Hunt 65 Carbon Aero Disc – Performance on a Budget

We previously gave you the rundown on Hunt’s road and gravel lineup and have been riding the 65 Carbon Aero Discs for almost a year now. I had the chance to compare them to a few other wheels we reviewed in the past or currently have in, and for the money, you just can’t beat what Hunt is doing.

For the details on the wheelset, check out the lineup article we previously posted. The quick details are they are 65mm deep, 26mm wide external, 19mm wide internal, and come in at a claimed weight of 1596g. Our test pair were just over that at 1614g with tubeless tape applied, so they are probably a little under the claimed weight. Width-wise, they aren’t the widest out there, but current with the trend for wider wheels for 25-28mm tires. We set ours up with a new pair of Pirelli P Zero Race in 700x28c using Finish Line tubeless tire sealant.

Set up was straightforward. The Pirelli’s went on fairly easily and with sealant added, they snapped into place using the Topeak JoeBlow pump we have previously reviewed. They have remained sealed up well, and lose an acceptable amount of air compared to other wheels we have used that model of tires on. We used a centerlock adapter for 6 bolt discs, which went on easily, same with the cassette. Mounting onto the Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD test bike was issue free.

On The Road

When the wheels arrived, it was apparent right from the beginning that these are light wheels. Compared to the FLO 64 AS Disc, which weighed in at 1770g for our test samples, the Hunt wheels are almost a half-pound lighter for a rim that is about the same depth. but a few millimeters narrower. It might not seem like much, but every gram counts, especially on parts that are spinning. On some of my first rides, I purposely went after some of my baseline climbs and segments to put the wheels to the test. On the climbs, the PR’s started to drop, and even on the flats/descents, I was right there with my PR’s or beating them. After a few more updates on the bike (going 1x with an absoluteBLACK 50T aero chainring and removing the front derailleur) I was able to crack the sub 17lb mark with cages, pedals, and computer mount. PR’s continued to fall.

On flats, the 65 Carbon Aero Disc spin up quickly from a stop due to their lighter weight. Once at speed, they hold their pace well. Being right at 6′ tall, and about 187lbs, I’m a bit more planted on the road compared to smaller and lighter riders, but I can’t say that I ever really felt the Hunt wheels get taken by a gust of wind, even on windy days. Lighter riders may feel the wind a little more, but they definitely felt stable every time I’ve ridden them.

I had plenty of chances to put them to the test in harder conditions. On a weekly training race, they quickly became my go-to wheelset. The 28-mile course rolls through the Lancaster countryside, with a few kicker climbs and a final fast stretch that drops you off at close to 35 mph for the 4% incline sprint at the end. I typically crack the 1,100 watts on those sprints, and they always felt stiff and planted to take me to the line.

On the other end of the spectrum, I also used them for a charity event in that I wanted to go for a new distance best. The max distance is supposed to be 100 or so miles, but by adding the Century Loop in twice, you can bump it up to 134 miles. It was a wet day for the first few hours but cleared up as the day went on. Instead of pushing them for speed and stiffness, they remained comfortable and the lightweight and aerodynamics helped get me to the end for the furthest I’ve ever ridden in one ride.

Light, Fast, and Budget-Friendly?

I can’t really say anything bad about the Hunt 65 Carbon Aero Discs. The combination of weight, depth, and price is something you can’t find from another brand that has a history at the highest professional level. The fact that they use some of the same components on their highest-level wheelsets speaks a lot about the quality of the Carbon Aero line. With other wheelsets that have come in for review, it was hard for me to take the Hunt’s off to test other wheels. Looking at the product lineup, their most expensive wheelset is still under $2,100 for their 60 Limitless Disc with carbon spokes and CeramicSpeed bearings, which is still cheaper than many other brand’s top-tier wheelsets you’d compare them to. If you don’t need the carbon spokes and the Ezo bearings work for you, the 60 Limitless offer improved aerodynamics over the brand’s other lines at only $1,449, which is quite a deal.

If you are in the market for a set of new wheels, Hunt is definitely a brand to have a look at. They might not have quite the name recognition as some of the other big brands out there, but they do have a history at the top tier level of racing and offer an insane value for a quality wheelset.

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