Hunt Bike Wheels is a startup from the UK, coming from Tom Marchment, who formerly worked with distributor iRide. Their stated goal is to combine the best components they can find into a high quality wheelset that doesn’t break the bank, and the first offering seems to do just that while being fully modern.
Having been in the industry for a while, Marchment knew where to look for parts. This means triple butted Pillar stainless steel spokes, EZO bearings and manufacturing partners shared with some of the largest brands in the world. The results will be fully divulged this spring, but for now they’ve put together a special edition wheelset for another UK-based startup, Mason Cycles…
The Mason x Hunt 4Season Disc road wheelset will have 23mm wide, 27mm deep 6061-T6 alloy rims that are tubeless ready out of the box with preinstalled rim tape and included valve stems. The 24-count Pillar J-Bend spokes are laced 2-cross front and rear and are topped off with brass nipples.
The hubs use dual EZO “full contact cartridge bearings” and are built for Centerlock rotors. They include a 6-bolt rotor adapter, too, which is a nice bonus for a wheelset at this price point.
The freehub is 9/10/11 speed compatible. They come with internal cam quick releases, but you can set them up for 12mm or 15mm thru axles up front and 12×135 or 12×142 in the rear, also. That, plus the tubeless compatibility and disc brake mounts make them relatively future proof. Claimed weight for the set is 1,585g, which is pretty good for a wheelset claiming to be “four seasons”, and the retail is just £349. Available in April, shipping worldwide.
This collaborative wheelset is just the start. Some future wheels will see niobium aluminum alloy rims, which they say is heat treated to be stronger and lets them create lightweight rims that are still wide and stiff and ready for big 25-28mm tires. For non disc-brake models, the brake track will be machined for better friction. Road wheelset weights are planned between 1395g and 1650g with prices from £200 to £450 ($300 to $650). Full specs and more info is coming, but the brand story is up on their website now.
