We hope you are delighted with your new HUNT bike wheels and we’d like you to have as much fun riding them as we do. There are of course some inherent risks associated with using any bicycle wheels or other components, and this guide is provided so you are fully aware of how to use your wheels correctly. It contains important information you need to know so that you can continue to enjoy your wheels safely for many years. Please do read through it carefully, even if you are an experienced cyclist.

We have tried to make this guide as clear and simple as possible but if there is anything you are still unclear about we encourage you to please ask us. You can contact us via live chat or email.

Thank you and enjoy your riding,

The HUNT Team


Before using your wheels please read these instructions carefully along with any additional documentation provided with your wheelset. Please save these instructions and pass them on to anyone else who may use the product or purchase the product from you. Our Knowledge Base contains additional detailed information for HUNT bike wheels and accessories. 


USER GUIDE CONTENTS


GENERAL SAFETY WARNINGS

  • There are inherent risks associated with cycling. This includes the risk of serious or fatal injury.
  • Always follow the instructions in this guide along with any other advice or guides provided to you by Hunt Bike Wheels. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious or fatal injury.
  • If, after reading this guide or at any other time, you have any concern or doubt about the use, maintenance, repair or fitting of your Hunt Bike Wheels, then please contact us or refer to a qualified cycle mechanic. Our contact details can be found here.


INTENDED USE, RIDER & EQUIPMENT WEIGHT LIMITS

  • Only use the wheelset for uses stated in the product description at www.huntbikewheels.com.
    • DO NOT USE off-road unless this purpose is stated in the product description.
    • DO NOT USE for mountain biking unless this purpose is stated in the product description.
    • DO NOT USE on tandems or trikes.
    • DO NOT USE disc brake wheelsets with rim brakes.
    • DO NOT USE rim brake wheelsets with disc brakes.
  • Follow the rider and equipment weight limits in the 'WARRANTY, HUNT ROLLING ROAD TESTS & WEIGHT LIMITS' section of the wheelset product page for your wheel model name.

SETUP


INSTALLING YOUR HUNT BIKE WHEELS & THIRD PARTY COMPONENTS

  • For instructions on how to install your Hunt Bike Wheels and fit any third party components, see the instructions provided by your bike or third party component manufacturer.
  • Check that any third party components are compatible with your Hunt Bike Wheels before attempting installation.


FREEHUBS

  • If installing an 11 or 12 speed Shimano road-style cassette on a road-style freehub body, please remove the spacer (and rubber band) supplied on the HG road freehub. Please note, for 11 speed HG MTB cassettes or wide range road cassettes (like Shimano CS-HG800-11) a spacer is still required when fitting to a road style freehub body. 
  • If installing an 8, 9 or 10 speed Shimano or SRAM cassette, please remove the rubber band holding the spacer and leave the spacer on the freehub prior to installing the cassette.
  • If installing an 11 speed SRAM road cassette (with a 10 tooth smallest sprocket) onto an XD-R freehub, please leave the 1.85mm spacer on the freehub. This also applies to fitting a 12 speed, 10 tooth SRAM MTB XD cassette onto an XD-R freehub.
  • For a 12 speed SRAM road cassette (with a 10 tooth smallest sprocket) on an XD-R freehub, please remove this spacer.
  • For more information on freehub compatibility, please refer to this guide. For detailed guides on installing and changing freehubs, please see this folder in the Knowledge Base. 


FITTING TYRES, TYRE WIDTHS & TYRE PRESSURES

Please read this section carefully – failure to follow the advice below and our guidance on www.huntbikewheels.com or elsewhere may result in failure of your tyres which can cause serious or fatal injury.

  • Please follow the tyre size information on the wheelset product page for your wheel model name at www.huntbikewheels.com. If unsure please contact us for accurate tyre size information for your wheels.
  • Only use tyres compatible with the ETRTO rim diameter for your wheels. This may be printed on the side of your rims and is also available on the website product page for each current wheel model. If you have a discontinued wheelset, or are at all unsure, please contact us for the ETRTO for your wheels.
  • Ensure that the manufacturer of your chosen tyres states that they are compatible with your rims before fitting. This includes, but isn't exclusive to, ensuring that the tyre manufacturer recommends the fitting of their tyres to your wheelset's rim width.
  • Follow any advice on tyre suitability on www.huntbikewheels.com or other advice we may provide to you - including in the product listing or email communication from us.
  • Ensure that the tyre fits securely to the rim when fitting and cannot easily fit over the rim lip. DO NOT USE if the tyre can be removed without tyre levers.
  • DO NOT USE tyres that have previously been fitted to another wheelset. These may have been stretched in use causing an insecure fit on your HUNT wheels. 
  • DO NOT USE tyres that are damaged in any way, including tyres that have blown off a rim under pressure - there may be unseen damage such as a stretched bead that could compromise their safety. 
  • DO NOT USE latex inner tubes with rim brake rims. Excessive heat generated from braking may cause a latex tube to fail and deflate which may result in serious injury or death.
  • Please follow the tyre pressure information on the wheelset product page for your wheel model name on www.huntbikewheels.com in the 'TYRES INFO' section. Never exceed the maximum pressure stated for your tyre or your wheelset.
  • Please see this guide for detailed tubeless tyre setup tips and tricks, or consult the relevant tyre manufacturer. 
  • Use only plastic tyre levers.
  • We recommend that safety glasses are worn whilst fitting and inflating tyres.
  • If your wheels have arrived with tyres fitted by our team, we recommend that you check the tyre pressure and take your bike for a 20/30 km ride to ensure everything is seated and sealed correctly. If the tyres have leaked or deflated, check sealant levels and add as required before riding.


HOOKLESS & H-LOCK WEDGE (HLW) RIMS

  • Our hookless rim design is used on the 32 Aerodynamicist UD, 25 & 40 Carbon Grave Race and 35 Carbon Gravel X-WIde wheelsets, whilst our older H-Lock Wedge profile is used on some models of 55 Carbon Wide Aero, 30 & 50 Carbon Aero Disc (November 2016 to January 2018), 30 Carbon Gravel Disc rims (November 2016 to January 2018).
  • These rims should only be used with tyres specifically designated as TUBELESS or TUBELESS READY and, for HLW rims, tyres constructed with CARBON BEADS. These tyres have predictable bead diameters and a strong bead construction. 
  • You can use inner tubes with Hunt hookless and HLW rims as long as they are used in tubeless tyres. 
  • Tyres constructed with Aramid/ Kevlar beads including, Hutchinson Fusion 5 tyres, Continental GP5000 TL, Specialized 2Bliss tyres and Mavic tyres are not suitable for use with HLW rims. Continental also state that their tubeless tyres must only be used on hooked tubeless ready rims so are also not suitable for use with HLW rims. Ultimately if in any doubt please contact your tyre manufacturer.


BRAKE PADS & BRAKE SETUP

  • Follow instructions provided by your bicycle or component manufacturer when fitting brake pads and setting up brakes.


RIM BRAKES

  • Brake pads are supplied with all carbon rim brake wheels. DO NOT USE any other brake pads with carbon rim brake wheels. Please see this guide for more information. Replacements can also be ordered through www.huntbikewheels.com.
  • DO NOT USE a brake pad on a carbon rim if it has previously been used on an aluminium rim. The pads will have been contaminated by aluminium particles which will damage the carbon braking surface.
  • DO NOT USE latex inner tubes with rim brake rims. Excessive heat generated from braking may cause a latex tube to fail and deflate which may result in serious injury or death.
  • Some braking noise may occur with new wheels or brake pads, this is normal particularly with carbon braking surfaces. This noise should stop when the pads have been run in (approx. 500 miles).


DISC BRAKE ROTOR LOCK RINGS

  • Our latest disc brake rotor lock rings can be fitted and removed using two different tools. You can decide to use one or the other, or maybe have both available as a backup. 
    • The outer circumference of the lock ring engages with a standard 16-notch external BB tool. With our older lock rings, this interface was the only available option. These tools are widely available from all bicycle tool manufacturers. A good quality example would be the Park Tools BBT-69.4 Bottom Bracket Tool. The BBT-69.4 mounts onto a 3/8” ratchet so you can use a torque wrench to make sure you have achieved the recommended torque of 40nm. Many other variations are available, including those with their own handles, although of course, this makes it impossible to verify torque so we cannot wholeheartedly recommend these.
    • On our latest lock rings only, the inner circumference engages with a Shimano TL-LR11 tool. This tool has spanner flats, but ideally should be used with a ratchet/torque wrench. Whilst this isn’t the most common tool (it differs from a visually similar regular cassette lock ring tool to give increased clearance), it is sometimes useful to have another option should the outer circumference become damaged.
  • Our new low profile lock rings are thinner than our previous lock rings supplied with rear wheels so come fitted front and rear. These give sufficient clearance on almost all bikes.
  • Previously, wheelsets used to come complete with an ultra-low profile lock ring and a standard lock ring. The ultra-low profile lock ring is designed to be fitted to the front wheel as on some bikes clearance can be tight between the fork and the lock ring. If you have these lock rings, please ensure that the ultra-low profile lock ring is mounted to the front wheel.
  • For information on how to install the 6 bolt-CL rotor adapter, please see this guide. 

Whichever lock rings you use, always make sure that there is sufficient clearance and that the recommended tightening torque is followed. Failure to adhere to this could cause the lock ring to fail or come loose which could cause an accident resulting in injury or even death.


QUICK RELEASES & THRU-AXLES

Please read this section carefully – failure to ensure that quick releases are tightened correctly and sufficiently may result in serious or fatal injury.

  • Check your frame and fork's compatibility with either quick releases or thru-axles prior to installation and use. Please refer to this guide if you are unsure.
  • Only use your wheels with the Hunt Bike Wheels quick releases supplied with the wheels at the time of purchase or a Hunt Bike Wheels replacement set. If you are unsure which quick release axles to order, please contact us.
  • Before every ride ensure that the quick release is tightly closed. The quick release should not be easy to undo, and when in the closed position the ‘HUNT’ name should show on the outside of the quick release. Make sure that the wheels are securely attached to the bike by pulling sharply on each wheel. The wheels should not move in the frame or fork.
  • If you are using your wheels with thru-axles, only use the axles supplied by your frame or fork manufacturer. We do not provide thru-axles with our wheelsets. Only use Hunt Bike Wheels axle adapters. User guides for installing and changing adapters can be found here.
  • If using thru-axles, check the instructions provided by your frame or fork manufacturer.


FITTING & ADJUSTING QUICK RELEASES

  • Only operate quick releases by hand, never use a tool as this may damage the mechanism making it unsafe.
  • Open the quick release fully before fitting the wheels.
  • Before closing the quick release ensure the hub is fully engaged in the centre of the fork or frame.
  • If the clamping force is not enough, then open the lever and adjust the nut on the opposite side by turning the nut clockwise. Then fully re-close the lever.
  • If the clamping force is too high to close the lever, then open the lever and adjust the nut on the opposite side by turning the nut slightly anti-clockwise. Then fully re-close the lever again - this should take a force sufficient to leave a temporary imprint of the lever on your hand.
  • Only adjust the quick release tension with the adjusting nut on the opposite side to the lever.
  • Ensure that you re-close/attach brake cables if required.
  • Check that the end of the quick release skewer is not recessed by more than 2mm inside the outer side of the adjusting nut.
  • Do not attempt to turn the adjusting nut with the lever in the closed position.
  • Ensure the lever is not touching any part of the bicycle when closed.
  • Keep your quick release lever’s cam clean and lightly lubricated to maximise its clamping efficiency
  • Ensure the wheels are centred in the frame/fork before you tighten the quick release.


USE, CARE & MAINTENANCE


INSPECTING & LOOKING AFTER YOUR HUNT BIKE WHEELS

Wear and tear of components in your Hunt Bike Wheels will occur as a result of normal use. If not attended to then these components may fail in use with a risk of serious or fatal injury. You should check the following regularly, and at least once per month or every 500 miles/800 km (whichever is sooner). If using your bike in wet weather or off-road, then check your wheels at least every week or every 100 miles/160 km (whichever is sooner):

  • For aluminium rim brake wheelsets check that the wear dot indicators on your rims are still visible. If this wear dot disappears, then the brake track has become worn out and you should discontinue using the wheels immediately.
    • Top tip – when you notice that the wear dot is becoming smaller you can use the wheels on an indoor trainer where braking is not required as frequently, but DO NOT USE once the wear dot has fully disappeared.
  • Check that bearings are running smoothly without excessive resistance. A small amount of roughness is fine but if there is significant resistance this is an indication of excessive wear and the bearings should be replaced. For information on bearing care, please see this guide.
  • Only replace bearings with spares provided by Hunt Bike Wheels and replacement should only be carried out by a qualified cycle mechanic. Wheels can also be returned to Hunt Bike Wheels for bearing replacement.*
  • Check that spokes and nipples have not come loose.
  • Check for any signs of damage to any of the wheel components, in particular at the rim bed where the spokes are attached and on the spoke nipples.
  • Check for trueness and roundness. If your wheel appears to be out of true, then please refer to a qualified cycle mechanic. Wheels can also be returned to Hunt Bike Wheels to be re-trued.*
  • Check the freehub mechanism is engaging correctly, and clean and lubricate if necessary. See this guide for instructions.
  • Check for wear on your brake pads. If your wheel is provided with brake pads check the user guides for these at www.huntbikewheels.com. For carbon rim brake pads, please see this guide.
  • For carbon rim brake wheelsets, check the braking track for wear or loose fibres. If the braking track is worn or loose fibres are showing, discontinue use immediately.
  • Check threaded axle adapters and axles are correctly tightened.
page7image2565825040 page7image2565825328

IMPORTANT WARNINGS

  • Every bicycle component has a finite useful life. Bicycle wheels are subject to wear and stress in use. Different materials and components wear or fatigue from stress at different rates with different life cycles which will vary extensively depending on the conditions in which they are used and the loads they are exposed to. If a component's life cycle is exceeded, the component can suddenly and catastrophically fail without warning, causing serious injury or death to the rider.
  • You must frequently inspect components for any signs of wear or fatigue. If you have any queries, always consult a qualified cycle mechanic or contact us. Scratches, cracks, bending, fraying or discolouration are all signs of stress-caused fatigue and may indicate that a component is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. When you see any of these signs, please stop using your wheels and take them to a qualified cycle mechanic for inspection, repair or replacement as necessary. Products may also be returned to Hunt Bike Wheels for inspection.*
  • Road salt can accelerate the corrosion of metal parts. It is important that any road salt residue is cleaned off as soon as possible.
  • While the materials and workmanship of your wheels may be covered by a warranty for a specified duration, this is not a guarantee that the product will last the term of the warranty without failure. The warranty is not meant to suggest that the bicycle or component cannot be broken or will last forever. It only means that the product is covered subject to the terms of the warranty.


RIM TAPE

  • Only use Hunt Bike Wheels rim tape.
  • Regularly inspect the tape for damage such as cuts or severe bowing into the spoke holes.
  • Replace the tape annually or whenever showing signs of degradation, deformation or wear.


BRAKING SAFETY & BRAKE PAD MAINTENANCE

  • Extended periods of braking may cause excessive heat to build up in your wheels. This can impair braking performance. With rim brake wheelsets, this heat may also cause damage to your wheels or cause dramatically increased tyre pressure resulting in the failure of tyres and/or tubes with a risk of serious or fatal injury.
  • Temperature build-up will be most severe in the circumstances below:
    • Long and/or steep descents
    • Riding on hot days
    • Higher rider and equipment weights
  • Stop regularly on long descents and allow your braking surface to cool before continuing. This is particularly important if you are braking continuously.
  • If you suspect your brakes have heated up significantly, you MUST stop immediately and allow them to cool.
  • Before commencing a long descent, reduce your tyre pressure by 10psi/0.7 BAR compared with your normal setting. This will reduce the risk of tyre failure as a result of excessive heat build-up.
  • Braking distances will be increased in wet weather, particularly with carbon braking surfaces. Reduce speed and brake earlier in wet weather.
  • Check brake pad surfaces regularly for contamination by dirt, grease, oil or particles that may impair braking performance or damage braking surfaces.
  • DO NOT apply any lubricant, grease, or oil to the brake pads or braking surfaces. If any of these substances do come into contact with the brake pads or braking surface, clean thoroughly with soap and water.
  • Check the brake pad wear indicator regularly and replace brake pads when required.


TENSIONING & REPLACING SPOKES

  • Broken spokes are reasonably rare but can happen from time to time as a part of normal wear and tear. You can purchase replacement spokes and nipples for all HUNT wheelsets to allow a qualified mechanic to replace a broken spoke easily.


CARBON UD SPOKES

  • The technology used with our carbon-spoked UD wheels requires a different approach to truing and tensioning the wheels. It is important to understand the construction and use the correct technique otherwise damage may occur.
  • At the hub end of the spoke an aluminium mandrel is placed around the spoke during the curing process and is pulled tight against the (tapered) head of the spoke. The rim end of the spoke is fitted in the same way with a threaded steel mandrel. The steel mandrel has a standard square outer shape, but it is not a conventional spoke nipple.
  • The square section of the steel mandrel is essentially part of the spoke. The square-sectioned mandrel needs to be used to hold the spoke stationary, to prevent twist whilst adjustments are made to the internal nipple nut. 
  • The nipple nut must be accessed from the tyre side of the rim. The tyre and tube (if fitted), as well as the rim tape, will need to be removed to access the nipple. 
  • The rim tape should be replaced after the truing/tensioning process.
  • Failure to hold the spoke at the steel square sectioned mandrel is likely to twist and damage the spoke. This could cause a failure of a spoke or spokes. Should any damage lead to a failure this could result in an accident that may cause injury or even death.
  • We recommend that any work required for UD spoked wheelsets is referred to us.*



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Never clean your wheels using a pressure washer, this will damage bearings and reduce service life significantly. Wash using only water and soap, or a specialist bike cleaner.
  • DO NOT use solvents, detergents, paints, or abrasives as these may damage the wheels. This damage may not be visible.
  • DO NOT leave exposed to high temperatures, for example in a hot car.
  • DO NOT store carbon rims in direct sunlight. Excessive UV light can degrade the epoxy resins in carbon fibre over time.
  • For additional wheel care and maintenance information, please see this guide for bearing and freehub information, and this guide for tyre maintenance and puncture repair.
  • You should also check your wheels carefully for damage after any accident or major impact such as running through a pot-hole.
  • If you are in any doubt about maintenance, inspection, repair or any other aspect of owning your Hunt Bike Wheels then you should contact a qualified cycle mechanic or contact us.


IMPACT DAMAGE, POTHOLES, ACCIDENTS & HARD RIDING

  • Hunt Bike Wheels are designed to have a high strength-to-weight ratio and pass our stringent rolling road, impact and real-life road tests, but they aren’t indestructible. Certain impacts of sufficient severity will damage and/or destroy a bicycle wheel. These impacts include those from sharp or square edges such as from a pothole and high energy impacts, such as from an accident or heavy landing, especially if the wheel is impacted from the side.
  • HUNT rims can be damaged through impact/s by rocks, potholes and other road and trail obstacles. This damage is not covered under our warranty, but we will be happy to help. Contact us and we will work to get your wheels fixed at a reduced cost to you as part of our Crash Replacement policy. 
  • Excessive force or the improper use of tyre levers during tyre installation or removal can dent and damage both carbon and aluminium rims - this damage is not covered under warranty.
  • Crashing your bike can exert forces upon a wheel much higher than experienced through normal riding. This can result in damage to the wheel components which could render them unsafe to use. Even if no damage is initially visible the wheels should be thoroughly inspected after an accident by a qualified and experienced cycle mechanic or us before the wheels are ridden again. If a component of your wheel is damaged, we will happily put this right at a reduced cost to you as part of our Crash Replacement policy – please contact us for details.
  • Any accidental damage is not covered under warranty - but if something has happened, get in touch and we will see if we can help.
  • Products should not be used outside their recommended usage. For instance, wheels designated for road use should not be used off road. Gravel and cyclocross wheels should not be used on mountain bike trails and mountain bike wheels need to be used within their limits such as cross-country, trail use or downhill.
  • The use of a product outside of its intended usage (such as riding rough downhill mountain bike tracks on lightweight cross-country wheels) could cause the product to fail and serious injury or death to occur.
  • Regularly riding near to a wheelset’s limits will fatigue and shorten the lifespan of the product. We recommend that if a wheelset is being ridden in this manner that it is inspected on a more regular basis.
  • Please see full details of our Warranty and Crash Replacement policies here.


RIM-ONLY

We design our wheelsets as a system built up of various components optimised to work together, but our rims are available separately. If you choose to build or have our rims built into wheels, of course, we cannot carry out the stringent testing that we put our wheelsets through. However, here are, in addition to the rest of this manual, our recommendations to help ensure your rims build up into a safe wheelset:

  • Make sure that whoever builds your wheel/s is a suitably qualified and experienced wheel builder.
  • Abide by the recommended spoke tensions and lacing patterns as listed on the rim product page of the Hunt Bike Wheels website.
  • Nipple washers must be used when building our carbon rims.


*Charges may apply for maintenance work, but we will always confirm these with you before any work is carried out.