ENVE AM30: What the Reviewers Are Saying
By Stan Portus – 10 November 2020
ENVE’s AM30 Foundation mountain bike wheels have been creating quite a stir since their release earlier this year, with reviewers lauding ENVE’s superb carbon design solutions, compliant ride feel, and of course the ENVE Lifetime Incident Protection guarantee.
ENVE’s Foundation Collection is a new line of carbon wheels that are built on ENVE’s core values and technologies, but are available at new lower price point than ENVE’s M Series and SES wheels. Like all ENVE wheels and components, each wheel is designed to deliver best-in-class performance, is handmade in Utah, USA, and exists to improve every riders’ time on the bike.
The AM30 is ENVE’s flagship mountain bike wheel in the Foundation Collection. It pays tribute to ENVE’s roots and the everyday rideability of ENVE’s original all-mountain carbon wheel, the AM.
The wheel draws on many proprietary technologies developed by ENVE, and used in its top-tier wheels, as well as ENVE’s Lifetime Incident Protection guarantee, to deliver a superb package that is suited to all sorts of mtb riding, from enduro to trail.
But don’t just take our word for it: the AM30 has been out in the wild for some time now being put to the test by some of the biggest mtb mags there are. Take a look at what the reviewers from Pink Bike, Vital MTB, and MBR have to say about the latest mountain bike offering from ENVE.
Pink Bike
Mike Kazimer at Pink Bike celebrated the AM30’s balance between stiffness and compliance. He found that over chunky terrain the wheels remained comfortable but were stiff enough to feel supportive and precise when going into corners. This is ideal for a wheelset like the AM30s which ENVE designed to cover different riding disciplines from trail to enduro.
When considering the AM30s as a whole package, Kazimer had this to say:
“ENVE headed down a different route with the AM30 wheels, and it paid off. The new rim profile, external nipples, and the lower price compared to ENVE's previous offerings are all welcome changes. The fact that they felt great out on the trail, and held up well without any durability issues is even better.”
Vital MTB
Johan Hjord at Vital MTB took a close look at the AM30s, and explored how ENVE’s attention to detail has translated into the ease of setting the wheels up with rim tape and different tyres, as well as the ride feel which, as he says, creates a great experience out on the trails:
“ENVE has made a concerted effort to not only deliver a wheelset at a much lower price point than any of its previous wheels but also to deliver on some specific design goals regarding ride feel… Offset and mo[u]lded spoke holes, wide rim beads and an excellent choice of hub all contribute to a great rider experience, with tangible benefits out on the trail. The more compliant rim profile translates to a little extra comfort in action, and the excellent warranty and lifetime incident protection plan also help justify the price tag.”
Yep, that’s right, Lifetime Incident Protection. No matter how safely or smoothly you ride, problems can occur. ENVE knows this full well and has your back. ENVE will replace and rebuild any damaged rim, again and again, for the rest of your life, so you can ride with confidence (and ride your ENVE’s) all the time.
The replacement policy applies to original owners only, whether purchased from Saddleback or an approved retailer.
MBR
MBR’s Mick Kerman test rode the AM30s in the alps, subjecting them to tens of thousands of metres of descent on “some crazy, rocky tracks”. Having found previous wheels too stiff Kerman came to really appreciate the compliant ride feel of the AM30s.
After months of testing he concluded that the AM30s performed perfectly and didn’t have to reach for a spoke key once – a testament to the fact that although they are at a lower price point, the wheels can withstand the toughest riding.
The durability of the AM30s was also evident when compared to his riding buddies wheels, and if you’re considering entering the world of carbon rims for the first time, is probably quite reassuring news:
“Multiple times during those Alpine descents, I heard brutal rock-smashing noises at max speed – the kind to convince you you’ve murdered a rim and enough to cause huge dings and dents in the alloy rims of my riding buddies. ENVE’s carbon rim emerged unscathed, however, and that durability doesn’t seem to have dulled any sense of speed or zip. So, I’m also confident the AM30s are super-strong.”
Singletrack Magazine
Singletrack Magazine has created an in depth look of the AM30’s talking viewers through all the wheel’s features as well as the spoke and nipple choices made by our team of expert wheel builders.
