One of the things about Cube is that it’s a pretty massive company offering a pretty massive range of bikes in a pretty massive range of builds. That can make picking the right bike for you a pretty massive undertaking. Even if you’ve narrowed it down from mountain, urban, road and gravel into ‘just gravel’, you’ll still find yourself looking at quite the array of bikes.
This is one of the advantages of being a big company, and of choosing a Cube – not only can they offer you a variety of different frames, but they can also offer each frame with a selection of different builds. This means you can pick not just by price, or colour, or whatever, but by what meets your own personal preferences. And because they’re a big company with plenty of buying power in the OEM market, you’re likely to get some high quality components at some very decent prices. I recall visiting the Cube HQ for the launch of their range one year, and there being whole bikes equipped with (then brand new) SRAM AXS groupsets and high end suspension for not a whole lot more than the RRP of the components themselves.
Although the range and breadth of bikes available might have you imagining a behemoth of a corporation behind it, Cube is actually a relatively new kid on the bike block. Started in 1993 by Marcus Pürner in the small German town of Waldershof, these days Cube operates in over 60 countries and employs over 1000 staff. However, the company is still owned and run by its founder and still has the majority of its operations, including research and assembly, located in the town, nestled in the mountains of Bavaria. Available through its extensive dealer network, Cube has also recently opened two dedicated Cube stores in Gloucester and Southampton.
Cube’s gravel line up for 2023 consists of two frames – an alloy and carbon version – with three range options. The C:62 is the all carbon range, the HPA is the alloy, while the FE is the utility option, using the HPA frame but adding in bells (literally) and whistles (well, racks, lights and mounts, actually).
Let’s get into the detail of the three ranges. What could you get for your money, and which might suit you best? Let’s take a look.
Nuroad C:62
Cube Nuroad C:62 Key Features:
- C:62 Carbon frame
- Carbon fork
- Endurance geometry
- Compatible with full ACID range of accessories
- Max tyre clearance 45mm
C:62 is the next step in development from Cube’s earlier SHPC ‘Super High Performance Carbon’ construction. C:62 is light, strong and durable, with the name coming from the fact it’s made with 62% carbon – and nanoparticles. Oooh! All the C:62 frames are made using monocoque construction that keeps the material used down to what’s needed and no more – keeping the weight to the minimum. Now then, those nanoparticles. Are you ready for the science bit?
By using High Modulus fibres, we’ve made the C:62 frame extremely stiff. Finely dispersed nanoparticles are integrated in the resin that bonds the two carbon layers. Thanks to these tiny particles, the durability of the frame is improved – and it’s also less sensitive to impacts and better able to withstand external forces. This combination of nanoresin particles and High Modulus fibres is what makes a C:62 out of a SHPC frame.
Cube
Light, stiff, and strong? Excellent. Does that sound like just what you might be looking for in a gravel bike frame? Well, perhaps you want a few extra features too. The Nuroad C:62 comes with a full carbon fork equipped with lowrider rack, carrier and mudguard mounts – so you can take your Nuroad C:62 old school touring as well as nu-school gravel riding. With clearances for 45mm tyres without mudguards, or 40mm with, you can take this on the road much less travelled, or perhaps just on a comfortable winter commute. Is that an oxymoron?
Cube Nuroad C:62 Build options:
For 2023 there are four models in the Nuroad C:62 line up:
- Nuroad C:62 Pro – £2,499
- Nuroad C:62 Race – £2,999
- Nuroad C:62 SLX – £3,599
- Nuroad C:62 SLT – £4,999
Nuroad HPA
With a slightly more relaxed and stable geometry design than the Nuroad C:62, the alloy Nuroad HPA – High Performance Aluminium – offers a touch of mountain bike ruggedness while still keeping things fast, light, and ready for roaming.
Cube Nuroad HPA Key Features:
- High Performance Alloy frame
- Carbon fork
- Integrated seat post clamp
- 12mm thru axles front and rear
- Press Fit BB
- Max tyre clearance 45mm
Cube Nuroad HPA Build Options
Again, there are plenty of options to suit every budget – and every taste when it comes to gearing too. The Race and Pro builds offer 2x gearing with front derailleurs – handy for heavy loaded touring in the mountains – while the EX offers a 1x set up for simplicity:
- Nuroad HPA – £999
- Nuroad HPA Pro (2 colour options) – £1,249
- Nuroad HPA EX – £1,699
- Nuroad HPA Race (2 colour options) – £1,799
Nuroad FE
If you paid attention in Chemistry class, don’t be fooled into thinking the FE is an iron frame! FE stands for Fully Equipped, and brings a range of useful accessories to the HPA frame. If you’re looking for a workhorse for everyday commuting or long distance hauling, then this Nuroad FE range may be what you’re looking for. Using Cube’s ACID range of accessories, the Nuroad FE builds offer a selection of off the peg curated builds. Of course, if you can’t find exactly what you what, the HPA and C:62 ranges are both compatible with the same accessories, so you could always order off-menu and have a bespoke build.
Cube Nuroad FE Key Features:
- High Performance Alloy frame
- Carbon fork
- Fully Equipped range options include
- mudguards
- pannier racks
- dynamo hubs
- integrated lights
- kickstand
- Max tyre clearance 40mm (with mudguards)
Cube Nuroad FE Build Options
The FE range comes – as the names suggests – Fully Equipped with rear rack, full mudguards, lights and kickstand. For 2023, all models include a dynamo hub front wheel. Each build level offers a different specification of groupset, so there’s a Fully Equipped build to suit every pocket.
- Nuroad FE – £1,099
- Nuroad Pro FE – £1,399
- Nuroad Race FE – £1,999
As well as all the permutations above, Cube also offers its own range of ACID bike packing bags, plus a host of other bike accessories. Take some time to browse through the options, then take your shopping list along to your Cube dealer or their new dedicated shops in Southampton and Gloucester to make your purchase and ask for any final pieces of advice. While you’re there, maybe you’ll check out their mountain bikes, or cargo bikes, or kids’ bikes, or…you know, just in case? Shopping done, the only choice you need to make is where to ride first.
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