Insider Knowledge with Tom Couzens.

The development

If you’ve been paying close attention, you'll know that the HUNT 5AM Limitless Disc was found to be the most aerodynamic wheel on the market from Cycling New’s latest wind tunnel testing. After spending some time with the people responsible for designing and developing them it was no surprise, but what I did find surprising was just the amount of detail that goes into the whole development of each wheelset. 

Keeping the focus on the 5AM Limitless Disc, one of the most interesting things I found was to do with the mullet setup. The front wheel is deeper at 58mm, whilst the rear is slightly shallower at 55mm. I always assumed that a deeper rear wheel would be faster but as Rob explained to me“If you’re going to add weight of carbon to the wheel system then you are better off putting it in the front wheel because the front wheel is in clean air. So by going deeper and wider in the front wheel, you end up with a more efficient wheel system. Then on the rear you can go slightly shallower and narrower you can save weight without affecting the aerodynamics.” 

This is very much the final product of several years' worth of research and development. It all starts with software modelling to test different wheel depths, rim widths, materials and more. Once it is clear which combinations are the fastest, the next stage of development moves to 3D printing rim models to better understand how they perform in a real-world tunnel. From here, further tweaks may be made before real examples are produced and put through serious testing. From real-life aero testing and wind tunnel testing to general test riding, each stage helps to ensure the final product performs as it should when it eventually makes its way onto a bike.

The testing process

It is not only speed HUNT cares about, durability is also a big focus for each wheelset. There’s no better case study than the 30 Carbon CX Disc I talked about earlier! 

This had to be a highlight of my day - trying (and failing) to break some wheels. On the continent you might have cobbles to deal with, here in the UK we have potholes to navigate - and if you’re riding off road this might be tree roots or rocks. It is therefore absolutely crucial that each set is designed to be as safe as possible, which I am sure is something we can all appreciate! 

My favourite testing process consisted of using a weighted wedge, dropped from various heights onto a wheel with a tyre fitted - to simulate hitting a pothole or hard edge. 

The people behind the wheels

One of my personal favourite parts of my tour had to be meeting the wider team. As consumers we so often see the end product of many hours, sometimes weeks and even years worth of work. This doesn’t just relate to the physical wheels themselves but also the website you see, emails that get sent to your inbox and even the team you speak to if you have a question about a product! 

What stood out most was the passion from every single member, the love each of them share for cycling was infectious and is something you definitely notice through all aspects of the business. This is also incredibly reassuring. If you have a question in relation to anything Hunt related you can get in touch via their website where you will be helped by a member of the team. This could be on advice about which wheel is best suited for you or even a query about wanting to change freehubs, they’re there to help!