The new Hunt 4AM Limitless wheelset is a new ‘Alpine racing’ design that adopts the company's latest design approach, with a wider, deeper front wheel and shallower, narrower rear wheel.
Hunt says wind tunnel testing shows that its new road bike wheels have a 1.4-watt aero advantage (at 45kph) over the ENVE 4.5 Pro wheelset, used by Tadej Pogačar to win the Tour de France.
With a reduced carbon-spoke count of just 15 at the front and 18 at the rear, the wheelset weighs a claimed 1,156g. That's 118g lighter the previous 44/46 Aerodynamicist UD with carbon spokes.
It’s all about the front
Hunt’s Limitless design approach, with asymmetric rim widths and depths, started with the 5AM Limitless and continues with the 4AM Limitless.
The new wheelset combines a 34.2mm wide, 49.5mm deep front rim with a 47mm deep, 30mm wide rear rim.
Hunt says that the front wheel encounters cleaner air, so it can benefit the most from a reduction in aerodynamic drag.
Hunt claims the increase in depth and width helps maintain airflow attachment as it passes over the tyre.
It says that the rear wheel operates in a much more turbulent airflow so stiffness and reducing weight becomes a priority over aerodynamics.
Hunt has further reduced drag with a new minimal hub design along with a reduction in spoke count and hidden spoke nipples.
Hunt has also reduced the wheelset's weight by using a low-density structural polymer (0.7g/cm3) moulded into the rim sidewall between the heavier carbon layers (1.6g/cm3).
Hunt Limitless 4AM range
The 4AM is available in two options. The premium model uses Vonoa carbon spokes with lightweight titanium ends, along with the lightweight SLC versions of the Chase hub set.
Hunt also offers a steel spoke model with the same rims and spoke count, but the SL version of the Chase hub set.
The steel spoke model uses Pillar SuperWing 20 triple butted aero steel spokes with the same hidden nipple design as the carbon spoke model.
The 4AM Limitless steel spoke model weighs in at 1,283g a pair.
Hunt 4AM Limitless Ti_UD Carbon Spoke wheelset
- Weight: 1,156g
- Front rim: 49.5mm deep; 34.2mm wide rim profile with patented Limitless Width Aero Tech; 23mm internal rim width; hooked tyre interface
- Rear rim: 47mm deep; 30mm wide rim profile; 23mm internal rim width; hooked tyre interface
- Spokes: 15 front / 18 rear Vonoa Ti_UD Carbon Spokes with recessed spoke nipples
- Hubs: Hunt Chase SLC; 7.5° engagement angle; 7075-T6 alloy construction; dual-sided, zinc-coated ratchet system; available with CeramicSpeed or stainless-steel bearings; 289g per pair
- Pricing with stainless steel bearings: £1,959 / €2,299 / $2,559 / AU$3,759
- Pricing with CeramicSpeed bearings: £2,449 / €2,859 / $3,159 / AU$4,709
Hunt 4AM Limitless Steel Spoke wheelset
- Weight: 1,283g per pair.
- Front rim: 49.5mm deep; 34.2mm wide rim profile with patented Limitless Width Aero Tech; 23mm internal rim width; hooked tyre interface
- Rear rim: 47mm deep; 30mm wide rim profile; 23mm internal rim width; hooked tyre interface
- Spokes: 20 front / 24 rear Pillar SuperWing 20 triple butted, aero bladed spokes with recessed spoke nipples
- Hubs: Hunt Chase SL; 7.5° engagement; 7075-T6 alloy construction; dual-sided, zinc-coated ratchet system; precision stainless steel bearings; 277g per pair
- Pricing: £1,659 / €1,959 / $2,359 / AU$3,199
