My first set of aftermarket carbon mountain bike wheels were a set of ENVEs on my first full-suspension bike back in 2014 or so. I knew ditching my sluggish, stock alloy wheels for a set of something better would make a huge difference and it was an opportunity to convert to a tubeless setup which was still relatively new then.
ENVE AM30 carbon wheels key info
- Internal rim width: 30mm
- Designed for: Trail and all-mountain riding
- Weight: 1,850g / pair
- Price: starting at $1,400 for the pair
- Buy from Enve and Jenson USA.
I didn’t have the kind of money to splurge on the roughly $2,500 carbon hoops at the time, but I found a local rider who wanted to part with his used ENVE wheels for about a third of the price. It was still a lot of money to spend on after market wheels, but I was convinced from then on that wheels are often the best component you can upgrade on an OEM-specced bike.
ENVE set the tone for the premium wheel market back then and the spinning white logos on the black rims were an instantly recognizable product and they sparked a lot of conversations between myself and other riders. But, my-oh-my, how the market is changed.
ENVE is still a top-shelf wheel brand, but quite a few others have joined them and many of those brands are selling a comparable product at a better price. When the ENVE AM30 wheels were released three years ago, it was refreshing to see the brand make a product at a more accessible price. After spending the summer months on the AM30s, they’ve quickly become one of my favorite wheel sets tested over the past few years.
About the ENVE AM30 wheels
The ENVE AM30 wheels are billed as an all-around “Foundation” wheelset suitable for anything from trail to gravity riding and are priced starting at $1,400. (When they were released, they sold for $1,600+). The pair I tested comes with Industry Nine 1/1 hubs and are available in either 6-bolt or Centerlock brake rotors and SRAM XD, Shimano MicroSpline, or HG freehub bodies. The wheels come in either 27.5″, 29″, or mixed-wheel diameters. Unfortunately, ENVE only offers Boost-spaced wheels with Shimano Centerlock and Super Boost wheels have 6-bolt.
The AM30s use an offset spoke arrangement to balance vibration damping, compliance, cornering quality and acceleration. A “Wide Hookless Bead” dissipates impact energy and protects against tire snake bites, where the tire is pinched between the rim and a rock, slicing the rubber open. What this means looking at the rim is a square profile with rounded edges on the rim beads. From the looks of it, it helps to soften or dull the blow.
Instead of drilling through the rim, ENVE weaves carbon fibers around the spoke holes to maintain strength and reduce the need for wheel truing.
The AM30s use a 30mm inner width made for what most mountain bikers are using on the trail these days; tires between 2.3″ and 2.6″ of width. They weigh about 1,850g for the pair.
The wheels come with a lifetime incident protection policy, a discounted crash replacement program for original owners, and a 5-year manufacturer’s or “Factory” warranty.
Last but not least, ENVE wheels are made in the USA. It’s a bit of a funny situation us consumers find ourselves in, demanding products produced Stateside, but scoffing when we see the price tag. For those who have wondered why ENVE wheels carry their price tag, manufacturing in the U.S. likely plays a big part. It’s up to you if that matters or not.
Installation and setup
I received the ENVE AM30 wheels directly from ENVE and they included valves and rim tape, however it was up to me to install both. That’s fine with me, but it may not be to everyone’s liking or comfort level. The tape worked fine though and the tires I mounted popped into the rim and sealed up seamlessly.
The included valves are fine. They are nothing special. It might be nice to see a longer valve stem or something more than a basic black plastic valve cap to make the purchase feel special, but it’s not a huge deal.
It was a little annoying to need a rotor adapter for the Centerlock hubs. Any other brake rotor I have laying around is 6-bolt, and I do have adapters, but that means adding unnecessary weight and complexity to a degree. I ordered a new set of brake rotors since the previous ones I used were looking rough anyway.
On the trail
Testing wheels is a bit like comparing your favorite flavors of ice cream from different creameries or doughnuts from various bakeries. It’s easy to tell there is a difference between one and another, but it’s not always easy to communicate the differences. Rather, your taste buds will let you know which treat ranks the highest.
There are still a lot of wheel brands out there, including ENVE, that make wheel sets priced between $2,000 and $3,000. After spending some time on the AM30s, and referential time on a lot of other carbon wheel sets, I have a hard time imagining why I’d spend more for another wheel set.
Finding a balance between stiffness and compliance always seems to be the toughest task for wheel companies, but the ENVE AM30s sing the perfect note. The wheels are nothing short of responsive to pedaling input and spin up quickly, but lower the volume on rock chatter beneath the wheels, while floating over baby head and baseball sized rocks.
Under cornering power, the wheels remain stiff and responsive and hold their line. I’ve been using the AM30s on my 120/130mm trail bike and they’ve added more character to the already playful and confident bike.
It still seems funny to me that the Industry Nine 1/1 hubs which the AM30s use are marketed as a more entry-level hub, in the same way that the ENVE rims are. Like ENVE’s rims, the 1/1 hubs are an entry point into the brand, but when the top-of-the-line wheels are pushing the boundaries for performance and price, even the entry-level products perform astoundingly.
The Hydra hubs, with half-degree engagement, have always seemed excessive to me, and some might claim that more engagement equals more drag in the hub. I am somewhat of a hub snob and I don’t like low-engagement hubs, but the 1/1s with 4° engagement are as tight as I’d ever need, even with all of Colorado’s technical, rocky climbs.
Pros and cons of the ENVE AM30 mountain bike wheels
Pros
- Great ride quality, stiffness and compliance
- Good value for ENVE brand
- Comes with Industry Nine 1/1 hubs
Cons
- Non-taped rims
- 6-bolt options are limited
Bottom line
That’s about all I can report on the wheels. They have held up admirably and I haven’t had any damage issues and they are still as straight as an arrow.
- Price: Starting at $1,400
- Buy from Enve and Jenson USA.
