Velocity Blunt 35 Rim
The Velocity Blunt 35 is the wide trail rim in the Velocity mountain range: 35mm across, 29mm between the bead hooks, tubeless-ready and built for the 2.4 to 3.0in tires that trail and plus bikes run. The Blunt 35 is a double-wall rim, stronger than the single-wall Blunt SS, and it is the one we build for riders who want width and toughness in an alloy rim that comes in colors. Velocity extrudes and finishes it in the USA.
This page covers the Velocity Blunt 35 Rim in 29in, 27.5in, 26in, 20in. The Blunt 35 is sold here only inside a wheel we build: choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator and the finished wheel ships from Georgia, laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The Blunt 35 is a welded double-wall aluminum rim with a 30.2mm inner width and a tubeless-ready bead that seats most tires with a floor pump. The double-wall section gives it the strength for trail and all-mountain riding and lets it take high spoke tension without the bed deforming. The bead hook is low, which helps tubeless seating and keeps the profile light for its width.
The factory recommends 110 to 130 kgf spoke tension. Spoke holes take standard nipples with no washers. Velocity drills the spoke holes to suit the wheel's dish, so the nipples sit straight in the double wall and turn cleanly as we bring the tension up, which is part of why a Blunt 35 wheel holds true for so long.
Velocity USA makes its rims in Jacksonville, Florida, from extrusion through drilling to anodising, and backs them with the kind of support a small American manufacturer can give: replacement rims years later, matching colors, and straight answers about what a rim is for. The published spoke-tension range of 110 to 130 kgf is on the high side for alloy, and it is part of why these rims build into wheels that stay true.
How it rides
A Blunt 35 wheel gives a 2.5in tire a square, stable profile at low pressure, which is where trail grip comes from, and the double-wall section keeps the wheel tracking straight through rock gardens. It is a little heavier than a Blunt SS, which is the price of the strength; on a trail or all-mountain bike it is the better choice.
For cross-country and lighter trail riding the Blunt SS saves weight; for plus tires up to 3.0in the Blunt 35 and Dually cover it.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in, 26in, 20in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 597 (29in), 560 (27.5in), 535 (26in), 381 (20in) |
| Inner width | 30.2 mm |
| Depth | 22 mm |
| Drillings | 28h, 32h, 36h |
| Weight | 590g (700c/29in), 555g (650b/27.5in), 530g (26in), 389g (20in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | Clincher Tubeless Compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black, silver, polished, custom |
This version
This version is the Blunt 35 in 29in, 27.5in, 26in, 20in, drilled 28h, 32h, 36h, about 590g, 30.2mm inside, 22mm deep, disc. Where the same rim is sold in another size or brake type, that is a separate listing with its own page.
This is the disc-brake Blunt 35: 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 Velocity Blunt 35 Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in, 26in, 20in and 28h, 32h, 36h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the Blunt 35 on Velocity Race and Standard ATB hubs, DT Swiss 350 and 240, Hope Pro 5, Industry Nine 1/1 and Hydra, Onyx Vesper and Bitex BX 211 hubs, usually with Sapim Race, D-Light or DT Competition spokes and brass nipples.
Tire range on the Blunt 35 is 2.3 to 3.0in. The configurator recommends spoke count and lacing from your bike type and weight.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for mountain bike, MTB single-speed and fat bike builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Velocity Blunt 35 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.
How Velocity tests its rims
Velocity USA rolls, drills, anodizes and builds its aluminum rims at its own factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Velocity states the extrusion comes from Profile Precision Extrusions in Arizona. Production moved there from Jacksonville, Florida beginning December 2016. Rims are sleeve-joined: a piece of extrusion shaped to the rim's inner cavity is bonded in and the join heat-treated to set the bonding agent, then the rim is drilled, cleaned of swarf and anodized in Velocity's own tanks. Spoke holes are drilled at an exit angle of around 4 degrees, alternating flange bias at every other hole.
Velocity publishes no impact-energy, fatigue-cycle, ISO 4210 or third-party lab figures and no per-rim maximum tire pressure; its tubeless guidance uses 45 psi (3.1 bar) as the threshold between one and two layers of Velotape. Warranty: all Velocity products are warranted against defects in material and workmanship for the life of the product, excluding normal wear and tear, accidents, misuse, improper assembly or maintenance; repair or replacement is at Velocity's discretion.
Velocity's videos
From Velocity
Certifications
- Made in USA claim — Velocity states it rolls, drills, anodizes and builds rims and wheels by hand in Grand Rapids, MI using locally sourced materials (all production consolidated there December 2016) (source)
Sources on Velocity's site:
- Tech - Velocity USA
- About - Velocity USA
- About Us - Velocity USA
- Go Big And Get Home: Clydesdale Wheels And YOU! - Velocity USA
- Manufacturing with Passion: Velocity USA's Grand Rapids Wheel Factory - The Radavist
The figures, certificates and media above are Velocity's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the rim.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Velocity USA makes the Blunt 35; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Spokes are cut from the ERD we measure on the actual rim, the wheel comes up in stages on a tensiometer, and it is stress-relieved and trued before it goes in the box; tape and a valve go on if you ask.
The configurator filters to what fits, crosses out what is not made, and prices the build as you go.
Warranty
Velocity's warranty. Velocity warrants its rims against defects in material and workmanship for the life of the product, repairing or replacing at its option. Normal wear, accidents, misuse, improper assembly and poor maintenance are excluded.
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.
Blunt 35 Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
At 30.2mm 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 Blunt 35 and the Blunt SS?
Same 35mm width. The Blunt 35 is double-wall and stronger; the Blunt SS is single-wall and lighter for cross-country and light trail.
Is the Blunt 35 tubeless?
Yes. It is tubeless-ready with a low hook that seats easily; Velocity tape and a valve are fitted on request.
What tires fit the Blunt 35?
2.3 to 3.0in. A 2.5 to 2.6in trail tire or a 2.8in plus tire is the usual pairing.
What colors does the Blunt 35 come in?
Velocity anodises and powder-coats it in a wide range; the colors in stock are listed in the configurator.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Velocity Blunt 35 Rim?
No. Velocity 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. Velocity lists the Blunt 35 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.
