WTB KOM Light i35 Rim
WTB's lighter KOM layup: the same welded alloy profile and TCS tubeless bead as the KOM Tough, with thinner walls and less material for riders who want the width without the weight. The KOM Light i35 runs 35mm inside, which suits 2.5 to 2.8in trail and all-mountain tires. Published weight is 545g in 27.5in, and WTB lists it in 32 hole.
This page covers the WTB KOM Light i35 Rim in 27.5in. It comes from us 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 KOM Light i35 is a welded alloy rim using WTB's TCS 2.0 bead, 4D angled spoke drilling and, on the wider sizes, the CVX reinforced spoke bed. TCS stands for Tubeless Compatible System, WTB's bead profile that seats a tubeless tire with a floor pump and holds it at low pressure. 4D drilling angles each spoke hole toward the hub flange it serves, so the nipple sits straight and the spoke is not bent where it leaves the rim.
How it rides
At 35mm internal the KOM Light i35 supports 2.5 to 2.8in trail and all-mountain tires without the sidewall folding over in corners. It is built for cross-country and trail riding, and in our strength model it scores 5.15 out of 10 — read that against the other rims in the configurator rather than on its own.
Specifications
| Wheel size | Inner width | Weight | ERD | Rim size designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.5in | 35mm | 545g | 569 | 35-584 |
ERD is 569 in 27.5in, measured by WTB. We use those figures directly when we cut spokes, so the length is right the first time.
About this listing
This is the rim on its own as a component of a hand-built wheel. Choose your diameter and drilling above; we build the wheel around it.
Build it into a wheel
This rim is live in our Custom Wheel Program for MTB single-speed and mountain bike builds. Start a build with the KOM Light i35 and the configurator opens with this exact rim pinned at the top of the WTB list — you choose the hub, drilling, spokes and nipples 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.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
Available in 27.5in, 32 hole, disc brake only, for external nipples. WTB specifies 35mm tubeless tape; we fit tape and a valve when you choose the tubeless option.
Testing, standards and warranty at WTB
WTB test the KOM rims to their own impact and fatigue standards and warrant them against defects in materials and workmanship. WTB state the TCS Beadlock bead profile is designed to ISO/ETRTO standards, and that the CVX spoke bed is patented. Their rim technology page covers both, and the 4D drilling that angles each spoke hole toward the flange it serves.
ProWheelBuilder does not test rims. We report what WTB publish and build to it.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Every KOM Light i35 leaves here laced, tensioned and trued by a person, not a machine. Spoke length comes from the measured hub and WTB's published ERD, and we set tension to the rim maker's figure.
What does the i35 width give me?
35mm internal is the widest KOM Light, meant for tires from about 2.4 to 2.6in, and it is listed here in 27.5in. It gives a big casing a square, well-supported profile so you can drop pressure for grip without the tire folding over the rim under cornering load - which is the entire reason to run a rim this wide. It is the heaviest of the family at 545g.
On a tire under about 2.3in a 35mm rim leaves the casing stretched and vague, so match it to the tire it was meant for rather than fitting it and hoping.
For the build: 545g, and a published ERD of 569 in 27.5in. Spoke lengths come from that figure and the hub you pair it with, so tell us the hub and we will work them out. The other widths in the KOM Light family are separate listings.
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. Our one-year wheel warranty applies to any wheel we build around this part, alongside whatever the manufacturer offers. Inside that year, broken spokes are replaced no matter how they broke, and the wheel labor is ours - truing, re-tensioning or a full rebuild. A rim or hub failure that the maker covers, we claim for you and see through; one the maker declines, we answer with an eligible replacement at 25% off current retail. Shipping both ways is yours, and components you supply yourself fall outside this cover.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
KOM Light i35 Rim questions
What tires fit a 35mm inner width?
2.5 to 2.8in trail and all-mountain tires.
Is it tubeless-ready?
Yes. WTB lists the KOM Light i35 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 32 hole 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.
