The new 73,000-square-foot home of ENVE, in Ogden, Utah Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
ENVE hand builds 130,000 rims a year, the company says, with most of those built into full wheelsets Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Part showroom, part factory — wheels usually look better in context on a bike Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
ENVE CEO Sarah Lehman opening the new facility in 2016 Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
In addition to rims, ENVE's mountain bike stems are produced in Utah. Road stems, forks, seatposts and handlebars are manufactured in Asia Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Putting the finishing touches on a mountain bike stem Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
ENVE has 34 different quality control checks Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Quality ventilation is key to sound product and a healthy working in environment when dealing with carbon sanding and painting Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Lehman talking to the crowd at the grand opening Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Aerodynamicist Simon Smart has long played a role in the design of ENVE wheels Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
And yes, the men and women at ENVE do ride, thank you very much Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Why so much metal at a carbon facility? ENVE also makes its own tooling and moulding (from metal) Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
ENVE is guarded about certain processes, like the particulars of the rim construction Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
From rolls to hoops. ENVE doesn't make the carbon fiber fabric, but it creates everything else Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Computers cut the fabric into specific strips and shapes, which are laid into rim moulds Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
Doesn't look like a rim yet... Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
ENVE enjoys showing off its wares on the machines of other high-end crafters Ian Matteson / Immediate Media
All-road riding? ENVE has a wheel or two for that Ian Matteson
For a manufacturer of high-end carbon wheels and parts, ENVE certainly goes through a lot of metal. The reason is that the Utah company makes not only its own carbon product, but the tools that shape those products.
In order to prototype and refine the shape of the product, ENVE has to prototype and refine the shape of the moulds, too.
BikeRadar recently visited ENVE's new Utah facility for a tour. Although the company has always called Ogden, Utah, home, ENVE moved into a new 73,000-square-foot facility last October, not long after being acquired by Amer Sports, which also owns Mavic.
ENVE now cranks out more than 130,000 rims a year, and besides products like handlebars, stems, seatposts and hubs, ENVE has also made things like, say, stair handrails for its factory out of carbon. Because why not?
Sales, design, engineering, manufacturing and warehousing are all done under one roof — a rare thing in the bike business these days.
Click through the gallery above for a detailed look inside ENVE.
Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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