What the 'Golf' is to Volkswagen, the 'Agree' is to Cube," says Claus Wachsmann, Marketing Manager at Cube Bikes, emphasising the importance of the mid-range racer with a price tag of 1,700 euros. The model has been around since 1998 and until 2004 was based exclusively on an aluminium frame with the suffix "SL". For five years now, the carbon version has been available under the same name with the suffix "GTC Pro".
Cube has now completely revised both models for the 2010 model year: In the aluminium model, apart from the now slightly more sloping top tube, the tube cross-sections have also been changed. In the area of the seat tube, the top tube is now clearly oval instead of round as before, while the down tube has a teardrop-shaped profile. The process used is called hydroforming: the tubes are pressed into shape using very high water pressure. Shift and brake cables can now be routed inside the tubes, giving the bike a very tidy appearance. The seat stays on the new aluminium Age are much more filigree than before, with a transverse oval shape towards the seat tube, which should make the frame more comfortable.
According to Cube, the Carbon-Agree benefits from the experience gained from the production of the top model "Litening HPC", which can be recognised by the similar lines. On the inside, an improved fibre allocation plan is intended to reduce the formation of creases on the inside of the frame, which is manufactured in monocoque construction. As the resin content in the carbon fibre has also been reduced, the current Agree "GTC Pro" weighs less than last year's model.
Common to both frame variants is the new "Press-Fit" bottom bracket standard, in which the bearings are pressed into the widened housing from the outside, as well as the tapered head tube, in which the steerer tube rotates in a conventional 1-1/8-inch bearing at the top and in a 1-1/2-inch bearing at the bottom. This should result in even greater steering head stiffness than before. With success: both models are a good ten per cent stiffer than their predecessors. Both models use an Easton "EC 70 SL CNT Carbon" fork.
The small big difference
While neither the aluminium nor the carbon Agree can be seen to have any technical refinements, the main difference is in their appearance: the aluminium racer conceals the weld seams of the tubes under a corrosion-resistant, black anodised coating, while the carbon counterpart boasts flowing shapes and a cleanly applied layer of paint.
As expected, the difference in equipment is significant. The carbon frame is more expensive to manufacture and therefore eats up a large part of the total budget of € 1,700. Here, the "SL" comes up trumps with a flawlessly installed "Ultegra" groupset from Shimano as well as high-quality components from Syntace and a mid-range wheelset from Easton with top tyres from Schwalbe. With the "GTC Pro", however, you have to accept some compromises: The brakes and crankset come from FSA's affordable "Gossamer" line, as do the seatpost, handlebars and stem. Although the tyres are the same, the wheelset is the cheapest and relatively heavy entry-level model from Fulcrum.
Our lab test reveals what the naked eye cannot see in the two framesets. In the categories of riding stability and power transfer, the candidates go head-to-head at the top level. Both the "SL" and "GTC Pro" achieve a Very Good and are also on a par in terms of comfort, with both candidates scoring a 2.7. The forks are a source of confusion: with the same type designation and identical in appearance, they are different in weight (twelve grams difference) and stiffness. The lighter of the two scored a 2.0 for lateral stiffness, which is significantly better than its "heavier" sister at 2.7 - but both are uncomfortable. The weight comparison is interesting: the carbon frame is 110 grams lighter than the aluminium frame, but the cheaper equipment package of the "GTC Pro" is 600 grams heavier, which completely negates the advantage of the carbon frame and also makes the complete bike a pound heavier than the aluminium Cube.
Price-performance winner aluminium
In the riding test, both models impressed with their absolutely safe handling; no steering manoeuvre, however abrupt, at top speed can unsettle the two Cubes, as a rider you always feel in control. The steering behaviour is neutral on both racers, the seating position is sporty to comfortable. The "GTC Pro" feels slightly more sedate due to the slightly heavier wheels. There are major differences between the drivetrains in particular. The FSA brakes on the GTC feel a little doughier and are less easy to modulate than the Ultegra stoppers; the shifting behaviour of the Ultegra chainrings is more precise than on the FSA version. The "Compact handlebar" from FSA on the Carbon-Agree follows the trend towards more riding comfort, which our testers liked. There were slight knocks from the rear wheel of the aluminium racer because the mounted "Ultremo R" had a vertical runout.
Both Agrees perform well overall, with carbon narrowly winning the frame rating and aluminium clearly winning the equipment rating, which ultimately leads to overall victory in the internal duel. Frequent riders and cyclists who see added value in higher-quality components will find the "SL" the perfect companion. Riders who like carbon prefer the "GTC Pro" - and accept a functional deficit in return, which they can rectify later if they tune their racer with higher-quality parts.
Web: www.cube.eu
CUBE AGREE GTC PRO
CUBE AGREE SL
Manufacturer's specifications, test bike frame size greased; **projected measurement from centre of bottom bracket to top of head tube/STR (stack to reach), explanation from page 26; values between 1.45 and 1.55 indicate a sporty riding position, values below that are race-like, above that comfortable; ***adjusted weight for frame size 57 and steerer length 225 mm; ****The grade includes further individual marks, which we cannot print for reasons of space. In the case of complete bikes, 60 per cent of the final score is given to the componentry.
Photos: Daniel Kraus
