CX/Gravel Tire Test: Enve HEX 40

The Enve Hex gravel bike tire looks like a tire that can handle almost all gravel conditions. With a tread pattern featuring lower knobs in the center and slightly larger, more widely spaced knobs on the edge of the tread. We would describe this tread pattern as the ultimate all-round gravel tread.

Enve is relatively new to the bicycle tire market, and after the success of their Enve SES Road (read our review) and SES Raceday (read our review) tires, they are now introducing a gravel bike tire. The HEX is available in a 40 mm and a 44 mm width with classic brown sidewalls.

Enve is primarily known for its wheels and other bike components. We expect that the HEX tires will especially appeal to riders who already have a set of Enve wheels and want to use the same brand of tires. Of course, you can also use the HEX tires on other wheels, and we will see if their performance is strong enough to replace the more established tire brands.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Enve
Model	HEX
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	300-1022-029
TPI	-
Compound	-
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	430 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	51
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	40-622 (700x40c) 44-622 (700x44c)

Enve HEX 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	430 grams
Measured Weight	414 grams
Measured Width Casing	38 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	39 mm
Measured Height	36 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.4 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.0 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.20 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	38 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (54 psi / 3.7 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (45 psi / 3.1 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (36 psi / 2.6 bar)	20.9 Watts CRR: 0.00626
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (27 psi / 1.9 bar)	23.5 Watts CRR: 0.00704
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	38 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.20 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	71 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.4 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.0 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The Enve HEX not only looks like an all-round gravel bike tire, but its performance is as versatile as it can get. We see virtually no shortcomings; the weakest point may be the sidewalls, which are somewhat weaker than usual in the gravel segment. The rolling resistance is good, the weight is low, the tread puncture resistance is decent, and the wet grip is also above average for this type of tire.

Can the Enve HEX replace the established names in the tire market if you are not specifically interested in the Enve brand? In some cases, perhaps, but in most cases, there is still an alternative where the performance is just a bit better in our tests.

RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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