GEAR DIVE
ENVE's new G SES wheel line arrives with a straightforward argument: the fastest thing you can do for your gravel bike right now is put proper aero wheels under it.
There is a version of gravel cycling that is not interested in aerodynamics. It is interested in sunrise starts, and chunky tires, and the particular satisfaction of arriving filthy at a place you had to earn. This is a legitimate version. It is also not the version that ENVE built the G SES for. The G SES — three wheels, one thesis — is built for the rider who still wants all of that but also wants to go faster. Who has noticed that gravel racing has converged, over the past few years, on speeds and dynamics that look a lot like road racing with better scenery. Who understands that at 30 miles per hour, on a wheel optimized for the wide tires that modern gravel demands, aerodynamics starts to matter in ways that feel very real at the end of a long day.
ENVE’s argument, backed by wind tunnel data and shaped by the program’s connection to Gravel World Championship-winning athletes, is that nobody had properly solved the wheel-and-tire system for this kind of riding. The conventional wisdom was that gravel wheels couldn’t be meaningfully aero — too much tire, too much drag, too unpredictable off the front. ENVE’s counter is that wide tires, optimized with correspondingly wide rim profiles, create a smoother aerodynamic transition than anything narrower. The G SES 6.7 PRO, their flagship, reportedly saves around 8 watts at 32 kph over a baseline shallow rim and 25 watts at 48 kph. Those are numbers that used to live in the road racing conversation. They’ve moved.
The G SES line is offered in three configurations, each sharing the same design philosophy — dissimilar front and rear rim depths, shaped independently for the airflow demands of each position — but differing in depth, hub specification, and price.
The G SES 6.7 PRO is the uncompromising one. A 60mm front and 67mm rear, 35mm internal width, ENVE’s new Innerdrive PRO hub (ceramic bearings, ultralight 40-tooth ratchet, 281g for the hubset), Silver Alpha Ultralite spokes, alloy nipples. Wheelset weight comes in at 1,580g. The depth and the internal width exist in a deliberate relationship: wider rims for wider tires for the specific aerodynamic payoff that ENVE’s tunnel work identified. This wheel is made for racing on courses where aerodynamics pays dividends over long flat stretches, and ENVE is candid about the one context where it doesn’t — climbs where weight, rather than drag, is the limiting factor.
The G SES 4.5 PRO is the more versatile answer to that tradeoff. At 49mm front and 55mm rear, with a 30mm internal width, it gives up some of the 6.7’s aerodynamic headline numbers in exchange for a wheel that works across a wider range of terrain. Same Innerdrive PRO hub spec, same alloy nipples and Ultralite spokes, but lighter overall at 1,480g. ENVE positions it as the choice for riders who want aero without sacrificing handling dynamics on varied courses. The price is the same as the 6.7 PRO — $3,100 per set — which tells you something about where ENVE sees the value sitting.
The G SES 4.5 (without the PRO suffix) uses the same rim as the 4.5 PRO but swaps in ENVE’s Innerdrive Premium hub — stainless steel bearings, 60-tooth ratchet, Sapim CX-Ray spokes, brass nipples. The result is a marginally heavier wheelset (1,565g) at a slightly lower price point ($2,850), with the same aerodynamic profile as its PRO counterpart. The distinction matters primarily to the rider who weighs hub maintenance preferences and budget against each other; the aero story is identical.
One thing worth noting for anyone considering the G SES on a custom build: the recommended tire range is 44–52mm for all three models, and the minimum is 40mm on the 4.5 family and 44mm on the 6.7 PRO. These are not wheels optimized for a 38mm tire ridden conservatively. They are optimized for the way the gravel racing world actually rides — the big, fast, aero-adjacent version — and a fit that accounts for frame tire clearance becomes a meaningful part of the build conversation. If you’re bringing a G SES into a custom project, it’s worth confirming your clearances before the wheels are on order.
We can help with that.
← Swipe to compare →
| G SES 6.7 PRO 60mm F / 67mm R | G SES 4.5 PRO 49mm F / 55mm R | G SES 4.5 49mm F / 55mm R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | |||
| Rider profile | Race-focused gravel rider; flat to rolling courses; maximum aero advantage | Versatile racer or serious enthusiast; varied terrain; balanced performance | Performance-oriented rider; same aero profile as 4.5 PRO at a lower entry point |
| Course type | Fast and flat; aero pays at every kph | Mixed terrain; climbs and descents where weight and handling matter | Mixed terrain; same geometry as 4.5 PRO |
| Rim | |||
| Depth — front | 60mm | 49mm | 49mm |
| Depth — rear | 67mm | 55mm | 55mm |
| Internal width | 35mm | 30mm | 30mm |
| Sidewall width | 3.8mm | 3.8mm | 3.8mm |
| Bead type | Wide Hookless (tubeless) | Wide Hookless (tubeless) | Wide Hookless (tubeless) |
| Brake | Centerlock disc | Centerlock disc | Centerlock disc |
| Made in | Ogden, Utah, USA | Ogden, Utah, USA | Ogden, Utah, USA |
| Hubs | |||
| Hub model | Innerdrive PRO | Innerdrive PRO | Innerdrive Premium |
| Bearings | PRO Ceramic | PRO Ceramic | Premium Stainless Steel |
| Ratchet | Ultralight 40t PRO | Ultralight 40t PRO | 60-tooth |
| Hubset weight | 281g | 281g | 326g |
| Build | |||
| Spokes | Silver Alpha Ultralite | Silver Alpha Ultralite | Sapim CX-Ray |
| Nipples | Alpina Nylock Alloy Internal | Alpina Nylock Alloy Internal | Alpina Nylock Brass Internal |
| Hole count | 24h front & rear | 24h front & rear | 24h front & rear |
| Spoke tension | 120kgf | 120kgf | 120kgf |
| Weight | |||
| Front wheel | 735g | 685g | 725g |
| Rear wheel | 845g | 795g | 840g |
| Wheelset (incl. tape & valves) | 1,580g | 1,480g | 1,565g |
| Tire Compatibility | |||
| Recommended size | 44–52mm | 44–52mm | 44–52mm |
| Minimum size | 44mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Max pressure | 50 PSI / 3.4 bar | 50 PSI / 3.4 bar | 50 PSI / 3.4 bar |
| Aerodynamic Performance (vs. baseline shallow rim) | |||
| Drag reduction avg at 32 kph | 15.7% | 13.6% | 13.6% |
| Drag reduction avg at 48 kph | 14.2% | 12.8% | 12.8% |
| Watt savings at 32 kph | ~8w over baseline | — | — |
| Watt savings at 48 kph | ~25w over baseline | — | — |
| Warranty & Protection | |||
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime | Limited Lifetime | Limited Lifetime |
| Crash replacement | Limited Lifetime Crash Replacement (separate program) | Limited Lifetime Crash Replacement (separate program) | Limited Lifetime Crash Replacement (separate program) |
| Wheelset price | $3,100 | $3,100 | $2,850 |
