Not one week after I penned (an as yet un published) blog post about the vaguaries of tubeless tyres, and Enve release a well considered Tubeless ready tyre that addresses the fundamentrals of the technology.
ENVE have spent the last decade creating world beating Aerodynamic wheels and class leading carbon components.
They have now announced a range of Tubeless tyres suitable for both hooked and hookless beads and which, while focussed on aerodynamics, also deal with the entire tubeless question rather than focussing on a single aspect - be that speed through rolling resistance or aerodynamics; puncture resistance and durability; low weight or user-friendliness.
ENVE promise 'real-world fast' and the new SES Road Tyres have been engineered to offer a unique balance of these core performance attributes that result in a better rider experience for ENVE and Non-ENVE wheel customers alike.
Enve pioneered the hookless bead rim which immeasurably helped with tubeless set ups in the past. However, the inconsistencies in tyre manufacture has resulted in numerous issues in recent times. Enve have saught to remedy the problem while exercising greater control of both rim-tyre interface and delivering enhanced aerodynamics and the new tyres are constructed to guarantee a robust sealing interface and compatibility with hooked and hookless rim designs alike.
Aside from competitive aerodynamics, the SES Road Tyres deliver competitively efficient rolling-resistance, low-weight and leading puncture protection through the use of a performance-oriented casing construction that includes Vectran™ as the primary means of puncture protection.
SES Road Tyres are designed to meet the needs of road racers and everyday riders. They are available in four sizes (700x 25c, 27c, 29c, and 31c) to ensure there is a tyre for each of ENVE customer’s wheelsets and - more importantly - ride style.
Given that ENVE’s SES wheel range features rims with internal widths of 19mm, 21mm, 23mm, and 25mm, the tyre’s packaging clearly communicates how each tyre will measure at operating pressure when it is paired with each internal rim width option. For example, a 29mm tyre measures 28, 29, 30 and 31mm when mounted on internal rims of 19, 21, 23 and 25mm. So it is now possible for riders to more carefully select their tyres based on clearly defined sizes and based on their requirements and chosen riding style.
Enve have partnered with Czech tyre manufacturer TUFO for the project and as one who has used Tufo tyres in the past, this is a pleasing prospect. Tufo make - to my mind - some of the best fitting Tubular tyres on the market and have pioneered novel tyre technology for some time.
While the SES Road Tyre has racing in its DNA, evolution has indicated that thoroughbred race tyres lack the durability required for the modern road rider’s appetite for adventure. Come rain or rough road, the SES Road Tyre is ready.
Using a blend of natural and synthetic rubbers to make up the composition of the tread compound it is balanced for low-rolling resistance and longevity while activated silica ensures excellent wet-weather performance.
From a performance perspective and considering they have been developed with Aero wizard Simon Smart, it will come as no surprise that the SES Tyres deliver. Developed in CFD and the wind tunnel, and tested in the real-world, ENVE SES Tyres are proven to maximize aerodynamics when paired with an ENVE SES wheelset. Everything has been considered - right down to the drag of the tread pattern and Enve have even managed to get their logo into the tread and reduce drag while doing so! Despite their obvious optimisation for the brand's own wheels, the SES Tyres will also improve aerodynamics of any aero road wheelset - so you can't lose.
Rolling resistance is often talked about and plenty of people will buy a tyre based on this number alone - great in theory but hardly a sensible way to buy, certainly for the average roadie, and particularly considering our local roads. Enve have balanced their aero performance and rolling resistance with sensible levels of puncture resistance and durability to produce a tyre that delivers all things competitively and this has been independently verified by BicycleRollingResistance.com. Their protocol is to test the tyre at a fixed speed across a range of tyre pressures on a smooth diamond plated drum to establish a competitive baseline.
Rolling resistance tests are used to measure the amount of friction or resistance that exists between the tyre and the surface upon which it is rolling. There are many variables that define the rolling efficiency, namely the roughness of the surface, tyre volume, rim volume, air pressure, tread compound, and casing construction. With these factors, one must also consider ancillary performance such as aerodynamics, tread compound, puncture resistance, and weight to truly establish the holistic potential of a tyre.
The SES Road Tyre underwent many revisions, manipulating the casing materials, laminate, and tread to achieve a competitively fast rolling tyre without sacrificing other key performance metrics like durability, and weight and while Enve have clearly developed the tyres to perform optimally on their own rims, they are equally at home on any suitable rim and ENVE believe the tyres will enhance the ride of most.