Hunt’s bread and butter has always been its affordable alloy wheelsets which have consistently offered riders budget mountain bike wheels with enough performance to embarrass considerably more expensive carbon options.
Hunt has updated its e-MTB wheels with a new E_All Mountain wheelset, designed specifically for e-MTBs. They feature new reinforced rims, a new stronger freehub design, and oversized rear axles to handle the added stresses when riding gnarly trails on the best e-MTBs. To put Hunt’s durability claims to the test, I have been smashing the laps on the E_All Mountain wheels to see how they stand up.
Design and specifications
E-MTBs tend to hit trail features hard so Hunt has specced the E_All Mountain wheelset with the same 6069-T6 31mm alloy rim developed for the rear of its Enduro Wide V2 wheelset. Hunt analyzed the rim stresses using FEA (Finite Element Analysis) modeling and internally reinforced the Enduro rim to support the sidewall for better impact resistance. The rims have an anodized shot-peened black finish and so far they are still looking great despite being plowed through a load of Tweed Valley shale and rock. The 32h rim itself has a 31mm internal diameter for a broad tire profile with Hunt recommending a 2.35in to 2.8in tire for best performance.
The CNC machined hubs use 17mm oversized axles to improve stiffness, both in cornering and when under high motor load. That should help extend the life of the double-sealed Revo bearings too.
Hunt has developed an all-new PhaseEngage e-MTB specific rear hub which has a 6x1 pawl system and a 42t ratchet ring and gives 8 degrees of engagement. The 6x1 pawl system engages all six pawls at once to handle high torque loads from the best e-MTB motors.
RockShox Torque Caps for Boost front hubs are available and the rear hub comes in HG, XD, or Microspline freehub options. The E_All Mountain comes in 29in, 27.5in, and mullet wheelset options too so all wheel combos are covered.
Even with their keen pricing, all of Hunt’s wheels are handbuilt and the E_All Mountain wheelset uses 32 triple-butted Pillar PSR j-bend spokes and brass nipples. These wheels have a 135kg weight limit and are covered by a three-year warranty, there’s a 60-day ride and return policy should you change your mind too. From the box, they are ready to be set up tubeless with pre-taped rims and valves, you also get spare spokes should you need some replacements.
Performance
Hunt has done an excellent job producing a really stable and planted e-MTB wheelset. Even with the weight of a burly e-bike and a big battery loading up into corners, I didn’t feel any indecisiveness or vagueness when wrenching the handlebars through tight bends and there was no unsettling twang after high-speed, high-load scenarios. They feel equally pointed on off-cambers too while still giving enough lateral flex to hold onto lines so you're not left slithering around. Hitting harsh square edges didn’t instantly transfer through to my hands giving the wheels a settled feel when blasting through rocky sections.
The 8 degrees of engagement doesn’t sound all that snappy, however, when you compare the E_All Mountains to similar e-MTB wheelsets, like the DT Swiss H 1900 Spline (20 degrees), or Mavic Deemax E (15 degrees), it's considerably faster than the competition. If you currently have an e-MTB and you're looking for a faster pedal response for pedal-perfect technical climbs or cranking out of corners, then the E_All Mountains will give you that.
Although the E_All Mountain is a touch on the heavy side, weighing in at 2,211g (29 front, 27.5 rear), they are comparable in weight to the other main burly alloy e-MTB wheelsets too. So while they aren’t going to win any uphill races with lighter more expensive carbon setups, they didn’t feel like I had dropped an anchor when gravity was working against me.
After plenty of grotty rides and abusive full-power climbs, bearings are still running smoothly and freehub hasn't skipped a beat. Rims are still straight and true and I have had zero issues with tire retention or burping either.
Verdict
While the E_All Mountain wheelset isn’t going to win on the weight front, they have proven to be a bombproof confidence-inspiring wheelset for aggressive e-MTB riding. If lap reliability and well-mannered riding characteristics are your priority, then the Hunt E_All Mountain wheelset is a no-brainer budget e-MTB wheelset upgrade at a properly reasonable price point.
Tech specs: Hunt E_All Mountain e-MTB wheelset
- Price: $629 / £549 / €499
- Freehub options: SRAM XD, Shimano HG, Shimano Micro Spline
- Sizes: 29-inch, 27.5-inch and mullet
- Weight: Front - 1,028g / Rear - 1,183g = 2,211g
