Litening (Aero/Air)
Origin
The Litening is Cube's top-tier road race platform and the flagship of a German brand that grew from a 90 m2 factory floor in Waldershof, Bavaria (founded 1993 by Marcus Purner) into one of Europe's largest bike makers. The nameplate ran for years as a rim-brake lightweight climber (the C:62 generation, sold through ~2019) before Cube reinvented it for 2020 as the C:68X: a fully integrated aero disc bike with a one-piece bar-stem and hidden cabling, using a new 68%-modulus carbon layup that shed weight while adding stiffness and comfort. In August 2022 Cube split the line in two on the same C:68X chassis: the Litening AIR, tuned obsessively for low weight (a claimed 799 g frame, the lightest in Cube's history), and the Litening AERO, tuned for drag (roughly 30% less than its predecessor, deeper tubes, deeper wheels). Both were raced at WorldTour level, debuting around the 2022 Vuelta a Espana.
Specifications
- Frame
- C:68X carbon monocoque (68% high-modulus fibre), Advanced Twin Mold; ~799 g claimed for a mid-size Air frame, ~960 g for the deeper Aero frame
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- 2x12 electronic: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 (SLT), Ultegra Di2 R8100 (SLX/Race) or SRAM Red / Force AXS depending on trim/year
- Brakes
- Hydraulic disc, flat-mount (Shimano or SRAM to match groupset); disc only, no rim-brake option since C:68X
- Wheels
- Trim-dependent: Newmen Advanced/Streem carbon (C35/C38 on Air, R.50/65 on Aero), Mavic Cosmic SLR 45 on some C:68X SL builds
The verdict
- Same pro-level C:68X frame across every trim - exceptional value for a high-end race bike
- Lively, responsive climbing (Air ~6.6-7.2 kg) with enough built-in aero to hold flat-road speed
- Strong out-of-the-box spec: electronic groupsets, carbon wheels, quality 28 mm tyres
- Proprietary integrated cockpit limits fit adjustment; stock bars can feel wide (42 cm) and unshaped, and cockpit swaps cost extra
- Some review units had rattling internal routing and unfinished axle-end details
- Limited size range and few paint/build options at purchase
Generations
Litening C:62 (to ~2019)
- Lightweight climber era, exposed cabling, before the aero reinvention.
- Frame
- C:62 carbon, less integrated
- Brakes
- Rim brake option
Litening C:68X gen 1 (2020)
- First aero disc Litening; integrated cockpit, hidden cabling, single unified model.
- Frame
- C:68X ~960 g, one-piece bar-stem
- Brakes
- Disc only (flat mount)
Litening AIR + AERO C:68X gen 2 (2022+)
- Line split: AIR = ultralight all-rounder, AERO = drag-optimised (~30% less drag, deeper wheels).
- Frame
- AIR ~799 g / AERO ~960 g deeper tubes
- Brakes
- Disc only
Versions & builds
Every official build side by side — differences highlighted.
| Spec | Litening C:68X SL | CurrentLitening AIR C:68X SLT | CurrentLitening AIR C:68X SLX | CurrentLitening AIR C:68X Pro | CurrentLitening AIR C:68X Race | CurrentLitening AERO C:68X SLT | CurrentLitening AERO C:68X SLX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2022 | 2023 | 2025 | 2025 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Drivetrain | SRAM Red eTap AXS 12s | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 + power meter | SRAM Red eTap AXS 12s | SRAM Force AXS 12s | Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 + power meter | SRAM Red eTap AXS 12s |
| MSRP | €6,899 | €8,999 | €7,299 | €5,199 | €5,999 | €7,599 | €7,299 |
| Purpose | Balanced | Flagship | Flagship | Balanced | Value | Flagship | Flagship |
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