  We present observations of the historic transient 4U 1730-22 as observed with
the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER). After remaining in
quiescence since its 1972 discovery, this X-ray binary showed renewed outburst
activity in 2021 and 2022. We observed 4U 1730-22 extensively with NICER,
detecting a total of 17 thermonuclear X-ray bursts. From a spectroscopic
analysis, we find that these X-ray bursts can be divided into a group of bright
and weak bursts. All bright bursts showed $1\sim2$ second rise times and a
photospheric radius expansion phase, while the weak bursts showed a slower
$\sim5$ second rise with a tendency for concave shapes. From the photospheric
radius expansion flux, we estimate the source distance at $6.9\pm0.2$ kpc. We
consider various interpretations for our observations and suggest that they may
be explained if accreted material is burning stably at the stellar equator, and
unstable ignition occurs at a range of higher latitudes.
