DT Swiss XM 481 Disc Brake Rim
The DT Swiss XM 481 is the 30mm-wide brother of the XM 421: a welded all-mountain rim that the factory built for the wider tires trail bikes run now, from 2.4in right up to plus sizes. The XM 481 has a minimal bead hook, excellent tubeless compatibility, a black powder-coated double-wall construction and a strength-to-weight ratio that has made it one of the most popular alloy trail rims we build. The factory approves it for e-bikes and rates it for a system weight up to 120kg.
This page covers the DT Swiss XM 481 Disc Brake Rim in 29in, 27.5in. The XM 481 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 XM 481 from premium aluminum and precision-welds the seam, which gives a lighter, stronger joint than a sleeve and a perfectly round tubeless bead. The 30mm inner width gives a 2.4 to 2.6in tire a square, supportive shape and will take a 2.8in plus tire if your frame allows. The bead hook is minimal, which saves weight and makes tubeless seating easy, and the double-wall section is powder-coated black rather than anodized.
The XM 481 ships with Prolock Squorx Pro Head nipples and PHR washers, which spread nipple load in an eyeletless rim and let us build to high tension without stressing the spoke bed. The spoke holes are angled to the wheel's dish.
How it rides
An XM 481 wheel is the modern trail wheel: wide enough that a 2.5in tire grips at low pressure, light enough to climb on, and stiff enough to track straight through rock gardens. Riders who review it tend to mention the same thing we see in the shop, which is that it stays true. The welded seam and the PHR washer system keep tension where we set it.
The XM 481 is a trail and all-mountain rim; for enduro racing and bike park the EX 511 and FR 541 are stronger, and for a lighter cross-country wheel the XM 421 at 25mm is quicker.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 599 (29in), 561 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 30 mm |
| Depth | 21.5 mm |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Weight | 525g (700c/29in), 490g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Profile | Triangle |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
Which version this is
What this listing covers: the XM 481 in 29in, 27.5in with 32h drilling, about 525g, 30mm inside, 21.5mm deep, disc. If you need it in another size or for the other brake type, it is listed separately.
The disc version of the XM 481 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 XM 481 Disc Brake Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the XM 481 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 the supplied Squorx nipples; Sapim Strong or Alpine on the drive side for e-bikes.
Tire range on the XM 481 is 2.4 to 2.8in. Tell the configurator your bike type and weight and it suggests a spoke count and lacing pattern to suit.
Build it with us
We build this rim to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the DT Swiss XM 481 Disc Brake Rim already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for 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.
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.
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
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 Swiss makes the XM 481; 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 XM 481 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. Built into a wheel by us, this part is covered by our own one-year wheel warranty on top of the maker's. For a year we replace broken spokes whatever caused them, and we cover the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild if it needs one. If a rim or hub fails and its maker covers it, we run that claim for you; if the maker says no, you get an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off retail. You pay the shipping each way. Wheels built from parts you send us are excluded.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
XM 481 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 XM 481 and the XM 421?
Width. The XM 481 is 30mm internal for 2.4in and wider tires; the XM 421 is 25mm and lighter for 2.25 to 2.4in. Both are welded DT Swiss all-mountain rims.
Is the XM 481 e-bike approved?
Yes. The factory approves it for e-bikes up to 250W and 32 km/h, with a system weight up to 120kg.
Is the XM 481 tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready with a minimal hook that seats tires easily; the maker's tape and valves are fitted on request.
What tires fit the XM 481?
2.4 to 2.8in. A 2.5 to 2.6in trail tire is the pairing most of our customers run.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the DT Swiss XM 481 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 XM 481 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.
