ENVE becomes latest brand to offer wheelsets with Classified’s Powershift hub

Classified’s Powershift hub gears will soon be available on ENVE’s range of road and gravel wheelsets as the two brands have announced a new partnership.

The Powershift hub has two internal hub gears, so riders can use a 1x setup with a range and spread of gears that is closer to a 2x setup.

The technology will be available on ENVE’s Foundation, G Series and top-tier SES wheels, as well as a part of a rolling chassis where customers will be able to build their bike online through ENVE's website. It will also be available as a part of full bike builds for the Melee, Mog and Fray, although only in Europe for the time being.

ENVE joins a host of other brands who has added the tech to their wheel line-up in recent years, including DT Swiss, Mavic, Reynolds and Hunt.

“We look to ENVE as a benchmark of premium cycling manufacturing and this partnership represents our continued pursuit of innovation and performance in the industry,” Classified CEO Mathias Plouvier said of the new partnership in a press release.

“By working together with ENVE and our other partners, we can make our technology accessible to more riders than ever, giving them access to a new level of shifting performance and versatility whether they ride on the road, gravel or trail.”

• Read more: ENVE introduces the Fray, a new adventure-capable road bike

Classified’s Powershift hub has garnered plenty of attention over recent years thanks to its unique design, plus the big claims that have surrounded it.

Rather than a standard groupset, it uses a 1x chainset and a hub-based planetary gear system which offers two different gear ratios, either 1:1 or 1:0.686.

© Classified

Classified's Powershift hub uses a planetary gear system

Despite only having one chainring, the different gear ratios allow it to emulate a standard 2x set-up. In the 1:1 ratio, the cassette rotates at the same speed as the hub shell, as is traditionally the case. The cassette then rotates faster than the hub shell in the 1:0.686 ratio, creating an easier gear that emulates riding in the small chainring – even though you’re still using a large chainring.

• Read more: Classified releases white paper to prove Powershift hub efficiency

Classified says that the system has multiple advantages, not least a claimed 99% efficiency in both gear ratios. That stat has come under some scrutiny but the Belgian brand released a white paper in 2023 in an attempt to prove its findings.

The system has also been tested by pro teams and riders, including Lotto Dstny's Victor Campenaerts during the 2023 Classics campaign.

ENVE’s wheels are used by multiple pro teams, including UAE Team Emirates, home of Tadej Pogačar, and TotalEnergies - who are also riding the American brand’s bike in 2024 - opening up the possibility for the tech to make more appearances in the pro peloton in the future.

All of the new Powershift-equipped ENVE products will be available from 17 April in the USA and Europe, for the following prices:

Wheelsets

• Foundation: €1,499/$1,100
• G Series: €2,699/$2,150
• SES: €2,999/$2,450

Rolling chassis

• Melee, Mog and Fray rolling chassis start from €7,699/$8,000

Full bike builds (available only in Europe)

• Starting from €7,699/$8,000

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