Hunt Enduro Wide 27.5 wheelset review

I've been lucky enough to have been given a set of brand new Hunt Enduro Wide wheels to test over the coming autumn and winter months. As with the USWE backpack I reviewed a while back, this will an impartial review, and any issues will be highlighted, as well as praises sung.

The wheels will be fitted to my Production Priveé Shan 27 hardtail and ridden through and over as much slop, rocks and roots as I can find over the next few months. I'm not the most graceful of riders, so it'll be interesting to see how they stand up to my riding style and lack of finesse.

This won't be an expert review - I'm not an expert. If you want an expert review, consult an expert. It'll be the honest impressions of an average rider living and riding with this wheelset over the next few months.

Overview

Hunt describe this wheelset as "the hardest hitting wheelset for your Enduro rig", and straight out of the box I must admit they're a good looking set of wheels. The 33mm wide (yes, 33mm!) all black rims have a shot-peened metal finish with tasteful Hunt decals. From a distance, they look like they could be carbon, due to their ovalised profile.

 First impressions

The front and rear hubs look fit for purpose and well engineered with sealed cartridge bearings. The rear hub feels like it's got a really quick pickup - Hunt call it their RapidEngage hub. Best of all, it makes a ton of noise.

It's going to be interesting to see how my tyres will cope with the new, wider rim. Hopefully it won't round off the tread profile too much so that it creates a 'square' edge. It is does I may have to invest in some of the new 'wide trail' from Maxxis. But I'm hoping I can run my Specialized Butcher and Purgatory (because I'm skint).

However, I am looking forward to seeing if the wide, stable rims add a bit more cushion to the bike. It's an awesome steel hardtail, with a decent degree of flex in the rear stays, but a little more comfort would be good for my back - especially after spending the summer in the plushness of full suspension land.

I'll write another post once I get the wheels on the bike and get out on the trail. I'll be including some video in future posts as well as photos.

But for now, the Enduro Wide wheelset gets 10/10 for presentation and finish. Let's get 'em on the bike!

Thanks to Hunt Wheels for giving me the opportunity to review the Enduro Wide.

Learn more about Hunt Wheels and their range of wheels here