Panniers on Cube touring bike

Caroline

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 1, 2019
11
6
I've just bought a Cube Touring Hybrid Pro 500 with the intention of using it for multi-day touring and am mightily disconcerted by the fact that I can't find any obvious way of fitting panniers to the rear rack. The fitted rear rack is simply a horizontal plate on top of the mudguard - it has no side stays at all so there is nothing to fit the bottom fastenings of any panniers to, and the stays that form part of the bike frame aren't suitable for the purpose either (and are in any case too widely spread to support the back of the panniers properly).

How is it possible to call a bike a touring bike and not make it easy to fit panniers to it?
 

Caroline

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 1, 2019
11
6
Oops, I think I've just answered my own question. A phone call to Cube in Holland revealed that Cube do make panniers to fit this bike - from the picture on the website it looks as though their panniers have a hook-like thing at the bottom that would have nothing to fasten to on this bike, but they say that this hook can slide sideways on a rail to fit round the bike stay. I've now ordered some to check that that is true!
 

Twinkleten

Pedelecer
Apr 18, 2015
40
10
76
Devon EX8
Be interested to know how you got on and prices.
 

Caroline

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 1, 2019
11
6
I ended up buying Cube's own panniers - these ones: https://www.cube.eu/uk/equipment/bags/pannier-bags/product/cube-panniers-travel-anthracite/
- they do two sorts of panniers, called "City" and "Travel" and I got the larger "Travel" ones as I wanted them for touring. They weren't cheap - somewhere in the region of £80-£90 for the pair (I haven't got the exact details to hand right now) - but they do fit the Cube e-bike properly (even though this isn't totally apparent from the website), and I haven't identified any other pannier that would fit as the Cube doesn't have a standard rear rack. Haven't used them seriously yet as it isn't touring weather, but they look as though they will do the job.
 
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Twinkleten

Pedelecer
Apr 18, 2015
40
10
76
Devon EX8
Many thanks, I have the Cube Touring 400 which takes a detachable insert and have been looking for some foa a while.
 

M. Tartiflette

Pedelecer
Mar 3, 2019
28
14
I ended up buying Cube's own panniers - these ones: https://www.cube.eu/uk/equipment/bags/pannier-bags/product/cube-panniers-travel-anthracite/
- they do two sorts of panniers, called "City" and "Travel" and I got the larger "Travel" ones as I wanted them for touring. They weren't cheap - somewhere in the region of £80-£90 for the pair (I haven't got the exact details to hand right now) - but they do fit the Cube e-bike properly (even though this isn't totally apparent from the website), and I haven't identified any other pannier that would fit as the Cube doesn't have a standard rear rack. Haven't used them seriously yet as it isn't touring weather, but they look as though they will do the job.
I am looking for panniers for a Cube Touring. The hook that you describe on the Cube panniers looks pretty similar to those on Ortlieb panniers using their QL2.1 system (eg. here: https://www.ortlieb.com/us/back-roller-urban-line). Were Ortlieb panniers one of the ones you tried but which didn't fit?

How are you getting on with the Cube panniers?
 

Caroline

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 1, 2019
11
6
I haven't tried Ortlieb panniers, so I'm afraid I can't answer that question. I agree that that Ortlieb fittings are of a similar type - my concern, though, is that the Cube pannier rack, being built into the bike frame, is a completely different shape from most standard racks (see the picture, which shows how widely splayed the stays are), so I would be a bit surprised if any "standard" panniers fit.

The Cube panniers seem fine, although I haven't put them to any serious test yet (I haven't used them on a tour or tested them in wet weather).

P1070176.JPG
 

M. Tartiflette

Pedelecer
Mar 3, 2019
28
14
Thanks for the feedback, both. I've ordered some Ortliebs to try them out - I can always send them back if they don't fit. The 'rack' on the Cube Touring is quite unusual - good from the point of view of stability but not so good when it doesn't accommodate some common pannier systems.

Andy - those panniers don't look like they would combine with my trunk rack. In any case, I will need larger panniers if I do some overnight touring as anticipated this summer.
 

Tawse57

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 28, 2019
16
4
Thanks for the feedback, both. I've ordered some Ortliebs to try them out - I can always send them back if they don't fit. The 'rack' on the Cube Touring is quite unusual - good from the point of view of stability but not so good when it doesn't accommodate some common pannier systems.

Andy - those panniers don't look like they would combine with my trunk rack. In any case, I will need larger panniers if I do some overnight touring as anticipated this summer.

Please let us know how the Ortliebs work out. I am torn between this wider built-in rack on the Cube and the more standard rack that the Cube also comes with. Alas, the latter appears to be only supported by the bottom of the chainstay and not with additional fixings near the top of the chainstay.

To be frank, I think I would prefer the option to add my own rack but I am not sure whether that is possible on any of the Cubes. I like to use Torpeak racks which act as both a rack and as a rear mud-guard. Saves some weight.
 

psybear

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 2, 2020
6
0
Hi, hoping to resurrect this slightly old thread as I have a similar issue. Just got my Cube Kathmandu Tour 500 and it has exactly the same rack as that pictured above. I have already had to return a Topeak bag (which looked to be super quality and perfect for my needs) - despite having also purchased a Topeak Adapter (another £20). Even with the adapter there was no way it was fitting that Cube rack!

Very interested to try the Ortlieb Trunk Bag - this one - but also not sure if the Ortlieb system will fit the Cube rack. Can either Caroline or M.Tartiflette advise please?

Many thanks.
 

M. Tartiflette

Pedelecer
Mar 3, 2019
28
14
Hi, hoping to resurrect this slightly old thread as I have a similar issue. Just got my Cube Kathmandu Tour 500 and it has exactly the same rack as that pictured above. I have already had to return a Topeak bag (which looked to be super quality and perfect for my needs) - despite having also purchased a Topeak Adapter (another £20). Even with the adapter there was no way it was fitting that Cube rack!

Very interested to try the Ortlieb Trunk Bag - this one - but also not sure if the Ortlieb system will fit the Cube rack. Can either Caroline or M.Tartiflette advise please?

Many thanks.
It looks like that should fit, though without actually trying it you can't be sure.

I got one of these on a deal for 25 euros and have been very happy with it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0773JF5BR/ref=twister_B07ZZSJ4JV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 It's big enough to carry all I need for a most day rides (including a Fuji Xt20 + 18-55 lens) and is easy to detach and carry. I wasn't sure how secure the velcro fastening would be, but it's worked perfectly - I've done long journeys over very rough tracks with no issues whatsoever.
 
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Twinkleten

Pedelecer
Apr 18, 2015
40
10
76
Devon EX8
After trying a couple of Cube panniers that did not fit due to the shape of the clips I finally settled on a pair made by Con-Tec from Alpine Trek. These come with the Racktime Snap-it adapter built in. Theses are 33 litre capacity. They seem to be well made and fit perfectly to the Cube carrier with a minimum of fuss.
 
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