WTB HTZ I 35 Rim
The WTB HTZ i35 is the wide member of WTB's heavy-duty HTZ family: 35mm inside for 2.6 to 2.8in tires, with walls about 20% thicker than the KOM Tough, 6069 alloy, the I-Beam center support, asymmetric spoke drilling and the TCS tubeless bead. It is the rim for e-MTBs and gravity bikes on wide tires that want the biggest footprint and the toughest alloy rim WTB makes.
This page covers the WTB HTZ I 35 Rim in 29in, 27.5in. The HTZ i35 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 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.
How it rides
An HTZ i35 wheel with a 2.6in tire is grip and durability together: the wide bed lets you run the tire soft, the thick walls take the rock strikes a low-pressure tire cannot absorb, and the asymmetric rear stays true under e-bike torque. It is heavy, which an e-bike does not care about.
For 2.4 to 2.5in tires the HTZ i30 is lighter; for 2.6 to 2.8in on an e-bike or gravity bike, the HTZ i35 is the WTB rim we recommend.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 604 (29in), 569 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 35 mm |
| Depth | 22.5 mm |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Weight | 768g (700c/29in), 718g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Spoke bed | Offset 7 mm |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
This version
This version is the HTZ i35 in 29in, 27.5in, drilled 32h, about 768g, 35mm inside, 22.5mm 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 HTZ i35: 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 WTB HTZ I 35 Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the HTZ i35 on DT Swiss 350, Industry Nine Hydra 2, Hope Pro 5, Onyx Classic and Chris King MTB hubs in Boost spacing, with Sapim Strong, E-Strong or DT Alpine III spokes and brass nipples.
Tire range on the HTZ i35 is 2.5 to 2.8in. Pick e-bike or downhill as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and gauge.
Put it in a custom wheel
Build a custom wheel around the WTB Htz I 35 Rim — the link drops you into our Custom Wheel Program with this rim pinned, ready for you to choose the rest. It is set up for tandem and e-bike, MTB single-speed, mountain bike and fat bike builds.
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 WTB tests its rims
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.
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.
Warranty: WTB guarantees its products "for at least two years"; Ci24/Ci31 carbon 36 months. CZR carbon rims carry a Limited Lifetime warranty for the original owner plus the Ride With Confidence Guarantee: a CZR broken while riding is replaced free with a free rebuild; one damaged while not riding is replaced at 50% off current MSRP.
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
The figures, certificates and media above are WTB's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the rim.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
WTB makes the HTZ i35; 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
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. 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.
HTZ I 35 Rim questions
What tire width suits this rim?
35mm inside is an enduro width, meant for 2.3 to 2.6in tires. It gives a big casing a square, supported profile so you can drop pressure for grip without the tire folding, which is the whole point of a rim this wide.
Which spokes and nipples suit the HTZ i35?
For most riders a double-butted spoke such as Sapim Race or DT Competition with brass nipples; lighter riders can go to Sapim Laser or CX-Ray. The configurator recommends a gauge and count for the HTZ i35 from your bike type and weight.
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 ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the WTB HTZ I 35 Rim?
No. WTB makes the rim. ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia that builds it into a finished wheel to your spec.
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.
