Cube has revamped its road line-up for 2016, with the popular Peloton replaced by a new frame dubbed the Attain, available in both aluminium and carbon fibre, and the mid-range Agree overhauled as an aero bike with endurance geometry. Both the Attain and Agree will come in rim brake and disc brake versions.

We swung by the Cube stand at Eurobike, the annual behemoth trade show which brings almost the entire cycling trade together in Friedrichshafen, Germany, to check out the 2016 range. We’ll bring you a complete run-down of the collection, from the entry-level Attain to the flagship Litening, via the mid-range Agree, Cross and Aerium time trial bikes, in a future article, so keep an eye out for that, but for now we’ll focus on what’s new.

Aero endurance

And the Agree is entirely new . Well, not entirely, in that the Agree name has been in the Cube range for some time, but it’s a completely new frame from what’s previously been known as the Agree. We loved the old model so Cube had a job on their hands when updating the frame, but they’ve gone to town.

Cube describe the Agree as an ‘aero endurance’ bike and it brings together two trends which have emerged in recent years: aerodynamics and endurance geometry. That’s a relatively rare combination as most bike brand’s pitch their aero machine squarely at the race market, but the Agree takes on a slightly more relaxed geometry than the top-of-the-range Litening, which is Cube’s super-light, all-out race bike.

That’s not to say the Agree’s not race-worthy. Cube describe it as offering the “high performance of a race bike, yet comfortable for long distances. The aerodynamics are optimized for long training rides and to be fast on the race track.”

The frame is made from Cube’s ‘C:62’ carbon, named so because it’s a blend made up of 62 per cent carbon fibre and 38 per cent resin. The higher the carbon fibre content, the less weight, and Cube say most blends contain 60 per cent carbon fibre, rather than 62 per cent. The frame is also built using Cube’s Twin Mold Technology – an internal moulding process which leaves no wrinkles inside the tubes, using less carbon fibre to reduce weight, while ensuring strength and stiffness. As a result, Cube say the new frame is ten per cent lighter than the previous Agree, while the CSL Evo fork is claimed to offer 40 per cent more fore/aft flex (and so, more comfort).

The Agree’s aero features are obvious to the eye. It’s not necessarily a full-blown aero bike like the new Trek Madone or Specialized Venge ViAS, but the fork crown neatly integrates with the downtube, which in turn flows into the huge bottom bracket area. The low-slung seatstays meet the seattube below the integrated seatpost clamp (Cube have stuck with a regular, round 27.2mm seatpost, which is no bad thing as the narrow diameter offers a little more comfort and gives riders a wealth of upgrade options according to setback preference) and, generally speaking, the tubes adopt a truncated Kammtail profile. The direct mount brakes (there’s also a disc brake version, more on that coming below…) also keep things tidy and the frame has clearance for 28mm tyres. All cables are routed internally and, as you’d expect, there’s a tapered headtube.

As for the geometry, let’s take a 56cm frame as an example. A 17cm headtube is combined with a 56cm toptube, 998mm wheelbase and 405mm chainstay length. That looks like a good balance between relaxed and racy to us, not too tall at the front but certainly not unduly aggressive, while the relatively tight wheelbase and short chainstays should keep the handling snappy. The proof will be in the riding, of course, and we’re looking forward to riding the Agree for ourselves.

The 2016 Agree will be available in five models – two with rim brakes, and three with disc brakes. The disc brake frame uses 12mm thru-axles and Shimano’s flat mount disc standard, with 160mm rotors.

Bang for your buck

Of the rim brake bikes, the Agree C:62 Pro is the more affordable at £1,799 and comes with a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Mavic Cosmic Elite wheels, while the Agree C:62 SL is £2,599 and gets a Shimano Dura-Ace groupset and Fulcrum Racing 44 Aero wheels. Cube have built up a reputation for offering good value and that looks to be the case again here, with not too many bikes available with full Ultegra and Dura-Ace groupset for below £2k and £3k.

On to the disc brake bikes, and the Agree C:62 Disc opens the range at £1,599 (making it the cheapest bike in the entire Agree collection) and has a Shimano 105 groupset and Shimano BR-RS505 hydraulic disc brakes. The £2,199 Agree C:62 Race Disc wears an upgraded Shimano Ultegra groupset and Shimano BR-RS805 hydraulic discs, while the top-of-the-line Cube Agree C:62 SLT Disc is dressed in Shimano Dura-Ace components and the same hydro discs for £3,299.

Enter, the Attain

That’s the Agree dealt with, so what about the Attain? It replaces the Peloton, which developed a well-earned reputation as a bike which combined a good alloy frame with a top spec in a package which offered excellent value for money.

There are two Attain frames: one made from aluminium (the Attain HPA) and one made from carbon fibre (the Attain GTC). Like the Agree, both come in rim brake and disc brake versions. The aluminum frame is made from a 6061 alloy and is designed, Cube say, to offer “exceptional ride comfort”, thanks to the flex served up by the skinny, cross-ovalised aero seat stays and the carbon fibre fork (which has a tapered steerer tube). The smooth welds also made for a really smart-looking alloy frame.

The carbon frame, meanwhile, is also geared towards comfort, and both chassis’ have internal cable routing and clearance for 28mm tyres. Like the Agree, the disc brake frame (in both carbon and alloy) uses the flat mount standard and 12mm thru-axles at the front and rear.

While the Agree sits somewhere between sportive and race in terms of geometry, and that’s reflected in the balanced riding position, the Attain is a little more relaxed. Once again taking a 56cm frame, the headtube is 182mm (12mm taller than the Agree) and the wheelbase is 1004mm, with 410mm chainstays. That will provide a more upright riding position and should make for slightly more stable and sedate handling.

We won’t run through the entire Attain line-up, given there are five alloy bikes and four carbon bikes (you’ll be here all day). However, the alloy range starts at £599 for the entry-level Attain with a Shimano Claris groupset and Cube own-brand wheels and rises to £1,199 for the Attain SL Disc with Shimano 105 and Shimano BR-RS505 hydraulic disc brakes, in what looks a very attractive package to us. Meanwhile, the carbon range opens with the £1,299 Attain GTC, which has Shimano 105 bits and Mavic Aksium wheels, and the top-of-the-line Attain GTC SL Disc gets a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Shimano BR-RS505 hydro discs for £1,799.

You can see the full Attain range and complete specs on the Cube website. Otherwise, check out the bumper photo gallery below.