Touring Hybrid: it's all in the name. This is a high performance, fun and versatile bike that's perfect for long rides at the weekend, nipping through town or exploring the countryside. Even the daily commute is easier now. Thanks to the high quality aluminium frame, Bosch drive, high qualilty Shimano 9-speed transmission and comfort-enhancing features, Touring Hybrid riders will feel safe and confident in any situation.
The specially developed CUBE frame is extremely stiff, stable and light thanks to its double chain stays, a down tube produced using Advanced Hydroforming technology and a double chamber seat tube. It was also designed with the demands of the Bosch Drive in mind. Efficient Comfort Geometry provides a superbly ergonomic ride position for long rides and efficient pedalling. Semi-integrated cable routing protects cable runs, improves gear shifting performance, reduces maintenance requirements and even improves the bike's appearance. And with our Frame Safe system, it's easy to replace the derailleur hanger if it gets accidentally damaged.
The Touring Hybrid's credentials are emphasised by the standard 400Wh battery, 9-speed Shimano transmission and Shimano BR-M315 hydraulic disc brakes with their 180mm rotor on the front wheel. A CUBE suspension seatpost, combined with the Suntour NEX suspension fork, give a comfortable ride whatever the terrain throws at you - and Schwalbe's Spicer tyres also provide increased puncture resistance. The Busch& Müller Lyt LED lighting system draws its power direct from the Bosch system and is easy to control via the display. And a custom-developed CUBE chain guide keeps oil and grime where it belongs - off your clothes - inconspicuosly and with utter reliability.
e-Bikes come in as many shapes and sizes as non-powered bikes, so you can have an electric road bike, mountain bike, city bike or general hybrid style. But, there are extra choices for you to make as well, so this is a brief guide to choosing the e-Bike best suited to your needs. For a more complete guide, please visit our Blog post on Choosing Your e-Bike.
Frame design
The primary choice is whether there is a top tube or you have a step-through frame. If you have any limitations in your hip flexibility and find it hard to raise your leg around the back wheel and saddle, then a step-through frame will be the better option for you. Given e-Bikes are heavier than other bikes, a step-through is also easier to handle if you're not very strong.
Battery power & capacity
"How far can I go between charges?" is the most common question, and the answer is "It depends", but here are some useful guidelines. Firstly, you control how quickly you deplete the battery. e-Bikes have power assist settings that you use to control acceleration and the amount of assist. If you choose "economy", it will take longer to get up to speed, and your top-end speed will be lower than if you select "turbo" mode. In addition, most e-Bikes are pedal assist, so you need to turn the pedals, and the more force you put in, the less you consume the battery charge. Finally, hills consume more power than flats, so your route selection makes a difference.
Batteries are rated in Watt hours (WH), and you can use this to compare the expected range between bikes. You simply multiply the voltage (V) by the amp hours (Ah) to calculate the Watt hours. On average, if you didn't pedal at all, each mile of flat travel will consume 15 WH. The e-Bikes we sell all have batteries with 300 - 400 WH, so that is 20 - 27 miles on a flat road with no pedaling.
Motor location and drive system
There are three primary positions for the drive system, the front wheel, the rear wheel and the crankset (to which the pedals are attached). By far the best is the crankset, as it is the most efficient, and it keeps the centre of gravity low. Motors in the wheel hubs are more common, as they are less expensive, and there are offsetting pros & cons for front versus rear wheel. drive.
Throttle or Pedal-assist
Our FreeGo e-Bikes have a throttle, so you can choose to be powered exclusively by the electric motor. Our other e-Bikes are all pedal-assist, which means the motor amplifies your own pedaling. The amount of power added by the electric motor in all cases is controlled by the setting, for example "economy" or "turbo".