Nextie Wild Dragon carbon rim
The Wild Dragon is Nextie's all-round double-wall fat rim, in two versions: the Wild Dragon II 85 at a 78mm inner width and the Wild Dragon III 90 at 83mm, both about 610 grams. Nextie measured the III 90 at 426kg in positive stiffness, more than four times a normal carbon mountain wheel.
Nextie designs and molds the rim; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. We build it into a complete wheel: pick the hub, spokes, nipples and lacing in the configurator and it ships laced, tensioned and trued.
Who it is for
The Wild Dragon is for fat bikers on 4 to 5in tires who want a stiff, durable rim for snow, sand and winter trail. The II 85 takes 3.8 to 5.0in tires in 27.5in; the III 90 takes 4.0 to 5.2in in 26in or 27.5in and is the only Nextie fat rim offered in 36-hole as well as 32. Both are rated for a 250kg maximum system weight.
Sizes, weights and prices
2 sizes, in 27.5in / 650b, 26in, drilled 32h, 36h. Rim weights are Nextie's published figures; ERD is the effective rim diameter we cut spokes to, listed per wheel size.
| Size | Wheel | Inner width | Depth | ERD | Weight | Tire range | Drilling | Rim price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Dragon II 85 | 27.5in / 650b | 78mm | - | 523 | 610g | 3.8-5.0in | 32 | $395 |
| Wild Dragon III 90 | 27.5in / 650b | 83mm | - | 523 | 615g | 4.0-5.2in | 32, 36 | $425 |
| Wild Dragon III 90 | 26in | 83mm | - | 498 | 615g | 4.0-5.2in | 32, 36 | $425 |
How it compares
The single-wall Xiphias 85 is a lighter rim at a similar width. The narrower Black Eagle II 65 suits 3.8 to 4.5in tires, and the Drunken Rhinoceros goes to a 120mm bed for the biggest tires made.
What the designations mean
Series codes
Every size in the list carries Nextie's own series code. Road and gravel codes are width classes, which set the tire size and the aero profile; MTB codes are duty cycles.
| Xiphias / Wild Dragon / Black Eagle / Drunken Rhinoceros | Nextie's fat-bike rims, named by model: Xiphias (single-wall, lightest) 55-120mm, Black Eagle 65mm, Wild Dragon 85-90mm and Drunken Rhinoceros 128mm (double-wall). |
|---|
Material and construction
The Nextie Wild Dragon is molded from carbon fiber in Nextie's Xiamen factory, in a UD (unidirectional) weave with a matte finish. The bed is tubeless-ready. Nextie rates these sizes for a maximum system weight of 250kg (rider plus bike and gear).
How Nextie tests the Wild Dragon
Nextie publishes its own lab results rather than a marketing line. Rims are impact-tested on a drop hammer to the UCI wheel-approval protocol and beyond it (a weighted hammer dropped onto the built, tensioned wheel until the rim fails, the energy recorded in joules), checked for positive and lateral stiffness under load, pulled to destruction at the spoke hole, measured for runout and roundness as a built wheel, and heat-soaked at 80°C for four hours. Every edition also carries a roundness and flatness tolerance, an ASTM riding-condition rating, a maximum system weight and a factory warranty, listed below.
Nextie tests its fat rims for stiffness rather than hammer impact, since a 4in tire at 8psi is the impact protection: the Wild Dragon III 90 measured 426kg in its first positive-stiffness test, which Nextie puts at more than four times a normal carbon mountain wheel. The Wild Dragon is a double-wall Toray T800 and T700 rim, rated ASTM condition 5 with a maximum system weight of 250kg, built at 110 to 130kgf spoke tension for 5 to 15psi tires, with a three-year warranty.
Certifications
The UCI's wheel approval procedure is the only independent certification that exists for bicycle rims: a wheel built on the rim is impact-tested and inspected under the UCI's protocol before it may be raced in UCI-sanctioned road, cyclocross and gravel events, and the certificate is published. Nextie has held UCI approval since September 2021 and adds models each year; it also states that its factory holds SGS test certification and industry production-system certifications, and it rates every rim to an ASTM riding-condition class.
There is no UCI approval for fat-bike wheels; the approvals below are Nextie's road and gravel certificates, from the same factory and test lab.
- NXT45RC Premium road rim — UCI wheel approval, September 2021 (certificate PDF)
- Alpha 50 Supreme road wheel — UCI wheel approval, 8 October 2025 (certificate PDF)
- Alpha 40 Supreme road rim — UCI wheel approval, 29 May 2026 (certificate PDF)
- Alpha 45G Supreme gravel rim — UCI wheel approval, 21 July 2026 (certificate PDF)
- Alpha 55G Supreme gravel rim — UCI wheel approval, 21 July 2026 (certificate PDF)
Source documents on nextie.com:
Figures, certificates and media are Nextie's own, published on nextie.com; ProWheelBuilder builds the rim into a wheel and does not run these tests.
Weight
Weights run from 610g for the Wild Dragon II 85 to 615g for the Wild Dragon III 90. Rim weight is rotating weight at the outside of the wheel, so a gram saved here is felt more than a gram saved on the frame. Inner widths of 78 and 83mm decide the tire.
Value
Big-brand carbon fat rims are priced like complete bikes. The Wild Dragon brings a stiff double-wall carbon rim with a three-year warranty to a price well under that, direct from Nextie's molds, and built here on a 150 or 197mm fat hub it makes a fat wheel set that steers like a much smaller wheel.
How we build it
Choose the size, the wheel diameter and a drilling (32h, 36h), and the configurator only offers hubs, spokes and lacing patterns that can actually be built with that combination. Start a build with the Nextie Wild Dragon and the Custom Wheel Program opens with this rim already selected; from this page, the Build button carries the size, drilling and diameter you picked straight into the build. You can also send us a rim you already own with the supply-your-own option.
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.
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty. Nextie warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship. The duration, conditions and claim process are set by Nextie and can change without notice, so ask us and we will confirm the current terms before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. Wheels we build around this part are covered by our own one-year warranty alongside the maker's. Within the year: broken spokes replaced regardless of cause, and the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning or a complete rebuild - included. A manufacturer-covered rim or hub failure is a claim we make and manage for you; one they will not cover is answered with an eligible replacement at 25% off retail. Shipping each way is yours. Parts you supply yourself fall outside it.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Nextie Wild Dragon questions
Wild Dragon II 85 or III 90?
The III 90 is the newer, wider version: an 83mm bed for 4.0 to 5.2in tires, in 26in or 27.5in, 32 or 36-hole. The II 85 is a 78mm bed for 3.8 to 5.0in tires, in 27.5in, 32-hole.
Why choose a double-wall fat rim?
A second wall makes the rim much stiffer and lets it carry more weight; Nextie rates the Wild Dragon for a 250kg system weight. The single-wall Xiphias is lighter but rated lower.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Nextie Wild Dragon?
No. Nextie designs and manufactures the rim. ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia: we buy the rim from Nextie and build it into a finished wheel to your spec.
Can I buy the Nextie Wild Dragon on its own?
No. We supply Nextie rims only as part of a wheel we build, so every rim is laced, tensioned and trued here before it ships.
How long will the wheel take?
Build time comes down to parts availability rather than bench time. The estimated ship date is shown in the configurator before you check out.
Not sure which size? 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.
