Enve G SES Gravel Wheels: Three New Options Compared

Introduction

Gravel racing keeps getting faster, and the equipment is following. Aerodynamic frames, wider tires and now wider rims designed to work with them. Enve has launched three new gravel wheelsets under the G SES name, borrowing the naming convention from its road range: the G SES 4.5, the G SES 4.5 Pro and the G SES 6.7.

All three share the same design thinking, and the differences come down to rim depth, internal width, hub specification and price. This guide walks through what each wheelset offers, the aerodynamic claims, the weights and the cost, plus first ride impressions with 50mm tires on an Enve Mog.

Why Wider Gravel Rims Are the New Direction

Enve’s first gravel wheelset arrived back in 2018 with a low profile rim that prioritised durability and compliance rather than aerodynamics. As gravel riding and racing accelerated, the brand has now brought its road aero technology across to gravel for the first time.

The headline change is width. The G SES 4.5 measures 30mm internally, while the G SES 6.7 goes up to 35mm. For context, that is very wide: several comparable wide gravel designs sit around 32mm, and 25mm is still common on many current gravel wheelsets.

Going wider serves two purposes. First, aerodynamics: keeping the rim close in width to the tire helps air flow smoothly around the pair instead of creating a light bulb effect. Second, stability: a broader rim platform supports a low-pressure wide tire so the sidewalls do not squirm or fold when cornering hard or crossing rough ground. Enve says the new rims are optimised for tires between 44mm and 52mm.

Enve G SES 4.5

The G SES 4.5 uses a mixed depth rim profile, 49mm at the front and 55mm at the rear, matching the approach of the road wheelset of the same name. The rims are hookless, with a wide hookless bead profile designed to resist impacts and reduce the risk of pinch flats in extreme situations.

The 30mm internal width puts it firmly in wide territory while staying usable with a broad range of gravel tires. Weights recorded with rim tape and valves fitted came in at 685g for the front wheel and 1,465g for the pair, which is lighter than the 1,480g figure quoted for the set.

Wind tunnel testing shared by Enve covers 32 km/h and 48 km/h with a 48mm tire fitted. The claims are 14.8 percent less drag than the brand’s original gravel wheelset and 1.8 percent less than a comparable wide-rim gravel wheelset, as well as less drag than Enve’s own SES 4.5 road wheels. Small margins, but gravel racing margins are small too.

The standard G SES 4.5 is priced at $2,850.

Enve G SES 4.5 Pro

The Pro version uses the same rim shape and depth, so the difference sits in the finishing kit. The G SES 4.5 Pro gets silver decals, silver bladed spokes and nipples that sit inside the rim, along with the brand’s Pro innerdrive hubs, which are lighter than the hubs on the standard 4.5. The hub and spoke design is shared with Enve’s road wheels.

The rear hub is compatible with Shimano and SRAM cassettes and has 42 teeth of engagement, which means quick pick-up when you start pedalling out of a corner.

For riders who care about rotating weight and a build that looks a little more special, the Pro is the natural step up. The trade-off is cost, with the 4.5 Pro priced at $3,100.

Enve G SES 6.7

The G SES 6.7 goes further again, with a 35mm internal width for riders who want the widest rim platform and the greatest aerodynamic benefit from very wide tires. It sits at the top of the range for riders chasing every marginal gain.

It is priced at $3,100, the same as the 4.5 Pro.

First Ride Impressions

The G SES 4.5 was fitted with Continental Doublenato 50mm tires and mounted on an Enve Mog. On a flat road at around 30 km/h into a slight headwind, the setup held roughly 215 watts and felt quick, and it carried that road speed onto gravel without feeling unsettled.

On loose gravel and rooty single track, the wide rim gave clear support to the wide tire at low pressure. Coming into a corner hard, the tire stayed planted instead of rolling over or squirming, which is exactly the behaviour a wider rim platform is designed to deliver. Comfort was strong as well, although with 50mm tires and a suspension fork in the mix, the tires and fork are doing much of that work.

Aerodynamic claims cannot realistically be verified out on the road, and a single ride is not the place to try. What is clear is that the overall package is fast, and that the wide rim and wide tire combination behaves predictably once the surface turns rough.

Tire Setup and Compatibility

Mounting the tires was simple. No levers were needed, and a standard track pump seated them without drama. That matters on wide gravel rims, where some tire and rim combinations can be fussy.

The hookless bead design is intended to handle impacts and reduce pinch flats, which is useful for riders running low pressures on chunky surfaces.

Buying Advice

For most gravel riders, the G SES 4.5 is the sensible choice. It is the lightest of the three, wide enough for modern gravel tires, and aero enough to matter without going to extremes. It is also the least expensive of the range at $2,850.

The G SES 4.5 Pro makes sense if you want lower hub weight and the silver finish, while the G SES 6.7 is for riders committed to the widest tires and the largest aero gains. All three are made in the United States and come with a limited lifetime warranty plus a limited lifetime crash replacement policy, which softens the cost of ownership at this price point.

Conclusion

Enve has moved its gravel line from compliance-first to aero-focused, and the three G SES wheelsets cover the range from versatile all-rounder to full aero build. The 4.5 will suit the widest group of riders, the Pro adds lighter hubs and a sharper finish, and the 6.7 is the choice for the widest tires and maximum speed. Matching the wheelset to the tires you actually ride remains the most important decision.