Schmolke TLO Gravel vs CADEX Max GXR: The Ultimate Guide
The wheels you build the bike around. Schmolke TLO Gravel brings specialist German carbon engineering to an exceptional gravel build. The attraction starts inside the rim: how the fibres are aligned, how loads travel through the structure and how little material is needed to do the job.
The engineering behind a 320g rim
Schmolke describes a circular braiding process that gives its rims repeatable fibre placement. The TLO Gravel's U-shaped profile is designed to carry spoke loads efficiently into the rim, allowing less material in the sidewalls.
- Controlled fibre alignment: carbon positioned to carry the load.
- Approximately 320g per rim: low mass at the outside of the wheel.
- 29mm internal width: a broad platform for 40 to 45mm gravel tyres.
That is where Schmolke's appeal lies: the knowledge behind the carbon, expressed in every part of the rim.
Built for the ride you look forward to
Punchy climbs. Loose corners. Another hour on the gravel. Low rim mass and a broad tyre platform are valuable ingredients for a bike that feels lively under power and composed through changing terrain.
Internal rim width
Schmolke TLO Gravel 29mm
CADEX Max GXR 25mm
Internal width. Scale: 0 to 30mm.
Schmolke provides 4mm more internal width than CADEX. That gives the tyre casing a broader base; tyre choice and pressure complete the setup for grip and comfort.
Finished by a wheel builder in Konstanz
Each TLO Gravel wheelset is laced and tensioned in Schmolke's German workshop. Repeated controlled pressing helps seat the spokes during the build. DT Swiss 180 hubs, SINC ceramic bearings and Sapim CX-Ray spokes complete the assembly.
Precision in the carbon. Care in the build. Those details are part of the pleasure of owning Schmolke.
TLO Gravel vs Max GXR
| Specification | Schmolke TLO Gravel |
CADEX Max GXR |
|---|---|---|
| Internal width | 29mm | 25mm |
| Rim depth | 27mm | 50mm |
| Claimed pair weight* | Approx. 1,290g | 1,280g bare 1,320g taped, with valves |
| Hubs | DT Swiss 180 | CADEX R3-C60 |
| Bearings | SINC ceramic | CADEX ceramic |
| Spokes | Sapim CX-Ray steel | Super Aero carbon, bonded to hub flange |
| Rim format | Hookless, tubeless-ready | Hookless, tubeless |
| Pair price** |
$4,495 Black Edition |
$5,399 RRP |
*Published manufacturer weights. Schmolke does not specify tape and valve inclusion. **CADEX pair RRP: $2,399 front + $2,999.99 rear. Prices checked 2 September 2026.
An exceptional build. A compelling price.
Wheelset price
Schmolke TLO Gravel $4,495
CADEX Max GXR $5,399
Scale: $0 to $6,000. Black Edition versus CADEX listed RRP; pair prices.
The TLO Gravel Black Edition is $4,495, placing it $904 below CADEX Max GXR's pair RRP. Choose it for the engineering, the craftsmanship and the bike you want to own.
The TLO Gravel carries a 120kg system limit, including rider, bike and equipment. Use hookless-compatible tubeless-ready tyres within the rim and tyre pressure limits, and check frame clearance.
Sources: Schmolke manufacturing, TLO Gravel specifications, CADEX specifications and RRP, Bspoke Velo pricing.