This new ENVE DH bicycle rim is said to provide performance benefits to all downhill cyclists, including those that compete at the highest levels of World Cup racing.These include increased durability, strength and stiffness over traditional alloy offerings on the market. Often, top level teams will need to change rims more than 180 times during a season. World Cup downhill racing champion Steve Peat raced on one pair of the ENVE DH wheels during the entire 2011 season. Traditional aluminium rims historically lasted him a mere one to three runs.
ENVE used Zyvex Technologies’ nano-enhanced carbon fibre technology www.zyvextech.com/Arovex, which is a carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene engineered composite material available on a wide variety of glass and fibre reinforcements. Arovex provides a significant advantage in toughness without compromising strength. It also protects from fracture damage. ENVE has an exclusive license for this technology for cycling applications.
ENVE developed the first nano-enhanced carbon fibre downhill bike with the intention of its riders winning a World Cup. After being in development for over a year, the rim carried ENVE sponsored rider Greg Minnaar to victory at the 2012 World Cup opener in South Africa.
“The ENVE-Zyvex partnership introduces the first carbon fibre rim specifically designed for the downhill cyclist," notes notes Jason Schiers, founder of ENVE Composites.
"During development and testing the wheels have won over 50 podiums in competitions around the world. These results validate ENVE’s success using Zyvex’s Arovex. Downhill racing is extreme in nature. The fact that these new rims have survived the most challenging tracks in the world make them truly one-of-a-kind.”
