These ENVE SES 4.5 Pro wheels are what you get when Tadej Pogačar tells Enve that he wants to race aero wheels even on the climbing stages of the Grand Tours. The SES 4.5 was already popular as a versatile all-rounder, from one-day races to the cobbled Spring Classics, to rolling days in longer stage races. But Enve knew they could build they just as fast but even lighter for proper climbing days, too.

Start with proven SES 4.5 aerodynamics, just tweak a slightly slimmer rim, a lighter carbon layup, a lighter hubset, and some flashy silver hub & spoke finishes for the full pro feel…

New ultralight ENVE SES 4.5 Pro aero carbon climbing wheels

(All photos/Cory Benson)

In fact, Pogačar and his UAE Team have already been racing and racking up wins on the new SES 4.5 Pro wheels over the past two seasons. Enve says they’ve already “amassed 25+ victories this season” alone.

We’ve even had them grace the pages of Bikerumor just over a month back with our Giro climbing bikes round-up. We just didn’t know it at the time. You could pick them out if you looked closely though, for example, on general classification leader Isaac Del Toro and his teammates’ wheels. They all had standard SES 4.5 graphics and all-black components. But their distinct machined hubs were a giveaway to those in-the-know… which now includes us.

So what’s new?

1. incrementally lower rim height: -1mm, now 49mm deep at the front & 55mm deep out back
2. slightly narrower overall rim width: -1.5mm, now 23.5mm internal
3. now ETRTO compatible with 28mm tires!
4. new mini-hook design keeps a wide bead for pinch-flat and impact protection, but…
5. keeps the same tubeless-ready dimension & low rolling-resistance
6. still measures 24.5mm wide inside where the tire bead sits
7. higher-grade hi-mod carbon reduced wall thicknesses (and weight) throughout
8. 50g lighter per rim
9. all-new lightweight but stiff alloy InnerDrive Pro hubset with ceramic bearings

Tech details

• CNC-machined straight-pull, centerlock InnerDrive Pro hubset
• 40T ratchet engagement with light-action, low drag ratchet spring
• 281g total hubset weight: 194g rear, 87g front (claimed)
• Enve Pro hybrid ceramic bearings, with stainless steel races, grade 5 ceramic balls, non-contact inner seals & low-contact outer seals
• locking alloy nipples

• new bead is technically hookless, so only compatible with tubeless tires
• US-made carbon rim, hubs & complete handmade wheel build
• 1295g complete wheelset weight (claimed), but including tubeless valves & tape!

ENVE SES 4.5 PRO – Pricing, options & availability

The new Enve SES 4.5 Pro wheels are available now, albeit for a premium price over the standard SES wheels. And they are only in limited numbers for the time being, mostly because of the high demand from Enve’s pro teams who have been begging for more wheelsets as soon as they are built up.

The new SES 4.5 Pro wheels sell for $3750 / 4500€, made in Ogden, UT, USA. The new Pro wheels all come built up with silver hubs, spokes & nipples, but you can pick from shiny silver water transfer logos or the all-white vinyl logo decals of the pro riders.

ENVE.com

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