The new TLO 50: Aerodynamic even at 30 km/h, stiff, extremely light and easy to assemble – our answer to the question of a universally applicable fast wheelset!

The U-Shape rim: Aerodynamic and rigid yet sensationally light

In order to make the overall system of tyres and rims as aerodynamic as possible, even with modern tyre widths from 29 mm, we had to increase the rim width to an enormous 32.5 mm and thus also the rim height of our proven TLO 37 wheels to 50 mm. The resulting aerodynamically optimised rim shape now allows the laminar airflow to adhere to our rim for longer, thus creating a noticeable sailing effect at yaw angles of 5-15 degrees. The yaw angle is the sum of the headwind and crosswind. The faster the cyclist goes, the less influence the crosswind has, as the headwind becomes increasingly dominant. For the average cyclist, this has the advantage that this suction effect occurs much more frequently at 30 km/h than at a professional speed of 50 km/h.

At the same time, we were also able to keep the negative influence of crosswinds on steerability at a similarly low level as with low rims optimised for this purpose. The crosswind gust from an overtaking lorry has also become significantly lower. You can actually feel this, as well as the higher speeds on longer, flat descents.

Since significantly more carbon can be used in such a large torsion body, the greatly increased tensile strength of our latest fibres is put to particularly good use, noticeably increasing the stability of the rim. Clear proof of the enormous strength of the TLO 50 is also the consistently high maximum permissible pressure, e.g. 6.1 bar for a 32 mm wide tyre! This means that it is now approved for a total weight of up to 115 kg and still achieves a record weight of only 320 g! (The squaring of the circle, so to speak)

It should be noted that this low rim weight applies to an impressive width of 32.5 mm. For example, a 28 mm wide Conti 5000 tyre measures 32.5 mm wide on this rim. Compared to the same tyre with a nominal width of 32 mm, this saves a further 100 g per set on the outer edge of the wheel, which is so crucial for acceleration!

We are not aware of any lighter commercially available wheels with this rim height anywhere in the world. The complete ready-to-ride wheelset with 29/32 mm tyres, disc and cassette weighs just 1840 g. Compare this with your own wheelset at home.

As is customary with us, these rims are only available with hooks, as this allows tyres to be fitted and removed without tools while also preventing the tyre from coming off the rim. Although this is significantly more complex to manufacture, it has never been an obstacle for us, but rather a challenge that we have once again successfully overcome.

This wheelset is delivered tubeless ready as standard, i.e. with glued-on rim tape and valve, to save a further 2 watts in rolling resistance. (compared to the continued use of a light inner tube) We are not aware of any other wheelset that requires less watts to accelerate and maintain a speed of 30 km/h.

Inner width

25 mm – for perfect performance, choose the Conti Aero 111 front wheel in 29 mm.

Hubs of our trust

Extralite – The new SPD3+ hubs from Extralite also allow us to install the lightest hubs for this wheelset with carbon spokes.

DT Swiss – For several years now, we have been relying on the quality and durability of the DT Swiss 180 hub for our “top range” TLO. Coupled with the very low weight, the DT Swiss 180 hub is the perfect match of all parameters that are important for Schmolke standards. The extremely reliable freehub system ensures direct power transmission even under the highest loads. Smooth-running SINC ceramic bearings with their extremely low rolling resistance provide a clear advantage.

NONPLUS hubs – extremely lightweight and extremely robust: The NONPLUS hub set weighs just 198 g, making it a perfect match for the TLO 50 Aero wheelset. Designed for demanding road cyclists who value durable, lightweight, and low-maintenance quality hubs and wheels.

Everything carbon: including the spokes

In order to still be able to achieve our weight specifications, only carbon spokes were considered from the start. Spokes only absorb tensile forces, which is why carbon, with its tensile strength up to four times that of steel, is of course perfect here and enables a higher preload. The biggest challenge is the application of force. We achieve this with perfectly connected titanium end pieces. We continue to stick with 24 spokes in order to be able to absorb the braking forces optimally and to keep the lateral stiffness of the wheels incredibly high, despite the low weight. The fatigue strength of carbon is also significantly higher than that of steel, which of course makes the spokes much more durable given the constant loading and unloading during each wheel revolution. Furthermore, the damping properties of the carbon fibers also lead to noticeably softer rolling of the wheels.

Which freewheel system do I need?

Before you make the purchase, you should be clear about which gears you have installed on your bike. This determines which freehub body you should order.

Shimano – If you have installed a Shimano group set, please select Shimano (HG-11) as the freehub body. Even with the new 12-speed gears, the cassette can still be installed on the conventional HG-11 freehub body without any problems.

SRAM – If your bike has a SRAM group with an 11-speed cassette, you should choose the Shimano HG-11 freewheel body to be able to install your cassette. The newer 12-speed AXS gears from SRAM require the XDR freehub body for assembly, in which the cassette is screwed onto the body in one piece.

Campagnolo – If you have installed a Campagnolo 12-speed gears, we ask you to select the “Campagnolo” freehub body when ordering.

Assembly instruction for TLO 50 TLR Disc Wheelset