CUBE LITENING C:68 SLT ZEROBLACK £5499
› The German outfit’s top-of-the-range race bike
IN THIS COUNTRY, at least, the German company Cube is best known for the bikes it produces at much more modest prices than this. But it has also created the somewhat more exotic Litening C:68, which is ridden, albeit with different kit, by the Belgian ProContinental team Wanty-Groupe Gobert.
At the heart of it is Cube’s lightest road frame yet, featuring all the technology you’d expect from modern carbon. The engineering that Cube is most proud of is its ‘Twin Mould’ technique. This is a process that allows Cube to better control the layup of the carbon fibre as it cures. ‘In this way,’ it claims, ‘less material can be used as the individual layers can be more accurately and reliably positioned.’
The 68 in the name refers to the percentage of carbon in the resulting carbon composite, compared with a more typical 60 per cent, with the rest being the resin used to bond the fibres together. This allows Cube to use thinner, lighter tubes that it claims – drum roll, please! – will ‘increase both stiffness and comfort’, the latter aided by the slimline seatstays (1). The 1 1 -inch full-carbon C:68 fork, meanwhile, is claimed to offer great steering and ‘incredible vibration absorption’. Sehr gut!
The C:68’s 850g frame weight isn’t quite super-light these days, but it’s still low enough to build into a bike weighing well under the UCI’s minimum 6.8kg weight limit. Cube even reduced the amount of paint applied to the frameset to trim a further few grams.
The Wanty team bikes have Shimano DuraAce kit, while this Zeroblack model comes decked out with a full Campagnolo Super Record groupset, including the Ultra Torque carbon chainset with its titanium axle, and the stylish Super Record Skeleton brakes (2).
The Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL T wheels and Yksion Pro tubular tyres (3) are a highlevel pairing that would cost £1575 alone. The 25mm tyres are front and rear specific, with the Yksion Pro GripLink front designed to offer more grip and better puncture protection, and the Yksion Pro PowerLink rear specced for reduced rolling resistance and ‘superior energy transfer’. The Pro SL Ts are the lightest wheels in the Ksyrium range, weighing just 1190g per pair, with wide, carbon tubular rims.
Cube’s fellow German company Syntace provides its aluminium Force 109 stem, with titanium bolts (more weight saved!), and a carbon bar and seatpost. The carbon theme is echoed by the saddle, the Fizik Antares R3 having braided carbon rails. 6.2kg (56cm) Carbon Full carbon Mavic Ksyrium Pro Carbon SL T Campagnolo Super Record, 52/36, 11-27
Weight Frame Frame Wheels Gears Brakes
Campagnolo Super Record Skeleton Syntace stem, bar and seatpost, Fizik Antares R3 saddle, 25mm Mavic Yksion Pro tubulars