Hunt H_Cyclo Carbon Gravel Wheels Get Fully Recyclable Carbon Rims

Quick Hits: 7 Things to Know About Hunt’s H_Cyclo Carbon Rims

• Carbon rims made from carbon fiber and resin that can be recycled to make new, smaller products at the end of life
• Technology available on 40 Carbon Gravel Race and 40 Carbon Gravel Dynamo wheels
• Claimed Weight: 1,431g (H_Cyclo 40 Carbon Gravel Race)
• Internal width: 25mm
• Depth: 40mm
• Tire Size: 40mm
• Warranty: 3 Years
• More info: huntbikewheels.cc

Hunt’s new H_Cyclo carbon rim, rolled out today on the 40 Carbon Gravel Race and 40 Carbon Gravel Dynamo wheels, is said to be equivalent in strength ad durability as rims manufactured using a traditional epoxy resin. However, unlike traditional epoxy resin carbon rims, these ones can be recycled at the end of their life – not into new carbon rims, but into much smaller components.

If and when a rider detonates their rim, Hunt will cover the cost of picking it up, and will thereafter send it off to one of three recycling plants (one in Europe, two in Asia) where it will be recycled. The process uses heat, agitation, and an ambiguously named chemical solution called CleaVER. The resultant resin and carbon fiber components can both be recycled thereafter. The recycling plants are not yet functional, but Hunt will store damaged rims until the plants are up and running.

Hunt are by no means the first brand to introduce carbon bicycle components of similar recyclability; Guerilla Gravity, Forge+Bond, and Revel all use a similar technology – though with few details shared on the specifics of each, it’s impossible to know if the processes are the same. Hunt tell us that their process is one that was originally developed for the recycling of carbon wind turbine blades.

The H_Cyclo rim replaces those non-recyclable counterparts previously used on the 40 Carbon Gravel Race wheelset. Dimensions are unchanged, with a 25mm internal width optimized for use with 40mm tires – yet still workable with tires from 29-60mm wide. It’s a 24 spoke affair, front and rear, of the straight-pull variety.

The hubs are upgraded to the HUNT H_Ratchet 40T DBL. These are slightly slower to engage than the Sprint SL hubs employed by the outgoing wheelset, at 9-degrees. That said, they do employ a ratchet drive mechanism, rather than pawls and springs, with all 40 teeth of the two ratchets engaging simultaneously. The increased surface area for torque transfer should prove to be more durable.

Claimed weight is 1,431 g – slightly up on the outgoing wheelset which weighs a claimed 1,383 g. The set goes for £ 1,099 / 1,399 € / $1,399 USD – again, more expensive than the outgoing wheelset which was priced at $1,159 USD. Maximum system weight is 130 kg.

The recyclable carbon rim also finds its way onto an all-new wheelset from Hunt; the Carbon Gravel Dynamo, specifically made for multi-day bikepacking adventures, and at the extreme end of the spectrum, Tour Divide-esque ultra-distance races – where self-sufficiency is essential, and access to mains electricity is limited.

Hunt are offering the single front wheel with the SON Dynamo front hub, or full front and rear set. The set goes for £1,489 / 1,849€ / $1,849, and weighs a claimed 1,834g. Lael Wilcox and Justinas Leveika have both relied on SON Dynamo hubs for such expeditions.

To better cope with the higher demands of load carrying, the Carbon Gravel Dynamo wheelset has a higher spoke count of 28. The spokes are also of the J-bend variety, more easily sourced worldwide, and more easily replaced on the road. It has a maximum system weight of 145 kg.

The SON Dynamo hub has a 5-year warranty, while the H_Cyclo carbon rim has a 3 year warranty.