Ceetec Introduces 137-Gram Phenum XC Bar and Lightweight Alloy Thru-Axles

Jan 26, 2021 at 9:39
by Alicia Leggett  
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Swiss component company Ceetec has introduced a lightweight XC carbon handlebar and an aluminum version of the C10 thru-axle, which the company says might be even lighter than the carbon thru-axle model that was prototyped last year.

Ceetec has manufactured its lightweight carbon offerings in-house in Switzerland for the last ten years. Although Ceetec parts have been around the World Cup circuit since the company’s beginnings, 2021 will see its first officially supported team, JB Brunex Superior Factory Racing. The company recently opened its new C10 lab to focus even more on shaving grams off axles, clamps, and other small but important parts, and has increasingly focused on the development of featherlight kit in preparation for the team to race at the Olympics.

The new XCM 780 bar is said to weigh 137 grams, and it survived 3 million dynamic impacts without failure when independently tested by Bike Test Aachen. Some other key figures include 780mm width, 7.5° backsweep and 2.0° upsweep. Ceetec claims that although it is slightly more flexible than its lightweight DH handlebar, it has a similar level of toughness.

The thru-axles are available in six anodized colors and are offered for both front and rear. Rear axles are available in 172mm x M12x1.5, while front axles are available for both standard (148mm) and boost (158mm) lengths. There is no weight specified for these although Ceetec claims they are lighter than the '30-35 gram’ carbon ones it has previously prototyped.

The new C10 top-of-the-line products were designed with pure performance in mind. Ceetec toyed with making the C10 group accessible to a wider market but now, the company is refocusing on just the Elite racing market. The handlebar retails for 339 Swiss Francs (roughly $382 USD), while the alloy thru-axles cost 99 CHF (about $112 USD). Both are available now at ceetec.ch.

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103 Comments
  • 80 0
 Dangerholm raises eyebrow
  • 37 7
 am i the only one that cringes when they take product shots by chucking the stuff onto some gravel. or am i a weirdo
  • 11 2
 I agree it is a bit of to put a thing on gravel, some wood would look better.
  • 3 1
 I'm totally with you!
  • 6 2
 @joshfrandsen: im not worried about looks im worried about scratches and or grime. but i guess it doesnt look the awesome either.
  • 2 3
 @NivlacEloop: Yeah that too, gravel is super dirty,
  • 6 1
 Gravel isn't great, but it's better than the product being a dark color and having a black background. You can barely see some of the products on PB because of this.
  • 23 1
 I'd prefer that they put it on top of a pile of hotdogs. That's marketing I can get into, literally.
  • 1 2
 looks like they were shot with a phone and at the last minute... would be perfect photos if they were selling gravel on craigslist. it's not weird to expect better from a Swiss company that sells premium products.
  • 1 2
 Its lightweight carbon...could get damaged that way.
  • 1 0
 @joshfrandsen: would wood, wood would. wood.
  • 1 0
 @IamTheDogEzra: username checks out
  • 21 4
 Idk. 2 things on my bike I could care less about weight and just be as strong as possible are the axles and handlebar. Either of those failing is a jaw surgery and getting fake teeth..
  • 27 0
 The easiest place for a company to claim a weight savings, is on a part that conventional companies are scared to make too light.
  • 6 0
 Ceetec were the sponsors of last years denture-con. Nice try...
  • 1 2
 the teeth would hardly be fake, medical prosthetics have come a long way. I am sure they would do just fine.
  • 11 0
 They don't call them dentist bikes for nothin..
  • 18 1
 Excuse me? 382USD for a handle bar! maybe once I’m done paving my drive way with gold I’ll order one
  • 24 0
 @machaut Peasant, Palladium is the only way to pave a drive.
  • 5 0
 Forget gold and palladium, I’d be happy just to have a heated driveway.
  • 3 0
 @bman33: I’m not worthy
  • 6 0
 @machaut: maybe they can sell you a load of that gravel for your driveway at a reasonable price?
  • 1 0
 @KiwiXC: it's pays for itself not having to buy fuel for a snowblower.
  • 1 0
 @onemind123: if only....
  • 2 0
 @bman33: You sound like you need a 110USD bottle cage and a 790USD saddle. Luckily they have you covered for that as well....
  • 3 0
 @codfather1234: They go nicely with my Coach hydration pack and Versace jersey. Big Grin
  • 3 0
 Driveways are for peasants and the hired help they dont get gold, the helipad on the other hand is carbon with anodized fence to match the axles. I couldn't get a roll of carbon fibre long enough for the runway and didn't like the seam it left halfway so tore it up and setteld for palladium with gold markings. Both are heated and cooled plus cleaned with 200 mini robots.
  • 1 0
 @pink505: Next level sir. Touche. Big Grin
  • 1 0
 @pink505: Driving is for peasants.

My brother in law in NS hated driving long distances for work so he bought a plane. He then decided it was too far to drive to the airfield so he built and paved one on his farm. Then he got bored of planes so he bought a helicopter.

He has peasants that plow the way from his house to his hanger.

Should be spending his money on bikes and a helicopter big enough to fly us and bikes to Mt St Anne for heli-shuttling.
  • 1 0
 *****@KiwiXC: Exactly, ebikes are for bike-peasants, only heli shuttle for me. if you need to look at the price of your ceetec bar you are a driveway using, ebike riding non-ceetec buying bike-peasant. I am off to short some more Gamestop so I can buy another chopper once all these robinhood folks move onto the next viral stock.
  • 11 1
 382 usd for a handlebar, eat a cock
  • 8 0
 I love a lightweight XC bar but $382 and they don't have any control, width, or alignment markings?
  • 15 0
 Markings add weight
  • 1 1
 That would add weight..
  • 5 0
 There are some places I am not willing to save weight. Axles are one of them.
  • 6 0
 Apparently these are made of beskar
  • 2 1
 Imperial smelted, to boot!
  • 4 0
 This is the way.
  • 6 1
 If they drilled holes through them it would be even lighter and look even faster/xc’er.
  • 4 1
 Does anyone cringe when they talk about “lightweight” bars, stems, etc...?

Breaking stuff scares me more than having a heavier bike.

I have never broken a bar or stem, but in my mind’s eye it sounds scary!
  • 2 3
 It's only a matter of time before someone has a very very serious accident with this obsession with weight and carbon. Worse I saw recently was carbon spokes! They can 'claim' all they want but there is just no way I would risk myself on something like these bars.
  • 3 0
 @MattP76: People have been warning about this since the first carbon bar came out, what was that over 20 years ago?
  • 1 2
 @baulz: Well I know of someone who's carbon bars snapped at both ends and he broke both his arms. Not only did he suffer a really bad injury as a result of the carbon failing he also couldn't work for weeks. Wasn't the fault of the carbon though (never is) of course it was riders fault!
  • 4 0
 @MattP76: That sucks but aluminum bars have failed too. I just don't get the carbon fear after all these years.
I rode an xc hardtail for years with a 135g Easton carbon bar (old school narrow though) and never had a problem.
  • 2 0
 Only about 6g lighter than the 31 year old Answer Hyperlight aluminum bar on my old XC race bike that I still ride from time to time. This bar may be a bit wider but really isn't that much lighter for 30+ years of evolution. To me, this bar's weight doesn't seem that ground breaking compared to what everyone was buying in 1990.
  • 2 0
 @baulz: I got into mountain biking in the 90s and I've never had an aluminum bars fail ever. Ive seen and heard of loads of carbon bars and components in that time failing. A lot more than metal that's for sure!
  • 1 0
 @MattP76: You ride with different people than I do! The light aluminum bars of the 90's were pushing the limits of safety.

The overall point here is you need to keep in mind this bar is an expansive niche product for Elite level XC racers looking for an edge over their competitors. It is not intended for weekend warriors, enduro riders, etc. Few if any Pinkbike readers will be buying this bar, I'm not in the market for most of the stuff posted here but I love learning about new tech.
  • 2 0
 @baulz: I love new tech, as long as it's made of metal. I'm sick to death of bloody Carbon
  • 1 0
 @MattP76: Avoid these stories then, same reason why I refuse to click on anything eBike related. Nobody needs to hear me bitch and moan about how stupid I think they are, start your own damn ePinkbike site!
  • 1 0
 @DaveinAlberta:
The Hyperlight bar won't pass today's standards. A little while ago, aluminum mountain (and road) handlebars all gained weight to meet the new-for-then CEN testing protocols. Mountain bars have gotten wider too, so it's hard to compare, but road hasn't. The lightest aluminum bar was the Prima 199 at roughly 200g. Now finding an aluminum road bar under 250g is fairly tough.
There's also plenty of pics of old style aluminum bars breaking right at the stem.
The new testing has helped.
  • 1 0
 @baulz: Fair point!
  • 2 0
 Swiss products are usually super high quality and pricey have in mind that manufacturong here requires well paid staff, have in mind that the minium wage (by law) is slightly above 23 francs per hour roughly 26 USD per hour that makes a 41h/week monthly salary arround or 4700$ USD per month. So yes it's pricey But you pay more for quality rather than marketing here and that's ok for me
  • 1 0
 Well...
Competitive: www.haero-carbon.com/shop/lenker/mtb-marathon-h135-ma-sl
Same weight: www.haero-carbon.com/shop/lenker/mtb-cross-country-h125-xc-sl
And for the fun mountainbikes there are some proper handlebars: www.haero-carbon.com/shop/lenker/mtb-enduro-h175-ed-sl

Made in Germany. Whats the benefit in paying double the price?
  • 5 0
 @bicyclerider How many grams can you shave off these?
  • 8 4
 112 USD? Funny, I just ordered a thru axle from AliExpress for 10 bucks. Might be a few grams heavier though Wink
  • 39 1
 Sending prayers your way my friend.
  • 10 2
 @jclnv: Exactly. 'AliExpress' makes me cringe when I comes to anything bike related.
  • 2 1
 @jclnv: I'd be more nervous with those superlight carbon bars on my bike.
  • 1 0
 As much as I like aliexpress, mtb parts from there are a no go for me.
  • 1 0
 @bman33: I’ve got my dropper lever and rainbow titanium shifter/brake clamp bolts from there. They’ve been holding up great.
  • 1 0
 @MaplePanda: cool..those are relatively low consequence items in case of breakages though.
  • 2 0
 @MaplePanda: i am pleasantly surprised by the ztto dropper lever. Smoother than the transx.
  • 1 0
 @fruitsd79: Same here
  • 2 1
 Please post pictures to show the very ends of the handlebar. I'm likely light enough to ride such a lightweight handlebar, I'm just concerned that the one silly crash where the bike lands on its handlebar end might be enough to split any thin wall lightweight handlebar. ... I know what snapping handlebars feels like, bontrager 118 titanium, pace rc130, answer hyperlite, because.. the 90s..
  • 3 2
 3 million dynamic impact tests? Yeah right don't make me giggle!! Best not over tighten the bolts though eh?!

Anyway, I have a great solution for solving 'Carbon Obsession Disorder'. DON'T BUY CARBON!!!! Stick to quality metal bikes and components always!

Stay Metal, Protect Your Wallet and Save Your Face!
  • 2 0
 Add EDC tool, Go Pro and computer mount, bell, phone, extra Go Pro for alternative view, dental tools, etc.... definitely better shave a few grams
  • 6 6
 Am I the only one that’s kind of over “lightweight?”
I used to ride a free ride bike that was perfectly capable but 5-10 lbs lighter than my friends. Over the years though I’ve gradually found more value in the stability, reliability, and performance of better engineered products whose primary goal isn’t weight savings.
  • 7 0
 It has it's place. I've got a 33lb enduro bike just because it's reliable. There's something next level whipping around on a 19lb singlespeed hardtail
  • 2 0
 I still lust for 260g 11-42t XX1 mostly steel cassette. Makes it that much easier to place rear wheel to left or right of rock that horse has dislodged into blind landing, 'steep logging roads' be damned
  • 4 3
 Lightweight was a thing in mtb because it was a way to make a terrible bike feel halfway decent. Now that bikes work properly and have proper sizing & geo people are caring less and less.
  • 4 1
 What about my sustainably-harvested bamboo axles and bar?

Will they help me get to the Olympics?
  • 6 2
 Special Olympics maybe
  • 1 0
 @majunior: Please elaborate.
  • 4 0
 Just what I needed to make yours or my 35lb all mountain bike 34.9lbs.
  • 1 1
 How much of fork-hub-interface stiffness is from the stiffness of the axle itself versus the clamping force? Because while a lightweight axle can probably get pretty damn close in clamping force (tensile strength and elongation along the axis of the axle), I'm not convinced the bending and/or shear strength is comparable on such a lightweight piece. I think bending strength must have some impact, other wise 20mm (and 25mm, 'member those on special Specializeds) wouldn't be a thing.

Just seems weird to take something that is a such a great improvement (steering directness from a stiff front end that we finally got by ditching QRs for thru-axles), and neuter it in the name of a few grams. There are much better places to shave grams than potentially trading it for steering quality.
  • 5 1
 Crraaackle
  • 4 2
 43 grams savings for $200 more than the industry standard Race Face Next. Pass...
  • 6 3
 Cocaine is $80/g and single use...also Next 35 is 20mm narrower and there are two industry standards, neither of which is RaceFace
  • 1 1
 @ceecee: "standard" has more than one meaning.

One meaning, that is very common in the bicycle world, is as a[n] (arguably terrible) substitution for "specification", as in "hub standards".

Another is "something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example". So @rodhp is just saying he considers the RF Next to be the model or example of what a lightweight CFRP handlebar should be. Arguable, but not 100% incorrect.
  • 2 0
 I hope they come with some nice stickers cause for $140.00CDN for an axle I will NEVER see I want stickers
  • 1 1
 Do you put some kind of cover on your axle ends? Because everyone certainly can see the bright orange end of the Kabolt on my 36...

Plus, that blue looks like a nice match for "Fox compression adjuster blue"...
  • 1 0
 @just6979: ya that is worth the money a dab of colour covered by encrusted mud... where does the insanity end I have never broken a 15 or 20mm I again see no point and the bars are worth 150. Carbon is getting less expensive
  • 2 1
 That sticker better be worth at least $135.00 or you are getting ripped off.
  • 1 0
 @madmon: "I have never broken a 15 or 20mm"

Maybe you don't see the point because you're looking for the wrong point. It's not about making them even stronger, it's about shaving grams and adding a dash of color. Some people care about that, and you don't, and that's fine.

If you don't see the point, look away.
  • 2 0
 @just6979: shaving grams.... ya loose a pound at the gym..lol... really a losing argument after you snap a carbon bar who cares about a friggin axle that has ZERO effect on rotational weight.
  • 1 0
 @madmon: never broken an axle but have rounded the brake side hex hole on one before. Just a combination of cheese metal and imperfect machining.

Will need to replace it one day....
  • 1 0
 @madmon: Like I said, you don't see the point because it's not the point you're looking for.

Some people hit the gym and lose kilo-grams and still look to shave grams from their 22 lbs bike with a 75 kg weight limit and semi-slick paper tires, because marginal gains.

Some people (like me) ride a 30.5 lbs bike with 3/4 pound of spares and tools shoved in the downtube and intentionally heavy & strong & sticky tires, and skipped the gym for most of the year because their kid was doing remote schooling and there was no free time, and the only Grams that matter are Golden and in a bowl of milk
  • 1 0
 @KiwiXC: Replace it with one that has hexes on both ends ;-)
  • 2 0
 @just6979: it does! That’s why I’m still using it....
  • 1 0
 @KiwiXC: Ha, nice. Which one? I can't recall who makes a double-ender...
  • 2 0
 Thru-axles are the new stem caps for companies who have a CNC machine sitting idle for long periods!
  • 4 1
 Popppp....
  • 2 0
 Disclaimer:
This is not a standard price for handlebars in Switzerland.
  • 1 0
 So super light bar and axle to offset weight from bike-mounted accessories and huge wheels/tires. Ding ding. Brilliant.
  • 1 0
 Are colored thru axles the car equivalent to chrome fuel fill doors? Such a strange place to draw attention.
  • 6 4
 Snnnnnaaaapppp....
  • 2 1
 Only 500.00 usd for both.
  • 3 0
 i would buy a wheelset
  • 1 1
 "7.5° backsweep and 2.0° upsweep"

That's different... wonder why they went with such a relatively straight shape?
  • 1 0
 laughing my ass off at $112 thru axles
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