The AM30 also dispenses with the molded rim strip that Enve uses on the M7 (and M9 DH wheels), in favor of standard rim tape. The M-Series’ rim strips are meant to both ease installation and, maybe more importantly, help protect the rim and tire, since they wrap over the top of the rim sidewall and offer some cushioning between the rim and tire, under the sorts of impacts that could lead to a pinch flat and/or broken wheel. Noah Bodman got along with the system pretty well when he reviewed the M730 wheels a few years back, and it’s a little disappointing to see it not on offer here (installing rim tape is one of my very least favorite bike maintenance tasks), but I suppose it’s no surprise that the much more affordable AM30s don’t get all the features of their higher-end siblings.
Interestingly, Enve has a set of graded 1-10 scales to help folks choose between their various wheels, and the AM30s get the same “8” on descending and “5” on climbing as the M7s, but the AM30s rate higher on both impact toughness (at an “8” instead of a “7”) and far outstrip the M7s on Enve’s own assessment of compliance, with the AM30 getting a “9” and the M7 a “5.” The AM30s are also over $1,000 cheaper for the pair (granted, with Industry Nine 1/1 hubs instead of Hydras on the M7s) and a little lighter according to both Enve’s stated rim weights and our measured ones for complete wheelsets (with different hubs). Add that all up, and the AM30s sure seem like a more appealing prospect on paper.
Unsurprisingly, the AM30 has a 30 mm internal width, and that’s the lone width option. In contrast, the M6 is offered in 30, 35, and 40 mm widths, and the M7 in 30 and 35 mm ones.
Enve offers a 5-year warranty on the AM30 wheels (from the purchase date for the original owner, or the date of manufacture for secondhand owners), and an incidental damage policy for damage that doesn’t qualify as a defect of materials or workmanship. In short, under the incidental damage policy, Enve will replace a damaged rim for the cost of shipping, labor, and related parts (e.g. spokes and nipples) in the first three years of ownership and at a discounted rate thereafter; see Enve’s website for the details.