The one-piece handlebar/stem on our Enve Custom Road builds has always attracted a lot of appreciative words from visitors to the shop. The SES AR One-Piece, as it's known, is beautiful, of course, as one-pieces tend to be, but it's also made in the U.S. to Enve's exemplary standards, and benefits from the iterative improvements that come with having pro riders spend all their time holding it. The only catch was you could only get it when you ordered a Custom Road. That changed today with Enve's announcement that the SES AR One-Piece would be available to all. Some caveats, however, remain: the SES AR One-Piece is only compatible with the Enve MOG, Melee and Custom Road or custom-built frames that may use Enve's In-Route System internal routing. But if you're a rider of the above, a one-piece future may await.
We chatted with A.J Turner, Product Manager at Enve, to learn more about the release. Here's our mini Q&A.
Hey, A.J., thanks for taking the time to chat.
My pleasure, Pete.
Can you talk a little about the history of the SES AR One-Piece?
The SES AR One-Piece is something we've actually been making since the release of our Custom-Road bikes. They're handmade here in Ogden, Utah, and the SES AR One-Piece initially allowed us to include an additional custom aspect to the Custom Road, with riders having their choice of bar width and stem length.
How would you describe the design of the Enve SES AR One-Piece?
It features a semi-aero top and a sharp bend towards the hoods. That sharp bend makes for a wider and more stable top hand platform, while also allowing for riders to really lower their elbows and stretch out on the hoods into a comfortable, yet aero position. The drops feature a slight flare that's comfortable with plentiful lever access, situated in a way that doesn't have your wrists interfering with the top should you decide you want to sprint or get out of the saddle while you're in the drops.
How did pro feedback shape the evolution of the One-Piece?
They were pretty much immediately enamored with the overall ride feel, stiffness, responsiveness, and geometry. Over time, their feedback pushed us to figure out how to provide these bars to a broader market and make them available to more of our customers. The demand we've seen from the exposure of the bar through the team has led this to be our most widely requested and demanded product.
Like the Custom Road, the One-Piece is made in the U.S., correct?
Yes, it is. Making this product in the U.S. was a very conscious decision. It allows us a level of control in the lay-up to get that 'just-right' feel in making sure the bar is comfortable but stiff in the right way. Over the years, we've made a lot of small parts in our Ogden facility, and this bar is a culmination of those learnings.
Moving the One-piece from one-off to wider availability must have been a company-wide affair.
Absolutely. Nearly everyone in the building has engaged with these types of small but intricate products in some capacity. We're all excited about bringing the One-Piece to market and proud of the work that has transformed it from a custom piece to a fully commercially available product – while staying made here in Ogden.
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