The Enduro Wide have been in the Hunt range for a few years now and as the name suggests, they were designed for hard riding on rough and technically demanding terrain. This year Hunt launched the updated version, the V2, which was developed using input from their sponsored EWS racers to keep up with the demands of an ever evolving discipline.
To make sure the new wheels were able to take the sort of beating that an EWS race track subjects a wheel to, the Hunt engineers made a purpose built impact test rig for rigorous testing and then used Finite Element Analysis to help optimise material distribution to get the best strength to weight ratio they could, and we’ve had a set of the 29” Hunt Enduro Wides on test for the past few months.
Construction – Rims
The rims on the Trail Wide V2 are made from 6069 T6 aluminium and feature a 33mm internal width on the front and 31mm on the rear and are optimised for tyres between 2.35” and 2.6” run tubeless. They also utilise Hunt’s ‘H-lock bead-seat up-kicks’ for ease of seating, and added security, for tubeless tyres.
The different widths are designed to better fit each wheel’s intended purpose and needs. The front is wider to offer more compliance and give a better tyre profile for increased grip, while the narrower rear is reinforced for added strength, and taking bigger impacts. To further aid this, the front rim is drilled for 28 spokes to aid compliance while the rear features 32 for added durability.
The rims feature a work hardened shot peened finish, with laser etched graphics. This is designed to give a tough and durable finish, with the graphics being kept minimal giving the Enduro Wides and nice clean aesthetic. The rims on the Enduro Wides come pre-taped and ready for tubeless, with valves included in the box, and the cap of the valve features a valve core remover.
Construction – Hubs
Both the front and rear hubs feature a forged and CNC’d 7075 aluminium alloy body, with the front being the large bodied NDRO. As you’d expect they are Boost spaced – with front being 110mm and the rear 148mm – but are also available with 157 Super Boost. RockShox Torque caps are also available for the front on request.
The hubs run on large double sealed cartridge bearings and oversized 17mm aluminum axles for added stiffness and durability. The Enduro Wides are available with 6 bolt mounting only and the freehub is Hunt’s RapidEngage freehub offering 5 degrees of engagement, which is designed to handle high torque. Increasing versatility, the freehub is available in 9, 10 and11 speed Shimano / SRAM compatible, Shimano Microspline and SRAM XD so it should offer an option for most riders.
The spokes are of the J bend variety and are made from triple butted T302 high grade stainless steel by Sandvik Sweden and feature Pillar Spoke Re-enforcement, and thread into hard alloy, square bodied nipples.
Set Up
As mentioned, the Hunt Enduro Wides come pre-taped and with valves, so there’s no real messing to get them ready to go – fit valves and tyres, add sealant, inflate, and off you go. And it was pretty much that simple. Out of the box they weighed in at 1124g for the rear with Microspline freehub and 1022g for the front.
The wheels were set up with a combination of tyres from Vee Tire and Maxxis. On the front I installed a Vee Tire Attack HPL Enduro Core 29 x 2.5, and a Maxxis Aggressor Double Down 29 x 2.5 on the rear. Both tyres went on the rims nice and easy, with just the last part needing a small persuasion with a tyre lever.
Inflating the tyres was similarly easy. I used 100ml – 150ml or so of Stan’s in each tyre and they both went up with just a track pump.The rear wheel pretty much kept pressure for the test (apart from a puncture!) but the front took a few re-inflations and a ride before it consistently held air.
Throughout the test the Enduro Wides have been fitted to a range of bikes all suited to their heavy hitting intentions. First up was a Santa Cruz Megatower which was then followed by a Raaw Madonna V2.2, and finally a 160mm forked Stanton Switch9er hardtail. Pressures for the test were between 24psi and 26psi for the rear and 21psi to 23psi for the front, depending on the bike they were fitted to and the trails/conditions on which they were being ridden. For reference I weigh around 88kg in riding kit.
Performance
The Enduro Wides were fitted back in June when the trails were dry and dusty, and have seen multiple rides per week since then on a pretty varied mix of tracks and trails. From cross country moorland loops, hand cut downhill tracks, to axle deep water filled ruts, they have taken it all without flinching.
The Enduro Wides spin up nice and quick with the 5 degree engagement being fast enough, letting you quickly get the power down into descents or out of corners, and once up to speed they roll and keep momentum well.
They offer a precise ride feel without feeling overly stiff. The wider front rim gives a good shape to the tyre and tracks well over rough and repeated hits, holding a line across roots and chunky rocks alike. Pushing hard into turns they feel nice and supportive with no noticeable flex, which is mirrored when things get really rough, letting you really push on in properly in rough terrain without worrying.
Even when fitted to the hardtail they’ve stood up to everything they have been subjected to. The stiffer rear wheel is slightly more noticeable once you remove any suspension form the rear, but not in a detrimental way.
Durability wise I’ve had absolutely zero issues with the Enduro Wides. They’ve had few knocks and have a few scratches here and there but that’s it. They’ve been ridden hard on a variety of terrain – including a fair bit of Lakeland rock – and have shrugged it off all despite my clumsy riding and shady line choice, including one hit that double punctured a Maxxis Double Down tyre.
Overall
I really haven’t got anything to complain about with the Hunt Enduro Wide V2’s. They’ve stood up to a good few months of riding, on a variety of bikes and trails, and are still spinning free and true and going strong. They’re well priced, offer a good ride feel and have proven to be durable – what’s not to like?
Review Info
| Brand: | Hunt |
| Product: | Enduro Wide V2 |
| From: | Hunt Wheels |
| Price: | £399 |
| Tested: | by Ross for 4 months |
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