CUBE Supreme Sport Hybrid ONE 400 Review

This review was provided for free, but Cit-E-Cycles supplied a temporary demo bike for me to test. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of CUBE products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the CUBE electric bike forums.

Observations:

• CUBE is a German brand that launched in 1993 and is now sold in 60 countries around the world. They offer good value and have a wide range of models and sizes compared to competing brands I’ve reviewed.
• The Supreme model would be a good platform for relaxed neighborhood riding or city commuting, in my opinion. The powerful Bosch Performance Line Cruise motor sets it apart from similarly styled ebikes with less powerful Bosch Active Line or Active Line Plus motors. You get increased torque and higher pedal cadence support that are very noticeable, but may reduce range and increase noise a bit.

Pros:

• Even though this particular model only comes in grey n blue with black accents, CUBE offers similar models in different colors. I love their minimalist branding and premium accessories (many produced in-house and labeled as ACID). Note the internally routed cables, compact motor casing with plastic skid plate, and all of the color-matched hardware (fork, crank arms, chain cover, fenders, seat post, stem, handlebar, rear rack, etc.)
• The CUBE Supreme Sport Hybrid ONE 400 is available in four frame sizes! For the video review, I test rode the small frame sized 50cm which has a custom frame designed to provide an extremely low standover and minimum saddle height. Despite the wave deep step-thru frame design, the ride felt solid and I did not experience speed wobble.
• The seat tube on this model is wider than past similar designs from CUBE, it supports a 30.9mm seat post. This improves frame strength and allows for more suspension seat post options such as this.
• The fenders are durable plastic that won’t bend or rust, and I love how the front support arms connect directly to the suspension lowers with a bolt instead of a plastic cuff or something less sturdy. The rear fender actually hides a metal support strut that improves the strength of the rear rack. The fenders did rattle a bit when going fast over bumpy terrain, which is more common with plastic.
• The rear rack is streamlined and full of features. I think it was designed by CUBE and is compatible with some of their in-house clip on accessories. The tubing is standard gauge, and will work with most clip-on pannier bags. The top has a spring latch, and it comes with bungee loops on the side and a double bungee strap.
• Great headlight, it offers a bright focused beam with top cutoff patter to not blind oncoming traffic as well as side cutouts to keep you visible from more angles. The rear light is also very good, having four LEDs and being visible from many angles. It seems durable and is actually built into the fender itself.
• Good weight distribution, the motor and battery are positioned at the center of the frame and kept very low. The battery is completely protected inside the downtube, and even the locking core is protected by the black shield cover. One downside is that the shield does not lock to the frame and could be removed randomly at a bike rack.
• The magnet that is used to measure rear wheel speed is now mounted to the hub, at the disc brake rotor. This keeps the wheel more balanced vs. a spoke magnet, and the sensor is less likely to be damaged or throw a read error since it also stays cleaner here.
• Hydraulic disc brakes are always nice because they don’t stretch or get gunked up like mechanical. They also require less hand effort to actuate and the levers offer adjustable reach for different hand sizes. CUBE is using large 180mm rotors front and rear here, which is great for the larger 28″ wheels with higher volume 2.0″ tires. Better cooling, better mechanical advantage.
• The saddle might be an acquired taste, because it is pretty firm, but it doesn’t appear cheaply made. There are accents on it that perfectly match the frame color, which is a more premium feature. The ergonomic rubber grips reduce hand numbness and are locking (so they won’t spin if you really bear down), the swept-back handlebar provides a more upright body position, the adjustable angle stem lets you dial in body position, and the suspension fork reduces impacts.
• The Bosch Performance Line Cruise motor is fairly quiet, uses a standard sized chainring that does not produce drag when pedaling unassisted, and even offers shift detection to reduce wear on the drivetrain. It measures rear wheel speed, pedal cadence, and pedal torque over 1,000 times per second, and provides over 120 RPM pedal support so you don’t need to switch gears as frequently to achieve high speeds. It’s one of my favorite motors, and I’m glad they chose it vs. an Active Line or Active Line Plus motor which offer lower torque and cadence support.
• The plastic chainring protector and chain cover help to keep your pant leg or dress end from getting greasy or snagged. It seemed sturdier than many other chain covers, and probably doesn’t rattle as much.
• I like that CUBE did include a chain stay slap guard sticker to protect the paint as the chain bounces on rough terrain, and that they even included a clear plastic sticker below the downtube to reduce chips from rocks that might bounce up from the front tire… even though it’s redundant because the bike also comes with fenders!
• High quality drivetrain with a good range of gears. The 9-speed cassette has a wide of 11 to 36 tooth sprockets vs. 11 to 32 or even 24 to 28 on some entry-level ebikes, the Shimano Alivio derailleur is lightweight and very reliable.
• Nice rims, notice the reinforcement eyelets that add strength and durability as the bike is ridden for long stretches of time without wheel truing. CUBE chose a 36 spoke setup vs. 32 spokes and I’m guessing this improves strength and balance, which is nice for a heavier bike with a cargo rack and drive system.
• It’s wonderful to be able to charge the battery on or off the bike. I was able to remove and lift it easily, and the faster 4 amp charger will fill it quickly but is still small and fairly light (it’s one of my favorite chargers in the industry). The bike comes stock with the PowerTube 400 but appears to also fit the PowerTube 500 if you wanted to upgrade someday.
• The Continental Contact Urban tires are E-Bike rated for higher speeds and weight, I believe they offer puncture protection, and they have reflective stripes for safety. I appreciate that both the front and back wheels connect to the frame with quick release so you can perform trail maintenance and fixes much easier if needed, and the crank arms actually cycle the chain backwards for easier cleaning and lubrication without need for a bike stand!
• CUBE is one of the bigger European (German) brands that I perceive as being reliable. They’ve been around since 1993, sell in 60 countries, and they offer great value for their products. You get a two year comprehensive warranty with five years warranty on the frame, and Bosch stuff is all warrantied for two years as well.

Cons:

• This particular bike is only available in one color scheme, however there are similar models available from CUBE that come in one different color if you wish. I was very impressed with the quality of the paint, how the suspension fork lower and seat post both matched, and that they used plastic stickers on the chain stay and below the downtube to protect the paint.
• As with many feature-complete electric bicycles, this one weighs a bit at 57.6lbs. This is due in part to the basic spring suspension with steel stanchions, adjustable angle stem, full sized fenders, rear rack, and integrated lights. The battery pack itself weighs about 6.8lbs and the motor weighs about 7.05lbs.
• The kickstand positioning supports the bike well, and I love that you can adjust its length without a tool (just press a silver button behind the lower portion and slide it up or down), but it does block the left crank arm if you back the bike up or spin the crank backwards. This is called pedal lock, and it can be annoying when exiting a tight bike rack or garage space.
• The drivetrain and motor are setup so the chain can actually be cycled backwards, which is handy for servicing the chain and sprockets without need for a bike stand, but there is a bit of momentum that carries through when pedaling the bike. It’s like the crank wants to keep going for a moment when your feet stop pushing. I try to show this in the review video above, and it may dissipate with time, as the motor and breaks in a bit and smoothes out. It’s a minor thing that I’ve noticed with both Bosch Active Line motors and this 3rd generation Performance Line Cruise.
• The charging port is low down on the left side of the frame, in the path of the crank arm just like the kickstand. Be careful when bending down to reach it, so you don’t bonk your head on the left handlebar as you come up. I would prefer this to be high up on the right side of the frame for easier access. I also feel that the rubberized cover is a bit flimsy and didn’t seat well enough to keep out dust and water. Thankfully, the Bosch system is fairly water resistant, and the fender should reduce some exposure.
• The display is pretty small, has limited readouts, and despite having a Micro-USB port built into the right side… cannot charge third party accessories. There’s no smartphone app or heart rate monitor compatibility. You could upgrade to the Bosch Nyon, Kiox, or Smartphone Hub with some money and the help of a willing shop. The Purion is not removable, does not show power output, avg speed, max speed, trip time, clock, or shift recommendation. It also uses a 5-bar battery infographic representing 20% steps vs. 10 bars or an actual percentage readout for more precision. At least it does show a dynamic range estimate if you navigate to that menu by holding – and cycling through.
• The rear rack looks beautiful, but the total weight capacity is significantly less than what I’ve seen from comparable ebikes. You get 18kg (39lb) max load vs. 25kg (55lbs) that’s pretty standard, and this could be the difference between using it for a child seat or not. I do appreciate the bungee loops, standard gauge tubing, spring latch on top, and bungee strap that’s included.
• I understand why they didn’t include a bottle cage mount on the downtube, since the battery is top mounting and only has a basic plastic shield covering it (which probably wouldn’t be strong enough), but it seems like there was plenty of room on the seat tube to put one. Consider a strap mounted option like this or a handlebar clamp cup holder like this instead, or you could get a trunk bag with a bottle slot if you’re willing to reach back or park before drinking.
• Minor considerations: the higher powered Bosch Performance Line motor uses energy a bit faster, makes a faint electronic whirring noise, and the PowerTube 400 it the lowest capacity of battery that Bosch offers which can limit range when used in high modes or heavy loads.
• The suspension fork is very basic, there’s no lockout adjust here and the preload adjustment is hidden on both sides of the crown under plastic top caps (which crack more easily during removal). It’s nice that you can pre-load the fork for your body weight and the black color matches the frame, but this is a heavier fairly basic part in general
• Minor consideration, the headlight is mounted to the arch of the suspension fork and may bounce up and down in this position because it’s unsprung vs. if it was mounted to the stem or handlebar which are sprung and higher up offering improved visibility.
• The Bosch PowerTube battery lock interface requires the lock to be actively unlocked before the battery will click in. This takes a bit of extra balancing and effort, but may increase overall security or retention. It’s not so bad on a top-entry design like the one CUBE is using here.

Useful Resources:

• CUBE electric bike dealers.
• Bosch Purion ebike display settings.
• Official CUBE website.