Axiom

It looks like a fantastic stock commuter bike, but there are no dealerships in Florida(?), none on Craigslist and definitely none on eBay. The only other bikes that come close are cheap nashbar/performance bike/used/or bare bones commuters like a Trek DS or Scott. Are there any brands that I'm missing? There are so many choices out there and I don't want to skip over anything. Sometimes I like to think I know it all, but I really don't. Any suggestions? The CAAD is up for sale to fund a commuter bike project and maybe a decent roadie for riding. Not looking to spend more than a grand on a commuter.

spare_wheel

i don't think buying a suspension bike is a good idea unless you plan on or need to ride off tarmac. also, the welds on the cube town in the promo pics are laughably bad -- seriously. i think that alivio/altus level components are a bad idea if you ride a lot of yearly miles. (imo, sora and deore are the shimano bottom end when it comes to high mileage-worthy components.)

acidfast7

One of the best deals on the market for the money, at least in the EU.

CUBE has an excellent reputation as a German bike maker that machine builds their aluminum frames in Taiwan and hand assembles their bikes in a well-equipped factory back in Germany to exacting standards.

Personally, I don't think you'll beat the price for a dynamo-equipped bike, with full Shimano drivetrain, lights, full-fenders, rack and adjustable stem in Germany, so you definitely won't get close in the US.

There was a disc-equipped model for 20-25% more but I don't know if it still exists.

cyccommute 

I don't think Cube markets in the US. But from what I can see on the Chain Reaction website, the Trek Allant, the Specialized Globe and a whole host of other bikes are similar for a similar price. I'm with spare_wheel on the shock. It's a pogo stick, as are most shocks at that price level. You'd probably end up replacing it with a rigid one for road use anyway. The components on all of these bikes are boat anchors. It's better to go for a little more money and get a bit better componentry.

Other than the shock, the only thing that the Cube Town has is a dynamo system. But there are a lot of better aftermarket alternatives...even in dynamos. From the Busch and Muller site

You can't tell much from the lux measurement without knowing how far away from the light it is measured but 15 lux is pretty dim compared to other dynamo light offerings. That's kind of in the "be seen (but not really) category.

the sci guy 

no links no pics no care

PatrickGSR94

same here.

acidfast7

also, FWIW, the shocks are quite good for EU urban areas.

link: https://www.cube.eu/en/bikes/tour/tow...rey-white-men/

PatrickGSR94

OMG those welds look NASTY!!!

acidfast7

honestly, if you're looking at the weld quality on a machine-welded 7005 bike, you're missing the point of what makes it excellent value.

but, then again, i have to remember that you guys don't have a commuter bike market in the US when bikes actually replace cars or are coupled to public transport.

CrankyOne

But do they hold up?

cyccommute 

We just have a bicycle market where people can pick and choose whatever bike they want to ride to work and add or take away parts as needed. Kind of lets us be individuals instead of conforming to someone's idea of what a "commuter bike" should be. Kinda like the guy in the Infiniti Conformity ad, even though the Infiniti isn't all that "individual"

You should see the bikes that I see (and attempt to keep running every Saturday) being used for commuting.

acidfast7

point missed again

i can buy all north american bikes and european bikes, but you can't ... so, in fact i have more choice.

in addition, without tax, i see new cube towns for 400 USD, which only 2x what you guys will pay for a front dynamo wheel



wooooosh

over your head

cyccommute 

I doubt, highly, that you are going to buy too many "North American" bikes in Europe. There aren't that that many "North American" bikes made. There are lots of US branded bikes but they are made in the same place as the Cube is made: China. By the same token, I can buy lots of European branded bikes here in the US. Some of them are Dutch commuting bikes, some of them are Italian racing machines. Some of them are cheap and some of them aren't. The US branded, Chinese made "commuting bikes" sold here in the US are competitive with the Cube Town.

Personally, I haven't seen a "commuting bike"...European, US, Dutch or Chinese...that I would want to throw a leg over. They have no appeal to me whatsoever. I've got a fleet of bikes that I can use for commuting. A fleet of bikes that I can ride off-road to work if I want or carry 50 lbs of gear if I need to or go fast and long or just cruise along in style. I don't need to spend $200 for a dynamo because I have 3 wonderfully bright lights that I can use on anyone of the fleet for about 1/3 of that price.

acidfast7

you do provide good humour ... maybe i should take you off my ignore list

randomgear

You may want to take a look at Breezer bikes -
https://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes/de...greenway-elite
https://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes/details/beltway-8-us

No front suspension in their transportion bike range, but still, decent commuter set ups.