Episode 1: ENVE's G23 Wheelset is 'San Rafael Tested'

The San Rafael Valley with Mount Wrightson in the background (9,456 ft)

The San Rafael Valley (SRV) is a 90,000 acre expanse to the east of Patagonia, Arizona. It borders Sonora, Mexico and is home to one of North America’s most diverse ecological ecosystems. The region has begun to see a large increase in visitors who have come to explore the areas incredible bounty of gravel cycling.

Since 2015, The Cyclist’s Menu has been hosting Arizona Gravel Camp based out of Patagonia, AZ. 3 miles from Harshaw Creek Road (the entry point to the SRV) Patagonia is the regions launch pad for all day gravel adventure through the Canelo Hills and Patagonia, Santa Rita, and Huachuca Mountains. Over the course of the past 6 years, we’ve covered just about every road, building the framework for what is now a detailed map for our seasonal gravel camp experiences and multi distance course routes for Patagonia’s Spirit World 100. 

How many miles in total, we’re not exactly sure. What we do know is every minute spent in the SRV is incredible. You learn something about yourself, those you're riding with and your chosen gear. The tools that allow us to do this type of exploring is incredibly important. It can make or break an experience. However, this very same gear can carry you through what may otherwise be a physically challenging and mentally tough day on your bike, resulting in an emotionally high moment of personal success.

We’d like to highlight the moments that you remember as the best, or the toughest and how our gear choices help bring us there or get us through. We’re calling our platform for review, ‘San Rafael Tested’ & we’re proud to share our first product, ENVE’s G23 wheel set. 

Excuse our lack of knowledge with the fine details. Rim width, internal spoke design, and other things like that. We’re a little too ADD to remember all that information. However, there’s more to these wheels than the specs. The G23’s are super lightweight (lightest on the market!), fast rolling and damn sturdy! We can attest to this precisely, after riding them up, over, through and down everything the SRV has to offer. With ease, the G23’s have performed incredibly well across every surface encountered. 

Right out of the gate, the width of these rims place more of your tire tread right on the surface you’re riding on. This creates a superior connection between your bike and the earth, allowing you more confidence in descending, handling in tricky terrain and bridging the gap between you and your pals on that last climb of the day. More importantly, trying to hang on to your lady’s wheels as she rips off your legs in the waning light of day.

“My wife waits all day for the final climb, just digging in to crush me. The G23’s are a game changer for female Gravel Heads.” Zander Ault  ​
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ENVE's G23 wheel set on the Ibis Cycles Hakka MX

“I’m so stoked to be riding these wheels in the San Rafael Valley” said Heidi Rentz Ault after her first ride on the Apache Loop, 13 miles from Patagonia, Arizona. 
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“There isn’t a descent I can’t conquer anymore. These wheels are the sh*t. Having raced professionally on the cross country mountain bike circuit for 7 years, I know what it feels like to have a larger rim, equalling more tire contact on the ground. This combination is incredible for lighter weight women and I’m very happy to be riding the G23’s now, as a professional guide.” Heidi Rentz Ault

The San Rafael Valley at sunset

If you’ve visited the San Rafael Valley, then you know that many descents here aren’t a smooth breeze. They’re packed with rocks, ruts and washboards that might encourage you to bring a mouth guard along for the day. Haha! Believe us, we’ve joked about it many times.

These are old ranch roads. Each telling a story of the 200 year old ranching history across this landscape. Until more recently, these roads were the only way in and out for ranching families who’ve called the SRV home for generations. It’s honestly some of the toughest riding conditions we’ve found in the US. Exactly why we’ve begun to list certain products now as being ‘San Rafael Tested.’

The Borderlands offer an incredible blend of what can be found across many environments and/or geographical regions. Making this area an incredible place to test what a wheel, bike, or handlebar for instance, is made of. 

Here's our list of criteria we discussed for ENVE's G23 Wheel set to be listed: San Rafael Tested

• Tire bead to rim compatibility.
  • ​This is important y'all! Especially for the ladies. Heidi has been out in the middle of nowhere, more times than she cares to remember, with a tire that just didn't want to get back on the rim. Whether the sun is going down, you're guiding a group of clients or you just need to get back on the road with your pals; tire bead to rim compatibility is a huge deal. If it's too hard to work back together in 5-10 minutes, that wheel set you're running might become your worst enemy. Whether you're setting the G23's tubeless for the first time, installing new sealant for a big ride or fixing a flat situation on the side of the road; the G23 wheel set is friendly with many different tubeless/folding tires. We've discovered this over the course of the past 3 months and greatly enjoy this not so discussed feature of ENVE's G23 set up, or any other wheels for that matter! 
• The ability of ENVE's G23 rim tape/tubeless design mechanisms & how they perform.
  • ​We discussed this working aspect of ENVE's G23 wheel set because it comes second to the tire bead to rim compatibility, especially if you're looking to be outside on long rides, and in places that have little to offer for concessions of any kind. The San Rafael Valley is one of those places. So, trusting our gear is a big deal when we head into the SRV guiding for 6-8, sometimes 10 hours a day. You need a great connection point on the rim for the tire to sit without complications. The G23's have this dialed and thus, your tubeless set up locks in for the long haul. Alternate points of contact that would effect your wheel set's ability to remain sealed are the valve plugs and surface area the rim tape covers in order to lock out any air from escaping through the spoke holes. ENVE's reputation for superior component manufacturing stands true in this aspect of the G23 wheel set. Due to the width and depth of the rims themselves, the rim tape is strongly anchored, securing your sealant from reaching out and around to the internally designed spoke holes. Furthermore, the valve stem and plug connect perfectly with the shape of the rim on both sides (outside and inside) establishing an air tight system that again, keeps your sealant locked in and fresh for longer periods of time. NOTE: If you live in a dry climate, as we do in Patagonia, Arizona, you should be checking your sealant more regularly than those living in climates with higher levels of humidity. The dry climate effects the longevity of the sealant, no matter how tight your wheel sets tubeless mechanisms may be. Go with the G23 option and know that your tubeless set up will act appropriately.  
• Spoke design & can anyone maintain the integrity of the wheel set on their own?
  • ​When we first installed the G23's on our Ibis Hakka MX gravel bikes, a friend asked, "What are you going to do if and when a spoke breaks?" It was a great question and got us thinking. ENVE's G23 wheels are made with an internal spoke design. In many cases, this could pose a lengthy ordeal while out riding. Why? Because if and when a spoke breaks, it must be completely taken apart in order to remove the spoke itself, before installing a new one. This means you have to remove your tire, the rim tape, remove the broke spoke and replace it with a new one. A lengthy process indeed. However, ENVE's ability to manufacture such high quality performance components sets the stage for success. The durability of the G23 wheel set, set's them apart from competitors. We can't say you wont break a spoke, and the way in which we ride and our location, will someday challenge the G23's durability head on. However, we feel comfortable telling our audience that these wheels are bullet proof and will go the distance. PRO TIP: Keep some extra spokes on your work bench for the day you go big and something does break. You'll be happy you did, no matter the gear choice.  
• Style versus performance & can you have both?
  • ​In this case, YES! You can most definitely have a stylish wheel set, with the performance level to back it's looks up. Although, something we like about the G23's is they aren't flashy. They're black, with minimal ENVE decals. You can go the custom route if you like. ENVE offers you the ability to order custom colors and an expanded line of ENVE decals to bring a little more flare, if you want to, which is pretty cool in our minds. However, the muted color tone match almost any frame and the performance of the G23 wheel set is above category.
• Price and does it reflect the performance of this wheel set?
  • ​Again, similar to style matching durability and performance; the incredibly reasonable price for the G23 wheel set definitely puts them at the top of our list of gear items to set goals for in the new year. Starting at $2,550.00, the distance you'll get out of this wheel set is worth every hard earned dollar spent. Not to mention your newly engaged confidence in riding anything that comes at you. In a time where gravel bikes are beginning to adopt more and more features of cross country mountain bikes, the G23 wheel set boosts your current bike set up to the next level and at the base retail price, drops the overall weight of your bike, while enhancing the overall performance incredibly. Furthermore, we understand that $2,550.00 for a wheel set still may be steep for many. But, like our fitness, we all need goals to shoot for. Put it on your calendar, and work towards something you're super stoked to get your hands on. ENVE's G23's wont disappoint.   

Will Freihofer captured these photos as we tossed ideas around for our first ‘San Rafael Tested’ story during an overnight camping trip near Mowry, Arizona, in the Patagonia Mountains. We departed our gravel HQ, The Gravel House, for a sunset arrival on the rim of the San Rafael Valley. The SRV is most definitely a proving ground, but it’s also a place to escape and truly leave reality behind. As you ride through its massive network of dirt roads, Mexico is in full view the entire time. It’s as if the high desert grasslands go on forever. We look forward to the many stories we have ahead of us, testing the industries best. We promise we’ll send it all back super clean, with just the right amount of SRV dirt to lure you back for more. Cheers, Gravel Heads!   

Mezcal Carreno over the Solo Stove at sunset.