CUBE Town Sport Hybrid One 400 Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for most of my reviews (not this one). This in-depth review was not sponsored by CUBE. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of CUBE products or Cit-E-Cycles… I covered it for the sake of variety and because Mark said it was popular at his shop in Vancouver, Canada. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the CUBE electric bike forums.

Pros:

• Even though this particular model only comes in black, CUBE offers similar models in different colors and I love their minimalist branding and premium accessories (many produced in-house). Note the internally routed cables, beautiful compact motor casing and 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 Town Sport Hybrid One 400 is available in five frame sizes! For the video review, I test rode the smallest frame sized 42cm which has a custom frame designed to provide the lowest minimum saddle height… Only one seat stay connects with the seat tube, the other side is left open so the battery can be removed. Even with this structural change, the frame felt very stiff and capable, I was told that the downtube might even have three channels inside (like a honey comb) to improve strength. Note that the smallest frame size does not use a quick release seat tube clamp in order to provide the lowest mounting position possible
• Note how the seat tube is wider than normal and flat on the back so the Bosch battery interface can be more securely mounted. I also like how CUBE connects the head tube to the downtube with an additional piece of hydroformed aluminum alloy for strength
• Excellent bottle cage mounting position! It’s high enough that you’ll be able to reach it more easily and won’t kick it when mounting the frame
• The fenders are durable plastic that won’t bend or rust but didn’t rattle as much as some competing fenders I’ve seen on other ebikes. I love how the rear fender is reinforced with a metal piece underneath that connects to the rack
• The rear rack is amazing, one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s lightweight and minimal in terms of appearance, but still has a sturdy top for use with a trunk bag or child seat, has flared pannier hangers on the sides, and a bungee loop at the base! As mentioned earlier, it is well supported from below and in front because of a metal piece that goes under the fender towards the seat stays and seat tube
• Great headlight, it offers a bright focused beam with top cutoff patter to not blind oncoming traffic as well as side windows to keep you visible from more angles. The rear light is just okay with just one LED, but at least both lights are wired-in to run off of the ebike battery
• Good weight distribution, the motor and battery are positioned at the center of the frame and kept very low… the battery is set behind the seat tube so it creates a wide opening for the step-thru frame and won’t get kicked as easily
• Good kickstand design, it offers adjustable length and is positioned far back so it won’t cause pedal lock. It’s also directly below the rack to support heavy loads… though it does use a seemingly proprietary single-bolt mounting design that appeared to be a little bit more rattly than the standard 18mm double bolt design I see on most other electric bicycles
• Hydraulic disc brakes are always nice because they don’t stretch or get gunked up like mechanical, the seem to require less hand effort and have adjust able reach levers, I like how CUBE opted for a larger 180mm front rotor to increase stopping power on big hills or if you’ve got heavy cargo on the rack

points… the saddle feels good, 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, and the suspension fork reduces impacts. CUBE also upgraded the tires from 1.5″ to 1.75″ to increase air volume for comfort, and add some stability to the bike

• I appreciate that CUBE chose to use the Bosch PowerPack on this and many of their other ebike models because it’s cross compatible and weighs a lot less than the PowerTube. They manage to make it look nice and are able to make smaller frames. Weighing in at roughly 54lbs, this ebike is also fairly light considering that it uses a spring suspension fork and has a rack, fenders, lights, and comfort touch points
• The Bosch Active Line Plus motor is fairly quiet, uses a standard sized chainring that does not produce drag when pedaling unassisted, but still 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, just like the more expensive Bosch motors
• The plastic chainring protector helps to keep your pant legs or dress ends from getting greasy or snagged, I like how it didn’t rattle a lot and wasn’t overbuilt adding weight and clutter to the frame
• 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!
• Great drivetrain (overkill for neighborhood riding), 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 Deore 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.
• Sealed bearing headset and bottom bracket (for protection in wet environments) and Bosch uses a proprietary mini splined crank arm interface, similar to ISIS for better strength and power transfer vs. square tapered
• It’s wonderful to be able to charge the battery on or off the bike, Bosch has a handle built into their PowerPacks for safe transport, and you can use the 400 or 500 watt hour battery with the same mounting interface here
• The Schwalbe Active Line Cruiser tires are pretty nice, they offer puncture protection so you won’t get as many flats, 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 they do happen
• CUBE is one of the bigger European (German) brands that I perceive as being reliable, they offer great value on their bikes, and have a two year comprehensive warranty with five years warranty on the frame
• It’s a very minor thing, but I love how you can pedal the bike backwards and the chain actually cycles through because this allows you to lubricate the chain and adjust the derailleur more easily without a stand, many competing mid-motor designs allow the cranks to spin backwards but the chain does not move

Cons:

• Only available in a black colorway… it looks pretty nice because the battery pack, rack, fenders, and most of the wires and hardware only come in black, but it’s not as reflective and visible at night or fun and cheerful as if they also offered white or silver. At least it has the lights and reflective tires :)
• CUBE chose a nicer Shimano Deore derailleur, but it’s not the version with a one-way clutch. I also noticed that the trigger shifters use a one-way high lever vs. the nicer two-way high lever that allows for index finger and thumb shifting… and is my personal preference
• The Bosch Active Line Plus motor is very quiet and efficient, but it doesn’t offer the same high torque power as Performance Line motors, and cadence support is limited to 105RPM vs. 120RPM. That means, if you switch gears down while heading into a big climb, the motor might not be able to keep up with your fast pedaling. If you slow down as a result and need to downshift again, the motor may struggle ongoing until you’re riding at a much lower speed… this isn’t the end of the world, it’s just not as flexible for high-cadence pedaling and sporty riding as some of the higher-end Bosch motors
• The Bosch Active Line and MY20 Performance Line motors introduce a sort of “clunk” feeling when I stop pedaling. It’s like there’s some inertia built up in the motor or drivetrain that dissipates with a feeling and sound that the higher-end Performance Line Speed and CX motors do not have… perhaps this isn’t as noticeable with time if the motor breaks in? I didn’t notice it as much with the CUBE Town Sport Hybrid One 400 as with some other recent ebikes, and I think that’s because this model had been ridden more (notice the water marks and dust on the frame)
• The location of the battery charging port is very low on the left side of the seat tube, pretty close to the left crank arm. When plugged in, the charging cable actually blocks the rotation path of the left crank, so be careful not to bump the pedals, or consider charging the battery off the bike. It would be physically easier to reach and safer to have the charging port positioned up high on the right side of the bike… but this is a very common spot to put it on Bosch ebikes because it’s closer to the motor and controller and their large rubberized plug is fairly durable and tough
• The Bosch Purion display panel is compact and provides plenty of space for accessories, but it isn’t removable, and doesn’t show power output, avg speed, max speed, trip time, clock or shift recommendation like the Intuvia, Kiox, and SmartphoneHub. 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
• With fewer buttons, there’s more to remember with the Bosch Purion display including holding + to turn lights on and off, holding – to cycle from assist level trip distance, total distance, and range estimate, and holding – then tapping power to switch units from metric to imperial
• It would be nice to have a USB port to plug a phone in for use with GPS, music, or other portable electronics… the Bosch Purion display panel has a Micro USB port, but this is only usable for data transfer and updates, not charging. Consider swapping the display for a Bosch Intuvia, Kiox, or the COBI Smartphone Hub system which do have active Micro USB charging ports, dealers can help with this for a hardware and service fee
• The steel chainring is very standard, there’s no narrow-wide tooth pattern or guide element to help retain the chain. It could bounce off if you’re riding in bumpy conditions, but that’s less of an issue for a neighborhood cruiser type of ebike like this with a front suspension fork
• Considering the relatively high price paid for this ebike, I was a little bit surprised that CUBE didn’t opt for a PowerPack 500… but that saves about half a pound of weight and keeps the cost a bit lower… Perhaps they used the lower capacity battery because the Active Line Plus motor is very efficient. Note that CUBE does offer some more expensive Town models with the PowerPack 500 and that battery is cross compatible with this ebike (you can use the PowerPack 400 or 500 with this bike frame)
• You get the slower compact 2 amp Bosch ebike charger here instead of the 4 amp. It’s less of an issue given the lower capacity PowerPack 400 battery, and at least it weighs less and takes up less space
• As with any premium electric bike using name brand components and a leading drive system that is custom-integrated into the frame, the CUBE Town Sport Hybrid One 400 costs more money, but at least it is sold through a qualified network dealers who can offer support and comes with a great 2+ year comprehensive warranty
• In North America, it seems like there aren’t very many CUBE dealers, I only know of a handful in Canada and the US… and I don’t think they sell online, so it might be tricky to find this particular product and test ride in person
• Minor consideration, the charging port on the frame is low on the left side, in the path of the left crank arm which could collide and snag the charging cable… it’s less likely to crack or get broken because the Bosch plug is large and rubberized compared to many other ebikes that are narrow and plastic
• 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 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
• It’s a minor thing, but the ABUS keys and locking core chosen for this ebike do not offer the keyed-alike feature that nicer locks to (where you can buy a matching lock that can use the same key), this one is more basic
• CUBE chose to use the older left chain stay mounted Bosch speed reader and spoke magnet vs. some of the newest designs which are positioned near the disc brake caliper mount so they won’t get bumped out of position as easily
• 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
• It’s not clear to me whether this is a big issue or not, but the headlight couldn’t aim down at a very steep angle before the beam started getting blocked by the fender. Perhaps they could use a taller mount in the future or consider mounting the light to the stem, I show this at 29:38 in the video review above

Useful Resources:

• Official CUBE website
• Bosch Purion ebike display settings
• CUBE ebike shop directory to find a CUBE dealer near you for fitting and test rides