Hunt’s new 44 and 54 UD Carbon Spoke Discs will save you true maintenance headaches

Hunt’s new road/all-road disc-brake 44 and 54 UD Carbon Spoke Disc wheels feature unique new carbon spokes that maintain the stiffness-to-weight ratio of carbon spokes while integrating the serviceability of steel spokes.

TaperLock technology

For their latest wheels, the company used a new spoke-seating method—carbon spokes are held mechanically with no bonding required. The technology, called TaperLock, allows for carbon spokes that can be trued and maintained like regular steel spokes.

The TaperLock carbon spokes are fully serviceable and provide a stiffness-to-weight ratio previously unseen in serviceable wheels. Hunt claims the wheels are 6 per cent more laterally responsive than identical steel-spoked wheels, and significantly lighter.

Most carbon-spoked wheels use adhesive bonding or resin to attach the spokes, which is less than ideal for serviceability. Hunt’s new 44 and 54 UD Carbon Spoke Disc wheels have carbon spokes that work the same way as steel ones. Both ends of the spoke are fitted with an aluminum mandrel during the curing process, allowing owners to true the spokes with a spoke key. The resulting spokes are strong, achieving over 450 kilograms force per spoke (kgf) maximum tensile strength, compared to steel spokes which conventionally reach around 300 kgf.

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The new carbon spoke technology was tested at the UCI World Championship level in Harrogate, by Rory Townsend, and tested extensively by the whole Canyon dhb team.

The 29 mm rims were engineered and wind tunnel tested by Luisa Grappone, an aerospace engineer. As the rims and spokes are both carbon fiber, they both help with high frequency vibration, or ‘road buzz’ absorption. The hooked rims are tubeless-ready and designed to accommodate a variety of tire sizes. The 20 mm rim bed is optimised for superior aerodynamic performance with a 25-28 c tubeless tire, but is also very capable with a 23 c tire.

The 44s weigh 1398 g and are priced at $1,869 CAD. The 54s come in at 1456 g and $1,899 CAD.