Nukeproof has been in the wheel game a while, with the Horizon V2, launched in 2020, performing damn well in elite downhill and enduro races worldwide. For 2023, the brand has taken things up a notch with the new Nukeproof Horizon Pro, an aluminium wheel designed for trail and enduro riding that offers the same great performance at a lighter weight.

Need to know:

• New aluminium wheel that promises reduced weight over Horizon V2 wheels
• Designed for trail and enduro riding
• Sold individually, available in 27.5 and 29er sizes
• Built around a 54t ratchet hub with enduro bearings
• 30mm internal rim width is compatible with 2.3” to 2.5” tyres
• Comes pre-taped with Nukeproof tubeless valve pre-fitted

Quite a bit lighter, as it happens. Nukeproof claims that a full 29er setup comes in at 9.4% lighter than the Horizon V2s, while a full 27.5% is 10.67% lighter and a mixed-wheel setup is 9.25% lighter. A 27.5 front wheel weighs in at 8236g, and rear at 9436g, while a 29er front is 8636g and rear is 9886g.

The wheels are sold individually, making it easier to go mixed if that’s your thing without having to mix-and-match full wheelsets, and the wheels come pre-taped and with a silver Nukeproof tubeless valve pre-installed.

Shiny shiny hubs

And oh boy, are they shiny. The high-polish finish and laser etching certainly looks the business, but with hubs, it’s what’s inside that counts. The 54t ratchet hubs contain high performance enduro bearings with an LLU/LLB seal which essentially means each bearing has two lips, making it hard for dirt and water to penetrate. The bearings are also 80% grease-filled on both sides to reduce metal-to-metal contact and thereby increase performance and durability.

The front hub is 15mm boost, while the rear is 148x15mm boost, and there are three freehub options: SRAM XD Driver, Shimano HG and Shimano Microspline. Interestingly the freehub has tool-free removal for easier servicing and maintenance, and Nukeproof will be stocking a full range of spare parts including hubs, freehub conversions, rims, tools, etc.

Nukeproof has opted for straight-pull spokes over J-pull, since they don’t have the same bend and are therefore stronger. There are 28 spokes per wheel in a 3X lacing pattern, with 14mm alloy nipples.

And on the outside, rims are made from a ‘dynamically aged’ magnesium-silicon enriched alloy blend which, Nukeproof says, offers the same stiffness and hardness as 7-series aluminium alloy, but with the ductility and yield of 6-series alloy. The rims are also sleeved, since Nukeproof noted in its development process that the heat from welding affected the material properties and could therefore lead to a weak-spot.

Rims have a 30mm internal width, which offers the optimal profile on modern tyres according to Nukeproof, and can take 2.3” to 2.5” tyres.

The wheels come with a pre-installed Nukeproof tubeless valve

Price and availability

The new Nukeproof Horizon Pro wheels will be available via Nukeproof and Nukeproof dealers.

• Nukeproof Horizon Pro front wheel: £229.99 / $299
• Nukeproof Horizon Pro rear wheel:  £369.99 / $399

Looking for more wheel choice? We’ve tried and tested a whole load to bring you our guide to the best mountain bike wheels out there. And of course you’ll probably want to make sure you’ve got the best mountain bike tyres for your trail conditions too… plus a portable puncture repair kit and mini-pump if things do end up going flat while you’re out riding.