ENVE AR40 Wheelset
The ENVE AR40 is the all-road member of ENVE's Foundation line, the series that brings ENVE carbon rims and INNERDRIVE hubs in at a more accessible price. It uses a 40mm deep hookless carbon rim front and rear with a 25mm internal width, laced with Sapim CX-Ray J-bend spokes to INNERDRIVE Foundation hubs, for a set weight of 1,515 grams with tape, valves, and an HG freehub.
ENVE describes the AR40 as ultimate versatility for the on- and off-road rider, and the tire range backs that up: 27mm up to 50mm on the same rim. It is tested and qualified to ENVE's gravel standards, so it is not a road wheel that tolerates dirt but a wheel designed for both.
The AR40 is for the rider with one bike that sees pavement, chip seal, and gravel, who wants an aerodynamically shaped carbon rim and ENVE's warranty without stepping up to the SES or G SES price tier. ENVE builds it with the same molded-hole process and the same lifetime warranty as its SES and M Series wheels.
Design and construction
The AR40 rim is 25mm wide internally with a 3.6mm sidewall, which is ENVE's Wide Hookless Bead applied to an all-road rim. Depth is 40mm at both ends and the profile is aero-optimized around a 27mm tire. ENVE recommends 27 to 50mm tires, with 27mm as the minimum for approved tubeless tires and a maximum pressure of 80 psi (5.5 bar) at that size. The spoke and valve holes are molded rather than drilled, ENVE's patented process for stronger holes. Rim weight is 425 grams front and rear, and ERD is 579mm.
The wheel is built 24-hole with Sapim CX-Ray J-bend spokes and Alpina Nylock brass nipples at 120 kgf. The INNERDRIVE Foundation hub is ENVE's 100 percent in-house design with an oversized 42mm ratchet drive, using J-bend flanges rather than the straight-pull shells of the Premium and Pro hubs. ENVE notes the Foundation hub's reduced axle stress means less bearing drag and longer bearing life.
The AR40 is centerlock disc, 700c, 12x100 front and 12x142 rear. Complete wheel weight is 690 grams front and 825 grams rear with tape and valve; valves are 61mm and tape is 29mm.
How it rides
On pavement with a 28 or 30mm tire, the AR40 feels like a fast road wheel. The 40mm depth is deep enough to notice on flat roads and shallow enough to ignore in wind, and the CX-Ray J-bend build is stiff without being harsh. Move to a 40mm gravel tire at lower pressure and the same wheel becomes a capable gravel wheel with the hookless bead doing its job over rocks and washboard. Because the rim is hookless and tubeless-only, plan on tubeless-ready tires and stay within ENVE's pressure guidance for the narrower sizes.
The AR40 will not match the SES 3.4 or SES 4.5 in a straight line, nor the G SES wheels on wide tires, and it is heavier than either. What it offers is one honest all-road wheel that does not need to be swapped when the road ends. It suits endurance road riders, gravel riders on moderate courses, commuters who race on weekends, and anyone building a do-everything disc bike.
Specifications
| Spokes | Sapim CX-Ray J-Bend | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hub | ENVE INNERDRIVE - Foundation | ENVE INNERDRIVE - Foundation | |
| Hub Spacing | Front: 12x100 | Rear: 12x142 | ||
| Nipples | Alpina Nylock Brass | ||
| Spoke Tension | 120kgf | ||
| Brake Type | Centerlock | ||
| Effective Rim Diameter (ERD) | 579mm (+/- 3mm) | ||
| Internal Rim Width | 25mm | ||
| Sidewall Width | 3.6mm | ||
| Pinch Flat Technology | Wide Hookless Bead | ||
| Hole Count | 24h | ||
| Depth | 40mm | ||
| Tubeless Tape Width | 29mm | ||
| Tubeless Valve Length | 61mm | 61mm | |
| Spacing | Front: 12x100 | Rear: 12x142 | ||
| Rim Weight | 425g | 425g | |
| Wheel Weight | 690g | 825g | |
| Wheelset Weight | 1515g (Includes Tape and Valves - HG Freehub) | ||
| Recommended Tire Size | 27 - 50mm | ||
| Minimum Tire Size | 27mm * | ||
| Maximum Tire Pressure for Min. Tire (psi | bar) | 80 psi | 5.5 bar | ||
This version
This page is the AR40 Wheelset itself, not a custom build. The choices on this page are driver type: None (front wheel), Shimano HG, SRAM XDR, Shimano Micro Spline. This listing is the complete wheelset - front and rear together, not a single wheel.
Fit and compatibility
The AR40 is sold per wheel with white decals. Choose Front or Rear; rear wheels are offered with Shimano HG, SRAM XDR, or Shimano Micro Spline freehub bodies. Campagnolo N3W is not offered on the Foundation hub, so Campagnolo riders should look at the SES 3.4 instead.
It fits 700c disc road, all-road, and gravel frames with 12x100 front and 12x142 rear thru-axles and centerlock rotors. Lockrings are not included.
What ENVE says about testing
ENVE Composites designs, tests and manufactures its carbon rims in an 80,000 square foot facility in Ogden, Utah. ENVE describes the site as having manufacturing, assembly, design, R&D, test lab, customer support and the business team under one roof, and says it has been committed to US manufacturing since 2007. Every SES rim is handmade in Ogden, and ENVE states that a new lay-up technician undergoes six months of training before certification. Wheels are built to order, which ENVE says minimizes waste and allows custom hub, spoke and decal options.
ENVE publishes its impact test program in detail. Three in-house standards are used: a standard impact test (since 2007) that drops a weight onto both rim walls to simulate square edge hits, with drop heights of 10 inches for XC, 12 inches for trail and 14 inches for gravity rims; a single sided impact test (since 2014) that loads only one rim wall, at 5, 6, 8 and 10 inches for XC, trail, gravity and DH race; and an every spoke hole impact test (since 2021) in which the wheel is rotated after each hit so every spoke hole is struck until first visible damage, which can mean more than 100 impacts on one rim. ENVE reports its current M Series rims outscore the previous generation on that cumulative fatigue score by 10 to 47 percent depending on model.
ENVE's hookless rims use a Wide Hookless Bead, a wider, more forgiving surface at the leading edge of the rim that ENVE says dissipates impact energy and reduces the likelihood of pinch flatting a tubeless tire. ENVE states the hookless design allows machined metal tooling to hold a precise bead seat diameter that meets the ETRTO requirement. In the eight years since its first hookless road wheels, ENVE reports more than 1,000 tubeless tire tests; for a tire to be listed as approved it must hold 120 psi, or 165 percent of the ETRTO/ISO reference pressure, well beyond the ISO 4210 requirement of 110 percent for five minutes. Maximum pressures are published per model: SES 3.4 and SES 4.5 are rated 80 psi with 27 to 29 mm tires and 67 psi with tires over 30 mm; SES 2.3 and SES 6.7 are rated 90 psi with a 25 mm tire. ENVE advises always defaulting to the lower of the rim and tire maximum. ENVE does not publish a wheel specific rider weight limit; its tire pressure guidance suggests riders in the 240 to 250 lb range move to 30 to 32 mm tires to stay within pressure limits, and its complete bikes carry a 300 lb rider limit.
The Smart ENVE System (SES) is built on the Real-World Fast philosophy developed with aerodynamicist Simon Smart since 2009. Rather than optimizing for a steady wind tunnel condition, ENVE develops rim shapes for rapid airflow reattachment after gusts, and states that SES wheels are tested at 20 mph and 30 mph across a weighted range of wind angles, with a shallower front rim for crosswind stability and a deeper rear rim for reduced drag. The SES PRO line was developed with UAE Team Emirates and Tadej Pogacar under World Tour requirements, which ENVE notes include compliance with the governing bodies, and ENVE's Custom Road bike is stated to be UCI compliant and approved for UCI sanctioned events. The INNERDRIVE hub in current SES and G Series wheels uses a 42 mm oversized ratchet positioned over the bearings with Perfect Preload wave washers, and ENVE says it has been proven by UAE Team Emirates over tens of thousands of World Tour miles.
ENVE covers rims and components with a Limited Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for the original owner (hub internals and bearings one year); subsequent owners receive five years from the manufacture date. A separate crash replacement program replaces rims and components at no charge for the first three years from purchase, with a prorated discount after that, for original owners with proof of purchase. ENVE says it does not design products to be indestructible, and that labor and shipping are not included.
ENVE's videos
From ENVE
Warranty and certifications
- Limited Lifetime Warranty — Rims and components covered for the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship; paint two years; hub internals and bearings one year; subsequent owners five years from manufacture date (source)
- Crash replacement — Rims and components replaced at no charge for three years from original purchase, prorated discount after that; original owners with proof of purchase; shipping and labor not included (source)
- Impact test standards — Three in-house standards: standard (10/12/14 in drop by category), single sided (5/6/8/10 in) and every spoke hole cumulative fatigue test, 100 plus impacts to first damage (source)
- Hookless tire compatibility testing — Over 1,000 tubeless tire tests; approved tires must hold 120 psi, 165 percent of the ETRTO/ISO reference, versus the ISO 4210 requirement of 110 percent; bead seat diameter meets ETRTO (source)
- Maximum tire pressure (hookless) — SES 3.4 and 4.5: 80 psi with 27 to 29 mm tires, 67 psi over 30 mm; SES 2.3 and 6.7: 90 psi with 25 mm tire; default to the lower of rim and tire maximum (source)
- Made in USA — Rims handmade in ENVE's 80,000 sq ft Ogden, Utah facility; lay-up technicians certified after six months of training; UCI compliant Custom Road frame built in the same facility (source)
Sources on ENVE's site:
- ENVE: U.S. Made By Choice
- ENVE: M Series Impact Testing 2024
- ENVE: Hookless Rim Technology 101
- ENVE: Real World Fast
- ENVE: Tire Pressure
- ENVE: Warranty
ENVE publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder sells the finished wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Ordering it from ProWheelBuilder
ProWheelBuilder sells the AR40 as an authorized ENVE dealer. ENVE builds each wheel in Ogden, Utah and ships it complete with tape and valves. We are an independent wheel builder in Georgia; we do not manufacture the AR40, and our stock status for it mirrors ENVE's every night, so if ENVE is between production runs you will see that here. ENVE's crash replacement program also covers the rim for the original owner, free for the first three years.
If you want the AR40 rim on a different hub, or a 28-hole version for touring loads, we build ENVE rims to order in our Custom Wheel program.
Warranty
ENVE Composites's warranty. ENVE gives the original owner a five-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, alongside its Lifetime Incident Protection program, which covers rims, forks, bars, stems, seatposts and hubs damaged in riding incidents.
ProWheelBuilder. This is a complete wheelset built by its manufacturer rather than in our shop, so the maker's warranty above is the one that applies to it. ProWheelBuilder's own one-year wheel warranty covers the wheels we build. We will still handle a manufacturer claim on your behalf.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
AR40 questions
What tires can I run on the AR40?
ENVE recommends 27 to 50mm tubeless tires. The 27mm minimum applies to approved tubeless tires only, at a maximum of 80 psi.
Is the AR40 a gravel wheel or a road wheel?
Both. ENVE designs it for on- and off-road use and tests it to its gravel standards, with a 40mm depth and 25mm inner width that suit both tire types.
What is the INNERDRIVE Foundation hub?
ENVE's more affordable hub with the same 42mm oversized ratchet drive as the Premium, using J-bend spokes. The AR40 is laced to it with Sapim CX-Ray spokes.
Which freehubs come on the AR40 rear?
Shimano HG, SRAM XDR, or Shimano Micro Spline.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the AR40?
No. ENVE builds the AR40 in Ogden, Utah. ProWheelBuilder is an authorized reseller in Georgia and also builds custom wheels on ENVE rims.
Does the AR40 come with tubeless tape and valves?
Yes. ENVE ships it with 29mm tape and 61mm valves installed. Centerlock lockrings are not included.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build wheels for a living.
