ENVE FRAY
Enve’s newest model.
Spending ten months riding Enve
For the Fray to come into focus, it is important to understand the Melee and MOG. In 2023, I spent thousands of miles aboard the Melee. In addition to the daily miles, some standout rides of 2023 were two centuries (one gravel and one paved), an adventure ride in the rolling hills and remote dirt roads of Michigan, and a number of 60-mile, mixed-terrain routes.
I experimented with a range of tire treads and widths for these rides.
Daily miles - 32 - 34mm Vittoria N.EXT*
Pavement century - 30mm Vittoria Corsa Pro*
Gravel century - 32mm Vittoria N.EXT*
Michigan Adventure - 32mm Gravelking SK*
*When mounting tires on an Enve rim with a 25mm internal width, add roughly 2mm to the labeled tire size.
Over the course of these rides, I found that the Melee was capable of nearly everything, and for these rides, the MOG would have been too much bike. I enjoyed the Melee’s punch and speed—after all, it is a road bike.
If you think of optimal handling as a bullseye on a geometry chart, the Melee is best equipped with a 27-31mm tire. In this range, the Melee’s handling is neutral and predictable. Light and intuitive. As you increase tire size to 35mm, the handling progressively slows and becomes weighted. Here’s an analogy. Try writing your name with a #2 pencil. Then, tape three-quarters to the eraser end of the same pencil and try writing your name again. That’s what the steering feels like as you increase tire size. The Melee is still an excellent bike with a 35mm tire, but some exceptional handling is lost.
Based on my tire preferences, I often say that if I wanted justification for an Enve Custom Road, it would be to have Enve take the feel of the Melee and optimize the geometry for the larger volume tires. This is where the Fray enters the picture. The Fray with 35mm tires handles like the Melee with 29mm tires. Fast, neutral, lively.
As bicycle technology advances, there appears to be little downside to running larger-volume tires. Over the years, suppliers have continued to develop this technology, bringing new products to market daily. Just look at tire options. Three years ago, the 35mm tire category was fairly narrow. Today, a rider can choose from a seemingly endless selection of 35mm tires with nearly every tread pattern one might need.
MY FRAY
My Fray build represents a departure for me. I typically run a 2x drivetrain with a preference for SRAM's 46/33 chainrings paired with the 10-33 cassette. This provides a low enough gear to tackle any grades within riding distance (or when traveling). Last year's Melee was built with a 48/35 chainring and a 10-28 cassette. For road riding and my local mixed terrain loops, this was ideal.
My Fray is meticulously configured as a 1x, utilizing SRAM's 48t aero/power chainring option, paired with the 10-33 cassette. This is the top end of the Melee build. The precision of these gear choices ensures that the go-fast end of the gearing will be more than enough for any road ride while also providing a wide range of sweet spot gearing for my daily jaunts. This gearing felt like a low-risk, yet high-reward, choice for my 1x foray.
The Melee build featured Enve's 3.4 wheelset (39mm front, 43mm rear) - the ultimate do-all wheelset: shallow enough to be light and climb well with minimal negative cross-wind effect, yet deep enough to have aero benefits.
I made a confident choice for the Fray with Enve's 4.5 wheelsets (49mm front, 55mm rear). This wheelset is better suited for cheating the wind and maintaining average speeds. It may seem like a strange combo for a bike that will spend most of its miles jumping between gravel and pavement, but I have always admired this wheelset. They have been a favorite of mine for years, and they will be a perfect fit for the Fray's versatility.
Right out of the gate, I set up the Fray with Enve's new 35mm tires. I have ridden Enve tires for years, and they ride well, handle well, and mount easily on Enve wheels.
I am 200 miles in on the Fray, and I am smitten by its handling and acceleration. Just like the Melee, the Fray is fast and incredibly comfortable, and those handling characteristics I love in the Melee are present—only now the tire is 35mm!
