SES 4.5 AR

wide for grip, wide for aero

The distinguishing feature of all SES rims is that the front and rear rims are designed specifically for their respective positions on the bike. The front rim is shallower and wider than the rear to maximize stability ensuring rider confidence. The rear rim is deeper to maximize air flow reduction. In the case of the SES AR rims shapes, they have been optimized for 28-32mm tires with 28mm tires providing the maximum drag reduction and highest performance handling characteristics.

Additionally, we at ENVE view aerodynamics through the lens of the real world rider and focus our development efforts to provide real benefits to our customers, not just the data output from the wind tunnel. As an example, SES AR rim shapes were tested at 32kph/20mph as well as the more traditional 48kph/30mph to ensure that aero efficiencies are maximized at the speeds where rider’s need them most.

GO FAST, STOP FAST

At ENVE, we do a lot more than just slap decals over the brake track and lace the same rim to a disc hub. Drawing on our expertise gained developing the world’s best mountain bike wheels, our disc-specific road rims are fully optimized for the format. Freed from the constraints of a heat-proof carbon braking surface, the optimal construction of a road wheel can be reconsidered. The result is a rim that is even lighter, stronger and faster than our standard-setting, group test-winning rim brake wheels. Carbon brake tracks dictate a lot of rim design. By taking them away and re-engineering the rim we have improved the lateral stiffness, the impact resistance and the weight by 40-60g per rim. While disc hubs mean that total wheelset weights will remain near identical between rim and disc brake wheelsets, the disc brake wheelset will feel more responsive in acceleration, steering and braking because the mass has been shifted from the rim (higher rotational inertia) to the hub (lower rotational inertia).

Need To Know

• Disc-specific construction with no brake tracks
• Rims are lighter by 40-60g per rim
• Impact resistance increased
• Greater lateral stiffness

SPEED, COMFORT, PROTECTION

The All-Road version of the 4.5 was designed for the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix and for just about anywhere you care to point it, from gravel to dirt to bad, old roads. While the pros still ride tubulars, for everyone else taking on varied surfaces tubeless is a no-brainer because you can run lower pressures and achieve greater comfort, grip and, with sealant, resistance to pinch and debris punctures, all without sacrificing speed.

Drawing on our experience designing and making the world’s best mountain bike rims, the SES 4.5 AR Disc features a hookless bead profile and tire-bed bead seat lock. This design prevents air loss from impacts or aggressive cornering loads, allows for an exacting tire and rim interface, improves air flow from tire to rim and saves weight. Non-tubeless clincher tires are not recommended but tubeless tires can still be used with tubes.

ENVE recognized early that road tubeless technology is here to stay and we drew on our years of experience making the world’s best mountain bike wheels to optimize the SES range for tubeless (excluding the current SES 4.5). With rims going wider and frames giving more tire clearance, the key aspects of bike design were aligned to make tubeless the best choice: wider rims make it easier to mount tubeless tires. Disc brakes add even more benefits for tubeless, typically allowing larger tires as well as removing issues of heat at the rim.

NEED TO KNOW:
• Dedicated hookless rim design for tubeless
• Prevents air loss from impacts or cornering
• Lighter and more aero than traditional carbon rim brake clincher rims
• Can be used with inner tubes, in tubeless tires only
• Faster rolling
• Higher grip
• Greater comfort
• Out