26 AM:
I wanted to test the 26 AM rims a bit differently that the 29 XC rims. In my mind, the pedaling performance and claims of ENVE were totally supported by my findings in the XC test, so I wanted to find out how the AMs rode in choppy and rocky terrain; how they stood up to abuse; what, if any, performance gains would be noticed; and in what manner said gains might manifest themselves, since true pedaling efficiency is masked somewhat by six inches of travel front and rear, big meaty tires, and 30-plus-pound bike weights.
My trail bike setup is built with a single 32t front ring and an 11-36 rear cassette, with approximately six inches of travel, front and rear. I did not notice anywhere near as big a (or much of any) difference in pedaling the bike on continuous uphills as I did on the far more efficient rigid 29er. I did, however, notice a gain in my ability to pedal the bike with ENVE wheels in technical, rough, and rocky sections. The wheel stiffness was very apparent, as the rear tire was more willing to stick to off-camber rocks and continue to drive the bike forward, opposed to slipping off rocks as an aluminum rim will do when it flexes and loses traction under pedaling.
The wheel stiffness was also apparent when forcefully driving the front end while descending. The bike felt altogether more playful and responsive to rider input when popping over rocks, manualing at logs, holding a line through heavily eroded trail sections, and most especially at sprinting out of a corner.
Finally, I have very intentionally beat on these rims as hard as my own personal safety would allow. I have repeatedly cased the rim on dirt jumps, tagged rocks dead-on with tires aired up way to soft (cutting the tire in the process) and simply ridden them with reckless abandon five days a week for the last four months. I probably have 60 or 70 total days on them so far. This abuse would have destroyed an aluminum rim several times over. From what I have seen so far, I do not think “durability” should be a concern for ENVE rims. I do intend to post a long-term review on the rims, and will certainly update should something wind up going wrong.
I can say that the ENVE rim technology translates into making the riding experience a bit more fun. I found I was able to hold a line and drive the bike a bit harder, with more control. I also found myself walking far less frequently on steep rocky climbs—which is super rad.
(See Joe Hanrahan’s ENVE Twenty6 AM wheelset review.)
NEXT: 26 DH