WTB HTZ I 30 Rim
The WTB HTZ is the rim WTB built when e-bikes started bending its trail rims: the thickest-walled rim WTB makes, with walls about 20% thicker than the KOM Tough, in 6069 alloy with the I-Beam center support, asymmetric spoke drilling and the TCS tubeless bead. The i30 is the 30mm-internal version for 2.4 to 2.6in tires, and it is the alloy rim we build for e-MTBs, downhill and park bikes and riders who keep denting everything else.
This page covers the WTB HTZ I 30 Rim in 29in, 27.5in. The HTZ i30 is not sold bare. You choose the hub and the rest of the build in the configurator, and it ships from our shop in Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The HTZ takes the KOM's I-Beam section and adds material everywhere: thicker bead walls to resist dents and pinch flats, a thicker spoke bed for the higher tensions an e-bike wheel wants, and 6069 alloy, which is stronger than the 6061 most rims use. The spoke drilling is asymmetric, offset toward the non-drive side, which brings drive-side and non-drive-side tension close to equal on a Boost rear and makes a stiffer, longer-lived wheel. The TCS bead seats a tubeless tire with a floor pump and needs 35mm TCS tape.
WTB makes the HTZ in i23, i25, i27, i30, i35 and i40 inner widths; the i30 is the e-MTB and gravity all-rounder. Standard nipples, J-bend spokes, 32 hole, disc only.
How it rides
An HTZ i30 wheel on an e-MTB feels like the bike finally has the wheel it needed. Stock e-bike wheels are often built on rims meant for lighter bikes and they dent or go out of true; the HTZ holds tension, keeps its shape on rock strikes, and lets you run a big tire at the low pressure that makes an e-bike grip. On a downhill or park bike it is one of the toughest alloy rims we build. It is heavy, which matters much less when the motor or the lift is doing the climbing.
For trail bikes without a motor the KOM Tough is lighter; for e-MTBs, downhill and park, the HTZ i30 is the WTB rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 605 (29in), 569 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 30 mm |
| Depth | 22 mm |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Weight | 718g (700c/29in), 678g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Spoke bed | Offset 6 mm |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the 29in, 27.5in listing of the HTZ i30, 32h, about 718g, 30mm inside, 22mm deep, disc. Pick the size that matches your frame; the profile and construction are the same across the range.
The disc version of the HTZ i30 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 WTB HTZ I 30 Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the HTZ i30 on DT Swiss 350, Industry Nine Hydra 2, Hope Pro 5, Onyx Classic and Chris King MTB hubs, with Sapim Strong, E-Strong or DT Alpine III spokes and brass nipples for e-bike duty.
Tire range on the HTZ i30 is 2.4 to 2.6in. Pick e-bike or downhill as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and gauge.
Build it with us
We build this rim to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the WTB Htz I 30 Rim already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for tandem and e-bike, MTB single-speed, mountain bike 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.
What WTB says about testing
WTB (Wilderness Trail Bikes, California) builds its rims around the TCS tubeless system. WTB states the Beadlock bead profile is "Designed to ISO/ETRTO standards", that 4D drilling angles each spoke hole toward the hub flange, and that most alloy rims are sleeve-jointed, the rim ends hydraulically pressed over an extruded aluminum insert reinforced with industrial epoxy. KOM and HTZ rims use 6069 aluminum for its "high tensile and fatigue strength"; HTZ e-bike rims add 20% wall thickness over KOM Tough.
Published limits: maximum spoke tension 110-120 kgf on KOM, HTZ and CZR rims; max rider weight 265 lbs for the CZR i23 and 300 lbs for the CZR i30. No per-rim maximum tire pressure is published and no ISO 4210 or UCI certification is claimed.
Testing: WTB states the CZR carbon rims went through hundreds of rims, dozens of layups, three rounds of rider testing and nearly a year on the final design without a broken rim. WTB also states it sent CZR rims to "an unbiased third-party lab" for destructive testing against competitor carbon rims, finding the CZR i23 "38% more impact resistant than their direct competition" and the CZR i30 "10% more impact resistant." The lab is not named.
WTB's videos
Certifications
- ISO/ETRTO bead design — WTB states its TCS Beadlock profile is "Designed to ISO/ETRTO standards" and CZR TCS 2.0 is ETRTO/ISO compliant (source)
- CVX spoke-bed technology — Stated as patented by WTB (source)
Sources on WTB's site:
- Rim Technology - WTB
- Warranty - WTB
- Ride With Confidence Guarantee - WTB
- CZR i23 Rim - WTB
- CZR i30 Rim - WTB
WTB publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the rim into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
WTB makes the HTZ; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Offset rims need the spoke lengths calculated per side, which we do from the rim's measured ERD and offset; every HTZ wheel is tensioned in stages with a gauge to e-bike tension, stress-relieved and trued before it ships. TCS tape and a valve are fitted on request.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
Warranty
WTB's warranty. WTB's cover depends on the rim: CZR and CGR carbon rims carry a limited lifetime warranty to the original owner, Ci24 and Ci31 carbon rims three years, and every other rim 24 months, all against defects in material and workmanship. A CZR rim broken while riding is replaced free; damage from a non-riding incident is replaced at half the current list price. Claims must be raised within 60 days of finding the defect.
ProWheelBuilder. If we lace this into a wheel for you, that wheel also carries ProWheelBuilder's own one-year warranty, which covers broken spokes regardless of cause and all wheel-related labor, including truing and rebuilding, for a year from purchase. Where a rim or hub is covered by its maker, we make the manufacturer's claim for you and coordinate it; where it is not, we offer an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off current retail. Shipping to and from us is the customer's. This cover does not extend to wheels built from components you supply yourself.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
HTZ I 30 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.
HTZ or KOM Tough?
HTZ for e-MTBs, downhill, park and riders who dent rims; KOM Tough for trail bikes without a motor, where its lighter walls are plenty.
Which HTZ width should I choose?
i23 and i25 for cross-country e-bikes, i27 and i30 for trail and enduro e-MTBs on 2.4 to 2.6in tires, i35 and i40 for plus tires.
What does asymmetric drilling do?
It moves the spoke holes toward the non-drive side, which evens out spoke tension on a Boost rear wheel so the wheel stays true longer under e-bike torque.
Is the HTZ tubeless?
Yes. It has WTB's TCS bead and needs 35mm TCS tape, which we fit with a valve on request.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. WTB lists the HTZ I 30 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.
