Cube (Germany) - Press Release: Litening C:68X Series.

The brand new Litening re-writes the race bike rule book. Literally. Completely redesigned to be as aerodynamically efficient as possible, it's the secret weapon you need to break free of the peloton and find your place on the podium. Fast, light and as slippery through the air as a hot knife through butter. Break out and win.

Technology:

A road race bike needs to be fast. That much is obvious, but how to extract more speed from bike and rider? That was the question our engineering team asked themselves at the beginning of the design process for the brand-new Litening. And the answer? Make the frame as slippery as possible through the air. It's a familiar concept for time trial and triathlon bikes, but not so much for race machines. The new Litening re-writes the rules by borrowing from our experience building the standard-setting Aerium C:68. Making extensive use of Computer Fluid Dynamics – backed up with wind tunnel testing at every stage of the design and production process – our engineers were able to finesse the frame's design to realise a 30% reduction in drag. In the world of marginal gains, that's enough to make this a genuine breakaway machine.

The fully UCI-compliant chassis design integrates frame, fork, stem, handlebar and seat post into a structure that's as efficient through the air as possible. Beautifully crafted from our next-generation C:68X carbon, it's even designed to be minimally affected by crosswinds. The integrated headset features an aero top cap and we were able to reduce the frontal areas of the head tube and fork crown by using disc brakes. It's also highly configurable to suit every race and rider – internal cable routing for Sram and Shimano electronic gears is standard, as is a removable front derailleur mount, and there are multiple bottle positions available. With clearance for tyres up to 28mm and power meter-ready, it's the speed machine you've been looking for to maximise your chances of success. Don't chance it on race day. Ride the Litening – and just go.

When we set out to develop the C:68 technology, one of our biggest priorities was to reduce the amount of resin to what we consider the ideal level: 32%. We also enhanced the resin's texture by adding special nanoparticles to make it even tougher than ever. C:68X builds on this know-how and takes it to the next level by incorporating specific fibre choices and orientations. With this new technology, we can select and orient the carbon fibres to add stiffness or compliance to precise sections of the frame as needed. Fibres on each part of the frame are oriented according to load, which allows us to exploit the full potential of carbon fibre and deliver huge improvements in ride performance. Say goodbye to the homogeneous weave of the C:68 frame and hello to C:68X technology in all its glory: always the perfect materials and orientations needed for the specific frame section. We use up to six different fibre types in layup and actually save weight despite the increased aerodynamic efficiency and full system integration. The result: Even more rigidity with compliance exactly where it's needed for a more comfortable and safer frame. Sound like a pipe dream? Welcome to the future!

Litening C:68X Race Components:

• Frame: Litening C:68X Monocoque Advanced Twin Mold Technology, Aero Headtube, Full Integrated Cable Routing, Flat Mount Disc
• Size: 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60
• Fork: Litening C:68X Aero, Integrated Cable Routing, Flat Mount Disc
• Headset: ACROS, Top Integrated 1 1/8", Bottom Integrated 1 1/4"
• Rear derailleur: Sram Force eTap AXS™, 12-Speed
• Front derailleur: Sram Force eTap AXS™
• Brake system: Sram Force eTap AXS™ (160/160)
• Crankset: Sram Force D1, 48x35T, 170mm (50/52cm), 172.5mm (54/56/58cm), 175mm (60cm)
• Chain: Sram Force D1
• Colour: teamline
• Handlebar tape: CUBE Grip Control
• Shift/ brake levers: Sram Force eTap AXS™
• Cassette: Sram Force XG-1270, 10-33T
• Wheelset: Newmen Advanced SL R.38, Carbon
• Tyres: Schwalbe Pro One, Tubeless Easy, 25-622
• Saddle: Natural Fit Nuance SLT Road
• Seat post: Litening C:68X Aero, Comfort Flex
• Seatclamp: CUBE Full Integrated Aero Clamp
• integrated bar/stem: Litening C:68X ICR Aero Cockpit System, Integrated Cable Routing, Aero Spacer System, Garmin Mount Interface
• 7,7 kg