Product news: We visited Cube's in-house exhibition, where the new Cube Bikes 2019 were presented exclusively. We have worked our way through the extensive portfolio and put together our highlights for you. In addition, we were able to test drive one or the other model before the start of sales.
Cube Bikes 2019: Mountain Bikes
The 2019 Cube mountain bikes are all about Trailmotion: Last season they already had one or the other TM (= short for Trailmotion) equipment variant, for 2019 the concept is being expanded even further. These are somewhat more trail-heavy models with a little more suspension travel, dropper support, robust tires and stable attachments. A special highlight is certainly the Cube AMS 100 C:68 TM, which is intended to bridge the gap between marathon bikes and trail bikes.
Otherwise, of course, a lot has happened with the equipment. Shimano's new XTR 12-speed top group can be found on some models and the inexpensive 12-speed entry in the form of the new Sram NX is extremely popular in the entry-level segment and allows attractive overall packages. Otherwise, Cube generally follows the much-cited principle: Evoltion instead of revolution and makes a few detailed improvements without turning the existing program inside out.
Cube mountain bikes 2019: The highlights for the coming season
Cube Bikes 2019: Road, Cross and Gravel
Even with the road and cross bikes, the existing models are largely retained. This applies both to the top racer Litening and to the entry-level Attain. The Agree is exciting, sorting itself somewhere in between and delivering an interesting mix of aero bike and endurance bike. Yes, as far as is known from the previous year, but the equipment and pricing have been tweaked a bit here. For less than €2.500 you can now get an Ultegra group, the light carbon frame and high-quality Newmen wheels.
It won't be long before the leaves are falling, the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting wetter: it's time for cyclocrossers. With the Cross Race, Cube already has a race-ready model in its range whose carbon frame has been revised in some details for 2019. The top tube now merges into the head tube at a different angle, for example, so that the bike can be shouldered more comfortably. One or the other detail was also improved on the cable routing.
With the Nuroad, the name says it all, because it embodies the new breed of road bikes that don't stop at gravel: Gravel bikes. In 2019, the Nuroad will again be available in two basic versions – in addition to the entry-level model with a Tiagra group, there is also a 105 version with hydraulic disc brakes. The FE equipment variants are also exciting, with Cube giving its gravel bike fenders and a fixed lighting system including hub dynamo ex works. Perfect for sporty commuters.
Cube road bike, gravel and cross 2019: aero endurance and gravel all-rounder
Cube Bikes 2019: E-Road Bike
It was one of the trending themes at this year's Eurobike and is still causing tempers to boil over: the e-racing bike. To what extent a racing bike with an auxiliary motor makes sense or not, we will probably not be able to conclusively clarify here - but one thing is certain: more and more manufacturers have such cars in their range, including Cube. The Cube Agree Hybrid with Fazua drive and carbon frame has been available since last year. With the Race Disc equipment variant, the Cube e-racing bike now also has a cheaper entry-level model that stays under the €4.000 mark.
Cube Bikes 2019: E-mountain bikes
Boom, boom, boom! The E-MTB boom is unlikely to end in 2019 and the choice on the market for customers will certainly not decrease. At Cube, they rely on a mixture of a few new models, in which battery integration is particularly popular, and other bikes that are unchanged from 2018. This step was taken so as not to put too much pressure on specialist dealers to sell off seemingly outdated bikes as quickly as possible. Good move, we think.
Incidentally, Cube will also be working exclusively with Bosch in the e-performance area in the coming season and now also has a Kiox option for numerous models if customers want the new display (More information about Bosch Kiox here).
Cube Bikes 2019: e-bikes for city and trekking
As with the E-MTBs, a lot of time and effort was put into installing a variant with Bosch's integrated Powertube battery on all platforms for the E-Trekking and E-City bikes. The Active Plus motor, which was introduced last spring, is also being used more and more often, which is preferable to the somewhat more powerful CX drive for most bikes in this class. Background noise, harmonious driving experience, weight and dimensions: the Active Plus has the edge in every respect.
A new addition is the Town Sport Hybrid - a sporty offshoot of the comfort city bike Town presented last year, which, in contrast to the sister model, is now equipped with derailleur instead of hub gears and disc brakes instead of rim brakes. The good-natured driving behavior and the comfortable geometry are of course also retained.