Cube Town Hybrid 2016 Opinions please?

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Pleiades

Active Member
Hi, never had a 'hybrid' before - this one appears to tick all the boxes for me (front sus, accessories like stand, lights and mudguards included, Hub gears, suspension seatpost, luggage rack). Cons: no hydraulic disk brakes.

I don't know of any others in this price bracket than include all these components - it's currently approx. £579 @ various places.

Cube Town 2016.jpg

Others I've considered include 13 Intuitive Gamma (£649 but not available in my size atm); pros: Hub gears, can use 20% off Halfords vouchers, CTC 10% discount; cons: no suspension or accessories included. Marin Fairfax SC4 Belt £675; pros: build quality, belt drive, hydraulic disk brakes; cons: no suspension or accessories. Merida Crossway 40 @ only £349 (2015 model); pros: price, decent frame (Merida also make them for Specialized and other more expensive brands), suspension seatpost; cons: not Hub geared.

Interested in what people who own any of the above think, thanks!
 
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vickster

Legendary Member
Are you riding on roads? If so why do you need suspension forks?
Ridgeback flight 04 another hub geared option with disks

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/p..._Orange_54cm?gclid=CKX51aOAu80CFRG6Gwodb98P8Q
 
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Pleiades

Pleiades

Active Member
Hi, thanks for reply. Yes roads, but also farm tracks: both terrains are full of large pot-holes and lumps (even the cycle paths have large tree roots growing underneath causing 'ripples' that are hard to see and avoid at night). Haven't had a non-suss bike in years so can't remember what they're like, I'm sure I'd get used to it though, maybe just a suss seatpost to iron out bumps that could damage my *ahem* crown jewels :-)

That Ridgeback looks awesome, thanks! Nice price too. Just the sort of thing I'm after.
 
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Pleiades

Pleiades

Active Member
You were wise to go with discs. You can always add a suspension seat post.

What's you impression so far?

I actually preferred the 13 Intuitive but maybe that's because I got used to it in the few months I had it LOL... Ridgeback seems ok, think it was overpriced for the spec (new 2017 model even more so) IMHO; 13 deffo was better value but discontinued now unfortunately. Don't particularly like the orange detailing personally. Should ideally have come with fenders and stand IMO, added ones I got not really 100% suitable (ie slight rubbing at front mudguard whilst turning). Not a fan of external cables either. IGH is the thing I really wanted tho, most everything else is subsidiary to that :-)

Am looking at a Suntour SP-12 NCX suspension post but having spent near £600 already (RRP supposedly £949) I'll wait a while.

PS It's a 54cm and I think I take a 57/8cm but they had none in stock... riding position a bit too crouched over for my 48-yr old bod, a riser bar might be another expense in the future. Had it built by LBS so should be solid but my impression is that the brakes aren't as good as the 13 tho I think specs are similar - might just need bedding in (I'm not tech-savvy with bikes)?
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
An adjustable stem will bring the bars up, but also back, which may - or may not - make any difference to you.

A stem raiser would just push the bars up.

Either/or, you need to have enough slack in the cables.

Not usually a problem, but it may be worth undoing the bars and waving them about in mid air about an inch or two higher to judge if either component will fit.

Remember to twist the bars as in turns, because that's when the cables are most likely to be too taught.

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.System-EX-...gle_shopping&gclid=CIfUkbf-29QCFS-77QodlikH8A

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.ETC-AHead-...gle_shopping&gclid=CJrFp8r-29QCFS637Qod1EwPsw
 
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Pleiades

Pleiades

Active Member
An adjustable stem will bring the bars up, but also back, which may - or may not - make any difference to you.

A stem raiser would just push the bars up.

Either/or, you need to have enough slack in the cables.

Cheers, thanks for the links. They're not as expensive as I feared :-)

How about this one: https://www.tredz.co.uk/.System-EX-Adjustable-Quill-Stem_62156.htm

Further to the Ridgeback: did a 15km jaunt, seatpost is 'graunching' badly when I sit and pedal.... and those pedal cages are a pain. Also don't like the 'vestigial' bar ends which serve no purpose whatever IMO (go large or don't bother)! Some slipping with gears, which is unexpected. Don't think the LBS has much (any?) experience of servicing IGHs either - even Halfords will have more so, with several models in the past (tho practically none this year)...

That ride last night was on cyclepaths and country lanes; smooth ones were ok, but any slight bump or pothole got my whole body rattling... must admit, have got used to the plush full-suspension GT (with adjustable rebound), don't actually lose much forward momentum with the i-drive system. If there were a full-sus hybrid with IGH, I reckon that'd be the thing for my old bones :-)

All in all, still missing the 13 Intuitive, those that got (and still have) one should count themselves lucky ;-)
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
I don't think that quill stem will fit your bike, but I'm no expert on quill stems.

The jumping gears is likely to be no more than cable adjustment, or possibly a cable/shifter problem,

The hubs themselves are generally reliable.

Adjustment on most Shimano hubs is indicated by two yellow dots on the edge of the hub which should be in alignment in a mid gear.

If you don't fancy doing it yourself, any bike shop should be able to do it in minutes.

Worth checking the hub nuts are tight, small movements of the hub when the cable is pulled can cause missed changes.

I don't know how many speeds your bike has, but the Afline 11 is prone to missed changes and is very sensitive to cable tension.

The toe cages are almost certainly easily removed.
 
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Pleiades

Pleiades

Active Member
I don't know how many speeds your bike has, but the Afline 11 is prone to missed changes and is very sensitive to cable tension.

The toe cages are almost certainly easily removed.

Only 8 speed for this price (£595); yes, had heard that about Alfine 11, quite surprising considering the price differential. Ideally I would've like to try a Rohloff or pinion system but insurance would barely cover this bike let alone a £2000 one...

Just the hard to get into strappy toe-cages I don't like, more suitable for road bike IMHO; if I don't use them, the plastic ends scrape the floor in an annoying fashion. I do like to have something there so might just buy some cheap non-strap ends...

PS Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread, very informational! Much appreciated :-)
 

Paulq

Bike Rider, Beer Drinker, Biscuit Eater.
Location
Merseyside
I have had a couple of Flights and they are quite an aggressive position even for a flat bar. I am not sure the Flight would have been my first choice for the types of riding you describe but as several people have posted, you can make some adjustments to try and alleviate this a little and hopefully make it a bit more comfortable for you.

I have just ordered another Ridgeback on the C2W Scheme and hoping to get it any day now. They are very dependable machines if you look after them.

Enjoy your bike!
 
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