Ceetec Phenum debuts superlight XC bar & new even lighter C10 alloy thru-axles

Ceetec’s Phenum family gets a new lightweight Swiss-made carbon XC handlebar, plus a new all-aluminum version of their C10 thru-axles that may be even lighter than the original carbon prototypes. Last winter component maker Ceetec launched their new Phenum mountain bike racing component line, first off with a lightweight DH handlebar.

Ceetec Phenum components return to World Cup XCO racing

Describing their top C10 tier products as a step on the way to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that never were, the Phenum line was set to open up their components to a broader market… Now a crazy year later, Ceetec and this Phenum are again looking forward to the return of elite cross-country racing.

We’re also told the upcoming race season will become the first to see an officially supported World Cup team racing lightweight Phenum cockpits & components – with JB Brunex Superior Factory Racing and current marathon World Champ Ramona Forchini – having long been the choice of weight-weenies & detail-oriented MTB mechanics. And the two newest will be these Phenum XCM 780 bars & C10 thru-axles.

Phenum XCM 780 World Cup carbon cross-country MTB handlebar

Developed for XC racing, the 137g flat XCM 780 bar is said to be almost as tough as their DH handlebar. It was tested using the same standards as the DH bar by independent Bike Test Aachen, and again the XCM 780 comes away after 3 million dynamic impacts & increasingly higher loading than the ISO & DIN norms without any evidence of failure, even at this claimed low weight (Bike Test weighed the two bars tested at 137g & 138g). They said they couldn’t quite get to the level of testing of the DH bar (575N here for XCM vs. 600N for DH) only because of the lighter XC bar’s increased flexibility.

The Phenum XCM 780 bar is 780mm wide (surprise!) and can be trimmed down to 720mm. The 31.8mm clamp flat bar has 2° of upsweep & 7.5° of backsweep. Made-in-Switzerland, it sells for 339 Swiss Francs (~$382 / 314€) and is available now in matte UD or 3K weave carbon top layers, with either matte white team or gloss black decals.

Phenum C10 axles lightweight alloy MTB thru-axles

As for lighter weight thru-axles, Ceetec was a bit more shy with the details, not getting into the specific alloy used. But they are essentially the same weight as the custom-made carbon version (or a hair lighter) and now are available in stock at up to 20% lower cost. Ceetec assures us that the new Phenum C10 alloy axles are just as strong as before, even with the tiniest thru-axle bolt head I’ve ever seen!

Still made-in-Switzerland with the same care & attention to detail, the 3-step butted alloy axles are available in up to six standard anodized colors – black, gold, orange, red, blue & purple. At a cost of 99CHF per axle (~$112 / 92€), they are offered in lengths to fit forks & rear axles.

The C10 RockShox SID axles are 148 & 158mm lengths to fit standard & Boost-spaced Ultimate/SL forks, with M15x1.5 threading (38.6g & 40.9g, respectively) only in red, black, or gold.

For the time being, rear axles are only available in 172mm long x M12x1.5 threading (31.7g claimed), which is designed for Boost-spaced carbon XC frames that use Shimano axle standard, like their carbon original.

Both new Phenum bars & axles are available now from: Ceetec.ch