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ABOUT THE HUNT ENDURO V3 WHEELS
Mountain bikers are likely to know Hunt for their Enduro Wide wheelset, which came to market with a quality wide alloy wheelset at an affordable price tag. For V3, the Hunt Enduro wheelset lost the “wide” moniker since the industry eventually caught up with the inner widths. Hunt focused their efforts on developing the toughest set of wheels they could, benchmarking the competition, and iterating their rim profiles until they were satisfied that they were a market leader.
RIMS | The Enduro V3 rims feature unique profiles and widths for the front and rear. The front sits at 31.5mm internal width with a shallower 19mm depth to boost compliance, while the rear is 30mm wide with a stiffer, stronger 21mm rim depth. These are recommended to be used with 2.35”-2.6” tires for the best performance, and said to be compatible with 2.3” to 2.8”.
Hunt doesn’t disclose the specific aluminum alloy blend used for their rims, but claims it to be similar to the 6069 alloy and to deliver a 30% higher ultimate tensile strength than 6061. Combining FEA, lab tests, and real-world testing during their development, Hunt is confident their rims are amongst the strongest alloy enduro wheels on the market. Moving to the V-shaped profile delivered gains of 40% to spoke stress and 13% to impact stress alone.
The Hunt Enduro V3 rims are designed to be used with nipple washers for longer lifespan and easier maintenance. The tubeless-ready design comes pre-taped, and features the H-lock bead to keep the tire secure. Rounding out the details, the rims are given a matte black colorway, with the surface shot-peened to work harden the material and increase its toughness.
HUBS | The heart of the Hunt Enduro V3 wheels is a pair of CNC’d 6066-T6 aluminum hub shells. The axles are made from 7075-T6 alloy, with a 15x110mm front and 12x148mm rear boost spacing and 6-bolt brake fitment only.
The rear hub features the H_Ratchet XL system, using a stepped double 40T ratchet ring to deliver 9° engagement and an eMTB-friendly torque rating up to 120Nm. The axle in the rear hub features a stepped design, aiming to reduce side loading on the bearings to increase their lifespan. With a labyrinth bearing seal in place, they hope to be more resilient to water and dirt ingress.
The rear hub on the Enduro V3 wheels can be equipped with Microspline, SRAM XD or HG freehub bodies. With the HG, a H_Ceramik coating is applied to improve durability and resist cassette body damage.
Inside Hunt’s hubs, you’ll find stainless steel cartridge bearings made by Enduro with an ABEC 5 rating. These bearings feature extra-deep grooves and the largest balls, to deliver the best strength in class. With LLU dual full-contact seals, their service life is maximized.
Throughout testing, the Hunt Enduro V3 wheels span smoothly and with minimal resistance, holding up well against the elements.
SPOKES AND NIPPLES | Connecting rim to hub are 28 spokes in the front and 32 in the rear, laced in a 3-cross pattern to balance strength and compliance. Using the Pillar PSR triple-butted spokes, these taper from 2.0-1.8-2.0mm, with a 2.2mm at the head for increased strength. These T302 stainless steel spokes are given a black stainless treatment for further corrosion and fatigue resistance.
Brass nipples secure these spokes, with a 12mm length and 14 gauge. Using brass guarantees a long service life without corrosion, ensuring the nipples can still be adjusted long into the life of the Enduro V3 wheels. A black anodized finish gives a sleek look.
OPTIONS AND PRICING | The Hunt Enduro V3 wheels are offered in a pair of 27.5”, mullet (29” F / 27.5” R) or 29” size options. All of these are available exclusively in the black colorway, with Boost axle spacing and the choice of major freehub standards. RockShox Torque Caps are available if requested.
The pair of Mullet Hunt Enduro V3 wheels weighs in at 2,057g, and retails for $749 / £499 / €599. They come pre-taped, with tubeless valves, and a spare spoke and nipple of each size.
Customers receive a 3-year warranty against material or workmanship defects, and benefit from a 35% reduction on spares and replacements with the crash replacement policy. The maximum allowable system weight is 135 kg.
THE DIRT
Long-term durability is the element that sets two alloy wheelsets apart the most, so I wanted to put the miles in on the Hunt Enduro V3 wheelset to ensure it would hold up. With both an MX and a 29” wheel setup to abuse, all have come out of the other side well, requiring minimal attention after some serious abuse.
SETUP | The Hunt Enduro V3 wheels were simple to set up, with the rims providing a friendly yet reassuringly secure tire fitting experience, and the beads popping into place with a floor pump. The hubs are constructed sensibly, with threaded end caps giving secure cassette fitment (you’ll need a 12mm hex key to tighten and loosen, though), and all tolerances landing in a happy spot for cassette and brake rotor fitment.
RIDE IMPRESSIONS | Alloy wheels seldom land in the harsh spot that some carbon hoops occupy, but some can present enough flex to create vague sensations when pushing the limits for my 100kg (220lbs) rider weight. The Hunt Enduro V3 wheels avoided that, much to my relief, feeling suitably direct when pushing hard without transmitting excessive feedback from the trail.
Hunt’s decision to reduce front spoke count to 28 while still using a legitimate 3x j-bend setup on both ends was an excellent choice. On some straight-pull wheels where the spokes don’t touch at the cross points, there can be some struggles with a “fall-off” of stiffness when pushed hard, and some resonance from the large free span of spokes. The crossing of spokes improves bracing and reduces the spoke free span to make a quieter and more stable wheel overall. The Hunt Enduro V3 wheels were quiet in use and predictable in their compliance throughout testing, blending into the background.
The hub engagement is not ultra-fast, but felt solid and suitably quick across trail scenarios. With many hub and crank-based pedal feedback devices taking hold, hub engagement speed is becoming less of a priority for enduro and downhill riders, so few are likely to complain about the 9° value. That said, its mediocre nature is unlikely to excite or inspire, either. It sits in a spot where the engagement speed, perceived rolling resistance when ratcheting, and transfer of power are all well-balanced. Spending some of their time on a Bosch Gen 5-equipped eBike, there were no issues with pickup under power at any point.
As for the durability of the Hunt Enduro V3 wheelset – the real question mark on these fairly priced alloy wheels – they get a big tick from me. Running slightly higher tire pressures in general, I typically don’t suffer from many rim dings, but when I do hit the rim it’s normally with considerable force. There were a couple of butt-puckering hits to each of the Enduro V3 wheels during testing, and they shook them off impressively. Of course, wheel damage is a real lottery, and dings can happen when you least expect them, but I believe Hunt’s development will have delivered on their promised durability.
After the first six or so rides, I had to take the spoke key to the rear wheels to bring the tension back up to an acceptable spot. They endured more abuse than an alloy wheelset would typically manage before losing tension – many barely make it through the first couple of rides – but failed to be the first infallible alloy wheelset I’ve tested. Beyond this first re-tension, the Hunt Enduro V3 wheels have held up amicably, with little attention demanded. And the hubs continue to spin smoothly with only the slightest dirt intrusion to the freehub.
FINISH AND VALUE | The Hunt Enduro V3 alloy wheelset stacks up well in the mid-level alloy wheelset market. They don’t carry the same allure as the likes of an Industry Nine wheelset, and only slightly exceed the strength of the Hope Fortus 30 SC wheels that are similarly priced with more desirable hubs and similar weight. But they’re undeniably tough and no-nonsense, which counts for a lot.
Compared to the SILT Enduro wheelset, the Hunt wheels take the notch in durability and overall quality, but they also carry a slightly higher weight figure and price.
The Wolf’s Last Word
The Hunt Enduro V3 wheels have proven to be impressively durable, and come in at a competitive price tag for their quality, if not spectacular. If you’re in the market for a tough mid-level alloy enduro wheelset, they’re worth considering. 
Price: $749 / £499 / €599
Website: Huntbikewheels.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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