ENVE’s new SES wheel range includes its lightest ever production wheelset (and waves goodbye to rim-brake wheels)

By Simon von Bromley

Published: Thursday, 26 May 2022 at 12:00 am

ENVE has overhauled its range of SES (Smart Enve System) carbon road and triathlon wheels, adding two new models and moving to hookless rims across the range.

One of the new wheelsets, the ENVE SES 2.3, is said to be the “lightest production rim/wheelset ENVE has ever produced”, with a claimed weight of 1,197g.

The new ENVE SES range comprises four wheelsets, each costing £3,100 / $2,850 and targeted at a specific riding style and application.

Each wheelset in the SES range, therefore, features different rim dimensions optimised for their intended usage, from shallow and relatively narrow rims designed for low weight and easy handling, through to deep and wide rims intended for fast road riding and triathlon.

Fourth-generation wheels

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The new SES range is based upon ENVE’s ‘real-world fast’ ethos.
@jussioksanen

Now in its fourth generation, ENVE says the new SES wheel range has a simplified line-up that builds upon the brand’s ‘real-world fast’ design philosophy.

While the previous generation of SES wheels included rim-brake options, the new range is disc brake only.

ENVE has gone all-in on tubeless too, with hookless rims found on every wheelset in the range.

This means the new ENVE SES wheels are only compatible with tubeless tyres, and you’ll need to check ENVE’s compatibility charts to make sure your favourite tyre has been approved for use on these rims.

Echoing the comments of other manufacturers of hookless carbon rims, ENVE says eliminating traditional bead hooks allows for more precise manufacturing tolerances.

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The new wheels are only compatible with tubeless tyres.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media

ENVE also claims its “patent-pending wide hookless bead” – which features rim sidewalls that are slightly thicker than standard around the tyre bead area – can help reduce the likelihood of pinch flats.

On board with the ‘wider tyres are faster’ trend, ENVE says the new SES wheelsets are aerodynamically optimised around 700 x 27c tyres (a slightly atypical size offered by the brand’s own range of ENVE SES tyres).

Wide internal rims also mean the minimum tyre size permitted for use on the new SES rims is 700 x 27c. The only exception to this is the SES 2.3, which has a slightly narrower internal rim width and has a minimum tyre size of 700 x 25c.

Each SES wheelset uses differential rim heights front and rear to optimise performance for its location on the bike.

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Minimum permitted tyre size is 700 x 27c on all variants other than the SES 2.3, which is 700 x 25c.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media

That translates to shallower, wider and more blunted rims on front wheels, and deeper, narrower and sharper rims on rear wheels.

According to ENVE, this helps maximise steering stability and aerodynamic performance without the traditional trade-off between speed and handling.

ENVE says its aerodynamic testing was performed at “Mercedes GP and Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub wind tunnels”, in association with aerodynamics specialist Simon Smart, of Drag2Zero.

Each wheelset was tested on two complete bikes (an ENVE Custom Road and a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7) and at two speeds: 48kph / 30mph and 32kph / 20mph.

This, ENVE says, helps ensure the wheelsets are aerodynamically efficient at speeds applicable to both professional and everyday riders.

2022 ENVE SES range details, prices and specifications

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The new SES range comprises four models, all of which are compatible only with disc brakes.
@jussioksanen

There are four new models in the SES range: the SES 2.3, SES 3.4, SES 4.5 and SES 6.7.

We’ve got a set of the SES 6.7s in to test. It features the deepest, most aerodynamic rims in the range, with a 60mm-deep front rim and a 67mm-deep rear.

Claimed weight for the wheelset is 1,497g, and our set comes in just over that at 1,510g with a SRAM XDR freehub, but no rim tape.

We’ll be putting them through their paces in due course.

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The wheels are designed around ENVE’s Premium Road Hub.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media

All wheelsets in the range are built around ENVE’s own Premium Road Hub, which features “premium-grade NTN full stainless-steel bearings, a refined lightweight design, optimised flange geometry for power transmission and a durable 40t ratchet drive system.”

Pricing is flat across the range at £3,100 / $2,850.

ENVE says all of the SES rims will be available to purchase separately (for custom wheel builds), but notes it has stopped manufacturing both rim-brake and tubular wheelsets.

ENVE SES 2.3

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ENVE SES 2.3.
@jussioksanen
  • Rim depths (front / rear): 28mm / 32mm
  • Claimed weight: 1,197g
  • External rim widths (front / rear): 25mm / 25mm
  • Internal rim widths (front / rear): 21mm / 21mm
  • Maximum tyre pressure: 90psi / 6.2 bar

ENVE SES 3.4

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ENVE SES 3.4.
@jussioksanen
  • Rim depths (front / rear): 39mm / 43mm
  • Claimed weight: 1,390g
  • External rim widths (front / rear): 32mm / 32mm
  • Internal rim widths (front / rear): 25mm / 25mm
  • Maximum tyre pressure: 80psi / 5.5 bar

ENVE SES 4.5

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ENVE SES 4.5.
@jussioksanen
  • Rim depths (front / rear): 49mm / 55mm
  • Claimed weight: 1,452g
  • External rim widths (front / rear): 32mm / 32mm
  • Internal rim widths (front / rear): 25mm / 25mm
  • Maximum tyre pressure: 80psi / 5.5bar

ENVE SES 6.7

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ENVE SES 6.7.
@jussioksanen
  • Rim depths (front / rear): 60mm / 67mm
  • Actual weight: 1,510g (with SRAM XDR freehub and without rim tape)
  • External rim widths (front / rear): 30mm / 29mm
  • Internal rim widths (front / rear): 23mm / 23mm
  • Maximum tyre pressure: 90psi / 6.2bar