Enve Foundation Wheels (45 or 65)

[Nickt]

Anyone running these?
Love em?
Hate em?

[pgrizzwald]

https://youtu.be/7Vxsf8p4WKo

[Nickt]

Originally Posted by pgrizzwald

https://youtu.be/7Vxsf8p4WKo

Thanks! Seems like a pretty open and shut case after a video like that.

[9tubes]

I dunno. Enve had the tire-slicing problem with sharp edges on their beads. Then the rim-exploding problem. In both cases Enve refused to take responsibility. And those were the expensive wheels. The Foundation wheels are Enve's attempt to cut corners and price.

[Nickt]

Originally Posted by 9tubes

I dunno. Enve had the tire-slicing problem with sharp edges on their beads. Then the rim-exploding problem. In both cases Enve refused to take responsibility. And those were the expensive wheels. The Foundation wheels are Enve's attempt to cut corners and price.

Hmm, interesting. I'm unfamiliar with those issues, but had heard that their warranty program was great.

Did you have those experiences personally, or those were just reported failures?

[yinzerniner]

Originally Posted by 9tubes

I dunno. Enve had the tire-slicing problem with sharp edges on their beads. Then the rim-exploding problem. In both cases Enve refused to take responsibility. And those were the expensive wheels. The Foundation wheels are Enve's attempt to cut corners and price.

Tire slicing issue was mostly for cotton cased clinchers/tubeless tires, but yeah the radius of the beads was not to spec for safe use with softer materials. Never heard any problems with non-cotton tires, although Enve passing the buck on that was problematic.

The "rim exploding" problem was more user error than anything, and since Enves are the most widely known premium brand that extolled the virtues of tubeless they got the most heat/infamy for the problem.
https://bikerumor.com/2019/03/12/env...-from-popping/

That being said the Foundations are pretty limited since they're for tubeless tires that are approved with hookless beads, which eliminates a lot of very nice/fast rolling stock (eg GP5K Tubeless). Also, they use their own alloy hubs (decent, not great) and lower-spec spokes. Yes, the warranty is great but some could argue it's to make up for some shortcomings. Good specs, brand name, great warranty and dealer support.

If you must purchase now would probably go with the Aeolus Pro 51 which were just announced. Almost all the benefits of the Enve with none of the compromises, since they're hooked rims, use DT internals and cost $400 less
https://bikerumor.com/2021/04/15/are...-pro-51-depth/

If you can wait, a custom made set from one of the trusted Chinese wheel manufacturers will cost the same or less but beat the pants off the Enves

[9tubes]

Originally Posted by Nickt

Hmm, interesting. I'm unfamiliar with those issues, but had heard that their warranty program was great.

Try an internet search. There's lots of information. There's even a video of an Enve rim exploding in a shop. Enve refused the warranty claim.

[9tubes]

Originally Posted by yinzerniner

Tire slicing issue was mostly for cotton cased clinchers/tubeless tires, but yeah the radius of the beads was not to spec for safe use with softer materials. Never heard any problems with non-cotton tires, although Enve passing the buck on that was problematic.

The "rim exploding" problem was more user error than anything, and since Enves are the most widely known premium brand that extolled the virtues of tubeless they got the most heat/infamy for the problem.
https://bikerumor.com/2019/03/12/env...-from-popping/

Do you work for Enve?

User error? The carbon rim bed is air-permeable, which means Enve didn't use enough resin and enough pressure in the molding process. Enve made up for it with a special rim tape and failed to tell buyers that with any typical tape the rims would explode. That's "user error" in the sense of that famous Wall Street saying, "if he was stupid enough to get cheated then it's his own fault."

With the great alternatives out there, why would anyone buy products with these problems?

[yinzerniner]

Originally Posted by 9tubes

Do you work for Enve?

User error? The carbon rim bed is air-permeable, which means Enve didn't use enough resin and enough pressure in the molding process. Enve made up for it with a special rim tape and failed to tell buyers that with any typical tape the rims would explode. That's "user error" in the sense of that famous Wall Street saying, "if he was stupid enough to get cheated then it's his own fault."

Do you work for Zipp? See how childish that can get?

And your Wall Street analogy is completely nonsensical - a better finance-themed analogy would be the TARP program, where a problem was only rectified by buying more of what the bad-actor produced.

The rims exploding had NOTHING to do with the air permeability of the rim bed - it had to do with tape not installed correctly and air passing into the hollow cavity.

Now it's totally fair to argue that it's a design fault that air leakage from rim tape being loose causes such a catastrophic failure - the internal spoke nipples of the Enve rims probably hurt in this regards since there's fewer places for the pressure to go if air gets past the tape. Similar issues arose with other wheelsets (like the first-gen Prime RR50), and haven't seen much other documented instances of Enve rims exploding.

Originally Posted by 9tubes

With the great alternatives out there, why would anyone buy products with these problems?

Completely agree, with the alternatives out there I don't think the benefits of the Foundation series outweighs the negatives, thus the recommendation at the end.

[m_sasso]

Originally Posted by pgrizzwald

https://youtu.be/7Vxsf8p4WKo

Shamwow guy incarnate?

[morrisericd]

I had the exploding rim issue - there's a pretty long thread about it on here if you do a search. Enve has great customer service if you're the original owner. If not, you're **** out of luck. Their policy is very clear.

I really tried to get them to understand that there are defects and warranty issues and then there are catastrophic life ending / changing issues that they should take care of, no matter who owned their product at the time. They disagreed. I now no longer buy Enve products.

There are lots of other great wheel companies out there like Boyd and one of our forum sponsors, Next Wheels. I have wheel sets from both and would highly recommend them!

[Nickt]

Appreciate the other wheel set recommendations, but this has somehow turned into an exploding rim share. I get that it speaks to the Enve's manufacturing standards, but has anyone experienced this on the Foundation 45 or 65s?

I imagine if you're launching a new line of wheels, you would address any catastrophic issues found your other products.

Still curious if anyone has actually riden these and what that feedback is?