DT Swiss FR 541 Disc Brake Rim
The DT Swiss FR 541 is the rim the factory says aspires to be the last rim you build on your downhill bike. The FR 541 is a welded 30mm-internal aluminum rim that takes the EX 511 profile and adds material at the flange hook taper, which the factory says gives it 17% more pinch-flat resistance than the older FR 560. It ships with PHR washers to spread nipple load, comes in 27.5 and 29in, and in 28 or 32 hole.
This page covers the DT Swiss FR 541 Disc Brake Rim in 29in, 27.5in. The FR 541 is not sold bare. You choose the hub and the rest of the build in the configurator, and it ships from our shop in Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The factory extrudes the FR 541 from its heaviest-duty aluminum alloy and welds the seam, the most resistant joining method in the DT range, then smooths it for a round tubeless bead. The profile is EX-based, so the 30mm inner width and the tubeless bed are the same shape that has won enduro world series races, but the bead hook taper carries extra material to resist the pinch flats and dented sidewalls that downhill riding produces.
PHR washers sit under every nipple on the FR 541, spreading the load and reducing localised stress in the spoke bed without the weight of eyelets. The spoke holes are angled to the wheel's dish, which keeps tension even and nipples straight. Standard nipples.
How it rides
An FR 541 wheel is built to be pointed downhill. Reviewers who race on it note that it shines when things get steep and rocky and that, like most aluminum downhill rims, it is a little less snappy than a carbon rim; that softness is exactly what saves it when you case a jump or hit a square rock at speed. The 30mm bed gives a 2.5in downhill tire a stable shape at low pressure and the reinforced hook keeps the tire on the rim.
If you ride park, downhill or freeride, or you are an enduro rider who keeps denting EX 511s, the FR 541 is the DT Swiss alloy rim for you.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 603 (29in), 565 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 30 mm |
| Depth | 21 mm |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Weight | 605g (700c/29in), 570g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the 29in, 27.5in listing of the FR 541, 32h, about 605g, 30mm inside, 21mm deep, disc. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
The disc version of the FR 541 has no brake track, so the sidewall is a plain extrusion that saves a little weight and never wears; it is the one to choose for any disc-brake frame. The rim-brake version, listed separately, has a machined sidewall.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The DT Swiss FR 541 Disc Brake Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the FR 541 on 350 and 240 hubs, Hope Pro 5, Industry Nine 1/1 and Hydra, Onyx Vesper and Chris King MTB hubs, usually with Sapim Race or Competition spokes and brass nipples, or Sapim Strong and Alpine for downhill racing and e-bikes.
Tire range on the FR 541 is 2.4 to 2.6in. Give the configurator your bike type and weight; it picks a sensible spoke count and lacing pattern, which you can override.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for tandem and e-bike, mountain bike, MTB single-speed and fat bike builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the DT Swiss FR 541 Disc Brake Rim and the configurator pins it for you, then checks each choice you make against it.
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.
What DT Swiss says about testing
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.
DT Swiss gives a 24-month defects warranty on all products; first owners of carbon component rims bought after 1 March 2025 receive a lifetime warranty against material and workmanship defects, and under the Fair-Share policy a carbon rim damaged by a riding error is replaced for a fixed contribution for 10 years after purchase. UCI approval is granted to complete wheels: DT Swiss wheels such as the ARC 1100 DICUT 700C 38 SPO (approved 2 May 2024) are on the UCI list, but component rims are not listed individually.
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
DT Swiss publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the rim into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
DT makes the FR 541; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every FR 541 wheel we build gets spokes cut from the rim's measured ERD, is tensioned in stages with a gauge, stress-relieved and trued before it ships. Tubeless tape and a valve are fitted on request.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
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. Lace this into a wheel here and the finished wheel gets our own one-year warranty as well as the maker's. For twelve months we replace broken spokes however they broke, and the work on the wheel is on us - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild where it is needed. If the rim or hub is covered by its manufacturer we put the claim in and chase it; if it is not, we supply an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off the current retail price. Carriage both ways is the customer's, and this does not cover wheels built from parts you send in.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
FR 541 Disc Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 30mm inside this is a trail width, sized around 2.1 to 2.4in tires. That is wide enough to stop a modern trail casing rolling under you in a corner without pushing the tread so flat that it wears down the middle.
What is the difference between the FR 541 and the EX 511?
Same 30mm profile. The FR 541 adds material at the bead hook for pinch-flat resistance and uses PHR washers; it is heavier and tougher, built for downhill and freeride rather than enduro racing.
What tires fit the FR 541?
2.4 to 2.6in; a 2.5in downhill tire is the usual pairing.
Is the FR 541 tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready with the maker's tape and valves, which we fit on request.
Is the FR 541 good for e-bikes?
Yes. Its reinforced hook and welded seam suit heavy e-MTB use; tell the configurator it is an e-bike and it picks the spoke gauge.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. DT Swiss lists the FR 541 Disc Brake Rim as clincher tubeless compatible; we tape and fit a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Which spoke count should I choose?
It depends on your weight, terrain and the hub, not the rim alone. The configurator recommends a count from your bike type and rider weight, within the drillings this rim is made in.
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.
