Home > Bike Types > Road Bike

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

22 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Mountain bikers aren’t the only ones that will benefit from ENVE’s new Foundation Collection. Along with the all new AM30 wheelset, ENVE is launching two new models for the road – the ENVE 45 and ENVE 65.

Like the mountain side, the road Foundation Collection benefits from ENVE’s improvements in manufacturing efficiencies at their state of the art production facility. The ability to produce enough Foundation Collection wheels to meet demands while also being able to reduce the price were both key to the success of the new wheels. While still made in the USA, the Foundation Claims to offer best in class technology without completely emptying your bank account.

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

Similar to the AM30’s deference to the original ENVE wheels, the ENVE 45 & 65 are named after their rim depths and pay tribute to the original road wheels that were launched way back in 2007. Unlike the SES (Smart ENVE System) wheels that use staggered rim depths, the Foundation Collection uses the same rim profile front and rear.

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

However, the Foundation rims are still similar to the SES rim profile and have been extensively tested for aerodynamics in the Mercedes F1 Wind Tunnel in the UK. Testing was performed with the wheels in-frame of a new Scott Foil, and at both 32kph/20mph and 48kph/30mph. Not surprisingly, the Foundation wheels slot in between SES wheelsets in terms of weighted average drag, but the also provide a good balance of cross wind stability and low weight according to ENVE’s results. More interesting is that in ENVE’s charts, the Foundation wheels offer equal or better levels of rider comfort thanks to a “full carbon laminate that has been tuned for vibration absorption to combat fatigue over long hours in the saddle.”

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

Optimized for tubeless tires from 25 – 28mm, the Foundation rims have a 21mm internal width and 28mm external. Those wide hookless beads don’t just provide impact protection on the mountain bike side of things – they’re equally effective on the road when you hit a pothole, curb, or other big impact.

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

Like ENVE’s other carbon rims, the Foundation rims use their patented molded spoke holes. This time, the nipples remain internal given the deep rims provide plenty of room inside.

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

Built with ENVE’s own Foundation Road Hub, this hub is similar to their premium hub but with a few changes in machining. It still features optimized flange geometry to provide the best wheel build while keeping weight to a minimum. You’ll also find their Instant Drive 360 (ID360) freehub with a 40t ratchet which is available in Shimano, SRAM XDR, and Campy designs. The hubs use Centerlock brake mounts and roll on premium full contact sealed NTN steel bearings. Claimed weights are 124g for the front and 232-252g for the rear.

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels ENVE Foundation Collection also gets aero treatment with new 45 & 65 carbon road wheels

Complete wheels are built with 24 Sapim CX Sprint spokes front and rear. Offered in disc brake configurations only, complete weights are claimed at 1561g for the 45s and 1641 for the 65s. Rim weights are given as 455g/510g respectively.

Just like the AM30s, the ENVE 45 & 65 Foundation Collection wheels start at $1,600 a set. That includes the same 5 year warranty and Lifetime Incident Protection program which requires you to register the wheels and keep your proof of purchase to be eligible.

Both wheels are available now.

Learn more at Enve.com.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

22 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
CHARLES
CHARLES
3 years ago

still overpriced

K-Pop is dangerous to your health
K-Pop is dangerous to your health
3 years ago
Reply to  CHARLES

If these were $800 people would still complain about the price.

Jeff
Jeff
3 years ago

Anything with that ENVE logo is overpriced. if they made $800 wheels, you would be buying a $750 sticker and $50 wheels. so yeah paying $800 for them would be overpriced. Look at their cockpit components and then go look at Tune, Schmolke, MCFX, Darimo. ENVE is not even playing the same sport as those guys when it comes to weight and custom build options yet they cost the same.

K-Pop is dangerous to your health
K-Pop is dangerous to your health
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff

While you’re so adamant on trolling Enve pricing, show me another domestically made wheel set for $50. You funny.

charlie
charlie
3 years ago

enve and mavic are owned by anta, a Chinese manufacturing company based in Jinjiang. It is the world’s third-largest sportswear company by revenue as of 2019

Jake
Jake
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie

ENVE is not owned by Mavic, and Mavic is no longer under the same ownership as ENVE. Mavic was purchased last year by a new owner in June 2019. That said, we continue to work closely and collaborate with Mavic on hub development.

charlie
charlie
3 years ago
Reply to  Jake

Mavic is owned by salomon, salomon and enve are owned by amer, amer is owned by mascot, mascot is owned by ANTA.

James
James
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie

Mavic is owned by Regent, LP. Shortly after, Regent also purchased Accel, NA which included Redline, Diamondback and iZip. https://www.regentlp.com/portfolio

Looking at the portfolio, Regent clearly flips companies they think they can turn around, in all sorts of industries. I’m not sure they will add value to the brands they purchased.

drdsj
3 years ago

Wow! Nice price point for US made carbon. Rims looks nice. Makes me feel I spent too much on my SES wheels.

Jeff
Jeff
3 years ago
Reply to  drdsj

You did

Velo Kitty
Velo Kitty
3 years ago

If the rim beads aren’t hooked, they aren’t ETRTO compliant. Hard pass for me.

Jake
Jake
3 years ago
Reply to  Velo Kitty

False…

ETRTO manual page R.41, Section 28.1 and 28.2.

Velo Kitty
Velo Kitty
3 years ago
Reply to  Jake

Of the ETRTO Standards Manual 2020 for tyres/rims/valves for ground vehicles?

Miclaroc
Miclaroc
3 years ago

Can’t stand tubeless for road and even mtb went back to tubes after spending way too much time and $$ in tires that got cuts too big for sealant to fix not to mention sealant cracking and leaking over time. Just sticks a tube in it and be done. Still able to run 25 lbs in the mtb no problem. I do not buy any advantage for it on road especially. Wish manufacturers would drop it already

HeyJoe
HeyJoe
3 years ago

So these are tubeless only, like the AR series?

Jesper
Jesper
3 years ago
Reply to  HeyJoe

What do you mean “tubeless only”? There is no such thing as tubeless only

David Chung
David Chung
3 years ago
Reply to  Jesper

It’s a hookless rim. Therefore, you can only do tubeless.

Velo Kitty
Velo Kitty
3 years ago

Not Approved / Incompatible Tires
——————————————
Any Tube-Type/Non-Tubeless Tire

Continental GP5000 TL – 28mm

Hutchinson Fusion 5 All Season Storm TR – 25mm

Specialized Sworks Turbo Gripton – 26mm

Hutchinson Sector 32 – 32mm

Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance 11Storm – 28mm

Hutchinson Fusion 5 All Season 11Storm – 28mm

Mavic Yksion Pro UST – 28mm

Specialized S-Works Turbo 2Bliss Ready – 28mm

Teravail Rampart All-Road Light/Supple TR (Tan Sidewall) – 32mm

S Willard
S Willard
3 years ago

So are you saying that is a good, fair price?

PoorInRichfield
3 years ago

While I agree that carbon wheel sets are a pain in the wallet, these wheels have peaked my interest. The 65mm version are only a few grams heavier than the Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 wheel set for a lot less money. That and ENVE wheels are made in the USA (Ogden, UT), not just designed here, which is a win to me.

Dingo
Dingo
3 years ago

Interesting. I’ve had tubeless save countless rides on the road. Tire killers are tire killers tube or no tube. Tubes are the cheapest, least reliable component on the bike. I did away with them on the road in 2009. Never looked back. Tubes are terrible.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.