ENVE

SES 3.4 Wheelset - Clincher

ENVE's SES 3.4 Wheelset comes out to play on varied terrain, races that value a light setup for the climbs and aerodynamics in the flats. Whenever Team Dimension Data hits those lumpy classics, it counts on these mid-profile wheels to offer a bit of climbing assistance and aero efficiency. So if you have a rim brake bike and you're looking to knock out some KOMs and conquer steep grades with some drag reduction on the valley floors, these are your wheels. This particular model is made even sweeter with the addition of ENVE's alloy road hubs that promise better stiffness, increased bearing life with less maintenance, and quicker engagement.

Road riding always place a heavy demand on a carbon wheel's braking capabilities, and ENVE ensured the 3.4 rims would be more than ready to take on those demands by developing a molded-in textured brake surface. Paired with the included ENVE black brake pads, the brake track claims to improve performance by 30% over previous ENVE models. This new system addresses the challenges of braking in both wet and dry conditions, adding reassuring consistency on the days you get caught in a surprise rain shower on a winding, narrow descent.

As with all Smart ENVE System (SES) wheels, the SES 3.4 wheelset uses ENVE's most sophisticated technology and engineering techniques to balance stiffness and aerodynamics. The design starts with the size differential of the wheels, which allows ENVE to account for the different behaviors of front and rear wheels with targeted dimensions. The front wheel is 35mm deep and 26mm wide, while the rear wheel is 45mm deep and 24mm wide. The front wheel's shallow profile and wide stance help decrease drag in windy conditions, while the rear wheel's depth decreases drag as stability is less affected at the aft position of the bike. According to ENVE, the 3.4s create a low drag number rivaling many competitors' 50 and 60mm-deep rims.

ENVE wheels are known for having one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios in the industry, and the 3.4's are shaped using the same highly regarded Smart construction system as the rest of its wheels to ensure their stability and reliability. ENVE painstakingly molds spoke holes, nipple seats, and valve stem holes into the wheels rather than drilling them after curing. This construction method reduces unnecessary material and guarantees fiber integrity, lowering the weight of the wheels and increasing their structural integrity with carbon fibers continuously molded in one uniform direction.

ENVE also removes the inner bladder, resulting in lower weight compared to composite manufacturers who leave the bladder in the rim once the wheel is complete. While the removal process takes time and involves some added expense, it results in a lighter rim and a perfectly tensioned wheel build.

Proving that good things come to those who wait, the 3.4's are now available with ENVE's all-new Alloy hubs, which feature Mavic's Instant Drive 360 ratchet engagement system. Ratchets, when compared to pawl type systems, require fewer moving parts and provide positive and quicker engagement thanks to the reduced flex and slop in a ratchet engagement setup. And while most ratchet systems require two springs, ID360 uses only one. Fewer small parts mean the hub is lighter and it's fewer problems that can go wrong.