Announced today, the new Hunt Proven Carbon XC Dynamo Wheelset combines Hunt’s Proven Race XC MTB rims with a high-engagement rear hub and a SON28 Dynamo front hub. Find everything you need to know about them here…
Integrating a dynamo hub into your bikepacking setup can be an efficient and reliable way to generate usable power when traveling far from services. However, production dynamo wheelsets are few and far between. Most folks who use a dynamo have their wheels custom built, which can be pricey.
Since the release of the SuperDura Dynamo Wheelset in 2017, UK-based Hunt Bike Wheels has been slowly expanding its dynamo-equipped wheel lineup to include alloy 650b and 700c gravel wheelsets, and as of today, a carbon gravel option, the new Hunt Proven Carbon XC Dynamo Wheelset.
According to Hunt, the Proven Carbon XC Dynamo Wheelset is the world’s first off-the-shelf carbon MTB dynamo wheelset. There are made-to-order carbon wheels that feature a dynamo, but it appears there hasn’t been a true production carbon dynamo wheelset option until now. The final design is based on several years of real-world testing, including runs on the 2022 and 2024 Tour Divide, three times on the Silk Road Mountain Race, the Atlas Mountain Race, and a first-place finish at the 2024 Colorado Trail Race.
The wheels feature Hunt’s Proven Race XC MTB carbon rims, with a 30mm internal width suitable for 29 x 2.25″-2.5″ tires. The rims have reinforced spoke beds, and a hookless, tubeless-ready bead. They come complete with tubeless tape and valves. The rims are laced to the popular and reliable SON28 up front with a 15x110mm boost axle. It has an output of 3 watts/6 volts at 18-19km/h and 5 volts at 16km/h, and it comes with a five-year warranty. The rear hub is Hunt-branded with CNC machined 6066-T6 heat-treated aluminum alloy hub body with Hunt’s S_RapidEngage 90T freehub, which uses six double-tooth pawls to provide a quick engagement angle of just 2 degrees. All the popular freehub standards are available.
Like the SuperDura Dynamo wheels I reviewed earlier this year, the Hunt Proven Carbon XC Dynamo Wheelset is designed for year-round use, rolling on weather-resistant dual-contact lip-sealed bearings. The wheels use 28 spokes front and rear, laced in a 3-cross pattern for better durability. The spokes are cold-drawn and triple-butted (2.0-1.6-2.0), crafted from high-grade T302 stainless steel by Sandvik Sweden. 14-gauge brass spoke nipples are used for strength and corrosion resistance. \
The front wheel weighs 1,077 grams (2.4 pounds), and the rear wheel weighs 889 grams (1.9 pounds). With a complete weight of 1,966 grams (4.3 pounds), they measure just 70 grams more than the non-dynamo Revel RW30 wheels I reviewed and just under 400 grams heavier than the impressively lightweight Logos Eudae wheels.
The Hunt Proven Carbon XC Dynamo Wheelset is available and ready to ship worldwide. The complete wheelset costs 1,799 USD (£1,489/€1,849), and Hunt offers a three-year warranty against material or workmanship defects, as well as a free lifetime crash replacement warranty for the original owner. Learn more at HuntBikeWheels.com.
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