The Proven Carbon XC UD Carbon Spoke wheelset is Hunt’s flagship XC race wheelset. It’s lightweight enough to turn heads, and wide enough to be modern. Most importantly, however, it’s designed to survive the kind of punishment that all-year-round training and racing dishes out.
I’ve had almost an entire year on the Hunt Proven XC wheels. They served as both a training and racing wheelset in all sorts of conditions. I believed in them enough to bring them over to Iceland with me for the RIFT Five-Day MTB Stage Race. I’ll totally admit, I was nervous at first about bringing a carbon-spoked wheel into uncharted (and unrelenting) territory. But as you’ll find out, they not only survived the season and the trip, they came out of it without a single issue.
Light | Stable | Durable
At 1,322 grams, the Proven Carbon XC sits in a competitive cross-country territory, but with a surprising dose of durability. It’s an all-around wheelset masquerading as a race-day setup – but in a good way. The Proven XC is made for XC racers who need more than just low weight. XC riders now need a light wheelset that can climb (duh), can fit a 2.4″ (or wider) XC tire, and come out the other side of a rocky stage (or drop) without the telltale dull ping of a broken spoke. The Hunt Proven XC checks all those boxes.
Carbon Spokes – No Joke
The Proven XC’s defining feature is its use of UD carbon spokes, weighing just 2.7 grams each. These aren’t a gimmick, and lots of big-name (and spokes-manufacturing) wheel companies are making the switch. The carbon spokes are replaceable, tension like a normal spoke, and serviceable with basic tools – so it’s not too different from a regular setup. However, the weight (or should I say lack of weight) is a notable difference, especially in a wheelset that’s built to go up and down mountains.
Moving from spoke to rim, the Hunt Proven XC rim uses a 30mm internal hookless profile (optimized for 2.2–2.6″ tires) with a tuned layup.
The “tuned layup” carbon balances low weight and just enough vertical compliance to keep your hands from going numb on rough terrain. The 22mm-deep round rim offers a ride quality that’s responsive but not harsh on the body. Though under the Lauf Elja, it was hard to tell.
On to the hub; The Hunt S_RapidEngage hub offers a snappy 2° engagement, noticeable when you’re ratcheting through tech climbs or sprinting out of a corner. The bearings are stout and still spin like the day they arrived, which speaks volumes if you only knew the amount of pressure washing these wheels have seen.
The hub internals use a fine-tooth ratchet design and large-diameter bearings to keep things both tight and durable. Plus – they work well even after traveling around, and racing, with zero maintenance…but that’s not advisable.
On the Trail
The Proven Carbon XC wheels feel like they shed rotational weight everywhere that matters. But they don’t have that super-lightweight “I’m gonna crack these” feel that some super-lightweight builds have. At 1,322g, they aren’t the lightest we’ve ridden this year, but they are well-rounded. That well-rounded ride quality will suit many XC racers, especially those who don’t have piles of money for endless rim replacements.
Despite the lightweight and carbon spokes, these wheels don’t punish you. There’s a refined compliance at the edges — enough give to mute trail noise, but not so much that you lose feedback. You still get that responsive “snap” when you push through corners, and lateral stiffness is excellent.
Specs: Hunt Proven Carbon XC UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset
- Rim: 30mm internal, 36mm external, 3.50mm hookless carbon rim, tubeless-ready
- Spokes: UD carbon, 2.7g each, straight-pull, replaceable
- Hubs: Hunt S_RapidEngage, 2° engagement
- Weight: 1,254g (claimed) 1,322g (actual)
- Axle: Boost 15×110 / 12×148
- Price: $2,100 USD
Weight vs. Reliability
Here’s the thing: yes, the Proven Carbon XC wheels are light — but they could technically be lighter. Some competitors shave additional grams by using more aggressive layups, lighter hubs, and different carbon spoke systems. But there’s a trade-off there, and it’s one Hunt has wisely chosen to avoid.
When you push weight savings too far, you start sacrificing stiffness, impact resistance, and overall reliability. With the Proven XC, Hunt clearly aimed for real-world race dependability over “lightest wheel ever” bragging rights.
Personally, I’ll take a few extra grams any day if it means finishing a stage instead of walking one. I’d rather have a wheelset that survives a rock strike or botched line intact, rather than one that saves 50 grams and leaves me on the side of the trail with a broken spoke and a DNF.
Light Enough for XC — Tough Enough for Stage Racing
I raced these wheels at the RIFT MTB Stage Race in Iceland, a brutal multi-day event over lava rock, off steep crag drops, and long climbs that test both rider and machine. The Hunt Proven Carbon XC wheelset came through without a single issue — no broken spokes, no truing needed, no drama.
Over five days of racing (and a few more shredding the bike park), topping over 25 hours of abuse over one week. They kept it tight, true, and fast. Even after repeated transport, temperature swings, and plenty of rough terrain, the wheels looked (with only some scratches) and felt as solid as day one.
And it wasn’t just me — several other riders were racing on the same Proven Carbon XC setup, and the consensus was the same: surprised, but not surprised, they stood up to the challenge. In an event where equipment failure can mean a DNF, these wheels earned their place.
Final Thoughts
The Hunt Proven Carbon XC UD Carbon Spoke wheelset is one of the most balanced mountain bike wheelsets I’ve tested. The weight is competitive, the performance is dependable, and the price (floating between $1,600 on sale and $2,100 full price) is fairly doable for most racers. The big draw for me is the dependability and the repeated abuse that the wheels took. I have yet to true them, or replace a spoke. I took some pretty bad lines using these wheels – especially while racing the RIFT (being bonked will do that to you), and I thought “surely that was the one that cracks these wheels and leaves me stranded on a mountain in Iceland,” but no. That’s where the Proven Carbon XC hits the sweet spot — light enough to race, strong enough to race again over and over. Plus, Hunt offers a free lifetime crash-replacement policy.
