Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset

The Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset offers a good balance of performance and durability while adding a sustainability angle into the mix, making it an appealing choice for the environmentally conscious. The wheels are built entirely in Europe using 75% recycled aluminium – 30% from post-consumer sources like drink cans, and 45% from industrial off-cuts and CNC shavings – and have a smooth ride, on and off road.

> Buy now: Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset for £479 from Hunt

Sustain-ability

Cycling is often heralded as a sustainable mode of transport, but the industry itself is far from environmentally neutral. The proliferation of carbon fibre frames, disposable components, and resource-intensive manufacturing processes mean that many of us unwittingly contribute to waste and pollution.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - rim detail 1.jpg (credit: road.cc)

This Hunt wheelset presents a more mindful alternative. By incorporating 75% recycled aluminium into the build, and keeping production within Europe, Hunt is taking a step towards reducing the environmental impact of wheel manufacturing.

Build and ride quality

The wheels' build quality aligns with Hunt's established reputation. Having ridden its Aluminium 4 Season wheels for commuting and its Carbon 50 Limitless for racing, I have come to appreciate their durability and Hunt's attention to detail. Straight out of the box, the Sustain Phase Ones maintain this standard, with a clean, well-executed finish and a reassuringly solid feel.

The 23mm internal rim width allowed my 28mm Continental GP5000S tyres to balloon closer to 30mm, and on the road they offer a noticeably plush ride with impressive isolation from surface imperfections. Given the sorry state of Wiltshire's roads, this extra comfort was much appreciated. The wide platform also helps with tyre stability, particularly when cornering aggressively or sprinting.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - rim bed.jpg (credit: road.cc)

Off-road, the wheels continued to impress. Fitted with 40mm WTB Nano tyres, they handled rough terrain, including rocky descents and rooted trails, without issue. The rims have proved robust, showing no signs of damage or dings even after repeated impacts. Their resilience makes them a strong choice for gravel riders and bikepackers.

Despite them being a bit heavier than some rivals, I found no evidence of unwanted flex when climbing out of the saddle. Even under my 90kg frame, there was no brake rub or vague sensation through the bar – testament to the stiffness provided by the spoke count and build quality. On rolling terrain and the flats, the wheels felt reassuringly responsive. No, they're not razor-sharp race wheels, but they're far from sluggish. There's a pleasing balance here: enough stiffness and directness for spirited riding, with the durability and compliance needed for rough roads and gravel.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - rear hub 2.jpg (credit: road.cc)

The slight heft implies that some of the extra grams may well be located in the hub design rather than the rim itself, which would explain why they still spin up well and don't sap your legs on longer rides.

Hunt specifies a maximum system weight (total weight of fully kitted up rider, bike and luggage) of 130kg. Should your bikepacking endeavours include a few more luxuries that tick you over this, it might be worth checking out Hunt's Superdura wheelset which has a higher spoke count and weight limit of 145kg.

Hooked rim

The wide rim profile of the Sustain Phase One allows for a smooth transition between the rim and tyre sidewall, creating an aerodynamic and visually seamless finish. The hooked structure also means there are no tyre compatibility limitations, as can be the case with hookless wheelsets.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - rim bed 2.jpg (credit: road.cc)

The hooked design, combined with the wide internal rim profile, makes the wheels a versatile option for riders switching between fast road rides and demanding off-road excursions.

Tubeless setup

The wheels arrive with rim tape applied (very precisely), and Hunt's own tubeless valves. These needed a firm tightening down to deform the rubber seal in the rim bed, but once done I didn't experience any leakage over the course of my testing.

Setting them up tubeless was perfectly straightforward. Fitting both sets of tyres (28mm Continental GP5000S TR tyres and 40mm WTB Nanos), I encountered minimal resistance getting them onto the rims, with just a single tyre lever needed to pop the last bit of bead over the rim. Inflation with a tubeless booster was quick and hassle free.

Hub performance and durability

The freehub provided a satisfying (discuss) and distinctive Hunt buzz on the descents, while engagement (7.5-degree) is responsive, ensuring efficient power transfer when accelerating or tackling technical terrain. Over the review period, the hubs remained smooth and showed no signs of ingress or drag of the well-sealed cartridge bearings.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - rear hub.jpg (credit: road.cc)

Notably, after removing my 11-speed Shimano Ultegra cassette at the end of testing, I found only faint witness marks on the freehub body. This is a positive sign of a robust freehub shell, especially compared with cheaper alloy freehubs where cassettes can dig in, leaving deep grooves.

Spokes and nipples

One of the more refreshing aspects of the Sustain wheelset is Hunt's decision to ditch unnecessary coatings on spokes and nipples. Many modern wheels feature black anodised or chemically coated spokes purely for aesthetic reasons, despite stainless steel already being corrosion resistant.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - rim detail 3.jpg (credit: road.cc)

Hunt instead uses its Zero Coated finish, which is effectively just leaving the spokes in their natural silver state – a logical move that avoids extra chemical processes that have no real benefit.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - front hub.jpg (credit: road.cc)

The same applies to the brass nipples. Instead of electroplating them black for visual effect, Hunt has left them raw, which not only looks refined but also makes sense from a functional standpoint. Brass is naturally corrosion resistant and has self-lubricating properties, helping ensure longevity and ease of maintenance. While it might seem like a small detail, this approach aligns with the sustainability ethos behind the wheels, stripping back unnecessary processing steps in favour of practicality and durability. And, let's be honest, silver spokes just feel faster anyway.

2024 Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset - spoke nipple.jpg (credit: road.cc)

The wheels use a sensible and balanced spoke count – 24 spokes up front and 28 at the rear, both laced two-cross. Having 24 up front follows an industry-standard approach, aimed at balancing weight savings and performance for front-end compliance and aerodynamics, while 28 at the rear offer additional stiffness and strength, which is particularly welcome when tackling off-road terrain or carrying heavier loads.

Weight & value

On both price and weight, the Hunt Sustain Phase Ones face stiff competition.

At £479 and 1,789g, they're cheaper than the Deda Elementi Gera Gravel Alloy Tubeless Ready wheelset at £534.99, but the Dedas are slightly lighter at 1,736g. Scribe's 365 Discs, though, are both cheaper and lighter – £299.99 and 1,654g – and Stu thought they were excellent. The Ryan Builds Wheels Club Road/CX Disc Brake wheelset is also lighter – 1,680g – and slightly cheaper at £455.

Even Hunt's own (non-recycled) 4 Season Disc wheelset comes in lighter at 1,680g for £449.

The added weight doesn't seem to negatively impact performance, though, as the wheels still spin up well and provide a stable, controlled ride. Some of this additional mass may be located within the hub design, but without detailed component breakdowns I can't be sure.

Check out more options in our guide to the best road bike wheels, and a round-up of the best gravel wheelsets on our sister site, off.road.cc.

Conclusion

Overall, the Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset successfully blends durability, comfort, and sustainability. The wide internal rim profile enhances ride quality and versatility, making it a solid choice for riders who split their time between tarmac and gravel.

If you are purely chasing the best performance-to-price ratio, lighter and more affordable alternatives exist, but if sustainability is high on your priority list then these wheels provide a compelling option. They perform well in real-world conditions and highlight an industry shift towards more environmentally-conscious production.

> Buy now: Hunt Sustain Phase One 4 Season All-Road Disc Wheelset for £479 from Hunt

Verdict

Well-built and robust multipurpose wheelset with a meaningful sustainability angle