The ENVE MOG Gravel Bike Wants To Please Everyone

An ENVE gravel bike was inevitable, wasn’t it? ENVE released the Custom Road road bike, an intriguing frame that leveraged the Utah company’s expertise in carbon fiber construction to make a holistic road bike package. Next was the ENVE Melee, which brought ENVE’s design cues and features to a more attainable package. And now comes ENVE’s first gravel bike, the ENVE MOG. Yes, it's light and looks like an ENVE bike, but its feature set promise a gravel bike that can fit everyone from the racer to the backcountry adventurer.

The ENVE MOG gravel bike is the latest gravel bike from ENVE, a carbon bicycle company located just up the road from us in Ogden, Utah. Want one for yourself? We’ve got you covered.

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ENVE MOG Frame Details

A typical gravel ride in Utah is different than what one might find in the Flint Hills of Kansas, and that’s different from a gravel ride in Washington or anywhere else. As such, two gravel bike setups can be completely different even if the frames are the same. ENVE sought to combine the best attributes that are found on top gravel bikes, namely: dialed handling, plenty of tire clearance, and features that only make the bike easier to use. 

Just about every performance-oriented bicycle is going to tout some level of “stable handling for when the going gets rowdy.” Marketing around gravel bikes is especially susceptible to this, but there is a way to ensure handling is consistent: match handling characteristics across frame sizes. ENVE does this with six unique frame sizes and three unique fork rakes as well. Finding the right size is essential to ensuring a bike handles well; most gravel bikes offer four size options, and while that doesn’t necessarily mean those bikes are worse off, having plenty of sizes means you’re more likely to find a bike that handles properly. 

Three unique fork rakes, however, is even more unique. Doing so allows trail figures to be consistent across all sizes; most gravel bikes have one or two fork options with a trail figure that shrinks as the sizes become bigger and bigger. This means that small bikes might handle more slowly and require lighter steering inputs, while larger bikes might feel darty and less stable. Not so here: with a 40mm measured tire, measured trail is between 61.4 mm and 62.4 mm across all sizes. MOG is remarkably consistent, with similar experiences regardless of whether you ride a 49 cm frame or a 60 cm frame. 

In addition to ENVE’s focus on optimal fit and handling is access to the ENVE Best-Fit Calculator. Rather than staring down a geometry chart, this calculator takes some of the guesswork out of finding the right size for you. But the calculator doesn’t just tell you what frame size you might want to ride: it also explains stem length, spacer stack, and seatpost offset necessary to meet a rider’s required fit stack, fit reach, and saddle positions necessary. 

Alongside the frame size options are a la carte handlebar, stem, and seatpost options. ENVE offers four different handlebar options. ENVE G-Series and SES AR are obvious choices for a gravel bike, but MOG riders can also spec a SES Aero Road or Compact Road bar should they want to. There are even two stem options: the standard Aero integrated stem and a forthcoming aero integrated stem with a positive rise. 

ENVE Mog Aims For Practicality

If you’re familiar with the hills, mountains, and gravel roads in Utah, you can likely see the unique demands riding in the area places on a gravel bike. Just from the ENVE Grodeo alone, you’ll see steep, dry, and technical gravel roads that transform into smooth and fast dirt paths. Rutted-out ATV trails turn into long road descents, with plenty of singletrack in between. A 40mm tire might be faster in most of these conditions, but they’re often not as grippy, and certainly not as fun. 

That MOG was designed for up to 700c x 50mm tires is a perfect example of that. Few gravel race bikes boast that type of tire clearance and even fewer offer that ability with drivetrain compatibility with 1x or 2x drivetrains. That doesn’t mean it's best with a 50mm tire; ENVE recommends tires as narrow as 700c x 35mm and recommends a 40 mm to 44 mm tire for optimal riding. But it does mean that folks whose riding is best with a 40mm tire will enjoy plenty of mud clearance without losing ideal ride and handling characteristics. 

MOG riders will also be pleased to find a slew of capability options included. Dropper post compatibility is great for the folks whose rides are technical enough for one. A T47 threaded bottom bracket is nice to see, as is the full fender mount compatibility, on-frame mounts for a top tube bag and fork-mounted bags, and three water bottle mounts. Alongside that is the inclusion of the ENVE Cargo Bay, an internal downtube storage system that includes a pair of bags to keep your stuff from rattling around. Perfect for a repair kit, a windbreaker, or whatever personal gear folks like to bring on their rides.

Other bits of practicality include the use of a SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH), meaning just about any bike shop should have a replacement or be able to easily order another. The downtube receives a substantial molded piece neat topgraphic detailing to protect the carbon against rocks. There’s also a lightly-ribbed chainstay protector that quiets chainslap. Things you won’t find on most gravel bikes, but again is nice to see included with the MOG. 

ENVE MOG weighs an estimated 950g for a 56cm frame, painted. While not the lightest gravel bike frame out there, this still makes it one of the lightest gravel bikes on the market today.

ENVE MOG Build Options

ENVE MOG gravel bikes are typically sold as a chassis, which is different from a frameset. A frameset generally includes a frame, fork, headset, and maybe some hardware. ENVE’s aforementioned fit system means a MOG chassis includes a frame, fork, headset, handlebar, stem, and seatpost. Those wanting a ‘rolling chassis’ will choose between the array of ENVE carbon wheels.  

What if you want a custom bike build? MOG is compatible with both mechanical and electronic drivetrains. It also features a front-derailleur mount for 2x drivetrain options. This means MOG will work with the gamut of build options including SRAM XPLR, Shimano GRX, Campagnlo Ekar, and more.

Conclusion

The ENVE MOG gravel bike is a promising addition to ENVE’s growing line of bikes. While it doesn’t boast any wild suspension gimmicks or dampers, the MOG is still impressive in its own right. Big-time tire clearance while maintaining sporty gravel bike handling is uncommon amongst other gravel bikes, as is the dedication to ensuring riders find the ideal size to ride. At the same time, it offers plenty of drivetrain compatibility and even more chassis configuration options. 

Few bikes gravel bikes promise all of these features, but the ENVE MOG manages to hit on all of them. Color us pleased.

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