Thanks to disc brakes, wider rims and lower tire pressures, the lines between road and gravel wheels have truly been blurred. The Hunt 30 Carbon Gravel Disc wheelset does not help to clear things up. Light, strong, and aero, these German hoops are ready for just about any adventure on or off-road that you can dish out. Weighing in at under 1,500 grams, these carbon hoops only weigh 100 to 150 grams more than their road wheel cousins.
For most people, the days of having multiple bikes for road and gravel are gone. Cyclists are shying away from the road because of the dangers associated with distracted drivers and opting for more remote and safer riding options. So now that 100-mile road ride becomes a 100k of gravel. So why not have a good set of gravel wheels and make the ride more enjoyable?
Who is Hunt Wheels?
Hunt Wheels are based in the UK and are making their mark in the U.S. by offering solid value for money wheelsets in aluminum and carbon. Hunt Wheels offer a pre-order direct to consumer model, so if you are ordering your wheels you might not get them for a few weeks, but you will save a few dollars. Hunt also offers free shipping on all wheels.
The Hunt 30 Carbon Gravel Diss Wheelset
Looking at wheel weights and specs, most of the Hunt line of wheels come in at a really competitive price point to most other wheels on the market, thanks to the direct to consumer, pre-order model, they are able to stay aggressive on the pricing. While the HUNT 30 Carbon Gravel Wheelset isn’t a real “breakout” wheel in any way, they are a solid set of wheels all the way around and you can roll on a pair of these for under a grand?
I have had the HUNT 30 Carbon Gravel Wheelset for around 4 months and have dragged them down gravel roads, ripped single-track, ridden railroad tracks, forged creek beds and chased the roadies and they have performed every time.
Mark Gorman – Editor & Athlete at Carbon+Grit
Measurements
The first thing we want to note is the 30 stands for the depth, not the width. While 30mm internal rims have hit the mountain bike market, they still aren’t flooding the gravel scene. The Hunt 30 Gravel wheels weigh in at 1479 grams with an internal width of 20mm and a 30mm depth. While not the widest gravel wheelset out there, they worked well with up to 40mm tires, we did not test them with anything larger. Both front and rear wheels feature 28 spokes and the set is rated to riders up to 264lbs.
Riding Gravel and Dirt
Gravel, fire-roads, and double-track will be your friend. We have spent about 5 months on the Hunt 30 Gravel Wheelset and have not had an issue. We have taken them on road rides, ridden gravel, singletrack, and more. On every occasion, they held up to the challenge! The only thing we did not submit them to was deep water and mud.
Hunt Carbon Rims
The rim features unidirectional T24/30 carbon fiber with 3K weave and reinforced spoke holes. The wide, aero-rounded profile delivers a nice combination of comfort and speed. The rim dimensions aren’t super generous at 27mm (20mm internal) but still create a nice tire profile, especially when running wider tires.
Hunt has taken advantage of the fact that disc-brake rims are not required to handle the high temperatures induced by prolonged rim braking. It pre-impregnates its proprietary V:Absorbe resin into the carbon, which then cures at a lower temperature. The claim being that the lower temperature resins are less brittle, meaning they have greater resistance to impacts and dampen vibration more effectively. This is great for the intended use of these wheels, which will see them kicking around the rough roads and gravel trails in your neck of the woods.
Hunt 4 Season Hubs
HUNT 4 Season Disc hubs sit second on their tier of hubs, 4 Season Disc J-bend spoke hubs feature extra bearing shielding, a 5-degree RapidEngage 6-pawl freehub, with H_CERAMIK coating for enhanced durability. SRAM XD Driver is available. Centre-lock disc mount, 6-bolt disc adaptors included.
Wheels are available in all thru-axle and quick release options. As a bonus, the wheels come with a few extra spokes and even a spoke wrench. Below is a list of what comes in the box.
- Hunt Black Shield tubeless tape fitted to wheels.
- The axle adapters needed for your bike, just fill in the simple form shown after order completion, the form is also included in your order confirmation page.
- Cassette spacers
- Tubeless Valves
- Pair 6 bolt disc adapters
- Spare of each spoke plus nipples
- Quality control card signed by your wheel builder
Our Stamp of Approval
As we mentioned above, I’ve had the HUNT 30 Carbon Gravel Wheelset for around 5 months and have dragged them down gravel roads, ripped single-track, ridden railroad tracks, splashed through creek beds, and ridden the roads with friends; they never let me down. I wouldn’t be afraid to recommend these wheels to anyone and would take them to any race or event. I also believe that with this wheelset you get a lot of bang for your buck.
HUNT 30 Carbon Gravel Disc Wheelset retails for a rather attractive $999 and are available at huntbikewheels.com. Their next pre-order is near the end of the month. Check them out!
