Hi all. After a new set of wheels for a new build (mullet, something that'll take a bit of a beating). I've defaulted to Hopes (usually with Stans Flow rims although I have a set of 6 year old Fortus rims which have been spot on too) since forever so that was where I was going to go this time but noticed Hunt have the Trail Wide wheelsets for £325 at the minute which a) seems like a bargain vs the £525ish for the Hopes and b) they're a couple of hundred grams lighter.
Any real world experiences of them though? The Hopes are so easy to service when (rarely) needed. Are the Hunts?
I've had Hunt Trail and Enduro wheels and they were fine. I absolutely battered them but I didn't have them for very long and I always used inserts.
If I was buying wheels today I'd get these...
https://uk.reservewheels.com/products/reserve-30-sl-al?variant=40395500879961
i've got set on my ebike. easy to set up tubeless/cushcoreXC. freehub isn't too angry wasp-ish.
haven't died yet despite not being ebike specific.
I like the Hunt hubs (built by Novatec) - quick pickup and for me they've been fairly maintenance free. I've got a set of original Trail Wides that have done thousands of miles on the original bearings, but that's mainly a summer bike. I've cracked one rim, replaced with DT, and put a few other dings and wobbles in it before that but they've been easy to true again.
I’ve got trailwides - done two years on them now. They do feel pretty sprightly and it’s easy to take apart the rear hub. However, I did manage to snap the rear axle this summer and the other month noticed a series of cracks at the spoke nipple on the drive side of the rear wheel. Assume they were over-tensioned? Both issues were dealt with promptly by Hunt.
I like the wheels, but not convinced by their durability - mitigated somewhat by decent customer service.
I've a set of the Trail Wide wheels, bought maybe 4/5 years ago. The rear started getting cracks around the nipples within a couple of years, but was sorted out by Hunt sending a warranty replacement. I also dinged the rim on the original rear wheel. No issues with the freehub or bearings, but they've been hardly used in the last 2 years. An about to dust them down and use for SS HT build.
I've 2 sets of gravel wheels also. Both on their original bearings (1 set has done about 30,000 km in the last 7 years). Again, have dinged the rims on both wheels on one set.
They do/have had a bit of a reputation for soft rims; this is my feeling too ... But then, I've dinged 2 DT Swiss rims in the last year, so suspect the issue is at least partly to do with me running too-soft pressures.
If my budget was £300ish for a set of wheels, I'd happily have Hunts again, but tend to err towards DT Swiss these days, even if it means buying used rather than new.
I've had a set for a couple of years, living both on a hardtail and now a short travel trail bike. They've been good for me so far, they ride nicely, pretty compliant - the result of 28 spokes and a rim that's round in profile and lighter than some, perhaps? Dunno for sure, just my guess.
Despite my positive experience, they are wheels I'd only buy when on sale and new (I'd want that warranty in case). Also, based on my own perceptions/prejudices and no actual science, I've always seen them as a wheel for lighter trail riding. If I was buying something "mullet, something that'll take a bit of a beating" I'd go for some DT rims and Hopes.
I have many sets of their Enduro wide and E Enduro wide and I absolutely love them, I wouldn’t buy anything else. I have a track record for destroying wheels, but the Hunts take some serious hits and just keep running perfectly. Their customer service is amazing too, both product and technical support.
I was an absolute plank recently, I ordered some e enduro ride for my daughter, they mistakenly sent the enduro wide, I didn’t notice until I had used them for three months 😳 . Given my daughter is a chip off the old wheel breaking block and the e enduro is optimised for eebs, I asked if they could give me a discount off a new set. Instead, they sent me a new set of the e enduro wide the next day with no charge. To say I was really impressed with both their product and customer service is a massive understatement!
I do plan to change it as soon as I get a chance, but the enduro wide is still running perfectly on my daughters ebike, despite her hitting 16 foot gaps in the dark, in dodgy conditions, only 17 psi in the tyres and some brutal cases until she got her eye in. Pretty impressive 🤩
I’m also a bit fan of companies you can chat to and get any technical info and support you need promptly.
I ordered a set of them around Covid time, thought I was getting the v1’s but they sent v2’s. One wheel wasn’t well taped (it had lifted), but they quickly sent some new tape for me to easily sort. I had a free hub die just out of warranty but they sent one to me FOC and with minimal fuss. They are light and pretty zippy, for the money they’re hard to beat. If money was no object I’d go DT but a decent set is a fair chunk of change more.
I've had Hunt Trail and Enduro wheels and they were fine. I absolutely battered them but I didn't have them for very long and I always used inserts.
If I was buying wheels today I'd get these...
https://uk.reservewheels.com/products/reserve-30-sl-al?variant=40395500879961
They look very tempting! The Hunts sound good and customer service sounds spot on but I'd rather not have a situation where I need to deal with customer service! Reserves or Hopes then I think at the minute...
@sharkattack - any experience of the Reserves? Think a mate has some on his SC but he's only a few rides in...
@sharkattack - any experience of the Reserves? Think a mate has some on his SC but he's only a few rides in...
I've got the carbon SL's on my Druid. DT Swiss hubs. No complaints. They're light, fast, stiff and I haven't broken them yet.
I've heard that when you break them they get replaced promptly with no drama.
I'd buy these alloy ones but I've currently got all bikes in good working order and I just can't justify it.
I've heard that when you break them they get replaced promptly with no drama.
I can confirm. Took a proper ding to the rear on my alloy, all got sorted promptly through True North in Sheff. They also include new valves and tape with the replacement so got my front refreshed for no extra cost.
Edit: My buddy who has the carbon version has experienced the same service.
I used to run Enduro Wide V2's, they got a bit mashed and the rear hub seals were tissue paper so ended up getting the alloy Reserves on DT Swiss 350's. They've been faultless, I'm a bit of a bruiser and they've been smashed about the local and various bike parks. The ding was me being a fanny and coming up short on something that would have damaged any of the rims on the market.
if your budget can stretch I'd recommend the Reserves.
I opened the thread to recommend the reserves, I see I was beaten to it!
I've had a set for a few weeks, having moved from a set of trail wide v2s (which I sold with a bike). Very impressed by the reserves, they are riding really nicely. I like the fact they are made from pretty standard off the shelf parts (DT 350 Hub, J-Bend spokes) so if needed were spares it wouldn't be an issue. The warranty is reassuring, knowing that if I totalled a rim I'd get a new one in the post, which would cover the cost difference from the hunts.
I've had a set of trail wide ii on my sl ebike for the last couple of years, they've been decent, taking a beating and staying straight. The rear hub did snap an axle last month, but that was easily sorted with a new axle for about 12 quid.
The bearings in the front wheel developed Abit of play after about 12 months, new bearings sorted that.
The rea bearings have been fine.