How did the demands of professional racing shape the development brief?

Professional racing requires equipment to perform across changing terrain, wind conditions and race situations. A wheel can be fast in isolation but behave very differently once it is fitted to a bike with a rider pedalling above it. That is why we develop wheels first through CFD, then test the wheels alone, on a complete bike, with a pedalling rider and finally outdoors, as part of our 5-Stage Aero Development process. We also designed the range to perform exceptionally with 30mm tyres while remaining highly competitive with 28mm tyres. A day of racing in the pro peloton involves hundreds of accelerations; out of corners, closing gaps between riders, and movement between the cars and the peloton, so riders demand the lowest possible system weight, as well as the drag reduction achieved through aerodynamic research. 

What was the thinking behind the different roles of the 4AM and 5AM wheelsets?

The 5AM was developed as the all-round race wheel. Its 58mm front and 55mm rear profiles prioritise aerodynamic performance while keeping the complete Ti_UD wheelset to 1,212 grams. The 4AM was created for days where climbing performance becomes even more important. Its 49.5mm front and 47mm rear profiles bring the Ti_UD wheelset down to 1,156 grams, while retaining the aerodynamic performance of a much deeper wheel. Together, they give racers two clearly defined options without forcing them to choose between low weight and meaningful aerodynamic performance. 

How did the team balance aerodynamics, weight, stiffness and real-world performance?

We took a systems engineering approach and looked for gains across every component. LIMITLESS technology allowed us to create wider rim profiles using a low-density structural polymer within the rim sidewall, saving approximately 50 to 55 grams of rotational mass per rim compared with creating the same width entirely from carbon. We combined this with high-modulus carbon, weight-optimised hubs and Vonoa carbon spokes weighing as little as 1.7 grams each. The final Ti_UD wheels use 15 spokes at the front and 18 at the rear, reducing both weight and aerodynamic drag while retaining the required strength.

What did our CFD, wind tunnel and real-world testing reveal?

The project included 132 CFD simulations, representing approximately 80,000 core hours of computation, as well as six wind tunnel visits. The strongest concepts were developed into 3D-printed wheels before final carbon versions were tested against leading competitor wheelsets. We then validated the results outdoors using the Aerosensor system. The testing showed that the gains measured through CFD and in the wind tunnel translated into measurable real-world improvements, rather than existing only under controlled laboratory conditions. 

Were there any testing results that surprised the team?

One of the most important findings was how significantly a pedalling rider changes the airflow around the rear wheel. Without a rider, a solid disc rear wheel produced a 6.4-watt advantage over a 50mm spoked rear wheel. With a rider pedalling, that difference fell to just 1.5 watts. That helped shape the entire AM concept. Rather than adding depth and weight to the rear wheel for a very small real-world gain, we could concentrate aerodynamic performance at the front and make the rear lighter and more responsive. 

How did the new Limitless wheels compare with wheelsets already being raced at WorldTour level?

In bike-only wind tunnel testing with 30mm tyres, the 5AM Ti_UD recorded the lowest weighted drag figure in the test at 97.94 watts. The 4AM Ti_UD recorded 100.89 watts, compared with 102.29 watts for the ENVE 4.5 Pro. That meant the 4AM delivered approximately a 1.4-watt aerodynamic advantage over the Tour de France-winning ENVE wheelset while also being approximately 140 grams lighter. In outdoor testing, the aerodynamic difference between the 4AM and ENVE was within the uncertainty of the test, but the significant weight advantage remained. The 5AM also recorded a 5.9-watt advantage over the 65mm Scope Artech 6 at 40kph during one outdoor Aerosensor test. Across the wider programme, it was the most aerodynamically efficient wheelset in all but one wind tunnel test and showed lower side force than the tested competition across every yaw angle. 

What would it mean to the R&D team to see Limitless raced at the Tour de France?

The Tour represents the environment these wheels were created for. The 5AM was designed for all-round racing at the highest level, while the 4AM was developed specifically with the demands of a Grand Tour queen stage in mind. Seeing them raced at the Tour would validate years of simulation, prototyping, wind tunnel development and real-world testing. More importantly, it would give us direct feedback from the most demanding racing environment in the sport, allowing the next generation of HUNT wheels to be shaped by genuine race experience.

Since our Giro stages wins with team Qhubeka, we've been keen to recreate the magic. So all we have to say is watch this space!