DT Swiss E 512 Disc Brake Rim
The DT Swiss E 512 is the enduro rim for riders who want a 25mm bed rather than a 30mm one. That sounds narrow by current standards, but a lot of riders on 2.3 to 2.4in tires prefer the rounder tire profile and the lighter, snappier wheel a 25mm rim gives, and the E 512 delivers it in an alloy that The factory describes as extremely resistant, built to cope with the most demanding trails. The E 512 is sleeved rather than welded, which keeps the price sensible.
This page covers the DT Swiss E 512 Disc Brake Rim in 29in, 27.5in. The E 512 is built to order here. Choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator; the wheel leaves Georgia laced, tensioned and trued.
Design and construction
The factory extrudes the E 512 from its high-strength aluminum alloy, the same material family as its EWS-winning enduro rims, and joins it with a precision sleeve that keeps the seam aligned and the rim round. The section is deeper and thicker-walled than the M 462 trail rim, which is where the E 512 gets its resistance to square-edged hits; it is the rim we suggest to riders who keep denting lighter rims.
The 25mm inner width supports a 2.3 to 2.5in tire with a round, predictable profile. The bead is DT Swiss's tubeless-ready shape and seals with the tape and valves. Standard nipples, no proprietary washers. The spoke holes are angled to the wheel's dish, so an E 512 builds to high, uniform tension without the nipples binding.
How it rides
An E 512 wheel feels solid and precise. The rim does not flex under a hard landing and it does not dent on rock strikes that would ruin a cross-country rim, and because the bed is 25mm the tire keeps a rounder profile that many riders prefer for cornering feel on hardpack. It is a little heavier than the M 462 and you notice that on long climbs; on the descent you notice that it is still true at the bottom.
The E 512 is an enduro and all-mountain rim. For bike park and downhill the FR 541 is stronger still; for wide 2.5 to 2.6in tires the E 532 or EX 511 at 30mm is the better bed.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 600 (29in), 562 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 25 mm |
| Depth | 21.8 mm |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Weight | 560g (700c/29in), 525g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
Which version this is
What this listing covers: the E 512 in 29in, 27.5in with 32h drilling, about 560g, 25mm inside, 21.8mm deep, disc. If you need it in another size or for the other brake type, it is listed separately.
This is the disc-brake E 512: plain sidewalls, no brake track to wear, a touch lighter. It fits any disc-brake bike and it is the version most of our customers now build; the rim-brake version is a separate listing.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The DT Swiss E 512 Disc Brake Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the E 512 on 350 and 240 hubs, Hope Pro 5, Industry Nine 1/1 and Hydra, Onyx Vesper, Bitex BX 211 and Chris King MTB hubs, usually with Sapim Race, D-Light or Competition spokes and brass nipples; Sapim Strong or Alpine on the drive side for heavier riders and e-bikes.
Tire range on the E 512 is 2.3 to 2.5in. Tell the configurator your bike type and weight and it suggests a spoke count and lacing pattern to suit.
Put it in a custom wheel
Build a custom wheel around the DT Swiss E 512 Disc Brake Rim — the link drops you into our Custom Wheel Program with this rim pinned, ready for you to choose the rest. It is set up for gravel and road disc, track and road single-speed, tandem and e-bike, mountain bike, MTB single-speed and fat bike builds.
Spoke head is decided by the hub, not the rim: this rim builds equally well with J-bend or straight-pull spokes, and the configurator only offers the spokes that match the hub you pick.
DT Swiss's testing and certifications
DT Swiss tests rims as part of complete wheels in its Performance Test Center in Biel. DT Swiss states that test methods and parameters vary with the intended use, the maximum system weight and the ASTM F 2043 riding conditions, and are written into an internal factory standard which "ensures compliance with the current international standards (e.g. ISO 4210)". Published methods include a wheel impact test (with and without tire, monitoring rim buckling, spoke tension and run-out), a drum test in which a wheel loaded to its permissible system weight rolls over obstacles on a steel drum for a set mileage, a lateral stiffness test and a burst pressure test. No impact energies or cycle counts are published.
Each rim page states a maximum system weight and ASTM classification: the R 460 road rim is rated "Max. System weight 110 kg", "ASTM classification 1" and not approved for e-bikes; the RR 481 is rated 130 kg, ASTM classification 2 and "Approved for e-bikes Yes (max. 32Km/h or max. 250W)".
DT Swiss's videos
From DT Swiss
Certifications
- ISO 4210 / ASTM F 2043 — DT Swiss states its internal factory standard 'ensures compliance with the current international standards (e.g. ISO 4210)' and sets test parameters by ASTM F 2043 riding conditions (self-declared, no certificate published) (source)
- ASTM classification per rim — R 460: ASTM classification 1, max system weight 110 kg, not e-bike approved; RR 481: ASTM classification 2, max system weight 130 kg, approved for e-bikes (max. 32 km/h or max. 250 W) (source)
- UCI approved wheels — UCI list version 2024.10.02 lists DT Swiss complete wheels, e.g. ARC 1100 DICUT 700C 38 SPO (02.05.2024), GRC 1100/1400 DI 700C CL 30 and CL 50, AR/ER 1600 SP and A/E 1800 SP 700C/650B CL 30, ARC 1100/1400 DI 700C CL 38 (all 13.06.2024); earlier ARC/ERC/PRC/GRC models 2016-2023. Component rims are not listed individually (source)
- Warranty — 24 months legal warranty on all products; lifetime warranty for first owners of carbon component rims bought after 1 March 2025; Fair-Share crash replacement for carbon rims available 10 years after purchase (source)
Sources on DT Swiss's site:
- Performance test center | DT Swiss
- Warranty & Fair-Share | DT Swiss
- Fair-Share Policy & Warranty | DT Swiss
- R 460 | DT Swiss
- RR 481 | DT Swiss
The figures, certificates and media above are DT Swiss's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the rim.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
DT makes the E 512; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. The build is the same every time: measured ERD, spokes cut to the half millimeter, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief, a final true, and tubeless tape and a valve on request.
The configurator shows only hubs and spokes that match the E 512 drilling, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel live.
Warranty
DT Swiss's warranty. DT Swiss covers its products against material and manufacturing defects for 24 months from purchase, excluding wear parts such as bearings and tubeless tape. Carbon rims and carbon wheels bought new since 1 January 2020 carry an extended guarantee to the first owner against defects in material and workmanship, and DT Swiss runs a paid crash-replacement scheme on carbon wheels for up to ten years from purchase.
ProWheelBuilder. Our one-year wheel warranty applies to any wheel we build around this part, alongside whatever the manufacturer offers. Inside that year, broken spokes are replaced no matter how they broke, and the wheel labor is ours - truing, re-tensioning or a full rebuild. A rim or hub failure that the maker covers, we claim for you and see through; one the maker declines, we answer with an eligible replacement at 25% off current retail. Shipping both ways is yours, and components you supply yourself fall outside this cover.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
E 512 Disc Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
25mm inside is the all-road and gravel width. Think 32 to 45mm tires: wide enough to support a gravel casing properly so it holds its shape at low pressure, narrow enough that a 30mm road tire still sits right if you swap wheels between bikes.
What is the difference between the E 512 and the E 532?
Width. The E 512 is 25mm internal for 2.3 to 2.5in tires; the E 532 is 30mm for 2.4 to 2.6in. Both are sleeved DT enduro rims from the same alloy family.
Is the E 512 tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready with tape and valves, which we fit on request.
Is the E 512 strong enough for e-bikes?
For trail e-bikes, yes, with the right spokes. For heavy e-MTB use DT makes the HX 531, which is welded and reinforced for the job.
Sleeved or welded?
The E 512 is sleeved: a precision insert joins the two ends of the extrusion. DT's welded rims (EX 511, FR 541) cost more; in practice a sleeved DT rim is very strong and stays round.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the DT Swiss E 512 Disc Brake Rim?
No. DT Swiss makes the rim. ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia that builds it into a finished wheel to your spec.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. DT Swiss lists the E 512 Disc Brake Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
