Friday roundup: Oakley hopes to make integrated visors cool, Hunt's new wallet-friendly wheels, and a new groupset from Shimano

2024 has truly become the year of the wheelset, with exciting releases from prominent brands like Cadex, Hunt, Campagnolo, and even Enve unveiling new hubs. However, Hunt is showing no signs of slowing down, as it introduced three additional wheelsets this week, boasting an enticingly affordable price tag.

Oakley has also made waves with its latest releases, collaborating with Q36.5 to unveil a new capsule collection. It comes alongside the launch of a new aero helmet complete with an integrated visor.

In the realm of cycling components, the spotlight is on the newly released Shimano Essa groupset, promising trickle down tech at a modest price point. Meanwhile, Northwave has introduced a new set of gravel shoes that are said to take influence from the cross-country mountain bike scene.

Hunt Carbon Disc gets an overhaul

This week, Hunt has unveiled a significant overhaul of its renowned Carbon Disc range. Formerly known as the Carbon Aero Disc, the refreshed series now boasts 30, 40, and 50mm depth options, featuring wider rim profiles and a 36-tooth Ratchet SGL hub. These upgrades, Hunt says, are aimed at meeting the evolving demands of cyclists, promising reduced weight, improved acceleration, and enhanced aerodynamics for an overall speed boost.

A 50mm wheelset will set you back a just £799/$999, which, for a wheelset with a claimed weight of 1464g, we think is relatively modest.

In light of the recent saga surrounding hookless rims, it's interesting that Hunt has opted to keep things traditional with the new wheelset. The new rims feature a hooked rim profile but with an updated 22mm internal rim width. Hunt says the rims are compatible with 25-50mm tyre widths, making these wheels fit for many different purposes.

Hunt has also rolled out its new H_Ratchet 36t SGL hub system, which the British wheel brand says improves durabilty while decreasing weight, with 10 degree engagement - something we look forward to putting to the test!

The hubs are built with Dumonde Tech Pro X freehubs, which feature a single sided ratchet drive system which it claims is designed for high torque loads and suitable for both road and gravel riding, and wide range cassettes.

The wheels don't get the same carbon spoke treatment seen on Hunt's range-topping hoops, however, they still get triple-butted alloy spokes, which Hunt claims provide better elastic qualities that help to improve ride quality.

For more information on the Hunt Carbon Disc wheel range, visit Hunt's website.

Shimano Essa groupset

From the world of road performance to a groupset aimed at urban and even mountain bikes, Shimano is hoping to simplify its groupset line up whilst staying budget friendly with its new Essa groupset.

The new 8-speed drivetrain provides compatibility with all of Shimano's existing 8-speed flat-bar setups, such as Acera, Altus, and Tourney TX, and so aims to simplify Shimano's range similarly to Shimano's Cues release last year which unified all of the brand's 9-11 speed groupsets.

The new rear derailleur is said to offer stable performance on trails and has been optimised to reduce chain drop, something that will undoubtedly go down well with commuters. Shadow technology has trickled down to the new 8-speed componentry too, which keeps the derailleur further out of harm's way if the bike is dropped or crashed.

Although Shimano is releasing a full set of groupset componentry, you'll only find Essa branding on the rear derailleur and chainset. Pricing is currently unavailable for the new groupset and subject to dealer discretion, but we predict a full groupset to set you back around £150/$150.

Can Oakley make visors cool?

It's fair to say that integrated visors have been somewhat of a taboo in the past, and reserved for those looking for performance over style. But if anyone can make visors cool, it's Oakley - and that's just what they'll be hoping to do with the new ARO7 Road helmet. 

The new lid, aimed at road and leisure riders, features an integrated Prizm™ lense and 'stealth' design, which Oakley says has been designed for low drag and maximum efficiency.

The integrated lenses stay in place using a magnetic system, which allows for quick and easy attachment. If you do take the lenses off, the magnet system also allows for them to be stowed on top of the helmet, just like a traditional pair of glasses. Personally, I've always been one to stick with the traditional helmet and glasses combination, more than anything because of better ventilation - something we look forward to testing!

On the kit side of things, Oakley has teamed up with Q36.5 to produce the collaboration Capsule Collection.

Oakley is boasting premium fabric selection, and a state-of-the-art 4D printing grdxkn®technology, which is said to improve safety. The new kit is designed with a performance cut, and the shorts are made with 100% recycled materials.

For more information, visit the Oalkey website.

North Wave Hammer Plus

Northwave has a new pair of shoes which it says is designed to be used in disciplines spanning gravel to cross country. The new Hammer Plus brings the Italian brand's experience in cross-country mountain bike racing to the gravel scene, with its new Jaws Evo outsole.

The chunky sole is designed to offer 'unprecedented walking comfort' whilst still remaining efficient on the bike, thanks to an advanced toe box flexion and arch support system. Also featured, is Northwave's trademark X-Dial SLW3 closure system, which is lightweight and easy to replace.

The new kicks are available in standard and wide fit options and will retail for €134.99. For more details, visit the Northwave website.