Schmolke wheels TLO or SL ? review, stiffness??

[Allen254]

Anyone have a pair and what is your experience with them they seem like very nice wheels but I can't find many reviews on them.
Specifically on stiffens the Sl 30 tubulars look awesome but wanting to know more about them. thanks.

[alcatraz]

I don't know about the wheels in particular but I saw a review of deeper ax wheels compared to big brand zipp/enve.

The guy couldn't explain why the zipp/enve simply felt faster. On paper the german wheels look fast.

Also the braking is far behnd the bigger brands.

I don't want to downtalk the cool german light high tech stuff. Just want to convey that it's not so much a racing solution.

/a

[petert]

I don't know about the wheels in particular but I saw a review of deeper ax wheels compared to big brand zipp/enve.
The guy couldn't explain why the zipp/enve simply felt faster. On paper the german wheels look fast.
Also the braking is far behnd the bigger brands.

Don't suppose you have link to the review, like others I've been tempted to go for Schmolke TSO's (clinchers)?

[alcatraz]

It's a guy on youtube called Ronald Cuba (or Kuba?) and he is making a lot of sense the more you listen. I think the review is in one of his zipp or enve videos.

He went for all the german ultralight parts and did some racing. Now he's on zipp/enve wheels and trek aero frames, doesn't care much about weight anymore. Just aero and allround racing performance of the products.

/a

[mrlobber]

The guy couldn't explain why the zipp/enve simply felt faster. On paper the german wheels look fast.

So that's not a review but just another personal opinion?

For me, much more credit is when, for instance, FWB say Schmolke has the best or close-to-best ultralight carbon expertise out there (and, having used Schmolke bars / seatposts, I'm all in with that).

As for racing, never race with what you can't replace. And notice Zipp on the NSW range is like 30% more expensive than just about anything else, including Schmolke / AX on Extralite hubs (build them on DTSwiss or other, and they're below 2k EUR for a set), with Enve not so far behind Zipp. And the fun fact is that latest Zipp is nowhere as aero vs the competition as they were previously, carefully selected wheel / tyre combos from HED / Flo and so on beat them comfortably, and are much cheaper. So even if Zipps might feel fast, they actually probably aren't.

Disclaimer: I'm still riding both Zipp and Enve as well as Chinese wheels and old school Boras, what "feels fast" actually changes day by day and rarely has real correlation with actual average riding speeds.

So, if after weight and solid other all-around performance, I'd buy Schmolkes anyday (and go for tubulars too ), and save BIG money in the process vs Zipp.

[alcatraz]

If I had to choose a wheelset for racing it'd probably be cp bora 50's because they brake really well. Fast riding requires some fast braking.

I wouldn't personally buy any of these big brands because I'm happy enough to use tech from 5-10y ago that can be had for peanuts from asia. I'm not racing. Probably never will either...

Ronald Kuba is an amateur racer. He is not sponsored and thus chooses freely anything and everything to save precious time/energy when he races. It's nice to get inside the thought process of an amateur racer today when so much stuff is available and claims to offer a lot.

Like anything you hear it's just another perspective. The more you are confronted with the better (usually) your choice will be afterwards. Don't base your decisions on any one voice/opinion. Mrlobber, do I need to put this as a disclaimer under my posts?

/a

[themidge]

So that's not a review but just another personal opinion?

What is a review if not a personal opinion?

If they feel slower than the competition to Ronald Kuba, then another 'real' reviewer might also find that they feel slower. If a wheel feels slow, it probably is.
That 'slowness' compared to the Zipps, ENVEs etc. could be due to the lower weight of the Schmolkes, like how super light climbing wheels spin up very quickly but don't hold speed very well (easy to spin up, easy to slow down and all that).

[tonytourist]

I thought my TLO45 clinchers were an awesome wheel set, but I can't really comment on the 30s. For that I would get in touch with Denavelo and ask his opinions.

[RyanH]

Am I the only one that races and find that I brake less in a race than regular riding, not more? I keep hearing this argument whether be discs or wheels that if you're racing you need the best braking but in my racing experience at least, racing down a hill only required quick modulation of speed. Rarely did we race down something super technical as that would be a huge liability for race organizers.

Also, regarding TLO30, I found them to be on par with the Bora 35s which puts them up there with the best.

[Allen254]

I thought my TLO45 clinchers were an awesome wheel set, but I can't really comment on the 30s. For that I would get in touch with Denavelo and ask his opinions.

interesting who is this Denavelo ??

[Denavelo]

I have Schmolke 45 TLO tubular rims laced to Tune 70/170 hubs. I also have a set of Schmolke 30 TLO tubular rims, laced to Tune 45/150 hubs.

The Schmolke 30 wheels weighed in 1010g, built by FWB. When I want stupid fast speed, I put the 45 TLO wheels on and they simply fly. No side to side flex, and braking is pretty damn good now that I have EE brakes and have been running Enve brake pads (Textured brake track pads).

My hands down favorite wheels are the Schmolke 30 TLO wheels. I love the feel of spin up when on long extended climbs, and they're deep enough to hold all of the speed over rollers in LA. The brake track is slimmer than the 45 TLO, so dialing in the pads is somewhat easier and the braking right now is amazing (EE brakes). I literally grab the 9150 levers with 1 finger, and the 30 TLO wheels scrub speed. I've yet to flex the 30 TLO wheels when out of saddle. Most people that ride with me, know that I climb extensively out of the saddle. I thought the Bora 35 wheels were some of the best wheels I've ridden, until I got my 30 TLO wheels dialed in. The 30 TLO wheels with Tune hubs (Decent bracing angles) equate to a pretty damn stiff and fast wheel. I bought the Tune hubs from RYANH and they've been solid. FWB recently overhauled the 150 rear, and man this thing has been running butter smooth. If I ever explode my Tune hubs, I'd like to go with Extralite SP hubs to get the 30 TLO wheels in the 900g range. I had to weight them again recently, and realized they were 1010g... Still pretty damn light for the durable history of them.


Schmolke 30TLO Tune 45/150 = 1010g


Schmolke 45TLO Tune 70/17 = 1177g

[Rex]

Glad to hear you're still loving your 45's.

I'm getting a set built soon, except going a little different with the hubs in keeping it German with Acros hubs. Only an extra 20g
Although I like the look of the Carbon-Ti's
I really can't make up my mind lol

[beanbiken]

Glad to hear you're still loving your 45's.

I'm getting a set built soon, except going a little different with the hubs in keeping it German with Acros hubs. Only an extra 20g
Although I like the look of the Carbon-Ti's
I really can't make up my mind lol

Umm, keeping it German????........ Tune hubs= German

BB

[Rex]

Umm, keeping it German????........ Tune hubs= German

LOL thats a good point, but Tune hubs have never been on the cards for me.
OK maybe I should just edit my original post

Annyway.... My biggest indecision is whether to go Clinchers or Tubs

[Wookski]

After seeing half a dozen sets with significant QC issues I would wait until Schmolke get their sh!t together or at least employ someone to drill spike holes who isn’t blind