Black on Black

New meaning is given to 'black on black' with Topolino's top of the line carbon tubular VTR4.0 wheels with True Black spokes - shot on a Parlee Z1 custom carbon frame by KGS Bikes of San Antonio, TX this combination rocks an incredibly fast ride. For more photos check out our Facebook page!

Topolino Lightweight Wheels reviewed in NewMobility

Check out the article by the 'Wheelchair Junkie' Mark E. Smith, on current wheel technology, including Topolino - in the December issue of New Mobility!

Carbon Core WX2.5 Wheelchair Wheel Review

Check out the latest review of our Carbon Core WX2.5 Wheelchair Wheels! http://extremeabilities.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83&Itemid=28

Topolino Carbon Core CX2.0 in Road Bike Action

"Still nothing makes a bike more fun to ride than a set of light wheels, and I'm currently using a set of lightweight Topolino Carbon Core CX2.0 aluminum clinchers that I really like. They are light, responsive and also provide good braking for the descents I encounter on my mountain climbing rides. In the two years that I've used them, they've remained true and continue to dish out a solid, confidence inspiring feel."

-Kansas Bob 'The Gear Man Cometh'
Road Bike Action Magazine - December 2010 Issue

Topolino Technology Awarded SBIR Grant

Bethel, CT – Topolino Technology, the leading manufacturer of high performance bicycle wheels, announced that they were recently awarded a grant by the Connecticut Innovations’ SBIDP (Small Business Innovation and Diversification Program).

“Connecticut has a rich history of being at the forefront of technological innovation, from timepieces and firearms in earlier times to more recently, jet engines and helicopters. We’re proud to continue along this path with innovations in carbon composite technology and the manufacture of ultra- lightweight wheels,” said Raphael Schlanger, Topolino’s President and Founder. “This grant will help expand our production capacity to meet the incredible demand we’ve experienced since announcing the launch of our new wheelchair wheels,” he explained.

The new wheelchair wheels employ the same technology that has established Topolino Technology as a premier manufacturer of lightweight bicycle wheels. This new application of technology is a prime example of how Connecticut Innovations can help small companies like Topolino grow in a challenging economy. “Given Topolino’s innovative uses of new materials and design, and Connecticut Innovations’ mission to promote the development of new technology startups, we consider this an ideal opportunity to work with and foster the entrepreneurial spirit in Connecticut,” said Roberta Rossi, Project Manager of the Connecticut Small Business Innovation Research (CT SBIR) office.

Topolino’s patented design utilizes high-strength carbon composites with continuous spokes that span the full diameter of the wheel and also reinforce the hub. This leads to tremendous weight savings while actually strengthening the entire wheel. “The result is a wheel that is over 20% lighter than any other wheelchair wheel on the market and, at the same time, built to withstand the rigors of everyday use,” continued Schlanger.

Topolino introduced its new wheelchair wheels in May and has been ramping up capacity ever since. The new CarbonCore™ WX2.5 wheelchair wheels are available in standard 24” (540) and 25” (559) sizes, with a suggested retail price of $1,180 per set. For more information regarding Topolino Technology or their products, please contact them at 203.778.4711 / web@topolinotech.com.

The Lightweight and Durable TrueBlack ATR3.0

As summer passes into autumn, riding conditions can often get brutal. Whether big potholes or blasting cross winds, you need a wheel that can handle the unpredictable conditions of the season.

The Topolino ATR3.0 does just this - delivering durability while cheating the wind. It is one tough wheel, with its patented CarbonCore hub formed from proprietary carbon weave composites. Paired with the TrueBlack continuous carbon fiber spokes that run through and form part of the hub, it can take a lot of abuse.

Meanwhile, the 30mm aero profile of the ATR3.0 slices the wind with stability and control, especially in challenging cross-wind conditions. These wheels are fast, while still weighing less than 1,500g. To top it off, each wheel is precision built by hand in Topolino's workshop in Bethel, Connecticut!

Specifications

Wheelset Weight: 1480g (645f / 835r)

Spoke Count: 24 / 30

Compatibility: Shimano 8/9, SRAM, Shimano 10, Campagnolo 10/11

Rim: aero profile, 19mm wide x 30mm deep

Spokes: TrueBlack continuous carbon fiber composite

MSRP: $1,420

Allison Jones, World Champion

Congratulations to Allison Jones, Para-Cycling Road World Champion. At the 2010 Para-Cycling Road World Championships in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, she won the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race. She road with confidence and control while pedaling to victory and earning the title of World Champion in both events. And as if World Championships were not enough challenge for Allison, she cycled to the top of Pikes Peak (elevation 14,110 feet), less than a week after she earned the titles in Canada.

Allison is now the National and World Champion in the Road Race and World Champion in the Time Trial, and a Pikes Peak conqueror. To top it all off, Allison earned the title of USOC Female Athlete of the Month! Allison says, "Topolino has been a great aid to my performance leading up to and during these competitions.”

Thank you Allison and good luck in this month’s training and races! To read all about Allison’s summer adventures, please check out her blog on her website http://www.jonezyrocks.com/.

Topolino True

Topolino Limited Edition TrueRed Wheelset

To celebrate over 10 years of making lightweight carbon composite wheels, Topolino is offering a limited edition series of their best selling wheelset, the TrueRed CTR2.0 Limited Edition with special red color scheme and ceramic bearings. Based on the CTR2.0, the TrueRed limited edition features red axle caps, red nipples, ceramic bearings, and CarbonCore hubs. They also feature the new TrueBlack carbon composite spokes, which have increased carbon content, giving the wheels superior stiffness and responsiveness, with more direct power transfer.

With over 25 years experience designing and making bicycle wheels and components, Topolino has constantly been perfecting and upgrading Topolino wheels each year since their inception. “These wheels represent the pinnacle of carbon fiber spoke technology, and we’d like to thank our dealers and riders with this special limited edition,” says Rafe Schlanger, Topolino’s Founder and President.

Only 25 TrueRed limited edition wheelsets will be made. Each are hand signed and numbered by Schlanger, and are available only at select authorized Topolino dealers.

Each and every Topolino wheel, including the TrueRed Limited Edition, is hand built at the Topolino factory in Bethel, Connecticut, by skilled craftsmen dedicated to crafting the highest quality wheels. For more information, call Topolino today at 203.778.4711 or email at web@topolinotech.com.

Topolino TrueRed CTR2.0 Limited Edition
Wheelset Weight: 1360g
Front / Rear Weight: 590g / 770g
Spoke Count: 24 / 30
Over Locknut: 100mm / 130mm
Axle Caps & Nipples: Red anodized
Bearings: Topolino Ceramic Bearings
Compatibility: Shimano 8/9, SRAM, Shimano 10, Campagnolo 10/11
Rim: 19mm wide x 20mm deep
MSRP: $1,595

Topolino looks to lighten load for wheelchair users

From the Danbury News-Times.
http://www.newstimes.com/business/article/Topolino-looks-to-lighten-load-for-wheelchair-523764.php



After three years of design and development, the Bethel-based manufacturer of bicycle wheels in September will debut the CarbonCoreWX2.5, a set of wheelchair wheels weighing 12 ounces less than a conventional set.

"We've done a quite a bit of research and it's a whole new market for us," said Raphael Schlanger, who in 1999 founded the company with six employees after spending years as a design engineer for Cannondale Bicycles in Wilton, and as a medical equipment consultant. "We needed to make something that looked good after it was beat up quite a bit."

The wheel, which will be available in 24- and 25-inch sizes for $1,180 per set, consists of a hub and spokes that are made of a light-weight carbon-fiber composite and aluminum rim, said Schlanger, whose inspiration came from designing wheelchairs for use on airplanes.

"It really sparked an interest in me when technology was not so advanced," said Schlanger, who designed a light-weight carbon fiber aerodynamic bicycle wheel for Carlsbad, Calif.-based wheel maker Spinergy Inc. "When you can take three-quarters of a pound off a chair that now weighs between 12 and 15 pounds, that's a significant savings."

The lighter CarbonCore wheels, which also result in less vibration, allow users to stop and accelerate more quickly and move the chair around when getting in and out of a car, Schlanger said.

"Users are making millions of fine movements, so these kinds of things are definitely appreciated," he said, adding that Topolino plans to make models for athletic competition. "There are a host of sports that wheelchair users engage in."

Topolino will work with wheelchair distributors and retailers to sell the new wheels in the aftermarket and is in talks with several original equipment manufacturers.

Athletes who use wheelchairs always have tried to use a lighter wheelchair, which used to be made of stainless steel before the use of aluminum and titanium, said Brenda Martin, editorial coordinator for Sports-n-Spokes, a Phoenix-based magazine published by the Paralyzed Veterans of America in Washington, D.C.

"If you're trying to improve your time on the track or in the Boston Marathon, the less weight you have the better time you'll get," she said.

A lighter wheelchair also is easier on caregivers, who often are required to lift and unfold the device many times a day, said Jaclyn Wallace, an occupational therapist at Stamford Hospital.

"We're always seeking the lighter chair," she said.

Coming Soon: Carbon Tubular with TrueBlack Spokes

You asked for it, so we are building it. Presenting the newest Topolino wheelset to feature TrueBlack carbon composite spokes - the TrueBlack VTR4.0. Our full carbon tubular rim, paired with our continuous TrueBlack carbon composite spokes, deliver more speed and less weight than anything else in its class. Coming soon!

Wheelset Weight: 1110g
Spoke Count: 24 front / 30 rear
Compatibility: Shimano 8/9, Shimano 10, Campagnolo
Rim: 19mm x 40mm deep aero all carbon
MSRP: $2,520

TrueBlack CTR2.0s Now Available

The Topolino TrueBlack CTR2.0 wheelsets are now shipping. Please consult your nearest Topolino dealer (using our dealer locator) for availability.
- 24/30 front/rear spoke count
- Shimano, Shimano 10, Campagnolo compatible
- patented Carbon Core hub
- 1360g wheelset weight
- MSRP $1,420

Handmade Wheels Also at NAHMBS

Not only was there an amazing collection of handmade frames and bicycles at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHMBS), there were handmade wheels as well.

Pictured above, the top of the line Topolino VX4.0 Carbon Tubular wheelset (1120g) on the stunning ABSOLU custom carbon frame from CYFAC.

Rafael Colon Wins Duathlon on VX4.0 Carbon Tubulars

This past Sunday, Rafael Colon won the World's Best 10k Duathlon in Puerto Rico, riding a set of Topolino VX4.0 wheels. Topolino's top of the line carbon tubulars helped propel him to a two minute advantage over his next rival! Rafael will be representing Puerto Rico in the upcoming Pan American Games.

Topolino VX4.0s in Tour of Qatar

Pascale Schnider of the Swiss Bikeimport team, riding our Topolino VX4.0s in the Tour of Qatar. Discerning pro and amateur riders alike choose Topolino wheels for their unique combination of amazing low weight, smooth ride and durability.

Topolino True

Topolino Testrider Goes Rogue!

Just weeks away from release, a Topolino Technology test rider has gone rogue and run off with a set of new TrueBlack CTR2.0 wheels. A Topolino spokesperson reported the wheels were lent to the testrider several weeks ago and everything seemed normal. The problem began when the TrueBlack wheels were to be returned to Topolino headquarters. Apparently the testrider became so enamored with the ride that he refused to return the wheels, and sprinted away. Recent video submitted anonymously shows the rogue rider, continuing to ride the new wheels on all surfaces and conditions.

A top Topolino official expressed little surprise at the testrider's reaction. Apparently most riders are reluctant to give up their Topolino wheels after riding them, as they are known for their incredible responsiveness, light weight, and smooth ride.

The new TrueBlack CTR2.0 wheelset, due in select bike shops next month, features continuous carbon fiber spokes and the proprietary Topolino Carbon Core hub. The suggested retail price is $1,420.

Anyone who sees the the new TrueBlack wheels or the rogue rider is encouraged to contact Topolino Technology immediately. Topolino officials warn that they do not encourage anyone to try to apprehend the rider or the Topolino wheels themselves. Instead, they recommend to visit the nearest authorized Topolino dealer to purchase them.