ENVE M8 Wheelset
The ENVE M8 is the wheel ENVE designed for aggressive gravity and eMTB riding, from enduro to downhill. It grew out of the M9 race program but with extra consideration for weight, so that longer days on the trail do not carry a downhill wheel's mass. ENVE calls it the real-world gravity wheel.
The M8 uses ENVE's patented Wide Hookless Bead pinch-flat protection and is built to J-bend INNERDRIVE hubs with round Sprint spokes, 28 in front and 32 in the rear. A 29 inch Boost set weighs 2,030 grams with tape and valves; a 29 front with a 27.5 rear weighs 2,006 grams.
Where the M9 Pro is the no-compromise downhill race wheel with a molded Protective Rim Strip, the M8 is the lighter, more versatile gravity wheel for riders who pedal to the top as often as they shuttle. It is the right choice for enduro racers, eMTB riders, and bike park regulars who still ride trails. It is also the M Series wheel ENVE offers in the widest range of axle and rotor standards.
Design and construction
The M8 front rim is 32mm wide internally with a 4.2mm hook width; the rear is 29mm internally with a wider 5.1mm hook for impact protection. Both are 21mm deep hookless rims, and ENVE says the bead reduces pinch-flat likelihood by 50 percent. The rims are shaped for 2.4 to 2.5 inch tires. Rim weight is 583 grams front and 597 grams rear in 29 inch, 588 grams for the 27.5 rear.
Lacing is J-bend Sprint round spokes, 28-hole front and 32-hole rear, with Alpina Nylock brass external nipples at 100 kgf. Stock spoke lengths are 300 and 298mm front, 292 and 296mm for the 29 rear and 274 and 276mm for the 27.5 rear. The INNERDRIVE J-bend hub carries an oversized steel ratchet, ships with the 80-tooth (4.5 degree) mountain ratchet, and accepts 40, 60 and 100-tooth alternatives. Brass external nipples are used front and rear, and the lower 100 kgf tension is part of the ride tune rather than a compromise.
The M8 is offered in centerlock or 6-bolt. Front spacing is 15x110 Boost with centerlock or 20x110 with 6-bolt; rear spacing is 12x148 Boost or 12x157 Superboost in either rotor standard.
How it rides
The M8 rides like a gravity wheel that does not punish you on the climb. Compared with the M9 Pro it is more than 150 grams lighter per set, and on a 160 to 170mm enduro bike that shows up on transitions and long pedal-ups. On the descent the round Sprint J-bend spokes at 100 kgf give the wheel a slightly softer, more damped feel than a bladed straight-pull build, which ENVE tuned deliberately for traction and reduced fatigue.
The 32mm front and 29mm rear inner widths support 2.4 and 2.5 inch tires at low pressure without folding, and the wide rear hook shrugs off the square-edge hits that end rides on lesser rims. The M8 suits enduro racers, eMTB riders who want a carbon wheel rated for the extra torque, and park riders who also pedal. The 15x110 centerlock front is the common choice on single-crown enduro forks; the 20x110 6-bolt front serves dual-crown downhill forks. Pure downhill racers who want the Protective Rim Strip should choose the M9 Pro.
Specifications
| ENVE M8 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | Rear | ||
| Rim Weight | 583g | 597g (29") 588g (27") | |
| Wheelset Weight | 29” Boost Wheel Set – 1996g + 34g for tape and valves = 2030g 29”/27” Boost Wheel Set – 1972g + 34g for tape and valve = 2006g | ||
| Internal Rim Width | 32mm | 29mm | |
| Hook Width | 4.2mm | 5.1mm | |
| Hole Count | 28 | 32 | |
| Depth | 21mm | 21mm | |
| Pinch Flat Technology | Wide Hookless Bead | ||
| Spokes | Sprint J-Bend | ||
| Spoke Length (INNERDRIVE HUBS) | 300 DS / 298 NDS | 292 DS / 296 NDS (29") 274 DS / 276 NDS (27") | |
| Nipples | Alpina Nylock Brass External | ||
| Spoke Tension | 100kgf | ||
| Brake Type | Centerlock Boost / 6-Bolt 20mm x 110mm | Centerlock Boost / 6-Bolt SuperBoost | |
This listing
This listing is the M8 Wheelset as ENVE sells it. The choices on this page are wheel(s): Wheelset - 29", Wheelset - Mullet (29" F / 27.5" R); hub: INNERDRIVE - Front - 15x110mm CL, INNERDRIVE - Front - 20x110mm 6B, INNERDRIVE - Rear Boost - 12x148mm CL, INNERDRIVE - Rear Boost - 12x148mm 6B, INNERDRIVE - Rear Superboost - 12x157mm CL, INNERDRIVE - Rear Superboost - 12x157mm 6B; driver type: None (front wheel), Shimano Micro Spline, SRAM XD. This listing is the complete wheelset - front and rear together, not a single wheel.
Fit and compatibility
The M8 is sold per wheel. Front wheels are 29 inch in either 15x110 centerlock or 20x110 6-bolt. Rear wheels come in 29 or 27.5 inch, 12x148 Boost or 12x157 Superboost, centerlock or 6-bolt, each with a Shimano Micro Spline or SRAM XD freehub body.
That matrix covers full 29ers, mixed-wheel enduro bikes, and downhill forks with 20mm axles. Lockrings are not included on the centerlock versions.
How ENVE tests its wheels
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
Everything in this section is published by ENVE. ProWheelBuilder is the seller, not the tester, and the wheel reaches you as the maker builds it.
Ordering it from ProWheelBuilder
ProWheelBuilder sells the M8 as an authorized ENVE reseller. ENVE builds it in Ogden, Utah and ships each wheel complete with tape and valves. We are an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer, and we mirror ENVE's availability for every size, axle, rotor, and driver combination each night. ENVE covers the rim with a lifetime warranty for the original owner and a crash replacement program that is free for the first three years.
If you would like the M8 rim built onto a hub you already own, or with a different spoke, our Custom Wheel program builds ENVE mountain rims to order.
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. These wheels were built at the factory, not on our bench, so it is the maker's warranty above that stands behind them - our own one-year wheel warranty covers wheels we lace ourselves. If you do need to claim, we will deal with the manufacturer for you.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
M8 questions
What is the difference between the M8 and the M9 Pro?
The M8 is the lighter gravity wheel, about 2,030 grams a set with 32/29mm inner widths and a hookless bead. The M9 Pro is the downhill race wheel at 2,200 grams with 29mm rims and a molded Protective Rim Strip in place of tape.
Can I get the M8 with 6-bolt rotors?
Yes. ENVE offers the M8 in centerlock or 6-bolt, including a 20x110 6-bolt front.
Is the M8 rated for eMTB?
Yes. ENVE lists enduro, gravity race, and eMTB as the M8's intended uses.
What tire sizes fit the M8?
The rims are shaped for 2.4 to 2.5 inch tires, on a 32mm front and 29mm rear inner width.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the M8?
No. ENVE builds the M8 in Ogden, Utah. ProWheelBuilder is an authorized reseller in Georgia and also builds custom wheels on ENVE rims.
Are the M8 spokes J-bend?
Yes. The M8 uses round Sprint J-bend spokes, 28 front and 32 rear, on ENVE's J-bend INNERDRIVE hubs, so replacement spokes are easy to source.
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.
