Oh cool, imagine building it up wrong, all your mates would become instant wheel build police, the comments would be endless, oh-hang-on I'll ca these folk my friends
  • 2 1
 Insert "wrong hole" joke here.
  • 7 0
 i know it's only 5mm, but i can't afford to use a stroke reducer.
  • 7 0
 “WAAAAO!” -Owen Wilson
  • 1 0
 I love that Ricky Bobby is quoting Owen Wilson. Shake n’ Bake!
  • 4 0
 Stronger than the Union?! I bang the shit out of mine on loose chunk running low pressures and no inserts and it never seems to matter. 33mm iw wound be sweet on the front though.
  • 5 0
 Counterpoint, I’ve broken two rear Unions here in Colorado. The folks are WAO got me up and running quickly both times and now I’m running a Strife rear with no problems.
  • 1 0
 In the morning of an all day jump class, I absolutely thunder cased my early model rear Agent rim, causing a loud crack sound. Looked over the rear triangle, but didn't find the source of the sound, so kept riding, probably another 100+ not so smooth landings the rest of the day. Only noticed the damage/leaking sealant next morning. WAO updated me to a union for just the cost of shipping. I'm a believer in thier product and appreciate thier customer support.
  • 3 0
 The new rims look awesome. To me WAO has been about making products using established designs with innovative manufacturing techniques. Just about optimizing existing designs, nothing too fancy or extravagant. This feels like they're comfortable enough to innovate a bit more on the design. Innovative and reliable designs with consistant and low cost manufacturing. I'm all for it. These rims' unique shape will definitely stand out and become iconic.
  • 5 0
 Fired UP about that 170 link!
Curious if there are plans to offer the Arrival with that link & a Zeb as a complete?
  • 6 0
 All this, and a new coil shock update from RS...
  • 8 2
 SHOW ME THAT SHOCK. IM DONE WITH FOX.
  • 3 0
 Label is peeling off that new rim already. I have six of their rims, a stack of spare labels in the drawer and just a couple labels left on the rims. But as soon as I ride any other rim I realize how good these feel.
  • 14 0
 In the opposite corner is me, who removes all decals ASAP.
  • 1 0
 @RonSauce: yeah I like the all black
  • 5 4
 What happens if you run the 130 link with a full stroke shock? I'm not a big fan of short stroking shocks... As long as nothing crashes in that configuration that'd be perfect. The price is eye watering, but if I needed a new trail bike today...
  • 5 1
 Looks like the shock might crash into the frame if you do that.

More importantly, why are you against short stroking?
  • 2 14
flag TheSlayer99 (Apr 7, 2022 at 19:04) (Below Threshold)
 @kinematix: short stroking shocks is just a crutch for lazy engineering.
  • 4 2
 @kinematix: As long as nothing crashes, a short stroked shock has the same performance at bottom as a longer/full stroke shock, but it's tapped out vs. having more travel - pedaling performance, grip and performance through the stroke are identical, the stroke just... Stops.

I ride a Fugitive, the original that was available with a short stroked shock at 120mm travel or a full stroke shock at 135. The pedaling performance and 'feel' are identical until you bottom out that 120... When you're looking for your next mm of travel, the short shock is bottomed, the full stroke shock has some cushion.

Based on how often I'm using my last 5mm.of stroke, I'm happy to have to additional travel. This analysis is all predicated on running the same settings... To avoid bottoming, I'd need to run more pressure with a shorter shock. But I could achieve identical performance by upping the pressure on my long shock, just with more in reserve for really hard hits.

Finally, standard cool shocks are obviously linear and won't have a spring rate impact when short stroked. Air shocks use a small spacer which takes up a little air volume, so to truly be apples to apples, you'd need to run a little volume spacer in a full stroke shock to even out the air volume. Fox air shocks use a small diameter spacer so the volume effect is negligible, RS usually uses a bigger washer, so the effect is small but this is the internet and people like to argue.
  • 3 0
 @TheSlayer99: I would agree if they are only short stroking the shock, which is what Knolly and other brands do. But they also providing a different linkage, and I am pretty sure, but don't know for certain, that the shape has changed and offers different kinematics. And it s better than forcing you do buy a new shock...
  • 3 0
 @TheSlayer99: On the bike designer's side or the shock designer? Suspension companies can save on lots of design and manufacturing by combining stroke lengths into a single shock body by simply adjusting spacers. It's smart engineering there, and it's also smart engineering on the bike designer's side to originally choose a shock length at the long end of it's stroke capability if they want to run a shorter-travel frame in the future.
  • 2 1
 @microwaveric: both tbh. For bike companies to have a shorter travel option on a bike because just of a short stroked shock means less progression out of the linkage without having a whole new set of links for the bike. It reduces the ability to run coils in the shorter travel setting and means along with adding pressure to an air shock, you have to add volume spacers to maintain suspension feel. It’s lazy engineering for shock companies to be allowing the in between sizes to happen. If bike companies want the weird in between stroke lengths, shock companies should make dedicated shocks with those stroke lengths instead of compromising existing designs with travel reduction spacers, or bike companies should adjust their leverage ratios to use full stroke shocks. With multi link systems it’s really not that difficult. Plus the force of a hard bottom out is transmitted through a smaller area, and doesn’t use the bottom out bumpers that larger air springs and coils have.
  • 3 0
 The bike in the article looks to have eliminated the cable port on the drive side, is this a AXS only design? Maybe shimano have a new MTB di2 pending.
  • 1 0
 I know they were working on building plugs for the Arrival when I inquired with them as mine is axs and I’d like them covered.
  • 1 0
 I see what you are saying now that I’ve gone back to look at the pics.
  • 4 1
 Smart way to offer modularity without costing a ton of money or changing too many parts.
  • 4 0
 That rim is sick. Super smart
  • 2 0
 I'm pretty keen on buying an Arrival once new build kits are available. I'd love to go pick it up from them in Kamloops and make a trip out of it.
  • 2 1
 This facilitates a question about frame strength and durability. Did they originally design the frame with more travel and larger forces in mind or is this more of a "fingers crossed" type of situation?
  • 4 0
 I remember hearing this frame was designed to accept dual-crown forks and is DH rated. If you research it's history, you'll find that the frame's designer originally built one for racing DH. The bike is still close to average weight for its category and I think most riders appreciate a little more durability anyways.
  • 1 0
 Did they spec the 170mm bike on the stand with 170mm fork upfront? For the 130mm linkage, what do you mean by it uses a carbon fibre bridge? Is the link part carbon part alloy, with carbon boned to the alloy...
  • 3 0
 Name for the rim - Loop it Well done team WAO you just blew my mind.
  • 1 0
 They look like a twisted version of my wife’s loopholes.
  • 2 0
 Hopefully they start doing a frame only option. A single frame, a couple of linkages and you have a trail and Enduro bike.
  • 7 8
 Why would you want a bike designed to stand the abuse a 170mm bike gets built up as a 130mm bike? The whole point of the shorter travel bike is for it to be lighter and more nimble, not just shorter travel because it will be used on different style of trails. I don’t see the point
  • 7 0
 The nimbleness of the bike comes from geometry and setup first - this is fixed. Weight is second and it's fairly flexible. Swap your tires, wheels and go from a coil to a small air shock + lighter fork and you can have a pretty decent weight difference.
Also something not mentioned in the article - the 130mm links already come with single row bearings, where the 152 and 170 have double row (10grams per bearing x4); the links are thinner and lighter, which more importantly changes the amount of flex in the rear end.
But let's measure weight and abuse in millimetres first Wink
  • 2 0
 Are we really going to let slide the new unanounced Rock Shox Super Deluxe Coil that is in the main image?
  • 3 0
 30% impact strenght. HOLY SHIT
  • 3 0
 drooling
  • 2 1
 Curious about the recommended fork travel in the 170mm config. The 36 tops out at 160mm…
  • 7 0
 You can get a 170mm air spring for a 36, just can’t buy it new with one installed
  • 1 0
 They’ve mentioned dual crown in the past ‍♂️
  • 2 0
 E-Spec fork on the 170. #supplychainproblems
  • 2 0
 God damn I love this bike. Can’t wait to try both of the links!!
  • 2 0
 Not a carbon kinda fella, but these people know what is up.
  • 1 1
 The new rim shape makes sense. Then the spokes are straight out of the rim rather than bent. Likely less broken spokes and stiffer wheel. Spokes always break at the nipple.
  • 1 1
 The new wheel shape kind of reminds me the sine wave design on NOBL wheels. I think their shape serves a different purpose though, but I could be wrong
  • 1 0
 This is a snakeskin bike! And for me it's a symbol of my individuality, and my belief... in personal freedom.
  • 2 0
 Dang that's real pretty.
  • 2 0
 No cable ports! Sick!
  • 1 0
 This makes me want the Arrival even more now!
  • 1 0
 Who is breaking we r one wheels? Those things are strong
  • 1 0
 Okay it's summer! Where are the wheels? Cause I want to try them!
  • 1 2
 Fantastic! Really want an Arrival. This comment is looking for beef, but the rim kinda looks like a Nobl.
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