Tested

HUNT ALL-MOUNTAIN CARBON H_IMPACT WHEELSET

£799

SPECIFICATION Weight: 1,950g (830g front, 1,120g rear) – weighed with tape and valves installed (29in, Microspline) • Options: 27.5in, 29in, XD/HG/Microspline • Contact: huntbikewheels.com

Hunt has made a name for itself in recent years with a no-nonsense range of affordable wheels. Starting out using only alloy rims, the UK-based brand branched out into offering a carbon option a couple of years ago. True to form, the price point on these All-Mountain Carbon H_Impact wheels is impressive. At £799 they are not exactly cheap, but for a full carbon wheelset they undercut most of the competition by a significant margin. And that includes a free lifetime crash replacement warranty for the original owner. The generosity even stretches to throwing in tubeless tape, tubeless valves and spare spokes in the box.

Starting with the rims, Hunt uses unidirectional T24/30 fibres for the bulk of the rim construction with the spoke holes reinforced with 3k weave sheet. Hunt has chosen a hookless design which allows for stronger sidewalls and greater impact protection. This leaves a 28mm wide internal cavity which is a little narrower than some, but still works fine with popular tyres from 2.3in to 2.5in wide. Hunt has also used a special resin in the moulding process that it claims is less brittle than alternatives and should help the rim absorb impacts rather than simply cracking.

Although the front and rear rims outwardly look the same, Hunt has made an effort to optimise both ends by tweaking the carbon lay-up and the spoke count. As such, the front rim weighs a claimed 460g and gets 28-spoke lacing, while the reinforced rear rim weighs 530g and runs 32 spokes.

Moving towards the hub, oversize, asymmetric hub shells allow for larger bearings running on 7075-T6 alloy axles. At the rear, the axle is also oversized to improve stiffness, strength and bearing durability. There’s a choice of freehub bodies including Shimano Microspline, SRAM XD and standard splined, and all three operate on a six-pawl system with 5° of engagement.

Hunt uses traditional J-bend Pillar triple-butted spokes and alloy nipples, making finding spares a cinch. The