The DH ones don't seem light enough to justify the price.
Plus,how do they know what you use them for as far as warranty?
Plus,how do they know what you use them for as far as warranty?
Anyove use enve am rims for DH?
- Thread starter SCARY
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Ok,no response.So let's try this.Are the rims that are around the 400gm mark worth blowing through a few if them a year in a race situation?Do you feel that much quicker when they are that light?
just posted my findings of the AM and DH rims here:
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/enve-composites-xc-am-and-dh-carbon-rims
if that is of interest...
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/enve-composites-xc-am-and-dh-carbon-rims
if that is of interest...
It's not about weight, it's about performance. Don't be a weenie.
I'm full weenie.But I'm not giving up performance for it,otherwise I'd be on flows already.
Wow,great review,well done.What are your thoughts on using the am's for DH racing?I race in "pro"but I'm really not gonna be looking at any podiums,so I'm no Steve Peat.I know enve says not to ride them DH,but Id like to take the chance ,just for the weight savings,but not if they blow up and can't get them replaced.Theyd pretty much just be used at races.
Are they tubeless ready?Seems like they might be better tubeless than tubed because they're so stiff and would snakebite easier.Thx.
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Very good review indeed. Sure agree with your comment about the 21mm internal rim width on the DH. As a fan of 729s, and wide rims in general, these are borderline too narrow.
the AM 26 is full tubeless ready (i.e. a UST bead), just add tape and valve stem (ala flows, wtb i23 et al). the DH is really setup for a tube, unless you run a stan's rubber strip.
my long story short is:
if you want the stiffness of a 721 and at least the durability of an i23 or ex500 (way more than flow, similar to 721), look at the AM26
if you want the stiffness and durability of an 823, look at the DH26
i can't really speak to the overall durability of the ENVE rims, other than the broad generalizations above... other than i have not broken them, even though i tried (per the article). i would have IMO flat spotted most any aluminum rim doing what i have done to the AM (outside of a 729/823's), and its totally fine. no cracks or damage.
as far as riding the AM rim on a DH bike, i guess it would depend on style and terrain. I am 200+ and live in the "desert" - colorado/utah, so no matter how smooth i might like to be, i wreck a 729 a year, give or take, so the DH rim on the DH bike is a no brainer for me.
i would think you could run a AM on the front at the very least.
the AM is significantly more durable than flow... they were "once every month or two" disposable on my trail bike...
i dunno, hope that helps.
my long story short is:
if you want the stiffness of a 721 and at least the durability of an i23 or ex500 (way more than flow, similar to 721), look at the AM26
if you want the stiffness and durability of an 823, look at the DH26
i can't really speak to the overall durability of the ENVE rims, other than the broad generalizations above... other than i have not broken them, even though i tried (per the article). i would have IMO flat spotted most any aluminum rim doing what i have done to the AM (outside of a 729/823's), and its totally fine. no cracks or damage.
as far as riding the AM rim on a DH bike, i guess it would depend on style and terrain. I am 200+ and live in the "desert" - colorado/utah, so no matter how smooth i might like to be, i wreck a 729 a year, give or take, so the DH rim on the DH bike is a no brainer for me.
i would think you could run a AM on the front at the very least.
the AM is significantly more durable than flow... they were "once every month or two" disposable on my trail bike...
i dunno, hope that helps.
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Yeah,that's what I was thinking with am front.I dig the 21mm,that's what the 721s are and I like it.I'm pretty close in weight and terrain,so it was really helpful.You have to take off the tire to true them,right?
correct, you need to pull the tire and rim-strip.
that said, my AM wheels are dead straight still. YMMV.
that said, my AM wheels are dead straight still. YMMV.
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The guys at Enve can tell if you are using the AM wheels for DH. They have seen enough rim's to tell.
That being said if you can pay the crash replacement cost then go for the AM rim. If you want the wheel to be covered under warranty go with the wheel that you need.
I have seen the prices on all the wheels and the cost of replacing a wheel is still a ton of cash.
VM
That being said if you can pay the crash replacement cost then go for the AM rim. If you want the wheel to be covered under warranty go with the wheel that you need.
I have seen the prices on all the wheels and the cost of replacing a wheel is still a ton of cash.
VM
Hmm, wish I had to cash to experiment with those wheels. Maybe one day.
You just slightly changed the build of my dream bike. This is big news on the internet. But in all seriousness AM rim up front and DH in the back sounds dialed for a no-compromise (wallet included) set up.
Good review!
However, I have one more question: did you pay retail or got a bro deal?
VMARTINEZ: if Enve won't stand behind their AM rims for DH use, the Easton Haven Carbon seem to be the better option. UST ready w/o rim strip and the no question asked warranty. Only problem are the 24 spokes and the not so great hubs.
I agree with your statement but companies that leave a back door open to get out of warranty claims make me feel a little uneasy. With today's AM bikes speeds and terrain that can be covered are close to full on DH, so how will they be able to tell what I did? Actually, I think a use of the AM rim with 2-ply tires in a DH application will be safer for the rim then using them in rough AM conditions with a 1-ply tire. However, I am in no rush to try this out (unless I get a bro deal).
irider - pm sent.
i have some coming actually, and will run them thru the same program.
I have been hammering mt chinese rims for a while now and they are holding up great. I am running them with single ply tires at quite low pressures and i ride them on some quite rocky terrain. I wouldnt describe my riding style as overly smooth but not quite an hack either, so i am a little rough on my equipment and i ride flats on the bike they are on so they get smashed into some things every now and then on rides.
I think i would trust them for dh trails like a-line, smoother dh tracks and as race wheels (maybe). To me they feel really well made and good quality.
In short, money well spent.
I think i would trust them for dh trails like a-line, smoother dh tracks and as race wheels (maybe). To me they feel really well made and good quality.
In short, money well spent.
Great review! I've been riding the AM rims for a couple years now and have nothing but good things to say.
I been wanting to get the Enve DH rims but the $990 price tag is hard to swallow
Dh or am riding.Are you fast?do you ride hard and race?If they'd put up with that abuse I think I'd lean towards the am.I'm still on the fence,honestly.For as much ad they are,I'd still rather loose a 1/2 lb of rolling weight.
Hey,pm me what you pm'd him.I'm pretty sure I wanna know whatever you told him.
does anyone know the story behind this? i seem to remember someone commenting about this somewhere on RM. this isnt their AM rim right?
those wheels are the wheels used in the pinkbike review found here http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Enve-Composites-DH-Wheels-Tested-2013.html
they were cracked. and knowing this pinkbike testers pushed it to see how far they could ride on a cracked rim.
they were cracked. and knowing this pinkbike testers pushed it to see how far they could ride on a cracked rim.
Most people know if you crack carbon you should stop using it. So the tester kept ridding it and it blew up.does anyone know the story behind this? i seem to remember someone commenting about this somewhere on RM. this isnt their AM rim right?
His fault because he know it was cracked.
I'm guessing they'll be at the end of the list for product testing,next time.
"Hey, I cracked it near a spoke...what should we do now"
"Let's keep casing **** till we smash the **** out it,then post pictures on the Internet "
"uuh ,ookay"
"Hey, I cracked it near a spoke...what should we do now"
"Let's keep casing **** till we smash the **** out it,then post pictures on the Internet "
"uuh ,ookay"
ENVE claimed that the rims they sent were some sort of lighter prototype after they cracked. Then you read that the actual weight was significantly higher than the claimed weight, and also consider that the supposed production items are heavier still, and you have a million dollar wheelset that weights over 2kg anyway.
As for the breaking - how many cracks have people ridden their alloy rims with? I've ridden rims for the 2nd half of a season with 3-4 cracks that go virtually all the way around the rim at spoke holes before, and am yet to have a catastrophic failure.
I think it's great that pinkbike have stepped it up and started calling out products for what they really are, instead of most reviews that just read like an advertisement. For the record, pinkbike did not publish those pictures of the rim broken in their review as the breakage itself was not considered a fault of the product, and it was actually a regular user that commented with those pictures later.
As for the breaking - how many cracks have people ridden their alloy rims with? I've ridden rims for the 2nd half of a season with 3-4 cracks that go virtually all the way around the rim at spoke holes before, and am yet to have a catastrophic failure.
I think it's great that pinkbike have stepped it up and started calling out products for what they really are, instead of most reviews that just read like an advertisement. For the record, pinkbike did not publish those pictures of the rim broken in their review as the breakage itself was not considered a fault of the product, and it was actually a regular user that commented with those pictures later.
Dude,you are so full of CRAP!
Those wheels don't cost even close to a million dollars.
I, for one, like it when a product is tested (and reviewed openly) to failure, because then we know what the limits are and I don't have to find out by testing it my self.
Although, of course, this would kill e-speculation and probably be harmful to the traffic on most biking forums....
Although, of course, this would kill e-speculation and probably be harmful to the traffic on most biking forums....
Over 2kg? What spokes did they use? I thought with the stiffness of a carbon rim you could get away with pretty crazy spoke choices. That is insane since I get around 2kg (probably 10-50g below, haven't weighted the rear without the casette) with a ZTR/Old lighter 823 combo. I know the ride quality is different but given the price difference it is good to know.
I agree with you Udi for calling out products for what they are. It's good that PB uses their position to do that since a smaller medium could probably not get away with that without loosing advertisers.
I was a bit confused too, when I read Enve's statement and then, got back to rim/wheelset weights. I just doesn't sum up. If the rims we "lighter, proto versions", why would total weight be ca. 80g higher than claimed? It's hard for me to believe that CK hubs or used spokes would be that "much" heavier.
As for the crack, I would like to see the test which shows best DH alloy rim (Mavic 721?) subject the force which would crack Enve DH rim.
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King hubs and DT Comp spokes...so you can calculate the actual weight of the rims.
With the weight quoted + 80 g of the stronger rims the wheelset weight is equal to a set of Deemax Ultimates and we know that they last pretty well. And cost less than half.
tell me more!
As in 'Yes everybody keeps saying that so don't make that part of the argument'