ENVE FRAY – PERFORMANCE ENDURANCE
The ENVE Fray is a distinctive take on the modern all-road bike. It sets the benchmark for a category I call Performance Endurance that goes beyond the comfort-focused endurance bikes made by many of the big brands.
Click on the image below to watch my complete review.
Aero is silly for almost everyone. It’s a marketing and sales tactic.
The measurements of this and the Giant Defy are almost identical. It’s really obvious from looking at the chart. The Defy is probably a little racier actually.The others aren’t that far off.
I just bought a 2026 Defy and it’s my 3rd Defy. This model introduced a few years ago has a lower head time and stack than previous models. The Defy has way better pricing too. Everything from Enve is overpriced and I won’t buy hookless wheels. The Giant is every bit as “performance endurance” as the Enve.
Between the 2nd and 3rd I had a Canyon Endurace and a Roubaix. Never again with Canyon in that I got caught up in the DT swiss wheel recall and Canyon said you are on your own and they continue to sell new bikes with wheels that were not part of the recall. It was my 3rd and last Canyon and I live in Carlsbad and know a lot of people at their USA HQ. I had only ridden it once so was able to send it back. The perils of direct to consumer and it’s not worth the price savings to have no support.
I won’t buy a Trek Domane. Every version of isospeed has had breakage issues including this latest one. Creaking and seatpost slipping.
The Roubaix is a far better all road bike than the Enve Fray.
I like the industrial look of the Enve.
In general there will be no performance difference between the Enve and the other bikes mentioned.
I wouldn’t care about Bento bolts but for any all road bike a whole lot of people will. It’s pretty much a given these days.
Strange that you expected that battery inflator to fit in the down tube that inflator is huge.
Steve, how would you say the Fray compares with the Parlee Ouray, which appears to be its closest competitor? Which bike is faster? What size tires would you recommend for each bike for optimal speed? I am not trying to read tea leaves, but it seems you enjoyed the Ouray more!
I don’t know that there’s a whole lot more I can say about their performance and what I like and don’t about each than what I said in the videos about them. The Parlee is perhaps a bit more responsive but more expensive, especially if you want it painted. The ENVE rides a bit smoother and with lines I prefer, but you have to like one of the colors they come in (or get it stripped and repainted). I’d be chuffed to own either.
Thank you for your review. I watched it several times and after working closely with my bike fitter, ordered one. I am still waiting for it but am hopeful it will be great. I chose it because most bikes don’t fit me off the peg. I would need to change, bars, stem, seatpost and crank. This option means I can choose those parts instead of investing several K more to do that. I also like that its an endurance bike that looks equal to its race counterparts instead of the downgraded stepchild. The only other bikes that “fit” with geometry were the Trek Domane, which was too wide on the toptube and rubbed my legs, the Roubaix but I had no use for the futureshock, and the Pinarello X, which would have been pricey to change the 1 piece bar that didn’t fit. I am saving up for a set of wheels to add to it later. I will use my 2 year old Hunt wheels for now. Not sure I can afford or deserve Enve wheels but will consider your recs. Thank you for your time.
Emma, Thanks for sharing your experience with me and your fellow readers. Good to read you’ve found a solution. I hope, and expect the Fray will work as you and your fitter intended and as I found it did for me in my review. Cheers, Steve