Better aluminium source material and improved rim profiles are the theme with Hunt’s V2 wheelsets.
Carbon-fibre rims might be light and strong, but for mountain bikers on a budget, also unaffordable.
If you are in the market for some new enduro or trail specification wheels, Hunt’s V2 models might be of interest.
Industrial designers and engineers at Hunt have produced new rims after exhaustive testing, often working beyond conventional load requirements.
Read more: best mountain bike wheels
Testing with ‘real-world’ loads
Not all critical rim strikes happen with the wheel running perfectly upright – as it would be in a testing jig. You might be flowing through a particularly rocky off-camber corner, when that terrain strike ‘ping’ resonates.
Hunt’s engineering and product development team were cognisant of this and some of its impact testing for the new V2 rims included offset impacts.
The result is a reprofiled rim shape, made from 6069-T6 aluminium, instead of 6061-T6. Hunt’s material choice delivers a 69% increase in tensile strength.
Hunt offers two widths in a single set
For those riders who don’t require a very robust wheelset for technical descending, Hunt offers the Enduro Wide V2. The wheelset is asymmetric in width, with the front rim measuring an internal diameter of 33mm and the rear, 31mm.
According to Hunt, the Enduro Wide V2 rims are optimized for tyres between 2.35- and 2.6” in width, although you could go as narrow as 2.25” or up to 2.8”.
Spokes number 28 up-front and 32 at the rear. Hunt’s Enduro V2 wheelset is available in both standard wheel sizes, with the 27.5” option weighing 2041g and a 29er set at 2105g.
If 30ID is your sweet spot
If you wish to lighter, there is the Trail Wide V2 option. This Hunt wheelset uses a 30mm internal diameter for front and rear rims, with a uniform 28-spoke configuration.
The Trail Wide V2 wheelset is unsurprisingly lighter than its Enduro equivalent. Hunt’s Trail Wide V2 27.5” product classifies at 1761g and the 29er version is 1831g. Hunt recommends tyre casings in the 2.3- to 2.5” range for its Trail Wide V2 wheelset.
Hunt V2 wheelsets are available with a range of rear hub spacing options, including SuperBoost 157x12mm. Pricing for the Trail Wide V2 is £369 and the Enduro Wide V2 is set to retail for £399.