The Purpose

With up to a 30.16% reduction in lateral flex over equivalent steel spoked wheelsets (please click here for full testing methodology and results), the 50 UD Carbon Spoke wheels have been engineered to provide you a significant increase in stiffness as well an impressively low weight. Using an innovative construction method, the 50 UD Carbon Spoke wheelset offers carbon spokes that are held purely mechanically, with no bonding required. We call this TaperLock, and it allows for carbon spokes that can be trued and maintained just like a normal steel spoke.

Plus the TaperLock UD Carbon spokes are incredibly strong achieving over 450kgf (kilograms of force per spoke) maximum tensile strength, this compares to leading steel spokes wich only reach 300 kgf. The innovative filament wound rims feature spoke area reinforcement, which creates strength where you need it and saves you vital grams everywhere else.

TaperLock UD Carbon Spoke Technology

Most existing carbon-spoked wheels use adhesive bonding or resin to attach the spokes (essentially making them integral to the structure of the rim - not ideal for serviceability). However, the TaperLock construction method has enabled us to develop wheels with carbon spokes that are as usable as steel ones. At the hub end of the 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, and can be trued using a spoke key on a nut from within the rim bed (accessible through the internal spoke holes). The steel mandrel has a standard square outer shape allowing the spoke to be held straight whilst any adjustments are made to the internal nipple.

Filament Wound Rims with Spoke Area Reinforcement

The rims are laid up by an adaptive filament winding process, which varies the layup thickness and orientation across the rim. The layup pattern places fibres aligned in a series of increasing angles radiating from the spoke hole up to the tire bed. This technology optimises the transmission of force from the spoke to the rest of the rim, and provides additional material to create high strength at the spoke area while minimising unnecessary weight between the spokes. Wide rims with a U-profile provide great handling and reduce drag across multiple wind yaw-angles. Of course, they are also tubeless-ready.

Lateral Stiffness Testing in Detail

1. The rear wheel is secured at the hub axle in a heavy-duty machining rig.
2. The rim is rotated horizontally to determine how in true it is and to determine the point to suspend weight (point of most deflection).
3. The dial measuring the deflection is zero’d and a 10kg weight hung from the rim within 25mm of both a spoke and the clock.
4. The elastic deformation is recorded.
5. The permanent deformation is taken now.

HUNT 36 Carbon Wide Aero 24 spoke rear wheel.
Deflection with 10 kg weight = 3.15 mm | Initial error = 0.51mm

HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke 21 spoke rear wheel.
Deflection with 10kg weight = 2.2 mm | Initial error = 0.31mm

The permanent deflection is negligible for both wheelsets.

CONCLUSION | The HUNT 36 UD Carbon Spoke will deflect 30.16% less laterally compared to the equivalent wheelset with high-specification steel spokes even with 3 less spokes in the wheel.

The leaders in low friction bearings CeramicSpeed have again partnered with us on the hubs for the 50 UD Carbon Spoke Wheels so you know your rolling resistance is at its lowest. A standard EZO bearing option is also available. The freehub body on the HUNT SPRINT hub features 48 teeth on the ratchet ring, and treble-tooth pawls, providing an incredible 7.5° engagement. Perfect for when the hammer goes down and you need an instant response. Stiffness = speed... so we specced large 15mm diameter hub axles for sprinting and out-of-saddle efforts.