Schmolke Rims First Details and Pictures

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Denavelo
Posts: 437
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:01 pm

by Denavelo

Schmolke Review...

So I finally got around to sending my hubs (Thanks Ryanh) to FWB, to get laced to Schmolke 30mm TLO tubular rims. My wheels weighed 1010g on my new scale, and I hear I could go under that by removing the stickers (Not proven). I glued on a new pair of Veloflex Roubaix tires in 25mm and oh man these wheels are butter. Me and Ryanh have been wheel swapping and I noticed the Enve 4.5 wheels I've been running since last year started to become harsher on my body, but I also went away from supple veloflex tires to harsher Vittoria Corsa G tires. Hands down the 4.5 wheels are some of the fastest wheels I've ridden to date, and some of the most stable. I've corrected stupid lines mid corner on those wheels and they simply rail everything. I honestly think the Enve 4.5 wheels would be the perfect race wheel, where stability, stiffness and speed is priority. My riding has tailored off a bit, as most of LA people this year for some odd reasoning. I'm no longer looking for hammer fest rides, and just socials that ride at a fast pace. I ride alone a bunch too, so this is when I push myself into the red, etc. I like doing really long extended climbs from my house on weekends, and most of the time alone. I can ride up Angeles Crest from my place to Dawson Saddle and that's 114mi / 11,000ft of elevation. Nothing over 11% on the entire climb, just a long continuous day in the saddle.

I did a ride over the weekend over the SM mountains and it was the perfect place to test and analyze the Schmolke wheels. The SM mountains are really steep and fast sections of rollers and other secluded climbs like Piuma, Latigo, Deer Creek, Stunt and Fernwood. Once you crest these climbs, you're typicall confronted with a bunch of really fast descents, or really fast and pitchy rollers. Good place to test stiffness out of the saddle, and in the saddle big ring in the hood efforts over the rollers (Mulholland). Anyways, after riding the Campy Bora 50 and Bora 35 wheels in the last week then the Schmolke, it's safe to say I found the perfect balance between those two Campy wheels. The Campy Bora 50 was hands down the most comfy wheel I've ever ridden. The Bora 35 was a little stiffer than the 50 and that could be due to the middle section of the 50 having a thin wall, who knows. The schmolke wheels were stiffer than the bora 35 wheels, but had a weird sense of comfort to them like the 50 Bora's. When I got out of the saddle there wasn't a MM of wheel movement, and in the saddle the lateral and vertical stiffness was perfect. I banged out the SM mountains with ease, and didn't feel beat up after the ride at all. On the downside of rollers, the Schmolke wheels held speed like deeper wheels, but I did find myself in the drops hammering to maintain the speeds. On my 4.5 wheels I could tuck and keep super fast momentum without pedaling, but those wheels are 48/56mm respectively.

The Schmolke rims don't have a cheese grater style braking which I applaud. I think that style brake track is ridiculous. The industry created something to eat up pads, and emit a bunch of noise. I'm using a new set of Campy Red pads, and my brakes weren't even adjusted properly and boy did they grab. The Enve wheels have a weird pulsation to them, but the Schmolke wheels simply grab! I like how you can just give a handful of brake to scrub speed and keep on going. I'm going to try black prince pads, but TBH I think the Campy Red pads are perfect for these wheels.

If you have a chance to get the Schmolke rims, I would! I was in the market for a set of Campy Bora 50 wheels, but I may just build up a spare set of Tune Hubs I have, to a set of the Schmolke 45 TLO Tubular rims. The main attraction to the Bora 50 wheels, is the super silent rear hub. Riding Tune hubs for the last 4-5 years, I forgot how nice it is to have a silent bike.

Anyways, I'm a fan of SChmolke rims and not taking anything away from Enve stuff. I wanted to try a more supple tire on the 4.5 wheels, but they've since moved on. I have a set of FSE wheels coming and I'm still deciding on which deep section wheels I want (Bora 50 versus Schmolke 45 TLO). Fairwheels built my wheels, and I can't recommend a better place to get your wheels built, in a timely manner. They build my wheels so quick, sometimes the auto deposit from my job doesn't land before they're finish with the wheels! hahaha

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Rob English "Mudfoot" 29er | Focus Izalco Max | Firefly #194 Stainless XCR | Firefly #277 | Neilpryde Bura SL 11.9 | Crust Evasion Lite

FLtrooper
Posts: 191
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by FLtrooper

Those TLO's look sweet!

:)
:beerchug:

by Weenie


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kode54
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by kode54

great review on the TLO rims. nice to know you've tried a few other wheels in similar routes for a comprehensive test.
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maverick_1
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Location: Tokyo

by maverick_1

@Denavelo

Thanks for the review on the Schmolke rims.
By the way, what hubs are those?

Still considering if I should go for Tune or the Extralite with TLO 45 tubs..any particular comment or advice?
Note that I'm not particularly in favor of using shims as a means to adjust the hub play on Tune hubset.
However would love to hear more from fellow weightweenies.

Cheers

Denavelo
Posts: 437
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:01 pm

by Denavelo

@maverick_1 I've been running Tune hubs for years, beginning from the Mag180 hubs, etc.
I'm currently on a set of Tune 45/150 hubs and they're as good as anything out there. I don't understand the use of a shim you're talking about.
The Tune 70/170 combo is bulletproof for the most part. The kind of hubs you rarely have to maintenance.
I upgraded my 170 hub with Ceramicspeed bearings and it's even better than the stock Tune bearings which are amazing themselves.
If you're not a hard rider on parts, then I would look at the Extralite hubs. The newer Extralite hubs are pretty durable, but if you're a Crit or fast group ride kind of guy, I would lean towards the Tune hubs.

I sent FWB a set of 70/170 hubs to be laced to FSE 25mm Tubular hoops and they should be in stock soon. I'll then lace a set of Extralite hubs to Schmolke TLO 45 rims as well to round out my wheel collection. I still want a set of Bora 50 Tubular wheels though. I yearn for a quiet freehub! It makes climbing long hills so much enjoyable, especially where I live where you can descend for miles on end without seeing a car or person.
Rob English "Mudfoot" 29er | Focus Izalco Max | Firefly #194 Stainless XCR | Firefly #277 | Neilpryde Bura SL 11.9 | Crust Evasion Lite

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maverick_1
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Location: Tokyo

by maverick_1

@Denavelo,
Thanks for the reply.
Regarding the shims/washer on Tune hubs for fine tuning on the preload, you may want to look at the review from our fellow WW below, apparently some users had issues with creaking etc.
https://youtu.be/SH6IPZznzBM

I actually had some issues with a Reynolds RZR Team wheelset which uses Tune internals on the rear. The hubs started giving problems, with occasional skip etc. I guess it's most likely due to the pawls wearing out as per the video shown above. The bearings were great though, zero complains.
Currently in the market for a mid depth wheelset, between 35-45mm. Considering the TLO45 with Extralite/Tune hubs or Bora35 Ultra. The Bora is pretty much bulletproof, though a tad heavier than the TLO45.

Cheers

Denavelo
Posts: 437
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:01 pm

by Denavelo

Weird as I've never had a creak from my Tune 170 rear hub. It was common on the mag180 rear, which was then replaced by the Mag170.
The guys at FWB are GODS when it comes to the Tune stuff, so I just send it to them for any issue critical like that.
Also the Mag170 hub is almost like a DT240, meaning you can take them apart quite easily.

Again, I have years of creak-free smooth rolling from Tune hubs. I wouldn't let one mans issue, sway you from buying the hubs. All manufactures have issues, even Chris King.
Rob English "Mudfoot" 29er | Focus Izalco Max | Firefly #194 Stainless XCR | Firefly #277 | Neilpryde Bura SL 11.9 | Crust Evasion Lite

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zappafile123
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by zappafile123

@Denavelo what do you think of the Schmolke rims vs the FSE?
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Allen254
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Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:05 am

by Allen254

Anyone else have another review on these wheel im really liking these wheels look awesome.

Allen254
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Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2016 3:05 am

by Allen254

zCOme on someone else comment please

RyanH
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by RyanH

I've heard murmurs there have been qc issues. Anyone lend some credibility to that?

Allen254
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by Allen254

RyanH wrote:
Wed Apr 25, 2018 5:31 am
I've heard murmurs there have been qc issues. Anyone lend some credibility to that?
ive read the same thing but idk im intrested in these rumors as well i have mu eyes on the sl 30 tubulars they seem well made.

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ergott
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by ergott

I got 4 rims to be built up. 2 were rejects. One had spoke holes start cracking when I tensioned the wheel (used supplied washers). With the other rim, the holes on the tire bed side didn't line up with spoke hole side.

The 2 that didn't have issues were nice once completed. I'd guess that buying them as wheels you'd get some nice ones. Let someone else find the problems. I wouldn't order rims for a build though.

by Weenie


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RyanH
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by RyanH

@ergott
Thanks for substantiating what I've heard so far. If the issues extend to carbon layup issues, then I think that would be concerning even if the wheels build up fine, no?

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