ENVE M8 wheelset review: smooth-feeling wheels, but the cost is eye-watering

ENVE M8 wheelset specifications

Built with strength in mind, the M8 wheel has been designed to withstand the rough and tumble of gravity riding, whether that’s on an electric mountain bike, enduro bike or downhill bike.

Weight savings have been made over the tougher DH-only M9, to help riders who are pedalling rather than uplifting to the tops of descents.

The glossy M8’s external carbon finish is injected with plenty of impressive tech and hours upon hours of research and development.

It’s all about compliance

The front and rear rims use different profiles.

Unusually, the front (32mm internal, 40mm external) is wider than the rear (29mm internal, 39mm external), claimed to increase tyre volume and support so lower tyre pressures can be run in a bid to boost grip.

The narrower rear rim is claimed to improve forgiveness, reduce tyre volume and improve rolling resistance.

Both rims have 10mm internal depth and a nigh-on identical 21mm external depth, claimed to balance weight, compliance and reliability.

Externally, the sidewalls have a slight concavity, again designed to balance strength and smoothness.

Internally, the front and rear rims' tyre hook/lip cross-section differs. The front is narrower so more material can be used where damage is likely to occur, while the rear is wider to boost puncture protection and overall strength.

The rims' lips have a very wide design, claimed to reduce pinch flats. The ‘blunt’ lip/outer edge is claimed to dissipate forces better, reducing pinch flats by 50 per cent.

Rigorous in-house testing puts the new M8 wheels at 21 per cent tougher compared to the M730 they replace, and 30 per cent stronger than the competition in the same test.

Hubs, spokes and nipples

Unlike previous ENVE rims, the spoke nipples are now external. The rim’s carbon fibre is moulded to create the nipple eyelet for lower weight without impacting strength.

The spoke nipples have a nyloc insert, claimed to stop them from de-tensioning as the wheel cycles in and out of flexion.

They’ve got an asymmetrical design, with the spokes sitting offset from the centre of the rim. ENVE says this is also to boost compliance.

The Innerdrive rear hub uses a steel 42mm ratchet freehub system, with options to change engagement points between 9, 6, 4.5 (stock) and 3.6 degrees.

The ratchet sits over the bearings, claimed to reduce stress on the axle and boost bearing longevity.

Factory fit

The rims are taped from the factory and valves are included. Two spare spokes and nipples come in the box, too.

ENVE offer 29in and 27.5in wheels, with Shimano Microspline and SRAM XD freehubs options.

My 29in Boost 110x15mm axle Center Lock front wheel weighed 920g, and the rear 29in Boost 148x12mm axle Center Lock XD Driver rear wheel weighed 1,090g.

The rims have a five-year factory defect warranty and a five-year (although not additional) accident damage programme with a tapering discount on the purchase of new rims.

In years one to three, replacements are free. Then, in years three to four you get 50 per cent off, in years four to five it’s 35 per cent off and after that, you’re on your own.

ENVE M8 wheelset performance

I tested the ENVE M8 on my trusty Marin Alpine Trail XR enduro bike, first on my home trails in Scotland’s Tweed Valley – renowned for punishing bike parts, especially wheels – and then the even-rockier runs at Aviemore and near to Ballater.

Conditions ranged from bogging and wet through to rubbly, dry and dusty.

I fitted the wheels with the Maxxis High Roller III 3C MaxxGrip DH Casing tyres, a model I’m very familiar with and have used on other test wheels.

I inflated these to 27psi for the front and 29psi for the rear, for the recent dry conditions, and 25psi front and 27psi rear when it was wet. I didn’t use inserts.

ENVE M8 wheelset setup and tubeless inflation

Replacing the Innerdrive’s freehub is relatively easy, if you’ve got the right tools.

You’ll need two 18mm flat spanners to grip the axle and remove the driveside end cap, so the freehub can be pulled away from the hub’s body.

An adjustable spanner or socket are both capable of doing the job, but if you’re going to be switching freehubs around – or want to access the hub’s bearings for replacement – you’re going to need the proper tools for the job.

Compared to Industry Nine’s (I9) tool-free 1/1 or Hydra freehub and bearing replacement, having to dig out uncommon tools is frustrating.

Likewise, DT Swiss' tool-free freehub removal looks positively slick in the face of ENVE’s Innerdrive setup, although both require additional tools to change out bearings, unlike the I9.

Installing tyres – especially DoubleDown or DH-casing models most likely to be used with the M8s – is nothing short of torturous.

The square, wide profile of both rims makes it virtually impossible to get a tyre on the rim without tyre levers.

But the gusto needed to get the bead over the rim’s lips far outstrips the strength of any plastic tyre lever I’ve used. I bent and snapped several plastic levers trying to fit my DH-casing tyres.

A metal tyre lever is better suited to the strength required, but it easily damages and marks the rim’s surface – using one is not advised on a carbon rim.

A low-volume track pump wasn’t sufficient to seat and inflate the tyres on the rim, but a standard tubeless inflator was. The sudden gush of air was all that was required.

They began sealing at around 20psi, but they needed inflating to 40psi before they were fully seated.

ENVE M8 wheelset on-trail feel

Fortunately, their firm and accurate on-trail feel makes all the effort to get ready to ride worth it.

Charge into embedded, square-edged rocks and there’s a great balance between holding your line and not having your teeth shaken out.

Your bike sticks true to your chosen path, without any off-putting flexy, banana-like feelings that are true of weaker, less solid wheels.

But it’s not at the expense of feeling harsh or that they’re so rigid, your wheels can get deflected off-line.

You don’t have to work hard to keep the bike in check. Letting it run, relaxing and enjoying the ride are attributes facilitated by the wheels’ balance of stiffness and smoothness.

Hammer a square-radius turn and the front retains its shape, not buckling or over-flexing under the horizontal loads.

It’s the same story at the rear – at least perceptibly – but fresh rubber marks on the inside of my bike’s chainstays and seatstays say otherwise.

Clearly, the rear wheel's in-built, intentional extra flex is working to provide a smooth, controlled ride, but it’s not doing so overtly; I never once wished it could be stiffer.

An insulative element

Instead of holding on for dear life when you’re descending, the wheels shelter and protect you from unwanted inputs.

There’s no spoke twang or noise as they cycle in and out of tension.

But they’re far from quiet. The extremely buzzy, loud freewheel may be overbearing for some, especially those who are used to DT’s Ratchet EXP hubs.

The flipside to this noise is almost instant engagement, even with the stock 4.5-degree ratchet.

Quick get-you-out-of-trouble crank strokes help you clear a jump, or instant on-the-gas strokes to get back up to speed out of a turn, aren’t met with a pause or lag. Drive is instant.

If you can bear the noise, the performance is excellent.

The front and rear tyres' profiles are visually indistinguishable, and when measured are the same width, despite the rim’s difference in internal and external size.

Whether the pinch-flat protection truly works, or the DH-casing tyres are playing a bigger role remains to be seen, but I didn’t get a single puncture – despite a few loud, bangy rim bottom-outs – during the test period.