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ENVE Composites’ New Disc Brake Cyclocross Fork, AM & DH Rims, More

2012 ENVE Composites carbon fiber disc brake cyclocross fork
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2012 ENVE Composites carbon fiber disc brake cyclocross forkENVE Composites has a new disc brake cyclocross fork that just might make it to market in time for the coming season. Or at least half the season.

The fork will only come with a 1.5″ tapered steerer tube that’s 350mm uncut. Weight is 470g and axle-to-crown measures at 395mm with a 47mm rake.

The left leg has a groove molded in to guide the brake hose/cable housing with a carbon fiber clip that snaps over the hose without any tools. The dropouts are slightly forward facing, which should help keep the wheel in place if the skewer comes loose.

Close up pics of the fork and their new DH and All Mountain Tubeless rims and more after the break…

2012 ENVE Composites carbon fiber disc brake cyclocross fork

2012 ENVE Composites carbon fiber disc brake cyclocross fork

The Cross Disc fork should ship by January 1 at the latest, but likely earlier. MSRP is $550 USD.

2012 ENVE Composites Smart 3-4 aero road wheels and carbon tubeless all mountain and dh downhill mountain bike rims

The new ENVE Smart 3.4 (left, foreground) are now shipping. The aero wheels use different rim depths and widths for front and rear to maximize aero benefits. Complete wheelsets are available with Chris King and a few other hub options. On the left are complete wheels built with the new DH rim (top) and All Mountain Tubeless rim.

2012 ENVE Composites AM Tubeless carbon fiber mountain bike rim
New AM tubeless rim dropped to about 380g from 440g on the original version. They learned a lot from developing the DH rim in terms of impact resistance and general durability – how to make it flex and resist cracking by reducing improving it’s vertical compliance a bit. Owner Jake Schiers says it feels like you get another inch of travel. $899/rim.

2012 ENVE Composites carbon fiber DH downhill mountain bike rim

The DH rim’s info sheet shows a claimed weight of 495g, but Scheirs says they should come in about 470g in reality. Available January 1 at latest. $999/rim. He showed a video of an impact test with 85lbs of weight placed on a bar with a rounded 1″ nub being dropped from several feet up directly onto the rim surface of a complete wheel and no damage was evident. It’s been under the Santa Cruz Syndicate riders for quite some time during development and testing.

All of ENVE’s products have a two year unconditional guarantee, then lifetime crash replacement.

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mr. muy bueno
mr. muy bueno
12 years ago

that’s really disappoint to see that ENVE is only going to offer 1.5″ taper steerer. what happen to the rest of us that run steel conventional 1-1/8″ steerer??

some one should really reflect this to ENVE…

greg
greg
12 years ago

i dont know who would want to buy the newest, best fork on the market, only to strap it to some ancient poo with a straight steerer. and as a designer/engineer, who would want to constrain how well engineered the fork could be with a straight steerer if you didnt have to? it’s clear the entire market is going that way. i’m sure i’m gonna make enemies, but whatever.
i think enve did the right thing by only going forward.

mr. muy bueno
mr. muy bueno
12 years ago

that’s too bad, i didn’t know 2009 is considered “ancient” and “poo”.

time to upgrade i supposed.

Gill
Gill
12 years ago

I can’t wait to see $1000 USD downhill rims rolling off the shelves.

D.
D.
12 years ago

Most of us who can actually buy this fork without having to save for a couple weeks also drop big dollars on custom bikes. Many of our builders have recently — or even still — put 1 1/8″ on the top and bottom of the stuff they make for us. So there. I agree with bueno.

Matthew
Matthew
12 years ago

That’s really disappointing. What about those of us who run steel 1″ steerers with 650b wheels? Most of us who can actually buy this fork also drop big dollars on custom bikes, and our builders have recently built bikes in old standards that are making a comeback because of some misguided “retrogrouch” tendencies! Someone should really reflect this to ENVE!

Good grief. You have to look at it from ENVE’s perspective. It’s not clear that there’s a huge market for carbon disc forks for 700c bikes yet, especially not at this price point. Each different steerer requires a different layup, so there’s testing and manufacturing costs for each model. If this fork is well received, there’s a good chance they’ll expand to other steerers as well.

KII
KII
12 years ago

No 1.125″ cx disc fork? I agree with Mathew 9/4. New cx disc forks need to be built to the current evolution of headtubes. Like it or not 1.5 taper, if not straight 1.5 for certain applications (DH) is the new standard. For example, computer and audio/video electronics evolve at an insane pace, so 2 to 3 yrs old could be “ancient”. So this is my opinion – put up, shut up, or upgrade. By the way, nice cx fork ENVE.

mr. muy bueno
mr. muy bueno
12 years ago

ENVE already has a 1-1/8″ cross fork, why not just expand on that? CAD programs these days could run complex force/stress simulations. I imagine the cost on running testing on a modified fork can’t be more expensive than hiring a F1 engineer to work on the SMART wheel system.

and by “put up, shut up” rational, shall we all change bike every time a new BB standard comes out? most people aren’t going to buy a new frame just to cater to a new fork.

If ENVE insist on enforcing 1.5″ steerer standard, the rest of us could very well go with 3T, or other component companies, and with that been said, should ENVE not trying to capture that portion of customer base?

i could see the reasoning behind 1.5″ steerer from a product performance stand point, and i could agree to it, however, i still stand by my opinion on 1-1/8″ steerer.

Tom
Tom
12 years ago

To 3T: take note of CX /disc cable routing done nicely.

Steve
12 years ago

Don’t buy this fork. Get a straight disc fork from someone else. Problem solved. Ironically, if you are running discs on a CX bike, chances are good you are not a retro grouch. The retro grouches will hold on to cantis until they die. Why? Dunno.

Sevo
Sevo
12 years ago

discs brakes on CX bikes is still lame. TRP V- brakes. Problem solved. Worse case scenario. You crash. You get bloodied. and you harden the f*ck up. 🙂

Seriously, I’d like a cross bike with discs….but i’ve ridden them and can’t yet justify the little bit of extra stopping power mechanical disc brakes give to bother upgrading. Maybe when we get a solid hydraulic road brake…yes. But for now its’ not worth it unless you are building up a custom rig anyway and planning for the future.

I’ll take your old canti mount carbon forks with straight steerers until then and your non-disc cross wheels too. Cheap. 🙂

LanceAndre
12 years ago

Home run on both products!
Custom built bikes… i love my custom built bikes, but the reason i use a custom builder is to keep up with my demands! If a custom builder wont put a tapered headset in for you, then look for a better builder.

Gyro2
Gyro2
11 years ago

Or a retro grouch will hold onto canti because the brakes are about a full pound lighter than discs, the hubs are about half a pound lighter, the seatstays and rear dropouts are lighter due to not having to be overbuit as has to be done for discs, they require less ongoing fiddling with as do discs, the almost constant pad-rotor rubbing you end up wih discs. Or maybe theyll stick with them because wheels can be built lighter with fewer spokes than discs and you also get far more hub choices running road type hubs versus disc hubs. Perhaps thats why theyll stick with them LOL.

chuck
11 years ago

Regarding the weight argument, when doing the brake comparison, do account for the extra weight of mud, and snow that collects around the canti brakes. The build-up of mud and snow is much less with disk brakes. The real world weight difference may show that disk brakes cause a NET lower weight gain for the bike.

Regarding a performance argument, evaluate riding in wet, muddy and/or winter conditions. The disk brakes brakes can outperfrom the cantis as they are not dependent on sloppy rims. In winter, an icey rim can be downright scarey with canti brakes but a non-issue with disc brakes.

Rob
Rob
10 years ago

ENVE composites now offers this fork in both 1.125 (1 1/8)” straight and 1.5 (1 1/2) tapered. It’s nice to see ENVE respond to the market.

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