First Look: Hunt’s Carbon Spoke Disc Wheels

Choose three - light, trick and not expensive

The UK based wheel maker Hunt first showed us their rim brake specific carbon spoked wheel while we sat under a rain drenched patio at the Eurobike show in Germany. It was impressive technology, but they knew what our first question would be – what about a disc brake version?

And so it has arrived. Available in either pairs of 44 and 54mm deep or as a mixed 44/54 pair, the carbon spoked hoops are both impressively light, inexpensive and, best of all, enjoy a lifetime guarantee. Here’s the release….

Press Release

Hunt Bike Wheels is launching the 44 & 54 UD Carbon Spoke Disc wheels, utilizing the now-proven TaperLock carbon spoke technology, resulting in fully serviceable carbon-spoked wheels that can be trued like any other. With significant increases in lateral responsiveness, they have been engineered to provide a stiffness-to-weight ratio previously unseen on serviceable wheels. Using an innovative spoke-seating method, the 44 & 54 UD Carbon Spoke Disc wheelset offers carbon spokes that are held purely mechanically, with no bonding required.

We call this TaperLock, and it allows for carbon spokes that can be trued and maintained just like a normal steel spoke. The TaperLock UD Carbon Spokes are incredibly strong, achieving over 450 kgf (kilograms force per spoke) maximum tensile strength, compared to leading steel spokes which conventionally reach around 300 kgf.

For Hunt, aerodynamics and stiffness have to be considered as component parts of a more holistic understanding of performance componentry. That’s why we always design with serviceability and usability in mind, because there’s no point having a fast wheel you can’t use with your favourite tyre, or that you can’t easily maintain. For example, we will continue to use hooked rim designs. Whilst a little more expensive to produce, it offers far greater tire compatibility and freedom of choice to you the rider.

The rim-brake counterparts of these wheels, the 36 UD Carbon Spoke (launched last year), have been ridden at UCI World Championship level in Harrogate, by Rory Townsend, and tested extensively by the whole Canyon dhb team.

TECH SPECS

Rims | Aerodynamicist disc-specific rim profiles, designed from the ground up. Toray T700/T800 carbon-fibre with a stronger ratio of T800 (T40) fibres to achieve greater strength-to-weight ratio. Unidirectional sidewalls with 3K weave bed and spoke areas. Tubeless-ready for lower weight, rolling resistance and better puncture protection. Specific Spoke Reinforcement keeps spoke bed strength high, whilst keeping the weight down in less stressed areas of the rim.
* TIres | 20mm rim bed optimised for superior aerodynamic performance with a 25-28c tubeless tyre, but also very capable with a 23c. Tubeless-Ready.
* Hubs | TaperLock Sprint straight-pull hubs designed for carbon spokes, with a 15mm diameter 7075-T6 axle. Circular dropout interface steps for added stiffness. 3x treble tooth pawls resulting in just 7.5˚ engagement. Steel spline insert to protect the cassette body.
* Weights | 1398g (44) | 1427g (44/54) | 1456g (54)
* Price: $1299

BEST OF ALL

In our continued effort to offer the best products to our riders, we are also pleased to announce we are officially offering Lifetime Crash Replacement which we call H_CARE. We’re all riders at Hunt and know that accidents happen no matter the precautions we take and so we want to let people know we’re there for them and stand by our products. Thus we are now offering free lifetime crash replacement for first owners of all UD carbon spoke & Limitless wheels.

For more info: Hunt Wheels