Swiss mountain bike component maker Ceetec has just introduced updates to their already incredibly light cross-country racing carbon handlebar and Evo2 seatpost. The new bar is said to set a benchmark of stiffness to weight based on recent tests, and the post actually gets lighter & stronger thanks to a new carbon head – all ready for World Cup racing to kick off.
Ceetec carbon XC flat bar v2.0
The new Ceetec flat bar for cross country racing with its all new carbon layup, just got back from its latest round of industry standard testing, and even Ceetec was surprised with how well it performed. Usually once they make it through the EN impact & fatigue tests, they keep ramping up the force until the bar explodes to determine its ultimate strength.
Instead, the two 720mm wide bars they sent to Bike Test Aachen survived the maximum force of the test rig over 2 million cycles, breaking three test bed stems along the way. And those bars weighed just 116g & 117g.
The bars sell for 275 Swiss Francs (~$293/236€) and are available in 700 & 720mm widths, with claimed weights of 114g & 118g, respectively. Both 31.8mm UD carbon bars share the same 6.5° backsweep, with no rise.
Ceetec carbon Evo2 light carbon seatpost
On the seatpost front, new Evo2 carbon seatpost sheds a few grams with a new high-strength carbon cradle to support the saddle rails. A new lighter layup doesn’t hurt as well. Ceetec actually developed the advanced fiber tech for this small part from carbon engineering they developed for their latest hookless carbon mountain bike rims.
The resulting 10.4g carbon cradle is both 46.1% stronger and 22.3% lighter than its aluminum predecessor.
As they tell it, there was never really a huge need to shed more weight. But with their carbon design & production capabilities they are always looking for ways to optimize. The seatpost with its anodized alloy clamping hardware will still be available in 27.2, 30.9 & 31.6mm diameter and has a no offset head. Post weights range from 118-126g for the 400mm long version depending on diameter with the new carbon shell. Ceetec says most standard posts are actually 425mm which adds a few more grams.
The currently 329 CHF (~$350/282€) post price does not yet include the new carbon cradle (Ceetec calls it a ‘shell’ because of its shape.) Expect the price to increase a bit, but not exponentially. The cradle will also be available separately as an upgrade to anyone with a current Evo2 post using the aluminum cradle.
Ceetec also teased that they have new carbon wheels in the work that we should see later in the season, plus a super light update to their chainguide to debut with the start of the World Cup season.
Availability
The carbon bars and seatposts, including alloy machining, are fully developed and produced in and around Ceetec’s Frenkendorf, Switzerland HQ. Ceetec provides the new bars, posts, and other components to the pro XC JB Brunex Felt Team who will race them the first time this coming weekend at the opening round of the UCI World Cup in South Africa.
Bars & posts are produced more or less to order, and the same components being raced at the World Cup by top XC & Marathon pros. Ceetec can provide actual delivery timeframes upon request, and will notify you after each order of the exact delivery estimate. Official availability is now slated from April 2018, as they seem to be producing a lot of the new kit for sponsored riders at the moment.
