Hunt XC Wide: The Goldilocks of MTB Wheels

Living on northern Vancouver Island is like being served up a terrain sample platter, complete with rooty singletrack, endless gravel, frost-heaved tarmac, and snow-dusted logging roads. It's no place for fussy gear. When I began putting together a new bikepacking build, I knew I would need components that could handle this entire smorgasbord.

I'd just started building up my Singular Gryphon Ti (steel here), a drop-bar monster that leans more towards mountain than gravel. I had a vision for it: a capable, 29-inch mountain touring machine that could run big tires, carry proper loads, but still feel nimble and responsive when stripped down for a gravel day ride. A bike that could explore deep into Peru one month and then rip down coastal logging roads the next.

Finding the right wheelset became the linchpin of my plan. I needed something with a wide internal dimension to support high-volume tires, tough enough to handle fully loaded descents, but light enough to make it fun on at speed when unloaded. After a bit of research, I found the Hunt XC Wide 29r Mountain alloy wheelset.

These 29”, tubeless-ready aluminum wheels have a wide 28mm front / 26mm rear internal rim widths that strike the perfect balance between traction and speed. They're laced with triple-butted Pillar spokes, built around Hunt's own RapidEngage hubs, and designed to handle everything from fast XC laps to full-blown expedition bikepacking. At 1693g for the set, they promised a lot on paper.

More than a year later, after weeks of high-altitude riding the Peru Divide and months of technical trail and gravel in BC, I've got a pretty good sense of whether they made good on that promise.

About Hunt

Hunt Bike Wheels is a UK-based company founded in 2015, born from a desire to build affordable, well-designed wheelsets for performance-driven riders. They offer complete wheels for every cycling discipline and terrain for adventurous riders who demand strength without weight penalties.

They're not a boutique brand, but they punch above their weight. Although they ship directly from the UK, mine hit my Vancouver Island doorstep in under a week, and came backed with a 3-year warranty and 35% crash replacement policy. A nice nod to the realities of how riders abuse their gear.

Ordering & Installation

Hunt online direct ordering is a seamless experience with their clear, well-structured wheel configuration system. Their product pages also include compatibility guidance and tech specs that make it easy to choose the right wheelset for my Singular Gryphon build. You can buy preset wheel packages or tailor your wheels by picking each component of your choice. While a custom build might offer a more tailored experience, the ease, speed, and reduced cost of ordering prebuilt wheels were a major draw.

The wheels arrived fully assembled and ready to roll. Tubeless tape was already installed, valves were in the box, and they even included spare spokes and an info card on freehub maintenance. It's the kind of package that makes setup feel easy and professional.

Design & Construction

Pulling them out of the packaging, they looked understated in the best way. Matte black finish, subtle white branding, and that wide 28mm/26mm internal rim profile that felt perfect for big tires without going full enduro. The wheels are made from 6069-T6 aluminum, which offers more fatigue resistance than the commonly used 6061. The finish is shot-peened and anodized for extra durability against abrasion and corrosion.

The 28mm wide front provides a hefty footprint for added cornering stability, and 26mm out back to maintain tire shape under load. I mounted a set of 2.6” Vittoria Mezcals without a tire lever, inflated them with a simple floor pump, and they sealed instantly—no drama. That's the kind of easy setup I was looking for and rarely find.

The 28-count triple-butted Pillar spokes with reinforced heads were a standard three-cross laced pattern with brass nipples. This choice balances compliance vs strength, especially when descending on rough terrain on a loaded bike. Over months of abuse, I've had no spoke tension issues or pinging, even after some pretty heavy hits.

I had my wheels paired with Hunt's own RapidEngage hub design with 5° engagement, and a hard-anodized H_CERAMIK coating on the freehub body to prevent cassette bite marks. Available in standard or boost spacing, the hub bearings are large, double-sealed cartridges and have remained smooth and quiet through dust, stream crossings, and alpine storms.

Altogether, the wheels weigh in just over 1600g for the set, which is light for an alloy MTB wheelset that doesn't shy away from heavy-duty use. They don't feel flashy or over-designed, but rather like a tool built for real-world riding.

Long-Term Use Case: Peru Divide

Riding the Peru Divide is no small test—for rider or gear. It's a route defined by altitude, exposure, and relentless terrain. Over the course of three weeks, the Hunt wheelset carried me on my fully loaded rig, through the unknowns of the high Andes: from the dust-blown mining roads near Oyon to the high alpine tracks above Huancavelica. Day after day, they took a beating on rutted descents, sharp-edged rocks, and corrugated high passes. I pushed the 2.6” Mezcals past their recommended limits, but never once burping a tire or denting a rim. In camp, I'd often spin them just to check, amazed they were still true and properly tensioned. When you're gasping at 4,900 metres, battling altitude sickness and food poisoning, you begin to doubt many things as you try to keep the pedals turning. Having wheels you trust is more than nice—it's essential.

Trail & Road Performance

A big draw for me was versatility. I wanted a wheelset that could roll fast enough for long gravel days, but hold its line through techy singletrack and roots. When riding my local forest trail networks, these wheels never flinched. From wet roots and mossy rock rolls to punchy climbs and washboard logging roads, they gave the bike a well-planted, capable feel.

The lateral stiffness was especially noticeable in the corners, responding predictably and never vague or squishy. When I dive into a tight switchback or thread a line through a gnarled root garden, they tracked on point. This precision builds confidence the longer you ride them.

Whether descending with a full bikepacking setup or sprinting on hardpack, they stayed true and quiet. Even out of the saddle, I never felt unwanted flex. They felt rigid without being punishing. There's a muted, damped quality to how they handle chatter. On tarmac and smoother gravel, they roll surprisingly fast, with only a hint of freehub buzz, but it's not obnoxious.

Stack these against a $2000+ carbon wheelset and, sure, the extra 200-300 grams will be felt on those long climbs or when every extra gram robs you of acceleration during a race. But for the price, strength, and durability, it's a trade I'll take any day.

No gear is perfect, and there are a couple of caveats. Hunt wheels are only available online. That may be fine for most people, but it means no local support should you have any issues. While the RapidEngage hub is quick, it doesn't quite match the instant engagement of leading hubs like Industry 9 or Chris King. Still, for the price, they are pretty solid. Remember, these are mountain bike wheels. If you spend 90% of your time on smooth gravel or pavement, you might find them overbuilt for your use case.

Conclusion: Are They Worth It?

Hunt XC Wide wheels rolled right into the Goldilocks zone for me. They're strong enough to take a beating, light enough to keep your legs happy on long climbs, and priced competitively at $650 USD, making them an affordable upgrade for riders who care about performance without breaking the bank on carbon hoops.

If your riding spans gravel, trail, and multi-day loaded trips, and you want a wheelset that feels like it belongs on a drop-bar mountain bike, the Hunt XC Wide should be on your radar.
For me, they've handled thousands of kilometres, multiple climates, and one of the most challenging bikepacking routes in the world—without a single service or hiccup. That's not hype. They've become the baseline I judge other wheels against. That's reality.

Credits:

Photos

@dirtsloth