Chandne

Looks like most online retailers list them at MSRP. The locals shops seem to as well, plus charge 8% tax. I'll call a shop I bought a bunch of stuff (Fatbike, Tarmac module, several parts) from this year but it is my only connection. Is anyone aware of a way to get a decent deal on a Enve 3.4 SES Disc wheel set? If not, I'll wait or maybe try to score some Zipp 303 Discs. Prefer the Enves for their tubeless capability.

4151zero

Keep looking. The 2015 non textured 3.4 clinchers are on sale everywhere online. The disc versions prolly aren't but I would ask excel or competively cyclist to match up the prices for you. Doesn't hurt to ask.

noodle soup

If you work at a shop that sells them, you can get a good deal. If you work for a frame builder that uses their tubing, and you get lucky, you might be lucky enough to get a set of demo hoops.

CafeVelo

ENVE is one of the companies that actually has their pricing locked down. You won't find someone blowing out huge quantities of their parts at low prices because there are neither huge quantities to blow out nor room in the margin to lower the price. Distributor costs aren't that much lower than retail, so discounting ENVE products leaves nothing for the seller.

69chevy

There is a group on Facebook called "Online Swap Meet".

There's a guy selling a new set that he won in a raffle.

andr0id

I haven't asked around yet, but can rims be purchased not built up from anywhere?

I'm also liking the 3.4 SES, but would prefer to build my own.

noodle soup

Enve hoops are distributed by QBP, so your LBS should be able to order them for you. It wouldn't surprise me if they quote you a price of about $1000 per hoop

Chandne

Thanks guys. I hear that the way it works is...you get a much bigger discount on hoops and wheels if you order 5 wheel sets to stock per year. Apparently there are tiers. Anyway, if the shop does not do that, the margin is much lower. Thanks for that FB group, 69chevy. I checked it and those are non-disc but I'll keep looking. I only wanted the Enves since they are tubeless compatible but I'll look for Zipps as well now. I also bet that there is a chance the next version of Zipps will be tubeless compatible. I'll keep looking and if I hear of set in stock locally, I'll make them an offer.

spdracr39

Yep I got quoted $1100.00 each.

noodle soup

CUSTOM HAND BUILT BICYCLE WHEELS Built By Professionals - Prowheelbuider.com has them for $975

JohnJ80

Bike Tires Direct has them on sale now at 15% off.

J.

Chandne

Thanks John. The one I want (3.4 SES Disc clincher with DT240) is the only one out of stock, of course.

JohnJ80

find it somewhere else and do a price match. Most of them do that.

If I were you, I'd hold out for the disc tubular when they have it anyhow.

J.

Chandne

Cool, will try. I'll stick with clinchers. Never done tubs and really don't want to mess with glue. Not sure I know anyone except a few racers who use tubs (and they are too fast for me to ride with).

JohnJ80

Don't use glue anymore, use tape. No more difficult to fix a flat than with clinchers and (at least in my case) I get far fewer flats. Seriously - it's not hard and the ride quality is top notch. I don't carry a spare because I get maybe one flat a year (last year it was zero). The last three tires I've worn out had zero flats.

I was just looking at this the other day. I can have build, through Excel Sports, a tubular aluminum wheel set on HED Belgium C2 rims, Aerolite spokes, and DT240S hubs that comes in at 1443 grams for around $900. The wheels you are looking for from Enve in clincher are 1439g and go for $2900. I have the old Enve carbon wheels and those were 1160g in the 3.3 classic. The new 3.4 SES in tubular (rim) comes in at 1320g and are $2700. It's a bit upsetting to me that the new style Enve wheels gained about 200g (half a pound is a lot). You're looking at a lot of money to save 4 grams.

Clincher rims are inherently heavier than a tubular rim. Tubeless tubulars weigh about the same as a clincher tire and you don't need an inner tube. So you are saving another 100g per wheel on the tube. I did notice that the Schwalbe one tubeless clincher is lighter than a tubular at about 225g but you'd still have the heavier rim and you have the mess that goes with tubeless clinchers (i.e. sealant lose in an open tire if you break the bead).

I love Enve but I'm not optimistic about what Mavic is going to do to them. But I will tell you that I love my Enve 3.3 classics though. Fast and light and great in the hills. They are bullet proof and I'm not a lightweight rider. 5000 miles on mine and not a single problem. Mine are built around the 240's too which is an awesome hub.

J.

Seattle Forrest

Yep, the shop I talked to can get them for $999 per rim.

Chandne

You're definitely making me think, though I don't see a 3.4 SES tubular option at Bikesdirect anyway. The tape sounds like a pretty easy setup, though I suppose glue isn't bad once you have done it a few times. I'm looking for stiff all-rounders that climb well. I started with the 2.2s but read several reviews where people were getting brake rub. Not that I have rim brakes but it concerned me...I want stiff climbing wheels, especially if I spend that much money. Building light alloy wheels means I may give up on stiffness. I probably overthink all this a bit.

thin_concrete

Have you checked eBay?

Chandne

Yeah, first place I went to. I also contacted a shop through there. Sometimes, I guess it pays to just wait and be ready to jump on a deal. I'll plan on that, if I cant find a suitable one right now.

JohnJ80

Those wheels I described (HED Belgium C2s) are stiff. They are probably stiffer laterally than the Enve wheels I have.

Enve doesn't make a tubular disc wheelset yet in the 3.4. You'd have to build that yourself or have someone like Excel build them for you (don't know if they make a tubular 3.4 SES rim yet). I guess my point was that if you are looking at the 3.4 SES in a disc clincher, you could get the same weight in a very stiff wheel for a whole lot less money if you went tubular. If you are primarily dealing with climbing then that negates the aero advantage of the Enve rims unless you are one fast climber.

In general, I don't think the carbon clinchers are there yet in weight. So I think that if weight is your primary concern, there are other ways to address that. I wanted light wheels and I wanted safer wheels after I had had a clincher blow out with a slashed side wall, peel off the rim and jam up in the frame (fortunately, a rear wheel). That is just a vanishingly small probability of happening with a tubular due to the adhesive connection to the rim that persists even though the pressure in the tire is gone.

What I did not expect was to virtually eliminate flats. I get at most one flat a year in about 3000 miles of riding. Before that, I used to get 6-8 flats per year with less mileage. I think that tubeless clinchers would be better than standard clinchers but don't see them being as good as tubulars.

So, for the money and looking at weight, it's kind of a no brainer.

J.

Chandne

ENVE's strict pricing policies prevent retailers form discounting them unless you're on a race team or shop employee or something. Same applies at Biketiresdirect. Anyway, thanks for the info, John. I'll call Excel and chat with them- they are somewhat local to me, and I go to Boulder often.

StanSeven

I get annoyed with BTD. When I do searches they always pop up saying they have the lowest prices. Yeah lowest, which is the same as everybody else!

JohnJ80

When they have a sale (which is often and can be very short) they can be lower than anyone else. I've gotten some spectacular deals from them. Best way to track what they offer is to be on their mail list.

J.