ENVE’s new G SES 6.7 Pro wheelset is the widest we've ever seen, measuring a whopping 35mm internally, doubling down on the current wider-is-better trend for gravel-optimised rims.
It's also notable for its depth, with 60mm-deep front and 67mm-deep rear rims, rendering it illegal for use in UCI road racing events. The dimensions overshadow the current deepest gravel rim Zipp offers (the 54mm-deep 303 XPLR), which ENVE says it has benchmarked against in testing.
The complete range comprises three models – the G SES 4.5 and 4.5 Pro have a contemporary 30mm inner-rim-width hookless profile, and 49mm (front) and 55mm (rear) depths.
We’ve seen gravel racing move to ever-wider tyres, so it makes sense for new wheels to accommodate those sizes. The trends at The Traka 2026 seemed to back that up, with a few as-yet unreleased wheelsets on the way sporting what look to be much wider rims than usual – such as the Newmen wheels on Lukas Pöstlberger's Rose Backroad FF.
Wider rims create a "huge opportunity"
ENVE says the move towards greater rim widths has given it a "huge aerodynamic opportunity" with both the very deep 6.7 wheels and the 4.5 Pros.
It has tested the 6.7 and the 4.5 against the current benchmark, Zipp’s 303 XPLR, running a 52mm ENVE Hex gravel tyre.
ENVE claims the 6.7s were between 1.5 and 15 watts more efficient across a wide range of yaw angles, tested at 32kph and 50kph, while the 4.5s tested at 0.25 and 6 watts faster.
Who can run the 6.7 Pro?
ENVE says the 6.7’s massive internal width is a good match for today’s modern wider gravel tyres. It recommends tyres of 44mm and above. Remember, it wasn't long ago that 40mm was considered optimal for gravel racing.
The brand say the new wheels are all tested to its own tyre-retention standards, which on this evidence seem to be somewhat at odds with the recommendations of some tyre makers, and most importantly, those of the ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation).
ENVE says its testing shows that if the difference between inner rim width and tyre width is below 10mm, there is a higher probability of pinch flats. This means a 44mm tyre (for example) on the 35mm internal rim width isn’t the optimal way to run the 6.7s.
Zipp’s 303 XPLR, at 32mm, is claimed to be compatible with 40mm tyres and above, but I don’t think either of these wide designs are at their optimum unless you opt for much bigger tyres. In turn, this brings a whole new headache over which bikes they’ll fit.
Tyre brand WTB says a 35mm inner-width rim is not recommended to be used with any tyre below 47mm, and even then, at 47mm it's only described as compatible, not ‘optimal’. For that, it suggests a minimum tyre width of 55mm (2.2in).
Continental, reflecting the ETRTO's recommendations, states that for an internal rim width range of 31-35mm, a tyre of between 58-83mm should be used.
However, the ETRTO standards haven’t been updated since 2024, so some revisions may allow for this discrepancy.
With current ‘recommendations’ from standards bodies and tyre makers, that leaves the G SES 6.7 Pro compatible with only a few of the latest large gravel tyres – or XC mountain bike tyres.
I asked ENVE for comment and Jake Pantone, VP of product and brand, explained the ETRTO offers a recommendation when it comes to rim width to tire width compatibility, "but this isn't a hard compatibility standard", stating they "were very curious to understand what the implications might be for running a large inner rim width-to-tyre width delta.
"We performed our standard blow-off testing in our lab with tyres ranging from sub-40mm to up to 52mm," he said. "G SES rims have a maximum tire pressure of 50psi / 3.4 BAR, [and] in order for a tyre to pass testing, it must achieve a max pressure of 90psi /6.2 BAR without blowing off."
Pantone said the margin for safety is 1.8-times the maximum rated pressure on the rim.
"We tested all ENVE's tyres, and quite a few competitor tyres and didn't experience a single blow off [in the 1.8-times pressure range]."
Pantone, who took part in The Traka himself, also said he (alongside "most" of ENVE's sponsored athletes) was running G SES 4.5 or 6.7 wheels at 15-25psi at the event, across a range of tyres between 44 and 55 mm wide – below the ETRTO's recommended limit.
Perhaps, then, bearing in mind ENVE's testing both in the lab and in the field, the ETRTO standards need to be refined, especially with the recent increase in tyre dimensions – both in gravel and on the road.
"Lest I sound too cavalier about ETRTO, I would like to communicate that we do follow ETRTO dimensional specifications explicitly, when it comes to tubeless rim dimensions, hooked beads, and other critical rim dimensions," he added. "These dimensions do promise to ensure maximised tubeless performance, tyre compatibility, and therefore safety."
For now, ENVE has been the first wheel builder to bring a such a wide hookless aero gravel rim to market, but as The Traka showed, it looks as if it might be the first in a coming trend.
New ENVE G Series range details
The three new wheelsets all feature ENVE’s own Innerdrive hubsets. The G SES 4.5 features the standard 362g Innerdrive hubset; on the 4.5 Pro and 6.7 Pro, the hubs are upgraded to the Pro version, complete with a lightweight body and ceramic bearings that help shave 60g from the weight at 281g (claimed).
All three models come with recommended tyre widths between 44 and 52mm.
The G SES 4.5 comes with a claimed weight of 725g for the 49mm-deep front wheel and 840g for the 55mm-deep rear. The wheels are priced at £3,199 / $2,800 / €3,599.
The G SES 4.5 Pro comes with a claimed weight of 685g for the 49mm-deep front wheel and 795g for the rear, with a £3,499 / $3,100 / €3,899 price.
The flagship G SES 6.7 Pros weigh in at 735g for the 60mm-deep front and 845g for the 67mm-deep rear, with the same £3,499 / $3,100 / €3,899 price as the 4.5 Pro.
