ENVE's Melee v2 gives up 2 mm of tyre clearance for a sub-800 g frame
By insidebike
ENVE launched the second-generation Melee on 10 September, and it moves against the trend: tyre clearance falls from 35 mm to 33 mm. ENVE’s white paper says the reduction buys weight and drag savings while keeping the tyre volume modern road racing needs. Cyclist reports ENVE’s optimum measured width as 31 mm, so measure your tyres before assuming they fit.
The claims are brand numbers, not independent tests. ENVE quotes a frame under 800 g in size 56 in the UL Black finish and a 6.8 kg complete bike with SRAM Red. It also claims 17 W less drag than the first Melee at 50 km/h, measured with a rider aboard: 11.4 W from a frame with 7.5 per cent less surface area, 3 W from the new aero bar and tape, 2.6 W from bottle cages designed for round bottles.
Listed builds are SRAM Red or Force AXS only. BikeRadar reports stack down 11 mm on sizes 56 to 60. Frameset US$5,000 or £4,399; complete bikes US$12,250 to US$13,750 on ENVE’s US listing. ENVE’s support FAQ still describes the first Melee; confirm v2 details with a dealer. We have not ridden the bike.
Sources
- ENVE Melee v2 white paper — checked 10 September 2026
- ENVE Melee v2 builds and prices — checked 10 September 2026
- ENVE Melee chassis FAQ, first-generation specifications
- BikeRadar launch report — 10 September 2026
- Cyclist launch report — 10 September 2026