Schmolke Carbon was founded in 1993, shortly after Stefan Schmolke constructed the world's first carbon fiber handlebar. In the following years, rigorous safety and performance tests and use by top professionals such as Jan Ullrich and Erik Zabel proved that their lightweight carbon bars could easily outperform the best aluminum bars on the market. The TLO (The Lightest One) handlebar represents the pinnacle of Schmolke's carbon development and sets the standard for light weight carbon handlebars. In fact, few manufacturers even come close to reaching the weight class of a Schmolke handlebar.
Manufactured from T1000 carbon (a rating of the carbon's tensile strength, with the lower T700 rating as the bicycle industry standard), the TLO's unidirectional carbon structure is purposefully and meticulously hand laid to optimize strength and durability. The final woven carbon layer (available in 1k, 3k, or 12k varieties) is added for safety, but also does well in complimenting the handlebar's simple aesthetic. All Schmolke products are intensely tested for durability and safety, and the company possesses the utmost confidence in their product. Therefore, they provide a three year replacement warranty which covers defects in materials and manufacturing.
Schmolke's riser edtion of their popular flat bar takes a cue from current cycling trends by creating a slight improvement in ergonomics while increasing handlebar strength and stiffness. The Lowriser's design features a 280 mm wide reinforced midsection and is available in a very wide 800 mm, making it an excellent choice for larger or more aggressive riders.
All Schmolke products are meticulously manufactured in Germany.
Schmolke manufactures their mountain handlebars in custom widths ranging from 600-800 mm. Their design allows any given width to be cut down up to 10 mm on each side.
Carbon assembly paste is included with each Schmolke handlebar, and it is highly recommended that this paste be used to increase the security of the stem clamp and reduce the necessary bolt torque. Additionally, Schmolke recommends use of four-bolt faceplate stems with their carbon handlebars. Please note that these versions of the TLO handlebar are not compatible with bar ends, which require reinforcement in the carbon structure.