Campagnolo BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 vs ENVE SES 4.5 Pro
The ENVE SES 4.5 Pro is 30 g lighter (1,295 g vs 1,325 g claimed per pair); the Campagnolo BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 costs €652 less (€2,495 vs €3,147) at our October 2026 price check. The rim depth is 45 mm on the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 and 49 mm front / 55 mm rear on the SES 4.5 Pro, the internal width is 23 mm on the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 and 23.5 mm on the SES 4.5 Pro and the listed tyre range is 25–41 mm on the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 and 28–35 mm on the SES 4.5 Pro.
Drag the handle to switch between the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 (left) and the SES 4.5 Pro (right) on a Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 8 AXS. Black tyres shown for context.
General context for the specifications where these two differ. Numbers in superscript link to the sources below each topic. How much each point matters depends on your riding, tyres and bike.
Weight: what the grams mean
The SES 4.5 Pro is 30 g lighter per pair (1,295 g vs 1,325 g, manufacturer claims).
BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C231,325 g
SES 4.5 Pro1,295 g
On a steady climb only total weight counts: a gram in the wheels costs the same as a gram in the frame or a bottle.1 A common rule of thumb is about 2 seconds per 100 metres of climbing for every kilogram, so 150 g works out at roughly 3 seconds on a 1,000 m climb.2
Rim weight matters somewhat more when you accelerate, because the rim spins as well as moves forward; physically that effect is at most about twice that of frame weight, and only while speeding up.1 Claimed weights are measured differently from brand to brand: some include rim tape and valves, others do not, and tolerances of around ±30 g are common.3 Independent weighing usually lands close to the claim once tape and valves are accounted for.4
Rim depth: 45 mm on the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23, 49 mm front / 55 mm rear on the SES 4.5 Pro.
Cross-sections drawn to scale from the catalogue values for outer width, internal width and depth; hooked rims show the bead hook. Simplified shape, not the manufacturer's exact profile.
Deeper rims generally reduce aerodynamic drag, which pays off most at higher speeds on flat or rolling roads, but they tend to weigh more and can be more affected by gusty crosswinds. In a BikeRadar comparison, 60 mm aero wheels were about a second per kilometre faster on the flat but slower on steep climbs than a considerably lighter set.1
How a wheel behaves in crosswinds depends on the rim shape as well as its depth,3 which is why TOUR measures steering torque in the wind tunnel, not just drag.2 Shallower rims are generally easier to handle in gusts, something lighter riders and riders on exposed roads tend to notice first.1
The SES 4.5 Pro (49 mm front / 55 mm rear) uses different rim depths front and rear.
Some wheelsets use a different rim depth front and rear, and brands disagree on the direction. Roval's Rapide CLX II paired a shallower front with a deeper rear to favour stability.1 The newer Rapide III uses a slightly deeper front than rear, and Roval argues most of the aero benefit comes from the front wheel.2 Zipp's 454 NSW rim itself varies in depth along its circumference.3
Treat a split depth as a design choice of the brand rather than an advantage in itself. If crosswinds concern you, the front rim depth is the figure to look at.
Internal rim width: 23 mm on the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23, 23.5 mm on the SES 4.5 Pro.
BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 · internal23 mm
BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 · external28.4 mm
SES 4.5 Pro · internal23.5 mm
SES 4.5 Pro · external30.8 mm
A wider internal rim spreads the tyre beads further apart, so the same tyre mounts wider and with more air volume: roughly 0.4 mm of tyre width per extra millimetre of rim width.1 A tyre labelled 28 mm can measure around 30 mm on a 21 mm rim,2 so check frame clearance against the measured width, not the printed one.4
Typical road rims have moved from about 19 mm internal width around 2020 to 21–25 mm, together with wider tyres. A wider rim also raises the narrowest tyre you may fit and, on hookless rims, comes with pressure limits.3 Brands usually shape the rim around a target tyre width for aerodynamics, so the fastest combination is not simply the widest tyre.5
Campagnolo approves tyres from 25 mm to 41 mm for the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23. ENVE approves tyres from 28 mm for the SES 4.5 Pro and publishes no maximum. The 35 mm in our catalogue is a Show My Bike assumption, not a manufacturer figure.
BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C2325–41 mm
SES 4.5 Pro28–35 mm
An approved tyre range is the span of tyre widths a manufacturer permits for a rim, based on the ETRTO/ISO tables for tyre and rim combinations.2 Not every brand publishes one: some give a recommendation only, or no maximum. The lower end is the narrowest tyre that fits that internal width safely; the upper end shows how far you can go towards wider, lower-pressure tyres for comfort and grip on rough roads or gravel, provided your frame has the clearance.4
In TOUR's tests, wider tyres at a pressure matched to their width roll about as easily as narrower ones on smooth surfaces and add comfort and grip on real roads, while a tyre much wider than the rim costs some aerodynamic drag.1 Pressure calculators such as Zipp's take the rim's internal width into account as well as the tyre.3
Spoke count front/rear: 21/21 on the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23, 24/24 on the SES 4.5 Pro.
BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 21 front / 21 rear · steelSES 4.5 Pro 24 front / 24 rear · steel
Fewer spokes save weight and can reduce drag slightly,1 but each spoke then carries more load and a broken spoke is more likely to leave the wheel unrideable.3 Wheels with low spoke counts usually state a maximum system weight;2 compare it with your own weight plus bike and luggage rather than judging by spoke count alone.
Warranty: 3 years on the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23, a lifetime warranty on the SES 4.5 Pro; crash replacement is listed only for the SES 4.5 Pro.
BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C233 years · crash replacement no
SES 4.5 ProLifetime · crash replacement yes
A warranty covers manufacturing defects; damage from a crash or impact is usually excluded.4 Crash replacement programmes cover that case, either free of charge or as a discount on a replacement. Hunt's H_Care is one example;2 Roval repairs or replaces crash damage free for two years on US purchases and at a discount of 20–35 % elsewhere, for up to five years.3 Some brands, Zipp among them, also include riding damage in their lifetime warranty.1
Terms differ widely: many programmes apply only to the original owner, need registration within a deadline and proof of purchase, may charge shipping or fees, and depend on the region you bought in.23 Check the current conditions on the manufacturer's page before relying on them.
How much lighter is the ENVE SES 4.5 Pro than the Campagnolo BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23?
30 g. The ENVE SES 4.5 Pro has a claimed pair weight of 1,295 g, the Campagnolo BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 1,325 g. Both figures are manufacturer claims.
Which has the wider tyre range?
The Campagnolo BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23. Campagnolo approves tyres from 25 mm to 41 mm for the BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23. ENVE approves tyres from 28 mm for the SES 4.5 Pro and publishes no maximum. The 35 mm in our catalogue is a Show My Bike assumption, not a manufacturer figure. Check the manufacturer's guidance for your exact tyre and pressure.
What is the price difference between the Campagnolo BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 and the ENVE SES 4.5 Pro?
€652 at our October 2026 price check: the Campagnolo BORA ULTRA WTO 45 C23 cost €2,495 and the ENVE SES 4.5 Pro €3,147 per pair. Prices change; check the current offer with the retailer or manufacturer.
All values come from the Show My Bike catalogue, the same records used on the product pages. Prices checked October 2026. Some model-specific details were reviewed against the manufacturer pages. Manufacturer claims are identified as such. No independent product test is claimed, and no winner is declared.
