Cube’s Nuroad C:62 SLT blends elements of road and cyclocross design, comes with SRAM Red XPLR AXS and will cost you a mere £5,999.
That's an astonishingly low price, given the groupset alone is priced at £3,980 / $3,979 / €4,465 / AU$6,840.
The German brand says it has refined the Nuroad C:62's versatility for gravel exploration.
With a mid-size frame weighing in at 1,150g, the bike is at the lighter end of the spectrum for gravel bikes, but there's still room for comfort-bringing 50mm tyres.
The bike enters the market as one of the cheapest gravel bikes you can buy equipped with SRAM Red XPLR AXS.
We’ve got the Nuroad C:62 SLT in for testing, but before we get started, let's take a look at the details of this new gravel bike.
Frame
This Nuroad is made from Cube’s C:62 carbon fibre layup, which it says gives the bike uncompromised lightweight performance and vibration-absorbing comfort.
Cube says the resin in this layup is reinforced with nanoparticles before bonding with high-modulus fibre to create a stronger, lighter and more durable composite.
The brand’s Advanced Twin Mold process is also used in the construction, with the first outer mould ensuring an accurate layup and a secondary inner mould making sure every fibre remains in place during the curing process.
The frame takes cues from both the brand’s road and cyclocross bikes, featuring dropped seatstays at the rear, which should improve seated comfort because the seatpost can flex more – adding compliance.
Like many of the best gravel bikes, Cube has given the Nuroad plenty of mounting options, with the C:62 front fork featuring two carrier mounts.
A mount for a top tube bag is hidden by a rubber grommet to keep the top tube looking clean when not in use.
The front triangle has space for two bottle cages, with a third mount featuring on the bottom of the down tube should you wish to use a frame bag on your gravel adventures.
Full-length gravel mudguards and racks can be fitted, with tyre clearance reduced to 45mm should you wish to make use of the versatility.
An integrated seatpost clamp features on the seat tube and is said to save a few grams, while making for a more refined image.
The Nuroad uses integrated headset cable routing, making for a clean, cable-free cockpit.
Unusually, the bike features a mount for a kickstand.
Gravel Endurance Geometry
Cube says it has given the Nuroad its Gravel Endurance Geometry, which optimises your position for long days in the saddle and has frame angles that give it the perfect balance of stability and agility.
Head tube angles range from 69 degrees to 72.5 degrees, increasing through the sizes, and seat tube angles range from 75.5 degrees to 73 degrees, slackening through the sizes.
The bike comes in sizes XS to XL, with the XS having a 50cm frame and the XL 61cm.
Top-spec groupset
Sitting at the top of the range, the Nuroad C:62 SLT features an impressive spec for the money.
SRAM’s Red XPLR AXS is a highlight, giving the bike mullet gearing for steep off-road climbs.
This even comes with the SRAM Red XPLR Power Meter crankset, with a 40-tooth chainring.
Newmen's carbon fibre Advanced SL X.R.36 Vonoa wheels are booted in Schwalbe’s Kevlar-infused G-One R tyres.
Newmen also supplies its carbon Advanced Gravel handlebar and seatpost, with the latter having a diameter of 27.2mm.
This model is said to weigh 7.5kg, although we’re yet to put it on our scales.
