Cube Kathmandu Hybrid Pro 500

[Warwick]

I've done my commute this week on very quiet roads. That means I have been able to unleash the power of the bike in Sport mode. It would be silly of me to say how fast I went, but it was very rapid indeed, and far too fast for normal traffic. The bike handled it with aplomb and the brakes are powerful enough to bring me to a quick halt, if necessary. At 'normal' speeds I only need to turn the pedals and put a minimum amount of effort in to get going.

There are two observations so far: 1) I'm having to get used to changing gear whilst pedalling again. The Ortler's hub gear was great for being able to change gear at a junction; 2) the handling is sharper than the Ortler's, meaning I'm turning into corners quicker and I'm needing to adjust. Both of these I'll get used to sooner rather than later.

 

[Nealh]

Yep roads are very quiet at the mo and very noticeable during my p.m driving shifts as a key worker, though it appears not only loonie ebikers are releasing the speed of their vehicle of choice. The open quiet roads also bringing out the Mansell's of this world.

 

[Warwick]

The Cube is still going strong. I've ordered some Schwalbe Marathon GT365s to fit onto it. Those will handle bridleways better than the Marathon Plusses on it at the moment.

One minor irritation is that the front forks aren't as giving as the Ortler's. That means that my very loud Lion bell pings rather too often without me doing it. Seeing as it's loud that a) gets on my nerves and b) irritates peds. And yes, I have adjusted the damping, but to no avail.

 

[Warwick]

The Schwalbe GT365s have been fitted - which was a cinch. Whilst at it, I fixed the rattly front mudguard with some bits of inner tube wedged between the stay and the guard itself. Both items were just tested on a 12-mile, mainly off-road ride. The mudguard didn't rattle once, despite riding over some pretty bumpy terrain and the tyres handled all they encountered.

The front bell still pings at the wrong time, so a replacement is on its way. Shame, as the Lion bell has a lovely, long tone. I think the Suntour seatpost needs adjusting too, as the ride was rather harsh in places.

It's amazing how busy the bridleways are with fellow cyclists.

 

[Warwick]

Seeing as I'm only working one week in four during the lockdown, the bike hasn't had as much use as normal. Since the last update I've fitted a different Zefal mirror, the Zefal Spin. More compact and recommended. I've also fitted half toeclips, as the pedals fitted were a little slippy for my footwear. I had an unusual puncture last week. The rim tape cube used isn't really fit for purpose - which surprises & disappoints me in equal measure - and the tape had given way around one of the inner spoke holes. 70psi had done its work and forced the tube into the hole with inevitable results. I fitted new, thicker, less rigid tapes to both wheels.

I did a mini service yesterday and replaced the front pads, so the front brake is really effective now. That's just as well, because I was riding along yesterday and I felt the bike's motor cutting out. I looked at the speedo & it was reading c.15.5mph. Seeing as I have a Badass dongle fitted that meant 30+mph! This was in Sport mode, but I generally use Tour mode. It really didn't feel that fast, but it must have been. This was out on quiet country roads, I add. I'm sure the soap box brigade will have something to say about that, but don't bother, I won't read it.

I retrieved the Suntour NCX seatpost and fitted it. It's hard to say if it's effective, as it does its job in a very non-intrusive way. There's no pogoing as with the common up-and-down jobs.

I'm thinking of using it on the Devon Coast-to-Coast route later in the year. Even with the hills, I think I can do the 100 miles in 2 days. That'll mean removing the dongle though. Effective as it is, riding along so quickly does nothing for the range.