A new manufacturer is positioning itself in the niche of electric longtails, these famous bikes whose rear structure is elongated in order to accommodate children or goods. The manufacturer in question is none other than Cube.
It’s a reality: in France, electric cargo bikes, which include longtails, two-wheelers and three-wheelers, are very successful. You just have to take a look at the figures for 2022 to realize it: sales jumped 96% from one year to another, with 33,000 models sold last year.
It must be said that the offer also tends to greatly expand. In recent months, several manufacturers have released their own models: the Haul LT from Specialized, the Wonderwagen and Cargowagen from Cannondale and the Digital eLongtail from Peugeot. Without forgetting the many references tested by Frandroid.
Bosch on the menu
This time, it is the turn of a new manufacturer to embark on the longtail adventure: Cube. This German player enjoys a solid reputation in the industry, with already more than 30 years of experience in cycling. Cube has thus lifted the veil on the Longtail Hybrid, which relies on high-end components to stand out.
You have to rely on a Bosch Performance Line CX motor and a 725 Wh battery. This engine is quite simply the best from Bosch – if we omit its Race version intended for e-MTBs – and offers a generous torque of 85 Nm. For an e-bike intended to support up to 200 kg of load, it’s still good to take.
Bosch also supplies the Kiox 300 on-board computer, placed in the center of the handlebars. We might have preferred to taste the recent Kiox 500, a version that is strictly identical in substance, but larger in form. The product sheet also does not mention any eligibility for the Bosch Smart System.
Mounted on 26-inch Schwalbe Pick-Up tires, this Cube Longtail Hybrid does not seem to put much effort into comfort. Certainly, these balloon-type tires have certain abilities to smooth out some roughness in the road, but the absence of a suspended fork, a suspended saddle or any shock absorber can be detrimental.
Two children in the back
On the other hand, it is extremely appreciable to taste a continuously variable Enviolo transmission – manual and not automatic type – which is more than practical for your urban trips. Everything is logically associated with a Gates carbon belt. In terms of safety, the Magura MT5 brakes tend to reassure.
Who says longtail, necessarily says practicality for transporting people or loads. At the rear, the luggage rack is capable of accommodating up to two front seats, with footrests, or a box whose dimensions must be 60 x 40 cm. In total, the luggage rack can accommodate up to 60 kg.
Price and availability
Speaking of weight, the Cube Longtail Hybrid is not a featherweight, like all the other electric cargo bikes on the market: count 35.4 kg on the scale.
At what price is this Cube Longtail Hybrid priced? At 4599 euros in total, which places it in competition with the Equo Cargo Power 7.1 (4999 euros) or the Trek Fetch+ 2 (4999 euros). It will be available at Cube partner resellers in the coming weeks.
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