[Closed] Hope, Hunt, Fulcrum

Another option often talked about is Campgnola Zonda C17 Disc, can be had for ~£400. https://www.probikekit.co.uk/bicycle-wheels/campagnolo-zonda-c17-disc-brake-bolt-thru-clincher-wheelset-2018-black/11349857.html

I've got the same wheels under a different name on my stock Cube, where they are known as Racing77DB, apparently the freehub is very vulnerable to water ingress and consequent damage. Not experienced this yet myself, I ride my Wazoo outdoors instead in wet weather, mainly because like many I'm waiting for the Cube Attain mudguards to be re-introduced after a callback ~12 months ago.

Fulcrum racing sport DB. What’s the verdict?

Bearing will fail very quickly, freehub will go

Will brobably run the fulcrums through the winters and upgrade in spring. Can you upgrade the bearings or seals on them?

Handbuilts. Have spokesman build some Novatechs on H Plus Son Archetypes - good strong reliable wheels decently light. Easy repairs too.

(you can probably come up with an alternate combo that suits your weight / preference for light,strong,cheap)

Have a 2016 Datum 10 with the same wheels and they're alright, the bearings aren't great but they're decent enough and are not too heavy. A lighter set has been on my list for a while but to be honest for the amount I use the bike they're more than adequate. I would probably go DT Swiss in truth if I decided to change, their new range is light, tough, tubeless compatible and I have heard issues with the Hunt wheels and Datum forks, so I'd be tempted to potentially avoid those.

I'd go for a set of DT Spline 1600's or something simialr. The DT's I've got on my MTB are awesome and I'm expecting the 1600's on my new CX biek to be just as good.

What are you planning to do on the bike, how hard are you on wheels and how big a tyre are you planing to run?

The Datum's a versatile beast and I'd recommend very different wheels for someone who's planning to take it back country bikepacking compared to someone building a nippy urban commuter who will be fitting mudguards.

Mainly using for road use. Light tow paths ....
Usinging curently as a winter road trainer with mudguards and will use for 40/50 mile spins .

Could do the odd sportive on it during the summer if weather is changable .

It’s got the 32mm stock tyres on but will probably look at 28mm more road tyres for spring summer

O.K. something with mid width (20 mm) internal rims then, maybe the new DT Endurance road range or handbuilts based on something like a H+ Sons Archetype or the new RR 421's, Moonglu do some great build options for your budget.

I'd strongly recommend that whatever brand you end up going for look for tubeless friendly rims even if you're not going to go that way just yet, it's the future and all that.

Another vote for handbuilt something or others with a 20mm+ rim - Hope are nicer to look at but probably not much difference functionally to some Novatec hubs (have had a set of novatec on my commuter for a couple of years & they've been trouble free).

Saying that, a mate has the Zondas mentioned above & loves them, another has the DT Swiss Spline (R23?) and rates them too, only person I know with Hunt 4 seasons had problems with the rim & nipples corroding after running them through 2 of those 4 seasons (Autumn & Winter).

personally i like stuff that can be easily rebuilt so stay away from weird proprietary rims / nipples etc, but some of the factory options get good reviews so maybe i'm a luddite.

J

Hope 20Five over the Hunts

I had Hunt Aerolight disc and the spoke holes crumbled with corrosion and the bearings were poor. Ultimately HUNT warrantied them, but I sold the replacements on and got 20Five.

So far I'm very impressed with the Hopes, good build quality and you know what you are getting with the hubs.. They were lighter than advertised too, under 1500g which isn't bad at all for £340 wheels. The huts were heaver than advertised at over 1550g.

I've just changed bearings on my set of Fulcrum Racing DB Sports, the factory ones that came out only had a seal on the outer side! They had done about ~5000km in all conditions. Freehub is holding up but feels a little grouchy (its officially a non-serviceable item, but i believe you can get in there with a bit of persuasion)

The rest of the wheels are ok though.

Yes standard Fulcrums come with only one seal per bearings, if you go "CX" models they have 2 seals per bearing.

So most people ride the wheels till they need the bearings replaced then replace with bearings with 2 seals, which then last a lot longer.
Wheels themselves are OK, just need to keep a eye on the hub/bearings.

As for new wheel set, need to ask yourself,
do you want to go tubeless? (now or in the future)
And look at what adaptors can be used for the hubs? (in case you change frame/swap wheel between bikes - Hope are V good for this)

I did exactly this though not on a Datum. I thought the Hunts would make a big difference over the Fulcrums but they didn't really. Look nicer, better built , but not that much lighter and I even spoiled that by putting a bigger cassette on. If you are going to change you will need something significantly better.

Would DT Swiss r23’s be better than the stock fulcrums I have. My mate has a spare pair

My Hope 20five, RS4 straight pull's have just arrived and they look bloomin' lovely right out of the box. No further experience yet though.

Bearing will fail very quickly

And then you'll discover that they're comedy bearings with the wrong code on them.

Fulcrums sound disposable. Use untill they go and then upgrade.

got hunt 4 season on my road bike, which is a 4 season used thing... and they've been great, had to send one back to Hunt as it wouldn't go tubeless, they sorted it all (not taped correctly) with zero cost for me.... they've been on for over a year now and have been ridden in all weathers and i have no complaints

i also have hope 20fives on my cx bike, zero problems apart from again failing to be able to get 1 tyre on tubeless, this was my issue though and the bike shop managed at their 1st attempt (with a compressed air line)... done the 3 peaks, lakeland monster miles, hope pre peaks, pump tracks, bike park jumps.... general idiocy... still running true

Different wheel I know but I've got campagnolo rim brake zondas
They haven't had a spanner on them in 4years
Still true and I'm not light
Great wheels

Had fulcrum sport disc on my Cx bike the freehub lasted about 2mionths

Got Hunt 4 season discs on my defy now, can't fault them. Ordered Thursday, delivered Friday. Converting both wheels to bolt through took about 10 minutes. Feel great on the bike. Very Impressed.

I have some Hunt 4 season gravel disc wheels, 6 months old. I like the low weight for the price, and they're good and stiff, but tbh I feel like they might be a bit fragile and I'd choose something different next time around. There is hardly any dust cap seal interface (they fall out without a skewer in there). The rim is not welded either. I have replaced one rim already. The customer service was excellent, but a welded Pacenti rim would have been cheaper and better. That would have been my choice if it didn't require new spokes, which seems a bit silly when I'm not that fond of the hubs.

Novatech (or Hope), dt swiss, pacenti home built for me next time.

Looks like hope hubs is the way to go. I probably need to do a bit more research and get some made up. I probably need to look at the best rim option to. It’s a minefeild.

Give Moonglu a buzz, Neil there builds using pretty much every option listed above and builds a mean wheel. He'll recommend something suitable for your needs.

What’s wrong with normal hope XC set?

Yeah,
Not sure on the Hunt.
Had one of the early 4 season sets on my cross bike.
Rear hub has been noisy and clunky.
Bearings changed regularly,New body sent by Hunt.
Still temperamental.
Has seen the worst treatment though being on the cross bike!
Not totally Hunts fault as it is a rebranded Novatech.
Getting it rebuilt on a Hope hub pronto!
Saying that I have a set on the road bike the Aeros and they have been fine so far.
But consider Hope next time even though they are slightly heavier.
Max

Just get something that’ll last ya: Mavic

Just get something that’ll last ya: Mavic

TBH I did think this on first seeing the thread. New Ksyrium Elite UST can be had for 500 quid.

Not totally Hunts fault as it is a rebranded Novatech.

Novatec do a lot of hubs of for different budgets. Hunt chose to spec this one. People want light and cheap.

Also have a look at [url= https://dcrwheels.co.uk/ ]DCR Wheels[/url] standard builds. Got some road wheels from him for about 500 quid that I've been very happy with.

Or spec and build your own. If you have the time and patience it's a pretty straightforward DIY job that you can then act all self satisfied about 😉

The hunts wheels use kinlin rims I think, so if you like the look of those, you could get some built up on a hub of your choice. Just done some rim braked ones on bitex hubs, which have bigger bearings than novatech but still relatively light/cheap but not sure what disc options they do.

[quote=preseli ]Would DT Swiss r23’s be better than the stock fulcrums I have. My mate has a spare pair

Been very happy with mine in ~5000 miles. Light, haven't broken or needed adjusting. Easy to set up tubeless. Nice axles.
Done everything from road riding to red MTB trails on them, and have gone through two winters - never had to touch the hubs (apart from when I broke a pawl being hamfisted changing a cassette. Was easy/cheap enough to get a replacement and fit it)

I ended up getting two sets of Hunt wheels (with bike to work scheme) through Sigma. Apart from sigma being very slapdash with my order, and having pants customer service, I have no complaints! They were the best bang for buck at the time and good value for nice wheels. My opinion might be worthless though, as I loved my Easton havens that everyone else slated!

I’d suggest looking at Novatec wheels - I had a set that were very very nicely made indeed - passed on to my mother as I was nervous they were a bit fragile for me (20 spokes in the CXD model I bought and I’m 95kg). They’re good enough that my dad then went out and bought a set for himself...

Also had DCR wheels which lasted well and stayed true until I sold that bike. Surprised no one mentioned JRA wheels yet www.justridingalong.com, spec is great and they last forever. Mine are 3 years old and work like new. Hunt wheels on my mate's bike were ok to start but bearings didn't last long at all and the rim corroded after less than 6 months winter riding.

[i]TBH I did think this on first seeing the thread. New Ksyrium Elite UST can be had for 500 quid.[/i]

My son last week - "Why have you got Mavic wheels on all your bikes?"
Answer - because I've been using them since 1999 and they just work. Even the cheapo Crosstrails on my singlespeed - the crap they've been through and are still smooth.
Road wheels - are any others as easy to set up tubeless?
Dunno, maybe they're too common or something, but I don't understand the aversion to them. Spokes and nipples are non-standard and hard to replace? Doesn't matter when you don't need to replace them!

Spokes and nipples are non-standard and hard to replace?

This perception probably more than anything else. People tend to look at £ / g too and they don't fare too well against the competition on that basis alone.