With today’s announcement, ENVE continues the updates to their line of SES road wheels, bringing tubeless capability and the most recent aerodynamic refinements to the rim of the SES 3.4 wheels. It should be noted that ENVE is simultaneously introducing a disc brake specific rim engineered without a brake track for lighter weight.
Like the previous 3.4 and every other SES wheelset other than the climbing specific SES 2.2, the SES 3.4 features front- and rear-specific rim shapes. Essentially, the front is shorter and blunt for better handling in sidewinds as well as low drag performance over a broad range of wind angles. The rear is taller and narrower for lower drag in the rear position where it has less effect on handling and sees more “dirty” air flow. Compared to the original 3.4, both the front & rear rims are wider both internally and externally. The front is almost 30mm wide. The rims are aerodynamically optimized for 25mm tyres.
The other major change is that the rims’ tyre wells have been recontoured to be tubeless-ready. Here at Bike Hugger, we feel that recent advances in tubeless clinchers have really made them a truly viable performance choice.
As a road rider, if you were seeking one wheelset that would be fast in the maximum range of wind and grades, the SES 3.4 would be it. With the moderate 38mm/42mm rim height, tuned aerodynamics of the front rim, and their lightweight, these wheels promise docile handling in crosswinds, fast acceleration, and low drag.
Following existing ENVE practice, the rim brake version comes in 20H front and 24H while the disc version is 24H/24H. The 3.4 is available as rim (front or rear $975 each), as well complete wheels built by ENVE with premium hubs from Chris King and DT Swiss, ranging $2900 to $3500.
From ENVE:
The SES 3.4 is a climbing wheel with an aero advantage. It has been designed to be ridden through mountainous terrain where an optimal balance between lightweight, stability, and aero efficiency are paramount for the best ride experience. The SES 3.4 is road tubeless ready, aerodynamically optimized when paired with 25mm tires, and features the latest in Smart ENVE System rim geometry.
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