Enve SES Tubeless Ready Tire Review

Well-known for its carbon components, especially its very high-end wheels, Enve recently launched ultra-optimized tires for road performance. We were able to test this very accomplished equipment for several hundred kilometers in its Tubeless Ready version, designed to most effectively improve efficiency and grip. Our verdict…

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: All rights reserved

Enve is first and foremost the story of very high-end cycling. Enve is American. The company is located in Utah and originally specialized in carbon fiber work. It offers highly renowned products, coveted by enthusiasts worldwide for their performance level. The Salt Lake City brand produces exceptionally high-quality bicycle wheels and components with an ultra-improved strength-to-weight ratio. Enve carbon fiber wheels promise lightness, stiffness, aerodynamics, and robustness to better support you in all your challenges. All the brand’s products have been designed by engineers and innovators passionate about cycling, aiming to combine technology and performance for an absolutely irreproachable result. And in France, Mohawk’s distributes the brand.

Who is Mohawk’s?

Mohawk’s is a story of Indians… and they pitched their tepee in Taverny in Val d’Oise. And when you open the doors of the tribe for the first time, you immediately immerse yourself in this magical world of the American West. While Mohawk’s premises remain, in all likelihood, a fabulous place for exchanges, sharing, and conviviality, visibly open to everyone, what impressed me second was the storage space. As well as its organization and its ultra-functional side. No wonder the brand is so responsive in fulfilling orders from all over Europe. Thanks to the expertise they have acquired over the years, the most prestigious brands have trusted them and entrusted them with distribution. Mohawk’s now offers the finest cycling references in its catalog (Maap, Parlee, Pivot, 3T, Industry Nine, Enve, Chris King, and DT Swiss).

There is also an area dedicated to wheel assembly with several mounting stations and after-sales service management. All wheels are assembled on-site by experts in the field. And it was Michael who delicately took care of mounting the new Enve tires on my wheels for the upcoming test.

Time for the test

Before getting to the road test, first good point: mounting. For a long time, tubeless tires suffered from a bad reputation, partly due to a supposed high weight but also because of supposedly complicated mounting. However, today, we know that tubeless tires are safe, high-performance, and reliable. They adapt perfectly to road bikes. And above all, they are not complicated to install. It only took Michael a few minutes to mount the tires on the Hyper Sonic carbon wheelset with a specific tubeless or tubeless ready (TLR) rim equipped with special hooks.

The obvious use of sealant was also required by our dear installer. This is to minimize the risk of punctures. I asked him to inject 30 ml of liquid capable of dealing with punctures, by sealing the smallest cuts in the rubber.

Another major strong point of Enve’s tubeless tires compared to traditional tires concerns inflation. This type of tire requires much lower pressure than traditional setups (about 0.8 to 1 bar) for comparable performance, superior comfort, greatly reduced puncture risks, and exceptional grip. This low pressure makes perforation more difficult, and the absence of an inner tube means pinch flats are no longer possible. Grip is increased, allowing for much faster cornering.

Many of you are wondering: is the tubeless tire the ideal option on the road, where chasing every gram improves performance? According to 3bikes.fr, the answer depends on what you are looking for first and foremost. If the goal is to improve both comfort and performance, it is probably the most judicious choice. Conversely, if weight issues are paramount for you, it would be better to stick with classic setups, or even tubulars.

There remains the question of tubeless durability… By design, Enve’s tubeless tire visibly uses more rubber than a classic tire to ensure airtightness. With less deformation, the possible mileage is increased, especially since the use of sealant allows the tire to be worn down to the cord (for training, for example). For me, today, it’s the best there is…

Tire description

It’s undeniable, we quickly realized, Enve SES Tubeless tires are aerodynamically efficient and highly puncture resistant. They are also very light and have low rolling resistance thanks to a particular construction with unique casing materials and a unique tread compound.

We repeat: aerodynamics is a top priority on the road. The SES road tire thus offers quality rolling efficiency and strikes a balance between weight savings, ride quality, and relentless durability.

Based on our feeling, the Enve SES Tubeless road tire in 25c outperforms the competition at all speeds. Therefore, by installing these tires on wheels, you achieve an improvement in aerodynamics and rolling efficiency. This can therefore be a simple way to gain speed.

Some technical info

• Aramid folding bead
• Anti-friction strip for bead protection
• Specific tubeless road stiffness – (90 daN)
• Unique laminate for cornering stability and power transmission
• Vectran used to protect against punctures and pinch flats
• 66 Shore A durometer provides a balanced blend of synthetic and natural rubbers with activated silica filler for excellent wet weather performance and low rolling resistance
• Tread design and shape provide aerodynamic performance
• Tread thickness balances longevity and rolling resistance
• Aramid composite layer under the tread for puncture resistance.

Our opinion on the Enve SES Tubeless tire

The new tubeless tires offered by the American brand Enve are excellent. Compared to the competition, they are lighter and offer superior efficiency, while maintaining a very high level of grip. They are also a bit stronger than we might have imagined and offer excellent puncture resistance.

But at a price of €92, they face competition that is €30 to €40 cheaper. With models that also have many qualities. But even if they are not within everyone’s reach, they remain the best choice for those who aspire to excellence.

=> SEE ALSO: Buy the Enve SES 700 Tubeless Ready Flexible Vectran tire for €83.99

=> SEE ALSO: All our Gear articles