DT Swiss G 540 Disc Brake Rim
The DT Swiss G 540 is the gravel rim we reach for when the roads are more rock than gravel. The G 540 is a sleeved aluminum rim with a 24mm inner width, a deep enough section to shrug off rim strikes, and DT Swiss's usual precision at the joint and the spoke bed. It is the rim DT Swiss builds its heavier-duty gravel wheels on, and the one we suggest for bikepacking loads, mixed-surface touring and riders who are hard on equipment.
This page covers the DT Swiss G 540 Disc Brake Rim in 29in, 27.5in. Like every rim on the site, the G 540 comes from us only as a finished wheel: pick the hub, spokes and nipples, and we lace, tension and true it by hand in Georgia before it ships.
Design and construction
The factory extrudes the G 540 from its own aluminum alloy and joins it with a precision sleeve, which keeps the joint aligned and gives the rim a long fatigue life; a sleeved DT Swiss rim rarely cracks at the seam the way some pinned rims do. The 24mm inner width is the sweet spot for gravel: it squares up a 40mm tire without making a 32mm road tire look like a lightbulb, and The factory rates the G 540 for tires up to 53mm.
The G 540 profile is deeper and heavier-walled than the GR 531, which is where the strength comes from. The tubeless bead seat is DT's own shape and seals with the tubeless tape and valves. Spoke holes are drilled to suit the wheel's dish, and the rim takes standard nipples; no proprietary washers are needed on a G 540.
How it rides
A G 540 wheel feels planted. The rim's section resists the flex a lighter gravel rim shows when you load the front into a rutted corner, and it takes a hard rim strike on a square rock without denting. The weight is a little above the lightest gravel rims, and on a fast group ride you might notice it; on a loaded bike on rough forest roads you will not, and you will be glad of the strength.
We build a lot of G 540 wheels for riders who kept denting lighter rims. Paired with a 40 to 45mm tire run tubeless at moderate pressure it is a very forgiving setup.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 592 (29in), 554 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 24 mm |
| Depth | 25 mm |
| Drillings | 28h, 32h |
| Weight | 565g (700c/29in), 530g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
About this listing
Version notes. 29in, 27.5in, 28h, 32h, about 565g, 24mm inside, 25mm deep, disc. The other sizes and brake versions of the G 540 have their own listings; this page is for this one.
This is the disc-brake G 540: 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 G 540 Disc Brake Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 28h, 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim with no braking surface. We build the G 540 on DT 350 and 240 hubs, Bitex BX 106, Hope RS4, White Industries CLD and Industry Nine 1/1 and Hydra hubs, usually with Sapim Race, D-Light or Competition spokes and brass nipples for a touring wheel or alloy nipples for a lighter one.
Tire range on the G 540 is 35 to 53mm. Pick your bike type and weight in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build it with us
We build this rim to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the DT Swiss G 540 Disc Brake Rim already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for gravel and road disc, track and road single-speed, tandem and e-bike, mountain bike, MTB single-speed and fat bike builds, and the configurator will not let you assemble a combination we would not build.
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.
Testing, standards and warranty at DT Swiss
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
Everything in this section is published by DT Swiss. ProWheelBuilder is the wheel builder, not the tester, and the rim reaches us as the maker ships it.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
DT makes the G 540; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. We measure the rim before we cut a spoke, bring the wheel up in three or four rounds with a gauge, stress-relieve it between rounds and true it last, then tape it and fit a valve if you want it tubeless.
Only compatible hubs and spokes appear in the configurator, impossible combinations are struck through rather than hidden, and the price is 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. 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.
G 540 Disc Brake Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
24mm 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 DT Swiss G 540 and the GR 531?
Both are 24mm-internal sleeved gravel rims. The G 540 is deeper, heavier-walled and stronger for loaded or rough riding; the GR 531 is lighter and quicker for gravel racing and lighter riders.
What tires fit the G 540?
The factory rates it for 35 to 53mm; 40 to 45mm is the range most of our customers run.
Is the G 540 tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready with the maker's tape and valves, which we fit on request.
Is the G 540 suitable for bikepacking?
It is one of the best alloy rims for it: strong, sleeved and forgiving of a loaded bike on rough roads.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. DT Swiss lists the G 540 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.
