1317-gram Ti_UD carbon spoke and 1447-gram steel spoke wheel systems, engineered with top gravel athletes for wide tyres and high-speed racing. – Hunt Bike Wheels
HUNT Wheels has launched the 5AM Gravel Limitless wheel system, available in Ti_UD carbon spoke and steel spoke variants. HUNT engineers collaborated with top gravel athletes to develop a gravel racing wheel system that combines aerodynamic performance for wide tyres with the responsiveness of an ultralight system weight. In HUNT’s final wind tunnel test of 12 wheelsets, the 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD recorded the lowest aerodynamic drag with 50mm tyres and the lowest weight, at just 1317 grams per pair, with oversized rim beads to fend off race-ending pinch flats.
Informed by HUNT’s 5-Stage Aero Development process, the Aero Maximised system concentrates aerodynamic gains at the leading edge of the bike, with a wider, deeper front rim profile where it encounters clean air and offers the most aerodynamic benefit. The rear wheel is optimised for weight reduction and responsiveness, creating an ultralight system, holistically engineered for efficiency and stability at high speeds. The 5AM Gravel Limitless Steel Spoke pairs the same Aero Maximised rim profiles with Pillar Super Wing stainless steel spokes, delivering race-ready aero performance at 1447 grams per pair.
TL;DR — Key Rider Benefits
- Low drag, low weight. In HUNT’s final wind tunnel test of 12 wheelsets, the 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD recorded the lowest drag in three of four tyre configurations and was the lightest wheelset tested.
- Aero Maximised front rim. A 54mm-deep, 45mm-wide front rim with patented Limitless Width Aero Technology, offering width and side-wind handling stability without weight.
- Light, responsive rear rim. A shallower, narrower 49mm-deep, 38mm-wide rear rim provides efficient transmission of every watt to the ground.
- Pinch flat protection. Extra wide rim beads (9mm front / 5.5mm rear) reduce chance of pinch flats and add structural strength to the rim profile.
- Race tyre optimised. Aero optimised for 45mm and 50mm tyres; 27mm internal width offers optimal tyre profile for improved sidewall support, pinch flat protection and cornering performance. Fully compatible and ETRTO compliant with 40-60mm hookless (TSS) tyres.
- Reduced rotational drag with hidden spoke nipples and bladed spoke profiles (steel or UD carbon)
- Two builds. Ti_UD carbon spokes (1317g) or Pillar Super Wing stainless steel spokes (1447g), both on the same Aero Maximised rims.
- Race proven. Victory at Gravel Mexico (Hannah Shell), 3rd at Unbound (Cecily Decker) 2nd at the US Gravel National Championships and SBT GRVL (Sarah Lange).
- Lifetime crash replacement included. Both wheel systems include H_CARE, HUNT’s free lifetime crash replacement policy for original owners.
5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD Carbon Spoke Wheelset Overview
Weighing 1317 grams, the 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD was the lightest wheelset in HUNT’s final wind tunnel test and recorded the lowest drag with 50mm Vittoria Terreno T30 tyres, a 1.5-watt advantage over the Zipp 303 XPLR SW while weighing 135 grams less. Heavier rivals come close; the Reserve 48|53 GR and Roval Terra Aero tested within 0.21 and 0.56 watts of the 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD with 50mm tyres, while weighing 116 and 23 grams more respectively.
The top of the wheel moves through the fork at twice the speed of the bike, meaning small design features add up to large aero gains. A slim frontal spoke profile combined with elongated bladed shape improves aerodynamic efficiency. Titanium Ti6-4AL-4V end hardware keeps weight exceptionally low, while maintaining strength and resistance to corrosion. Internal spoke
nipples further reduce aerodynamic and rotational drag across the wheel system, while retaining the ability to true and replace spokes as needed.
Specification Highlights
- Weight: 1317g per pair.
- Front Rim: 54mm deep. 45mm wide rim profile with patented Limitless Width Aero Tech. 27mm internal rim width. 9mm-wide rim bead. Hookless tyre interface.
- Rear Rim: 49mm deep. 38mm wide rim profile. 27mm internal rim width. 5.5mm-wide rim bead. Hookless tyre interface.
- Spokes: 20 front / 20 rear VONOA Ti_UD Carbon Spokes, 2-cross, non-interlacing, 1.7g per spoke, with internal spoke nipples.
- Hub System: HUNT H_Ratchet 48T DBL. 7.5° engagement angle. Precision-machined 6061-T6 alloy with 7075 alloy axles. Dual-sided, nickel-coated ratchet system.
- Available with CeramicSpeed Alpha or precision stainless steel bearings. 310g per pair.
- Tyres: Aero optimised for 45mm and 50mm tyres; compatible with 40-60mm hookless (TSS) tyres.
- Pricing:
- £2,449 | €2,899 | $2,899 w/stainless steel bearings
- £2,799 | €3,299 | $3,299 w/CeramicSpeed Alpha bearings
Measured Performance Gains (5AM Gravel Ti_UD)
HUNT’s final wind tunnel test at Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub compared 12 wheelsets, including seven from other brands, on a Specialized Crux 5 (bike only). Testing was conducted at 40 km/h wind and roller speed, with tyres at 30 PSI, across a -20° to 20° dynamic yaw sweep, with results weighted to HUNT’s gravel-specific 40 km/h Wind Averaged Drag (WAD). The tunnel quotes a margin of error of 0.5 watts; differences smaller than this should be read as equivalent performance.
With 50mm Vittoria Terreno T30 tyres, the design tyre for the system, the 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD (1317g) recorded the lowest drag on test:
- Reserve 48|53 GR (1433g): +0.21 watts (within margin of error)
- Roval Terra Aero (1340g): +0.56 watts
- DT Swiss GRC 50 (1575g): +0.84 watts
- ENVE G SES 4.5 Pro (1480g): +1.10 watts
- Zipp 303 XPLR SW (1452g): +1.50 watts
Across the four tyre configurations tested, the 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD recorded the lowest drag in three. With the Vittoria Peyote 2.1″ and Schwalbe G-One R 45mm, the Roval Terra Aero and Reserve 48|53 GR again tested within 0.5 watts, while the ENVE G SES 4.5 Pro and Zipp 303 XPLR SW tested roughly 2 watts slower. With 45mm Vittoria Terreno T30 tyres, the Ti_UD tested 2.31 watts faster than the Zipp 303 XPLR SW, second only to the 5AM Gravel Limitless Steel Spoke.
5AM Gravel Limitless Steel Spoke Wheelset Overview
The 5AM Gravel Limitless Steel Spoke pairs the Aero Maximised rim profiles of the Ti_UD with all-new Pillar Super Wing stainless steel spokes, featuring the longest aerodynamic bladed section on the market. Combined with a new internal nipple interface that further reduces turbulence across the rim surface, it’s the most aerodynamic stainless steel spoke and hidden nipple combination HUNT has ever developed, bringing the 5AM Gravel Limitless platform to 1447 grams per pair.
Triple butted and cold drawn from high grade T302 stainless steel by Sandvik, with Pillar’s patented reinforcement at the spoke head, the Super Wing spokes add strength exactly where it’s needed, while internal nipples retain the ability to true and replace spokes as needed.
Specification Highlights
- Weight: 1447g per pair.
- Front Rim: 54mm deep. 45mm wide rim profile with patented Limitless Width Aero Tech. 27mm internal rim width. 9mm-wide rim bead. Hookless tyre interface.
- Rear Rim: 49mm deep. 38mm wide rim profile. 27mm internal rim width. 5.5mm-wide rim bead. Hookless tyre interface.
- Spokes: 24 front / 24 rear Pillar Super Wing 20 straight-pull, triple butted (2.2/0.95/2.0mm) aero bladed stainless steel spokes, 2-cross, with double square internal spoke nipples.
- Hub System: HUNT H_Ratchet 48T DBL. 7.5° engagement angle. 6061-T6 alloy with 7075 alloy axles. Dual-sided, nickel-coated ratchet system. Precision stainless steel bearings. 310g per pair.
- Tyres: Aero optimised for 45mm and 50mm tyres; compatible with 40-60mm hookless
- (TSS) tyres.
- Pricing: £1,999 | €2,399 | $2,399
Measured Performance Gains (5AM Gravel Steel Spoke)
In the same wind tunnel test, the 5AM Gravel Limitless Steel Spoke recorded the lowest drag of all 12 wheelsets with 45mm Vittoria Terreno T30 tyres:
- 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD: +0.21 watts (within margin of error)
- DT Swiss GRC 50 (1575g): +0.24 watts (within margin of error)
- Reserve 48|53 GR (1433g): +0.63 watts
- Roval Terra Aero (1340g): +1.18 watts
- ENVE G SES 4.5 Pro (1480g): +2.15 watts
- Zipp 303 XPLR SW (1452g): +2.51 watts
With 50mm Vittoria Terreno T30 tyres, the Steel Spoke tested 0.41 watts behind the Ti_UD and 1.09 watts faster than the Zipp 303 XPLR SW, at a slightly lower weight.
5AM Gravel Design – Aero Maximised Rim Profiles Engineered for High-Speed Gravel Racing
The 5AM Gravel Limitless was engineered to prioritise key performance benefits: aerodynamic drag reduction optimised for modern gravel racing tyres (45-50mm); pinch flat protection and race-ready durability; stability and predictability in changing wind conditions; and low system weight for responsiveness and climbing efficiency. These demands are achieved through front and rear-specific Aero Maximised wheel designs, which consider each component in the context of optimal system efficiency.
The front wheel runs in clean air, offering the greatest opportunity to reduce aerodynamic drag. By increasing rim depth and width, while minimising rotational drag with hidden spoke nipples, the 5AM Gravel maximises aerodynamic efficiency where it mattersmost without compromising crosswind stability. The 45mm-wide external rim profile with 9mm-wide rim beads smooths the airflow from wide gravel tyres across the rim profile. The wide, blunt profile of the bead is designed to spread impact force, preventing pinch flats.
Patented Limitless Width Aero Technology enables a rim with wide, blunt dimensions and class- leading aerodynamic and side wind handling characteristics, while maintaining a low rim weight. It does so by utilising low-density structural polymer (0.7g/cm3) moulded into the rim sidewall between carbon layers (1.6g/cm3). What does that mean on gravel? The wheel carries speed like a deeper wheel, with the light weight and stable feel of a shallower wheel.
The rear wheel encounters turbulent airflow, downstream of the front wheel, tyre, frame, and rider movement, making rear wheel aerodynamic gains less important in the context of the complete system. Rear wheel efficiency is achieved by reducing weight and maximising power transfer. A shallower, narrower rim with a 5.5mm-wide bead provides efficient transmission of power to the ground and prevents pinch flats.
Engineered for Gravel Race Wins through the HUNT 5-Stage Aero Development Process
With a focus on performance in the Lifetime Grand Prix, the wheel system was designed around a 50mm tyre, with aerodynamic performance as the key performance metric, while the considerable elevation in these races kept weight central to rim profile and build specification decisions.
Before profiles were modelled, HUNT engineers set a 27mm internal rim width to keep the system within European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO) guidelines for 45mm tyres, a very common choice for gravel riders. From there, 52 rim profiles were evaluated in CFD, varying width, depth and radii around a scanned 50mm Vittoria T30 tyre. Six profiles were taken forward to plastic prototype testing at GST Windkanal (Germany) across multiple tyre widths and tread patterns, before final wind tunnel testing of the production wheelsets against the competitive set at Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub (UK), using a gravel-specific 40 km/h WAD in place of the widely used Mavic WAD to better reflect the conditions of gravel racing.
Beyond the Wind Tunnel: Proven in Racing
Wind tunnel testing offers control and repeatability, but wheels are raced on gravel. Through the validation process, the athletes who helped develop the 5AM Gravel Limitless put them to the test throughout the 2026 racing season, stacking up podiums at Unbound, SBT Gravel, US Gravel National Championships, and victory at Gravel México.
“Gravel racing has evolved quickly. Speeds are higher, tyres are getting wider, and that changes what an aerodynamic wheel needs to do. With the 5AM Gravel Limitless, we’ve designed around the tyres riders are actually racing on now, then validated the system through extensive aerodynamic testing. Publishing the methodology and results means riders can see the data behind the decisions we’ve made.” – Rob Fields – HUNT Head of Engineering
H_CARE Lifetime Free Crash Replacement Included
HUNT designs its wheels to take a hammering under all sorts of conditions, but sometimes things happen that are out of a rider’s control. Both the 5AM Gravel Limitless Ti_UD and Steel Spoke wheel systems include H_CARE, HUNT’s lifetime free crash replacement policy for original owners to ensure riders are not out of pocket should the worst happen.
Pricing & Availability
Both wheel systems are available for pre-order from 8 October at huntbikewheels.com, with H_CARE lifetime free crash replacement included in the purchase price for first owners. Wheels ship to riders globally December week 1 from our locations in West Sussex, UK; Boulder, Colorado, USA; and Dresden, Germany.