WTB KOM Tough TCS I 35 Rim
The WTB KOM Tough i35 is the wide member of the KOM Tough family: 35mm inside for 2.6 to 2.8in tires, with WTB's TCS tubeless bead, 4D angled spoke drilling and I-Beam center support in the heavier Tough layup. It is the alloy rim for wide-tire trail bikes and plus hardtails that want the biggest footprint at a sensible weight and price.
This page covers the WTB KOM Tough TCS I 35 Rim in 29in, 27.5in. The KOM Tough i35 is built to order here. Choose the hub, spokes and nipples in the configurator; the wheel leaves Georgia laced, tensioned and trued.
Design and construction
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; the KOM Tough needs 35mm TCS tape and a WTB valve, which we fit. The I-Beam is a vertical web inside the rim section that stiffens the spoke bed, and 4D drilling angles each spoke hole toward the hub flange it serves so the nipple sits straight and the spoke does not bend at the rim. The KOM Tough is a welded 6069-class alloy rim with thicker walls than the KOM Light for the same profile.
How it rides
A KOM Tough i35 wheel with a 2.6in tire is all grip. The wide bed lets you run the tire soft without it rolling in corners, the welded rim takes the rock strikes a low-pressure tire cannot absorb, and the 4D drilling keeps tension even. It is heavier than the i30, which you feel on climbs and forget on the descent.
For 2.4 to 2.5in tires the KOM Tough i30 is lighter; for 2.8 to 3.0in the i40 is wider still.
Specifications
| Wheel size | 29in, 27.5in |
|---|---|
| ERD | 604 (29in), 568 (27.5in) |
| Inner width | 35 mm |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Weight | 578g (700c/29in), 539g (650b/27.5in) |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Tire type | clincher tubeless compatible |
| Brake | Disc |
| Nipples | External |
| Finishes | black |
Which version this is
What this listing covers: the KOM Tough i35 in 29in, 27.5in with 32h drilling, about 578g, 35mm inside, mm deep, disc. If you need it in another size or for the other brake type, it is listed separately.
This is the disc-brake KOM Tough 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 KOM Tough TCS I 35 Rim comes in 29in, 27.5in and 32h drilling. It is a disc-brake rim. We build the KOM Tough i35 on DT Swiss 350 and 240, Industry Nine 1/1 and Hydra 2, Hope Pro 5, Onyx Vesper and Bitex BX 211 hubs in Boost spacing, usually with Sapim Race, D-Light or DT Competition spokes and brass nipples.
Tire range on the KOM Tough i35 is 2.5 to 2.8in. Tell the configurator your bike type and weight and it suggests a spoke count and lacing pattern to suit.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for tandem and e-bike, MTB single-speed, mountain bike and fat bike builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the WTB KOM Tough TCS I 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.
WTB's testing and certifications
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.
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.
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.
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 KOM Tough i35; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. The build is the same every time: measured ERD, spokes cut to the half millimeter, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief, a final true, and tubeless tape and a valve on request.
The configurator shows only hubs and spokes that match the KOM Tough i35 drilling, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel live.
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. 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.
KOM Tough TCS 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 KOM Tough 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 KOM Tough i35 from your bike type and weight.
KOM Tough or KOM Light?
Same profile. Tough has thicker walls for trail and all-mountain; Light saves about 60 grams for cross-country. We stock the Tough.
What does TCS mean?
Tubeless Compatible System, WTB's bead shape that seats and holds a tubeless tire; it needs WTB TCS tape, which we fit.
Which KOM Tough width should I choose?
i25 for 2.2 to 2.4in cross-country tires, i30 for 2.4 to 2.6in trail tires, i35 for 2.6 to 2.8in, i40 for 2.8 to 3.0in plus tires.
Is the KOM Tough e-bike rated?
For light trail e-bikes with the right spokes, yes. For heavy e-MTB use WTB makes the HTZ with 20% thicker walls.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the WTB KOM Tough TCS 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.
