Test 2018: E-road bike Cube Agree Hybrid C:62 - E-road bike Cube Agree Hybrid C:62 in practical test

"Crazy. I've never flown up the mountain so fast. Cool gimmick." Monika Ludwig is mightily impressed by the bike on which she has just climbed the Ludwigshöhe in her personal best time without having to exert herself significantly. According to Strava, every racing cyclist in and around Munich is familiar with the 1,372 metre long climb with around 50 metres of elevation gain. From up there, there is a magnificent view of the Bavarian Alps. However, we are not here for the great view, but for a field test. And Monika Ludwig is one of our test subjects.

The aircraft, for which the 34-year-old from Munich briefly gave us her own racing bike as a pledge, is a brand new e-road bike from Cube. It is still a pre-production model, but its market launch is firmly planned for early 2018. We want to know what Monika Ludwig and other racing cyclists who happen to be passing by think of the bike. And above all, whether and how they think it goes together: a racing bike and an electric motor.

Monika Ludwig's opinion is also divided, despite her positive riding impression. She definitely can't imagine using the bike for herself. "I wouldn't exert myself enough, I'd miss something. That's why you ride a racing bike, to give yourself a bit of a workout." However, she definitely believes that there is a target group for e-road bikes. "For older people who have been riding road bikes for a long time but can no longer get up every hill, a bike like this is definitely great."

A hot topic among racing cyclists

The Agree Hybrid C:62 is one of the first e-road bikes you can buy. And it could be the harbinger of a new type of bike that some manufacturers hope will make a similar impact on the market as the e-mountain bike, which many initially thought would remain a marginal phenomenon. There are now more mountain bikers with electric motors than without in some holiday regions in the Alps.

If the same were to happen with the e-road bike, the bike industry would be delighted. However, many racing cyclists are gripped by horror at the idea. After TOUR first reported on the emerging trend towards e-road bikes in December 2015, the editorial team subsequently received more reader mail than ever before on this topic. On behalf of many e-opponents, TOUR reader Roland Pauli wrote: "I expect and demand that a racing bike magazine defends our sport against the threat of devaluation and dissolution through motorisation." Reader Axel Heuwes even compared the article to advertising for anabolic steroids and described his problem with e-road bikes as follows: "Anyone who buys one of these bikes has not understood the point of road cycling." However, there was also cautious approval of the article. Michael Horn wrote at the time that he actually thought e-road bikes were a rip-off, but that at the age of 59 he was reaching an age at which such a bike would be of interest to him.

Predominantly positive response

After this response, we were sure before our test at Ludwigshöhe that it wouldn't be long before one of the passing road cyclists let us know in no uncertain terms what he thought of the Agree Hybrid C:62 - namely nothing. However, the next rider to take a test ride is also quickly and positively fascinated. Herbert Dandl, a retired teacher, knows a thing or two about racing bikes and e-bikes. Together with his wife - and without gasping for breath - the 70-year-old first climbed the Ludwigshöhe on a brand new, expensive e-tandem and then took the Agree Hybrid C:62 up the hill again. His conclusion: "Impressive. Feels very harmonious. The drive doesn't force anything on you, you can ride at your own pace despite the motor assistance." Nevertheless, Dandl can't yet imagine himself riding an e-road bike - at least not at the moment. "I've only just bought a new racing bike without a motor. But it could be something for me for my 75th birthday."

It continues in this vein for a long time. The interest in the test ride is huge, at times we are surrounded by ten curious people, but the waiting time is often too long for them, as we only have one bike available for the test. Twelve male and four female riders ended up trying out the bike, the youngest was 19, the oldest 70, and we kept hearing: "Great ride, I didn't think it would be so much fun. But it wouldn't be for me at the moment." However, when some riders say these words, it is clear to see how they are working and how previously firmly held convictions are being shaken. We hadn't expected the reactions to be so overwhelmingly positive. On the other hand, the short ride uphill only represents a small part of road cycling. After a complete home lap with the 14-kilogram bike, when you are lugging the motor around uselessly for two thirds of the route, the enthusiasm for the pleasant boost on the mountain may be relativised for some.

And finally, there is one rider who is in favour of the ideal of the motorless road bike without any ifs or buts. Christian Briem, 29, doesn't think the Agree Hybrid C:62 is the devil's plaything, but he does think it's pretty superfluous. His dry comment: "What does that have to do with road cycling? I can't do anything with it, it doesn't appeal to me."

That's what the test drivers say:

The Agree Hybrid C:62 from Cube is one of the first e-road bikes available to buy, alongside the models from Austrian manufacturer Vivax. The Cube bike is scheduled to go on sale in January 2018. As the motor only provides assistance up to a speed of 25 km/h, the bike is classed as a bicycle. There is no insurance or driving licence requirement. The carbon frame is an in-house development from Cube. It allows a very comfortable riding position by road bike standards and is extremely stable thanks to its high rigidity and low centre of gravity.

What is really exciting about the bike, however, is the drive technology: the motor and battery come from the Munich-based manufacturer Fazua, which is currently preparing for large-scale production after five years of development with the support of several investors.

The motor, which drives the bottom bracket shaft via a rod gearbox, and the 250 Wh battery are housed in a 3,260 gram removable module in the down tube. In addition to its low weight and virtually imperceptible motor noise, the Fazua motor differs from many other e-bike drives in that it disengages completely above 25 km/h - i.e. when it stops providing assistance. With most bottom bracket motors, the rider pedals against the resistance of the motor above 25 km/h, which nobody likes to do for long. In contrast, as soon as the motor switches off, the Agree Hybrid C:62 rides like a normal, slightly heavier road bike. Because the bike is very light for an e-bike at 14 kilos, speeds of over 25 km/h are actually realistic. Cube promises that the bike will only weigh 13.5 kilos in series production. The battery range is based on the manufacturer's measurements and our own experience. In a standard e-bike test, Fazua measured a range of 55 kilometres at a constant 24 km/h on flat terrain, i.e. with the motor constantly running. In our practical test on the Ludwigshöhe, the test bike managed the climb 20 times, which corresponds to around 50 kilometres with around 1,000 metres of elevation gain. On a ride with 250 metres of elevation gain and many traffic light stops, where we often rode faster than 25 km/h, the battery lasted 58 kilometres. That doesn't sound particularly impressive; however, the battery is hardly bigger than a large water bottle and at 1,370 grams is light enough to carry a second battery for longer tours. Cube is still working on a solution where a second battery can be stored in a sturdy bottle cage instead of a second water bottle.

Cube Agree Hybrid C:62

Price 4,999 Euro
Weight approx. 13.5 kilos
Frame sizes 53, 56, 59 cm
Info www.cube.eu