Unboxed: Enve’s New Sub-2k Foundation 65 Wheels
Triathletes who have been crying for more budget tri gear—pacify yourselves with Enve's new affordable (and U.S.-made!) Foundation 65 wheelset.
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Traditionally, Enve has existed only in the realm of the premium-facing triathlete, but with the introduction of their “Foundation Collection” and Enve’s Foundation 65 wheelset, everyday athletes can get some Enve on their rides. Benefitting from their years of aerodynamic experience, this wheelset will not only be a welcome upgrade, but will also open the door for Enve to appear as OEM on midrange production bikes—like the Ventum we recently reviewed.
Check out our video below for the full unboxing, or scroll down for some quick takeaways.
First Impressions
Enve Foundation 65 Wheelset: $1,600, Enve.com
What I Like About Enve’s Foundation 65
- The price! $1,600 for a U.S.-made wheelset with such a rich aero heritage literally couldn’t have come at a better time.
- Keeping the hub internals the same is also a big win (a lesser-quality hub shell and bearings help with price)
- Weight—only losing 100-ish grams to their wheels that are almost $1k more is nothing short of amazing
What Makes Me Worried With Enve’s Foundation 65
- With lesser bearings and hub shell, hopefully longevity isn’t an issue—time will tell
- I’d love to see some aero numbers on these wheels, as that’s really been Enve’s whole draw
- No rim brake model (for reasons I posit about in the video) makes this only available to those with disc-brake bikes. If you have a rim brake rig, don’t hold your breath, as it’s unlikely that Enve will be making a budget wheel for you any time soon.
Final Thoughts
- Something affordable from Enve couldn’t have come at a better time. Right now triathletes are probably pinching pennies, so a super budget-priced wheelset from a premium brand could be just the thing to spend that stimmy money on.
- The fact that these are U.S. made is still shocking to me—hopefully Enve stays that way, and they don’t try to bring the price down on all of their wheels by importing.