With direct input from Tadej Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates – XRG over two seasons, we are pleased to present the SES 4.5 PRO – a pair of wheels that has already accumulated more than 25 victories this season. It is designed for cyclists seeking the ultimate wheel, where lightness, aerodynamics and efficiency meet.

Progress at the highest level is progressive and iterative, and ENVE has redefined the benchmark that the SES 4.5 represented to offer more speed and less weight. Winner of the Tour de France, World Championships and Tour of Flanders, Tadej has elevated the SES 4.5 to the status of the most dominant wheel in the professional peloton, on cobbled classics, high mountain summits and the most demanding terrain, with unmatched speed. He chose aerodynamic performance over maximum weight reduction, trusting the efficiency of the SES 4.5 to deliver results. However, he and UAE Team Emirates had an even more ambitious vision: a wheel that retains the aero advantages of the SES 4.5 whilst achieving the lightness of the highest-end climbing wheels.

The SES 4.5 PRO is the result of over a year of meticulous hub development, carbon layup optimisation and manufacturing advances.

SES 4.5 PRO – KEY POINTS

• New layup using higher modulus, lower areal weight carbon fibres

• 23.5 mm internal width compliant with ETRTO recommendations for 28 mm tyres

• Front/rear rim depth: 49/55 mm

• Innerdrive PRO hub

• ENVE PRO ceramic bearings

• Lightened graphics

• Pair weight: 1295 grammes (valves and rim tape included)

AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE

The foundation of the Smart ENVE System (SES) philosophy is the Real-World Fast™ concept. A performance approach initiated in 2009, in partnership with aerodynamicist Simon Smart. This means aiming for maximum speed without compromising essential criteria such as weight, durability and stability. The SES 4.5 PRO meets this requirement by retaining the patented shape of the SES 4.5, and therefore its benchmark aerodynamic qualities and handling. In other words, nearly 10 years later, the SES 4.5 shape continues to exceed expectations. This is how ENVE became the wheel partner of UAE Team Emirates. Unknowingly, UAE had purchased the most performant wheels on the market and tested them in the wind tunnel and on the road. The rest is history.

INNERDRIVE GOES PRO

At the heart of the SES 4.5 PRO lies the Innerdrive PRO hub, which integrates ENVE's proven drivetrain technology into an ultralight straight-pull hub body. After analysing the lightest hubs on the market in terms of weight, stiffness and durability, we optimised the Innerdrive system for maximum performance whilst preserving its reliability. At just 281 grammes per pair (194 g rear, 87 g front), the Innerdrive PRO rivals the lightest hubs on the market without compromising the stiffness demanded by top riders.

Using the same Innerdrive technology as the Straight-Pull Premium hubs engaged in the World Tour for the second consecutive season, the Innerdrive PRO hub is equipped with the same performance kit developed for our professional teams. This includes a low-tension spring to reduce friction and a 40-tooth ratchet. Like the Innerdrive Premium hub, the PRO also benefits from a spoke alignment system that limits torsion.

PRO CERAMIC BEARINGS

A bearing's friction depends on many factors: seals, balls, races, cage, but also manufacturing consistency, tolerances, grease quantity and viscosity. To control each of these parameters, we collaborated with a specialist supplier to create what we believe to be the best ceramic bearing for bicycle wheels. ENVE PRO Ceramic bearings are equipped with hardened stainless steel races (rust-proof), grade 5 ceramic balls, non-contact inner seals to reduce friction, and low-contact outer seals to block contaminants. The result: a bearing that offers a feeling of smoothness from the first touch and lasting reliability.

SES 4.5 PRO vs. SES 4.5 vs. SES 6.7