The Mother Lode: A Long-term Review of the ENVE MOG
This review originally appeared in the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. Click here to learn more.
After years of producing high-end carbon bike components, ENVE finally decided to try its hand at full bike builds in 2021. The result was the Custom Road, whose geometry, paint, and components are tailored to each rider. The Melee and all-road Fray soon followed, and last year the firm finally released a gravel rig: the MOG (Mother of Gravel) reviewed here.
Although it’s only available as a chassis, meaning it’s sold as a frame plus the fork, headset, stem, spacers, handlebar, and seatpost, the MOG’s sleek design is a testament to ENVE’s rise as a bike builder. It’s also a joy to ride. Built on 700c wheels with clearance for tires up to 50mm, it’s comfortable and forgiving enough for long tours but still fast enough to race. “The average consumer doesn’t need a dedicated bikepacking bike and a separate dedicated race bike,” said Jake Pantone, ENVE’s vice president of product and consumer experience. “This is a bike that can do everything you want a gravel bike to do, and it can do it well.”
To craft the MOG’s personality, ENVE fabricated a fleet of demos with different geometries ranging from slacked out and “mountain-bikey” to road-focused. Then they sent their staff out for test rides on the river-bottom singletrack and mountain roads that snake around their Ogden, Utah, office. The version they settled on is in the middle of those two extremes. It’s efficient on climbs and notably stable on descents. It does well on open roads, tracking straight and holding your line with minimal vibration, and when I turned the wheels toward my local mountain bike trails and forest tracks, it handled just as well. In fact, the slack headtube angle inspired so much confidence that I blasted down gravel hills faster than I ever have before.
There are some interesting design choices. First, the frame is only made for 700c wheels with no option for swapping in 650b hoops, a growing trend in gravel design. Then there is the storage. Plenty of mountain bikes now have compartments built into their down tubes, but the MOG is one of the first gravel bikes to follow suit. It’s about time. As droppers become more prolific in the gravel space, seatbags have become less practical because they can abrade the posts’ slick, protective coatings or even hit your tire when your seat is down. In-tube storage not only doesn’t impact your bike, but it also gets gear out of your jersey pockets. With six liters of space, the cargo bay is large enough to stow a lightweight windbreaker as well as the two neoprene gear bags that come with the MOG. Better yet, the compartment provides quick access to the internal cable routing and an adjustable retention strap to prevent rattling.
While ENVE opted for a standard seat tube to ensure the bike is compatible with most droppers, the rest of the frame is aero, and the wires and cables are routed through the bars and stem to keep the cockpit streamlined. The version I tested had the company’s Aero Integrated Stem. Its drop looks aggressive, but I found it comfortable thanks to the rise from the spacers. If you need more rise, though, ENVE also offers the In-Route Highrise Stem, and you could keep the fork’s steerer tube long and increase the stack height with either stem.
Another notable part of my MOG’s build-out was its G-Series wheels, which came with ENVE’s Innerdrive Premium hubs. To protect the bearings from dirt and debris without slowing them down, the company paired a full-contact external seal with a fast-rolling, non-contact internal seal. They were the lowest-resistance wheels I’ve ever ridden, and I could coast forever while my riding companions had to pedal. I also loved the 40mm G-Series Dropper Post, which features an inverted design, meaning the sleeve is integrated into the saddle clamp instead of resting inside the seat tube. This not only allows you to attach a seatbag without wearing down the dropper’s coating, but you can also trim the dropper’s alloy post like a normal seatpost. The additional stability it gave me was noticeable, but the drop was small enough that I could still pedal effectively. Sometimes on steep climbs, I’d even lower it a skosh to maximize my traction.
If this sounds like your kind of ride, you can find a dealer on ENVE’s website. Because it’s sold chassis-only, however, you may not be able to see and touch a fully built MOG, but the shop will help you build a bike to fit your body and suit your tastes. That starts by determining your frame size, then they’ll help you pick an ENVE headset, stem, seatpost, and handlebar — all of which are included. After that, it’s up to you and your shop to finish kitting out the bike à la carte. (ENVE won’t let you leave the dealer with only the chassis.) Just don’t set your sights on a Campagnolo groupset. While my tester came with the Italian brand’s 13-speed Ekar drivetrain, ENVE now only offers SRAM and Shimano.
The in-frame storage aside, there’s something to be said of designing a high- end carbon frame while resisting the urge to overload it with “innovations.” There are no flip chips, no options for alternate wheel sizes, no disc brake fairings, and no suspension. Instead, the MOG is what a gravel bike should be: fast and comfortable. After a couple of months in the saddle, I’ve fallen in love with its lightweight, responsive handling, and best of all, its stability has redefined the speeds I am willing to ride.
Photo by Russell Burton
