HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset Review (Carbon Rim Brake, Clincher or Tubeless Ready)
To set the scene here’s a very quick wheel-related story followed by a detailed review of HUNT’s 36 UD beauties.
I consider myself somewhat of a cycling dinosaur; I still use rim brakes and clinchers, and I have an affinity for razor-thin wheels despite the negative science and obvious discomfort of narrow tyres inflated to impossibly high pressures. However, even the mightiest of dinosaurs eventually become extinct, and so I decided to try out some of this new-fangled, science-based stuff. One thing at a time, though: the first thing I’m going to try is wider wheels and, consequently, wider tyres
Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ All rounder + climber
Hunt's 36mm wheels are allround performance climbers whose value for money is hard to beat
One of the best-priced mid-tier climber-cum-all rounder wheelsets of its kind for the money.
Key Stats:
- Rim Depth: 36mm front and rear
- Width: 26mm external, 19mm internal
- Weight: 1295g (pair)
- Optimal tyre: 25c (23c and 28c are fine)[28 on test]
- Hub: CeramicSpeed, Shimano/Campag/SRAM options for 8-speed through to 12-speed
- Warranty: 3 years with crash replacement
Pros
- Great performance//weight//stiffness trade-off
- Rigid spokes
- Surprisingly good braking for a carbon surface
- Tubeless-ready
- Spare carbon spokes provided
- Performance rim braking for those who still want this tech
- CeramicSpeed bearings (option)
Cons
- Not cheap but could be a lot worse!
- No TL valves are provided but rims are taped for TL
Price when reviewed: £1,149 (set, excl tyres) direct from Huntbikewheels.com add £300 for Ceramic Speed Bearings (on test)
Background – Kit, Tests & Courses
My Cervelo R5 has been my mainstay bike for over 3 years. It’s reliable and looks good apart from the green detailing and dirt. It’s a top-end bike, or at least it was when new in 2017/8, but I’m not a top-end cyclist although I’m alright for an Age-Group triathlete. I need every ounce of benefit from top bits of kits to keep up with my weekend cycling buddies who are typically 5 years younger and I’ve got to the point now where those 5 years make a difference and I once even considered tapering for a weekend ride ;-). So I need some stiff wheels that are specifically designed for a wider tyre (28mm) that I can lower the pressure on a tad to give me both comfort and free speed, especially on my local Surrey Hills which are unpleasantly bumpy at times.
Hunt’s tests show better aero performance from 25mm tyres but also recommend 28mm. I went with 28mm as that was part of my test, I’d imagine I lose about 1 watt per wheel as a result.
I bought a couple of Michelin Latex tubes and immediately cut one of them. So I used the other latex tube and a spare Tubolito I had. Note: Hunt does not support Latex tubes on any of its rim-braked wheelsets. Personally, I have had a deflated Tubolito in years gone by due to heat from braking, so please note that there is a real possibility that Hunt is not simply making this up!
What Makes HUNT Wheels Fast?
Answer: Aerodynamics. But this wheelset is not intended as an out-and-out speed monster.
Hunt prides itself on producing fast wheels and positioning itself as a brand that offers good value for money when it comes to speed. However, it’s worth noting that this wheelset is notably less aerodynamic than my HUNT 80 wheelset and other deeper-rimmed wheels.
For wheels: Above 12mph, aerodynamic drag is the most important factor assuming you have the right tyres, correctly inflated. There are 3 other factors, some of which vary in importance with external conditions and the type of riding – wind stability, weight, and 3D stiffness.
Cycling: Above 19mph its pretty much all about aerodynamics. Only you know if you average speeds greater than that.
Aero Drag -HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke
Recreational riders find it challenging to access a wind tunnel. In any case, wind tunnels are not an accurate reflection of real-world riding conditions and quoted figures could be significantly misleading.
Brands, including HUNT, often provide wind tunnel data but HUNT has not in this case as the wheels are primarily marketed as climbers.
My Take On Wheel Aerodynamics
As a wheel moves forward, it splits the air to either side of it. In the case of the HUNT 36 wheels, these airflow streams must rejoin at least 36mm later. The rim is designed to minimize drag over its surface and trick the airflow into rejoining as late as possible. Let’s say that, for the sake of argument, it rejoins 10mm further towards the center of the wheel. The larger this extra distance, the less turbulence the air will experience, as turbulence creates drag.
When making a wheel aerodynamic, another crucial factor to consider is the tyre width. It is recommended that the tyre width matches the rim width, or is slightly narrower if exact matching is not possible.
HUNT has found that the 25mm GP5000s work best with the 26mm outer rim width of the HUNT 36 wheelset. The overall airflow is the primary reason for this, but the inner width of the wheelset also plays a crucial role.
With an inner width of 19mm, these wheels optimize the inflation of 25/28mm tyres, allowing them to maintain their proper external shape.
But how does that all translate to performances?
My Tests
In my recent training, I covered various types of rides, including 2-hour fast tempo rides, 5-hour hill rides, climbs lasting 5-8 minutes, climbs lasting 1 minute, 5/6 minute VO2max intervals, as well as some easier rides on both good and potholed surfaces. Although I only got close to a personal best going up Ranmore Road (Ranmore Common, Dorking), I was still pleased with the result.
While I had hoped the 28mm tyre choice would provide significantly greater comfort, I didn’t find the increase to be as substantial as anticipated. Despite having used 25mm tyres recently, there was still some improvement in comfort.
Take Out: Performance kinda vaguely as I expected. Comfort is a tad disappointing but more comfortable than I’m used to for sure, so I should be grateful!
More: How wind tunnel measurements can be misrepresented
Wind Stability
There were absolutely no issues with wind stability. I wouldn’t have any issues taking these out on windy days, even with gusts of 20mph or more. However, I probably wouldn’t want to cycle in winds above 20mph regardless.
One final thing to consider is my weight – I weigh just over 70 kg. It’s possible that heavier riders might be more stable in the wind.
Take Out: Excellent wind stability
Weight
We saw that Mavic’s Cosmic Ultimate offering for 2023 is coming in at a weight of 1255g and a price of £3575 (for the 45mm Disc version). In comparison, HUNT’s wheels weigh 1295g and cost £1,149, making them seem like a bit of a bargain on the weight front. While it’s not a direct comparison, the Cadex 35 Disc at 1300g and Shimano Dura-Ace R9270 C36 at 1350g are better comparators. If you’re a weight weenie, you might prefer something else, but the HUNT wheels are impressively lightweight.
If we assume that weight only makes a difference when going uphill or when accelerating then the only other weight-based complexity is that of a spinning wheel. An extra 500g added to the rim is similar to adding 1kg away from the wheel (1, 2). So rim weight makes a difference but it is still small compared to the effects of drag or rolling resistance.
Take Out: Weight matters but not as much as we are often led to believe. I wouldn’t especially care if these were 100g lighter or heavier. I would care more about the stiffness/Aero tradeoff though.
Stiffness
Ignoring other factors like drag and tyres, a stiff wheel is likely to be faster as it won’t change its shape or twist when under load. However, compliance is also important since about 15% of a bike’s vibration can come from the wheel. In extreme cases, vibration can cause physical damage, but more commonly, it can make cycling feel harder and increase oxygen consumption by up to 5%.
Wheel stiffness comes from at least two sources – the spokes and the rim. The stiffness of the spokes is particularly important for those seeking a stiff wheel. According to HUNT, its 36 UD Carbon Spokes will deflect 30.16% less laterally compared to the equivalent wheelset with high-specification steel spokes, even with three fewer spokes in the wheel. This is achieved with bladed spokes, which surprised me.
The bottom line is that these wheels are pretty stiff and feel as such. IDK how the stiffness compares to the super stiffest of wheels and even if I had such a pair of wheels I probably wouldn’t tell the difference. However, I can tell the difference between these wheels and aero wheels. They’re stiffer.
I have Mavic R-SYS SLR wheels which are narrower and also pretty stiff. I can’t tell the difference in stiffness to those.
Braking
Braking was good and I could get the wheels to lock up easily enough. Obviously, disc brakes get you to the same locking-up point more quickly especially when wet.
To improve braking and durability on the rims, HUNT uses Griptec basalt ceramic fibre. According to HUNT, the best braking performance can be achieved by using Brakco brake pads, though any Carbon-compatible pads will be fine in terms of not damaging the braking surface.
Take Out: Nothing to report
Versatility & Specificity
These wheels are versatile and suitable for a range of paved ride conditions, including longer rides like 100-milers. The wider width of the rims allows for comfortable use with wider, softer tyres to offset any stiffness in the carbon, and the 36mm size is generally considered a good balance between aerodynamics and versatility.
While the wheels may not be the most ideal choice for race day, they do perform well for hard uphill Strava PB attempts. I’ve got close to some PBs but haven’t got any of my significant ones in the bag.
Take out: A great all-rounder. You won’t use it on race day but from time to time, they will encourage you to try for a few uphill Strava segment PBs
Responsiveness
They seem pretty responsive to me.
If I stand up and throw some power down on the flat or a hill then I’ve no complaints.
Cornering: Although my TT times are probably better than average I wouldn’t kid myself that my bike handling speeds in anything but a straight line are noteworthy. Thus take my statement that ‘cornering abilities were fine‘ with a pinch of salt.
Noise
Noise signals wasted energy.
The wheels sound fine to me, nothing unusual. The initial noise of the Ceramic Speed bearing’s pawls soon disappointingly quietened down.
However fellow riders have commented that the wheels do sound nice.
Durability
Well, I can only say they are durable enough to last at least 2 months at this stage!
These wheels are light and so there must be a greater risk of cracking as a result of the lightness. Either way, HUNT gives a good guarantee.
Performance Suggestions
HUNT recommends using tyres between 23mm and 45mm wide. During my conversation with them, they mentioned that the fastest sizes for the GP5000 tyres are 25mm and 28mm, with 25mm being more aero. They didn’t give me a specific figure, but based on other HUNT wheel data, I estimate that switching to 25mm tyres will save you around 1 watt of drag per wheel.
To determine the best tyre pressure, I used the Silca SPPC form, which recommended an inflation level for me of about 80psi. Using 25mm tyres at this pressure, you can save an additional watt of rolling resistance as shown on the following chart
You can see that if you go for a wider tyre, you’ll save a tiny amount more from rolling resistance. However, I can tell you for sure that you’ll lose that and more on aero. That even negates your desire to run lower pressures, which you can, but it will also cost you another watt per tyre of rolling resistance.
But let’s be honest, you’re probably not buying this wheelset for out-and-out performance; you’re probably looking for comfort and a sensible amount of performance. Putting the performance stats another way, you might decide to ‘pay’ a total of 5 or 6 watts for using 32mm tyres. Just wear a few tighter bits of lycra to compensate and ease the pressure on your posterior.
HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset – Detailed Specifications & Contents
TL;DR – 36 Deep | 26 Wide Ext | 19 Wide Int | 1295g | CeramicSpeed/Steel EZO Bearing Options
This is what you get
In the box, HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset
- Both Wheels with HUNT Black Shield tubeless tape fitted
- A pair of quick-release skewers
- 2 sets of Brakco Griptec carbon brake pads
- Spacer for 8/9/10 speed cassettes
- Spare spokes and nipples
HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset – Detailed Specifications
Here are the specs for each part of the wheelset
Rim Spec
- Adaptive filament wound rims – enable variable strength/lightness as needed
- Toray T700/T800 unidirectional and 3K weave carbon fibre with 3K weave bed and spoke areas.
- 26mm outer and 19mm inner width ideal for 23-45mm tyre widths.
- 36mm depth, wide rounded aero section.
- Griptec brake track is recommended only for use with HUNT Brakco Griptec carbon-specific rim brake pads with these wheels. (More: here.)
- Raw filament wound surface finished with matt white contrasting graphics.
- HUNT Black Shield tubeless rim tape fitted.
Spokes Spec
- High strength, high stiffness UD carbon fibre spokes
- 2.7g per spoke
- Front: 16 spokes laced radially – aero profile
- Rear: 21 spokes laced 2 cross drive-side and radially non-drive side
front Hub Spec
- TaperLock spoke interface
- Forged and CNC’d 6061-T6 heat-treated aluminium alloy body.
- 7075-T6 aluminium alloy axles.
- Circular machined dropout interface steps for added stiffness.
- Polished anodized black finish with laser graphics.
Rear Hub spec
- TaperLock spoke interface
- Circular machined dropout interface steps for added stiffness.
- 3x treble-tooth pawl engagement for instant acceleration – 7.5 degrees engagement.
- 7075-T6 heat-treated aluminium alloy freehub body.
- Forged and CNC’d 6061-T6 heat-treated aluminium alloy body.
- 7075-T6 aluminium alloy axles.
- Polished anodized black finish with laser graphics.
- Steel Spline Insert freehub body reinforcement provides excellent durability against cassette sprocket damage to the freehub often seen on standard alloy freehub bodies.
- All freehub standards accounted for, including:
- Shimano/SRAM
- Campagnolo
- SRAM XD Driver
- SRAM XDR Driver
Bearing Spec
- CeramicSpeed hybrid ceramic bearings.
- Claimed life of 3 to 5 times longer than other ceramic bearings, and 10 times longer than standard steel bearings.
- Highest quality Grade 3 Silicon Nitride, featuring the highest achievable surface finish and roundness. 15% harder, take 99% higher loads and are more than 100% smoother than other ceramic balls typically seen in the market.
- 4-year warranty
Tyre/Tube Spec
- Tyre Suitability: 23mm up to 45mm wide.
- Clincher or tubeless
- Maximum tyre pressure 25-28mm tyres do not exceed 100psi, 30mm – 32mm do not exceed 70psi, 33mm do not exceed 50psi, 35-45mm do not exceed 45psi, 45-50mm do not exceed 40psi
- Latex tubes are not recommended
Summary
I like the HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke wheelset. The sensible price and good spec provide a solid foundation for a comfortable riding experience throughout the week.
Once again from HUNT, this appears to be a great value wheelset with specs above and beyond its price grade. At least that’s definitely the case if you omit the Ceramic Speed bearings which are super-nice but hard to justify.
Before I started testing I desperately wanted NOT to like wider wheels and wider, lower-inflated tyres. However, there wasn’t THAT much difference when changing from 25mm tyres at 85-90psi and so I feel safe in saying that I did actually enjoy riding the wider wheels and that they definitely were a tad comfier.
In some ways, it feels like I’ve aged. I no longer have the dread of riding a razor-thin 2010 wheelset where all the muscle ache at the end is more likely from being shaken to pieces rather than training hard. No, I’ve settled into my top-end bike as if it were a trusty living room armchair powered by the ubiquitous comfort of 28mm tyres on 26mm wide wheels. I still don’t get dropped on Sunday morning though. So they might be a tad better on the performance front than I’m letting on.
I’m definitely going to keep using this wheelset as my main set until spring properly arrives when I’ll shift to something a little spicier (and less comfortable).
I strongly recommend using GP5000 28mm tyres for this wheelset, rather than sacrificing a watt of performance for the 25mm alternative. Be sure to follow Silca’s tyre pressure guide for optimal inflation levels. While I still use Latex inners, GP5000 TL (Tubeless) tyres will be a few watts faster still if you go for those.
If you choose this wheelset, you will not regret it. You can always easily switch to or from tubeless, and while disc brakes are better, the carbon brakes on these wheels still perform well. If you need race day wheels, you can always borrow a friend’s special wheels once a year.
Basics – 36 Deep | 26 Wide Ext | 19 Wide Int | 1295g | CeramicSpeed/Steel EZO Bearing Options
Price when reviewed: £1,149 (set, excl tyres) direct from Huntbikewheels.com add £300 for Ceramic Speed Bearings (on test)
You mentioned few times that these are not for racing or just a race.
Why not ?
IMO 36mm is not a race depth, at least not for me (here’s where you list all the pros that regualrly use them!!).
I’d go much deeper if flatter and not windy
If windy i’d still go for 50mm
If properly hilly i’d just go for even lighter weight and hence less rim
I’d say 50mm is a better all rounder if you want to buy a single wheel. That said, I use these all the time and I did use them in a race last month but only because I couldn’t be bothered to faff about re-indexing my Di2 with the other wheel!