Classified info: HUNT Wheels adds Classified Powershift wheel options

Classified Cycling is growing quickly. In the past few months, the creator of the Powershift two-speed hub received $22.9 million from lead investor Active Partners and became part of the setup of choice for Victor Campenaerts’ Ridley Noah road bike on the WorldTour. The brand’s latest move is a partnership with HUNT wheels, and by extension, Mason Cycles. 

Hunt will start its Classified partnership with two different wheel options: the 48 Limitless Aero Disc wheels and the 40 Carbon Gravel Race wheels. Perhaps tellingly for Classified’s current ambitions, both of these wheels are performance-oriented and optimized to be as quick as possible. Both wheels will maintain the standard HUNT FEA-developed front hubs.

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Our previous long-term review proved the HUNT 48 Limitless Aero Disc wheels offer a ton of speed and stability without a huge asking price. And while we haven’t spent time on the 40 Carbon Gravel Race wheels, our previous review showed the 42 Limitless Gravel wheels to be a fast, albeit loud, option. Expect to pay US $1349 / €1499 / £1149 and US $1199 / €1239 / £949 respectively for the Classified-equipped wheels, or the same as the standard versions of these wheels.

A Classified x HUNT 48 Limitless Aero Disc wheel with a two-speed mechanism, Classified cassette, and thru-axle transmitter. (Photo: HUNT Bike Wheels)

… and here it is with a bare hub shell. (Photo: HUNT Bike Wheels)

Interestingly, both the 48 Limitless and 40 Carbon Gravel wheels are roughly 100 grams lighter than their traditional hub counterparts. Don’t let that number make you think your Classified-equipped bike will be lighter than a traditional 2x drivetrain, as the remaining Classified hardware adds about 500 grams. Both Classified and HUNT say you are no worse off when calculating your bike’s weight against a double chainring and front derailleur.

Long-time HUNT partner Mason Cycles will also get into the action by offering Classified Powershift across its entire range of bikes using the aforementioned HUNT wheels. 

This latest partnership is part of a slew of current partnerships for Classified with wheels brands like ENVE, FFWD, Reynolds, Boyd, and others. Classified Cycling, established in 2019, anticipates these partnerships — both with wheel manufacturers and bicycle manufacturers alike — will accelerate the acceptance of their Powershift drivetrain system. 

Like other Classified-equipped wheels, the HUNT rear wheels are built around the unique Classified rear hub shell, which hides a swappable two-speed gearbox designed to replace the front derailleur. Classified claims the system provides the effective gearing of a double chainring setup but maintains the clean lines of a single chainring crankset. These are paired to a Classified thru axle designed as a halfway point of communication between the internal hub and bar-mounted handlebar transmitter. The result is a uniquely slick and innovative system. 

We’re excited to get out on HUNT wheels with a Classified Powershift system for an in-depth review. In the meantime, learn more at huntbikewheels.com and classified-cycling.cc. 

Classified-equipped HUNT wheels weigh roughly 100g lighter than their standard equivalents, though that is without the Classified Powershift modular gearbox. (Photo: HUNT Bike Wheels)

Here is a Mason Exposure bikepacking bike featuring a Classified x HUNT 40 Carbon Gravel Race wheelset using a Shimano GRX Di2 11-speed drivetrain. (Photo: HUNT Bike Wheels)

Hard to see, but the left side of the handlebar has the Classified Powershift bar-end transmitter that communicates with the rear hub. Just above that on the inside of the handlebar is a bump, presumably for the Classified Powershift shifter. (Photo: HUNT Bike Wheels)