ENVE

SES 4.5 AR Disc Wheelset - Tubular

When its sponsored WorldTour team asked for a wheelset that could run the beefy tires needed for grueling European cobbles while still boasting a distinct aerodynamic advantage when things smooth out, the ENVE engineers got creative. With a moderately dished profile designed around a 28-30mm tire volume instead of the usual 23-25mm, the ENVE SES 4.5 AR Disc Tubular Wheelset with DT Swiss 240 hubs is the ultimate all-around racing wheelset when the pavement turns choppy and race promoters decide fire roads are a fun way to liven up a road race course.

The SES 4.5 AR isn't just a wider version of its namesake SES 4.5, as ENVE engineers created a whole new carbon layup to make the most out of the 4.5 ARs wide, 25mm internal rim width, disc specific hub pairing, and intended all-road utility. ENVE understandably guards the specifics of its layups closely, but if its other proven rim designs are any indicator, this wheelset is sure to withstand all manner of aging chipseal, hard packed dirt, and crack-strewn pavement with sprightly speed and stability.

Even with all those changes, the 4.5 AR sees a continuation of ENVE's now signature shallow front and deeper rear wheel pairings, featuring a 49mm front and 55mm rear depth to comingle with its SES 4.5 sibling in the sweet spot between the more climbing oriented 3.4 and TT leaning 6.7 wheelsets. With wind tunnel and real world testing to back up claims that these wheels will hold steady in a wide variety of wind conditions, the 4.5 ARs take the 4.5s claim of being the all-rounder wheel of choice for riders across the world to a whole new level.

While shaping and dimensions are the brand's calling card, ENVE's obsessively clean construction also sets it apart from the herd of carbon competitors. ENVE wraps carbon fiber continuously around a removable bladder to construct the rims, routing the fibers around each hole for a completely intact, precise design that boasts the highest claimed strength-to-weight ratio on the market. As an added step, ENVE removes the bladder for a final product that's both lighter and more structurally sound than rims that remain packed with molding material. While that extra step of removing the bladder adds time and expense to the manufacturing process, the end result is worth it.