Enve overhauls entire wheel range with lighter weights, hookless rims... and no rim brake options

Enve has completely overhauled its wheels range for 2022, killing off two models, ditching rim-brake options and introducing two new depths. The wheels are hookless and optimised for 27mm tubeless tyres with the lightest set, the 2.3’s weighing in at just 1,197g.

The SES line-up is aimed at road and triathlon use, and has seen some sweeping changes for 2022 with rim brake options no longer being offered at all. Enve does however say that it will continue with warranty and service support for existing rim brake wheels for another two years.

The new fourth generation of wheels sees lighter weights thanks to refined carbon laminates, hookless bead design, some fresh graphics, and a welcome streamlining of the model line-up.

The latest SES collection ditches AR (All Road) from its name as the brand says that using wide tyres is now the norm rather than the exception. Its four wheelset range now consists of the SES 2.3, SES 3.4, SES 4.5, and SES 6.7 which are optimised for use with 27mm tyres. If you’re familiar with the Enve brand then you’ll realise that two of the wheelsets, the SES 2.3 and 6.7, are completely new additions.

At the center of each new SES wheels is Enve’s Premium Road Hub, these feature premium-grade NTN full stainless-steel bearings, a refined lightweight design, optimised flange geometry for power transmission, and a durable 40t ratchet drive system.

Like all Enve wheels since 2018, these also have the “Perfect Preload” feature which eliminates the need for bearing preload adjustments over time which Enve says should ensure longer bearing life with greater efficiency. While the new SES wheel line is only available from the factory with Enve hubs, there's also the option to purchase just the SES rims which could then be built up to custom specification.

The lightest and shallowest of the wheels is the SES 2.3, these are aimed purely at climbers with a weight of 1,197g, making them the lightest disc brake wheelset Enve has ever produced.

We've seen quite a few manufacturers managing to bring wheel weights down by taking a similar approach such as Zipp with their 353 NSW wheelset. Like we’ve seen previously from Enve, the front and rear wheels differ in depth measuring 28mm deep at the front and 32mm at the rear. They also have the slimmest internal rim width of the new line up at a still fairly sizeable 21mm, the external width is 25mm.

>Review: Zipp 353 NSW

Next up, there’s the SES 3.4’s, these have front and rear depths of 39mm and 43mm respectively and Enve says that they’re the closest you can get to a “one wheel quiver”. we assume this refers to both wheels…

These are also slightly wider with 25mm internal width and 32mm external, and this is likely why they’re the wheelset of choice for many of Enve’s elite gravel athletes. The 3.4 wheelset weighs in at a tidy 1,390g when built up onto Enve hubs with an XDR driver freehub.

The Enve 4.5’s are, as the name suggests, deeper again with 51mm and 56mm depths front and rear respectively. These feature the same 25mm internal and 32mm external widths as the 3.4s and weigh in at 1,452g which is a fair weight saving over the previous generation of this wheelset.

The deepest wheels released today are the SES 6.7’s which measure up at 60mm front and 67mm rear. They’re still competitively light at 1,497g and ENVE says that these are engineered to the point of diminishing returns in terms of drag reduction, stability and weight.

The 6.7s are actually slightly skinnier than the 3.4s or 4.5s, with a 23mm internal width and 30mm external width at the front, but a 29mm external width at the rear. We’ve seen this approach taken before when aerodynamics are a priority, for example with the Roval Rapide CLX wheels which also feature a skinnier rear wheel in an effort to reduce the wake drag behind the rider and bike.

> Review: Roval Rapide CLX

The new wheelsets not only feature different rim depths from front to rear but also different profiles, which it says enable riders to enjoy the benefits of an aerodynamic wheelset without having to sacrifice stability. The front wheels also feature blunt spoke faces to improve crosswind stability, whereas the rear wheels use sharper bladed spokes to maximise drag reduction.

According to Enve, the wheels performed well against other industry favourites but the brand hasn't yet published any data to back that up. However, it is good to hear that it not only tested at the industry norm of 48kph, but also at a more realistic 32kph too.

Enve offers a 5-year warranty on its wheelsets which covers defects in materials and workmanship, but goes one step further than many brands with their “Incidental Damage Program”. This includes free rim replacements if the wheels are damaged during riding, racing, or transportation for up to 3 years from the original date of purchase for the original owner.

The new Enve SES wheels are available to purchase now, and have a price tag of £3,100.

enve.com