Nukeproof are rolling out two new complete wheel sets in the form of the V2 Horizon and V2 Neutron; both alloy hoops designed for trail, enduro and downhill mountain biking. All-new rims are laced to two new hub designs, both faster to engage, more durable and more easily serviced than their original iterations. We have all the details on the V2 Nukeproof Horizon & Neutron wheelsets right here.
V2 Nukeproof Horizon Wheelset
The V2 Nukeproof Horizon Wheelset is available in 27.5″ and 29″ wheel sizes, with SRAM XD, Shimano HG, and Microspline drivers. Not quite a full complement; 142 mm, 148 mm and 150 mm dropout spacing is available for XD and HG drivers but only 148 mm spacing is available for Shimano’s 12-speed microspline drivers.
The new rims are symmetrical in profile, with a 30 mm inner and 35 mm outer width, front and back. The original Horizon rim featured a 29 mm internal width. Nukeproof saw fit to increase this to 30 mm to better accommodate modern 2.3″-2.6″ tyres, citing that it allows the tire casing to create the best contact patch to the trail.
The V2 Nukeproof Horizon rim uses a dynamically aged magnesium-silicone enriched alloy blend to give the stiffness and hardness of a 7-series alloy, but the ductility and yield properties of a 6-series.
The rear wheel rim is marginally burlier than the front, in accordance with the extra beating that rear wheels usually take. Testing various rims, Nukeproof saw that many would fail just below the inner wall level so they added material in this area to make the rear rim stronger.
Nukeproof bond the two ends of the rim together using a “sleeved” process rather than by welding. They noted that heat from the welding process can actually introduce weak spots into the rim, hence the decision to opt for the less aggressive method of fabrication.
The sleeve is basically a specially shaped adapter which is placed inside the rim at the join and then bonded. There is no additional heat used so the properties of the alloy at the join remain consistent with the rest of the rim. Nukeproof say their tight tolerances for rim production along with QC checks mean there are no worries of the join opening as it might do on cheaper sleeved rims.
The (New)keproof Horizon Hub
At the heart of the V2 Nukeproof Horizon Wheelset is an all-new hub design with 102 POE, engaging every 3.52 degrees. The original Horizon hub offered just 42 points of engagement, so this one should have noticeably improved pick up.
Delivering that fast engagement are six triple-stepped pawls, each 5mm wide. These sit on 0.12 mm or 0.1 mm thick springs… more on that later.
The new Horizon hub is said to be more durable and serviceable than ever. For 2020, the hub uses high performance enduro ABEC 5 bearings. Featuring an “LLB/LLU” full contact seal type, each bearing has two lips that make light contact within a groove. This design provides a labyrinth for water and dirt, making it harder for these contaminants to penetrate the bearing.
Enduro bearings in the V2 Horizon hub have an 80% grease fill on both sides, as opposed to the usual 30% fill. This is said to give full coverage to the bearings, leaving no dry areas and preventing any metal-on-metal contact-induced wear.
So what do they sound like?
That’s up to the rider to decide. The standard hub has a so-called (nice) distinctive “buzz”. However, not everyone is a fan of noisy hubs, so Nukeproof have taken it upon themselves to offer an alternative. You can upgrade your freehub to a much quieter version that uses 0.1 mm thick springs, as opposed to the 0.12 mm thick springs that come on the standard hub.
V2 Nukeproof Neutron Wheelset
Like the Horizon, the V2 Nukeproof Neutron Wheelset also gets a complete overhaul for 2020. The original Neutron Wheelset used borrowed alloy rims from WTB. Now, the Neutron wheels are all Nukeproof’s own, with a 29 mm internal width 6066 alloy rim.
The 2020 Neutron Wheelset has been extensively tested for the purposes of trail, enduro and downhill mountain biking. The rim is hand-laced to the hub with 32 J-bend spokes.
V2 Nukeproof Neutron Hub
The 2020 Neutron Hub uses 4 non-stepped pawls sat on 0.12 mm thick springs. These pawls engage with 36 points of engagement, delivering pick up every 10 degrees.
The same freehub and width options are available for the Neutron wheelset as for the Horizon wheelset, offering a wide range of options to suit most modern mountain bikes.
Wheelset Weights (claimed)
The V2 Nukeproof Horizon Wheelset is a claimed 209 g lighter than the original, now weighing in at 1,811 g. That’s for the 27.5″ wheelset; 148 mm x 12 mm rear wheel and 15 mm x 110 mm front wheel combined weight, plus tape and tubeless valves.
The Nukeproof Neutron Wheelset also gets lighter for 2020. The boost spacing 27.5″ wheelset, with tape, tubeless valves and HG driver comes in at a claimed weight of 1,950 g.
Pricing & Availability
For the first time, Nukeproof are selling the wheels as a front & rear pair, and individually, meaning riders can mix and match however they like. Want the narrower rim of the Neutron up front and the quick engagement of the Horizon at the rear? No problem. Mullet? No problem.
V2 Nukeproof Horizon Wheel Pricing
- Front: SRP £150 (€168/USD $211)
- Rear: SRP £250 (€280/USD $352)
V2 Nukeproof Neutron Wheel Pricing
- Front: SRP £120 (€134/USD $169)
- Rear: SRP: £170 €190/USD $239
All Nukeproof wheelsets come prepped for a tubeless setup with rim tape and black Nukeproof tubeless valves. These valves are specifically designed to be compatible with Nukeproof’s Advanced Rim Defence (ARD) tire inserts, sold separately.
