Schmolke is a small carbon bicycle components specialist in Germany, making all of its high-end carbon exotica parts in-house.
Videographer Joe Norledge isn’t a stranger to the brand. Previously he's used the company’s top spec, sub-1kg Schmolke TLO 30 tubular wheels for a few hill climb seasons.
- Introducing Hill Climb Diaries
- Hunt's new 991g hill climb-specific wheelset costs just £1,089
- Fuji SL 1.5 2017 long-term review
Schmolke recently got back in touch to see if he wanted to try some of its MTB-specific, and equally lightweight, components.
Schmolke’s TLO range is an abbreviation for The Lightest One and each of the components from the range certainly lives up to its name.
The world's lightest MTB components? | Joe's Schmolke Bar and Seatpost
Before the components were sent, Joe went through the process of picking the MTB TLO Oversize handlebars' spec; selecting width, carbon weave aesthetic, logo colour, as well as choosing either the brand’s ‘strong as possible’ or ‘light as possible’ option.
Joe chose the ‘light as possible’ option, which uses the minimum amount of material possible while keeping the product safe. Rider weight is also a consideration when speccing these components.
For the TLO 1K Carbon seatpost, either inline or set back was specified, as well as diameter. Both products are made using top-grade, high tensile T1000 carbon.
Joe’s specification was delivered and, living up to the TLO namesake, weighed in at 129g for the seatpost and just 96g for the 740mm wide handlebars.
Joe will be using the components on his long-term test bike, a Scott Scale Hardtail World Cup 29er, and will have further updates on the weight weenie components further down the line.
Is this one weight weenie step too far? Let us know in the comments below.
Learn more about the TLO range on Schmolke’s website.