Hunt has launched a new aero wheelset with a deeper, wider front wheel and shallower, narrower rear wheel with carbon spokes, a CeramicSpeed bearing option and a claimed wheelset weight of 1,156g.
Last month, Hunt introduced the 1,212g 5AM Limitless Ti_UD Carbon Spoke wheelset with mixed 58mm front/55mm rear rim depths.
The latest 4AM Limitless Ti_UD has the same design features but expands the range with a shallower mixed depth wheelset. As with its predecessor, the front rim is deeper and wider externally at 49.5mm depth and 34.2mm width, while the rear has a 47mm depth and 30mm width.
Hunt says that maximum aero benefits come at the front of the bike, where the airflow is more laminar, while airflow at the rear wheel is turbulent, so aero gains are less but the shallower rim helps keep weight low. It’s the same approach as with the Roval Rapide CLX III wheelset, which also has a deeper front/shallower rear design. Roval has subsequently extended the approach to its Terra Aero CLX gravel wheelset.
The front and rear Hunt 4AM Limitless wheels both have a 23mm internal width hooked rim, the same as for the 5AMs. They’re available with carbon spokes, which hit the claimed 1,156g wheelset weight or with steel spokes, which raise the weight to 1,283g. Hunt has also introduced a steel-spoked version of the 5AM Limitless wheels as a lower-priced alternative to the carbon-spoked wheels available at launch.
As with the 5AM Limitless wheels, Hunt has developed the latest 4AM wheels via its five stage process, with CFD analysis followed by three iterations of wind-tunnel testing, then real world testing with an AeroSensor drag measurement device.
Hunt’s testing includes comparisons with competitor wheelsets, which it claims show a 1.4-watt lower drag figure and 139g lower weight than the Enve SES 4.5 Pro, ridden by the UAE Team Emirates-XRG team of Tadej Pogačar. The wheels’ aero performance is claimed to be in line with deeper, heavier wheels from DT Swiss and Reserve.
Again duplicating the 5AM wheels, the new 4AM wheelset uses Vonoa Ti_UD carbon spokes. The stiffer spokes allow Hunt to reduce the spoke count to 15 front and 18 rear, which lowers wheel drag without affecting wheel rigidity. Hunt quotes a 1.7g per spoke weight, while recessed nipples also help to improve wheel aerodynamics.
The hubs are Hunt Chase SLC with a claimed 289g a set weight. There’s a choice of stainless steel bearings or newly developed CeramicSpeed bearings, both with a zinc-coated ratchet freehub with 7.5 degree engagement angle.
Hunt Limitless wheelset prices
With steel bearings, the carbon spoked Hunt 4AM Limitless Ti_UD wheelset is priced at £1,959 / $2,559 / €2,299 / AU$3,759. Upgrade to CeramicSpeed bearings and the price increases to £2,449 / $3,159 / €2,859 / AU$4,709.
Swap to 20 front and 24 rear Pillar steel spokes and stainless steel bearings and the 4AM wheels are priced at £1,659 / $2,359 / €1,959 / AU$3,199.
The new steel-spoked option for the 5AM Limitless wheelset increases its weight from the carbon-spoked variant’s 1,212g to 1,339g. It’s priced at £1,699 / $2,399 / €1,999 / AU$3,249.