HED Belgium R Disc Rim
The HED Belgium R is the current version of the alloy rim that changed road wheels. The original Belgium was the first wide alloy road rim, 23mm across when everything else was 19, and the company showed that a wider rim made a 23mm tire faster and more comfortable. The Belgium R takes that idea to 20.5mm inside, keeps the low profile that gives the Belgium its ride quality, and adds a welded joint and a tubeless-ready bed. It is about 40 grams lighter than the Belgium+ it replaced, and it is made in Minnesota in rim-brake and disc versions.
This page covers the HED Belgium R Disc Rim in 700c. The Belgium R 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 Belgium R is a low-profile double-wall aluminum rim, 20.5mm wide inside and about 24mm deep, welded rather than pinned so the brake track on the rim-brake version is continuous and the rim stays round. The 20.5mm inner width supports a 25 to 32mm tire with a good sidewall shape and works up to 40mm for light gravel, and the tubeless-ready bed seals with tape and a valve. The rim-brake version has a machined sidewall; the disc version is plain.
It is drilled in 24 and 28 hole for road, which tells you how strong the rim is; a 24-spoke Belgium R wheel on a good hub is a light, stiff road wheel. Standard nipples, J-bend spokes.
How it rides
A Belgium R wheel rides the way it was intended: smooth, quick and confident in corners because the tire is properly supported. The low profile gives more vertical compliance than a deeper alloy rim, which is why the Belgium has been the go-to alloy rim for long-distance road riders for years, and the welded joint keeps it true. On 32 to 38mm tires it makes a fast, comfortable light-gravel wheel.
For wider gravel tires the Belgium G is the better bed; for an alloy road wheel that is light, comfortable and fast, the Belgium R is the HED rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 700c |
|---|---|
| ERD | 592.8 (29in) |
| Inner width | 20.5 mm |
| Depth | 24.5 mm |
| Drillings | 28h, 32h |
| Weight | 422g (700c/29in), 390g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
About this listing
Version notes. 700c, 28h, 32h, about 422g, 20.5mm inside, 24.5mm deep, disc. The other sizes and brake versions of the Belgium R have their own listings; this page is for this one.
This is the disc-brake Belgium R: 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 HED Belgium R Disc Rim comes in 700c and 28h, 32h drilling, in rim-brake and disc versions; check the name on this page. We build the Belgium R on DT Swiss 350, 240 and 180, White Industries T11 and CLD, Chris King R45, Industry Nine 1/1 and SOLiX, Bitex and Hope RS4 hubs, usually with Sapim CX-Ray, Laser or Race spokes or DT Aerolite and Competition, and brass or alloy nipples.
Tire range on the Belgium R is 25 to 40mm. Pick your bike type and weight in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build it into a wheel
This rim is live in our Custom Wheel Program for gravel and road disc, track and road single-speed, touring and tandem and e-bike builds. Start a build with the HED Belgium R Disc Rim and the configurator opens with this exact rim pinned at the top of the HED list — you choose the rest of the parts and it validates every combination as you go.
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 HED
HED Cycling Products manufactures its carbon rims and builds its wheels at its own facility in Roseville, Minnesota, and describes them as "Hand-Built in the USA Since 1984". HED states that carbon layup, rim production, wheel assembly, spoke tensioning, truing, inspection and final quality control all happen there, with each wheel's dish set and lateral and radial trueness checked by hand. HED's aerodynamic work is done in a wind tunnel with tires mounted and inflated, a method HED says it pioneered. A Bikerumor factory tour reported HED runs an in-house rolling drum that loads a wheel to simulate long mileage and drops weights on rims to check impact strength; HED itself publishes no impact energies, fatigue-cycle counts or ISO/EN results.
For the alloy rims, HED states the Belgium R disc rim (700C) is a hooked alloy rim with a welded seam joint, 25 mm external and 20.5 mm internal width, 593 mm ERD, 425 g, tubeless compatible, in 28 and 32 hole. HED's tire-pressure guidance states the maximum pressure ever needed on any Plus or BLACK rim is 90 psi (6.2 bar) even with a 23 mm tire, and that hookless rims cap at 72.5 psi by industry standard.
HED's videos
From HED
Certifications
- UCI approved wheels — 20 HED Cycling Products models (Ardennes Black/GP/LT/SL, Jet 4/5/6/9 Plus and Black, Stinger 3/5/6/9, Vanquish 4/6/8) listed with approval date 22.06.2018 in the UCI List of Approved Wheels since 01.01.2024, version 2024.10.02, page 33 (source)
- Made in USA claim — HED states carbon rims are manufactured and wheels hand-built in Roseville, Minnesota; "Hand-Built in the USA Since 1984" (source)
- 5-year limited warranty — Defects in materials and workmanship, five (5) years from purchase, original purchaser only; crash replacement pricing offered for accident damage (source)
Sources on HED's site:
- HED Wheels Hand-Built in USA
- HED 5-Year Warranty
- About HED Cycling
- HED Belgium R Disc Brake 700C rim
- Road Tire Pressure for Plus and BLACK Wheels (HED)
Everything in this section is published by HED. ProWheelBuilder is the wheel builder, not the tester, and the rim reaches us as the maker ships it.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
The Belgium R is made in Minnesota; 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
Manufacturer's warranty. HED warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship. The duration, conditions and claim process are set by HED and can change without notice, so ask us and we will confirm the current terms before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. Any wheel we build on this part carries ProWheelBuilder's one-year warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. Broken spokes are replaced for a year whatever the cause, and all wheel-side labor is included - truing, re-tensioning, rebuilding. Where the maker covers a failed rim or hub we handle that claim for you; where they decline, an eligible replacement comes at 25% off current retail. The customer covers shipping in both directions. Components supplied by the customer are not covered.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Belgium R Disc Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 20.5mm inside this is a road width. It suits roughly 25 to 32mm tires, which is where most road bikes now sit, and it will run a 23 if you still want one. Go much wider than 32 on this rim and the tire starts to balloon above the sidewalls and squirm when you lean on it.
Belgium R or Belgium G?
R for road and light gravel on 25 to 40mm tires; G for gravel on 35 to 50mm tires with its 20.5mm inner width.
Is the Belgium R tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready with a hooked bead; tape and a valve are fitted on request.
What tires fit the Belgium R?
25 to 40mm. A 28mm road tire or a 35mm light-gravel tire is where the 20.5mm inner width is happiest.
Why only 24 and 28 hole on the Belgium R?
The Belgium R is designed for light, stiff road wheels; 24 front and 28 rear on a good hub is the classic build, and the rim is strong enough for it.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. HED lists the Belgium R Disc 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.
