Cube Attain GTC SL
Cube’s Attain is the Bavarian brand’s first proper take on an endurance bike. Previously, it had stuck to race-orientated geometry with comfort nods in the tyre, bar and saddle choice.
This time, the great-looking frameset combines a super-skinny, full-carbon fork that’s designed to be race-bike stiff laterally but give a little fore-and-aft movement to help curb tiring vibrations. Similarly skinny seatstays, which are less radically dropped than those on the Defy, are also there to offer some rear-end flex to smooth out the ride.
SPEEDY GEOMETRY
Our 56cm test bike offers sporty geometry, with a steep 73.5-degree seat angle putting you directly over the cranks to make the most of your power. The 72.5-degree head angle is just half a degree more relaxed than your average ‘race’ bike, and the resulting ride position is sporty but not extreme – very much like its competitor in this test.
As is usual for Cube, the Attain really hits the mark when it comes to value. The only deviations from Shimano Ultegra are a step down to a 105 cassette and standard rotors rather than IceTech. But we can forgive that when you consider you’re getting one of the best mechanical groupsets ever made.
The shifting is superb, and the brakes offer control, power and a progressive feel. Yes, we did manage to make the rotors occasionally protest on some long descents on a hot day, but it’s nothing we’d mark the Cube down for.
The Fulcrum Racing 77 DBs are OEM – original equipment manufacturer – wheels, so aren’t available aftermarket. They’re based on Fulcrum’s Racing 6 DB and share the same low-profile 24mm rim with a 20mm internal width. They’re tubeless compatible, too. The hubs are basic but, in true Fulcrum style, they’re well made, freerunning and the freehub picks up quickly.
The Continental Grand Sport tyres have most of the features of the brand’s premium tyres, and in this SL guise they are clincher only. The 28mm width shapes up well on the Fulcrum rim and we came away impressed both by how well they rolled and how tenaciously they gripped in the corners.
RESPONSIVE & THRILLING
The Attain doesn’t quite match the smoothness of the Defy when riding on poorer tarmac surfaces, where it feels a little firmer, but not uncomfortable. However, we came away really impressed by how the Cube felt. It’s especially good when climbing, the frame feels taut and responsive and it properly punches up climbs, the steeper the better. We’d also love to try the Attain with genuinely lightweight wheels as we’re convinced it’d make for a formidable companion for alpine ascents.
When you do get to point the Attain downhill, it’s quite thrilling to descend on. It’s not as balanced as the Defy, but it’s confidence inspiring and very rapid. It’s all a combination of the excellent tyres and great contact points. We love the shape of
“We came away really impressed. It’s especially good when climbing and thrilling toanddescendandquiteon”
the Newmen Wing Bar with its slightly oversized diameter, mid-compact drop and fantastic, thick Acid bar tape. It’s a positive grip and the bar feels stiff but without amplifying road chatter.
The carbon seatpost is great for the price and the short Natural Fit Venec saddle deserves a lot of praise for its slender dimensions and high-density padding, which manages to be both unobtrusive and give proper shock-absorbing comfort.
The Attain GTC SL is a great-looking, very stealthy bike in our tester’s opinion. Our test bike seen here has a matt-black finish with only the lightest of paint touches so you can see the carbon through the finish. The glossy black graphics add a touch of class and everything is very well coordinated, making the GTC SL a premium-looking offering. The kit level outdoes those of its rivals and the ride is worth shouting about too. It may not be quite as impressive as the Giant Defy, but for under £2,500 there’s little that can touch Cube’s high-performing, big-mileeating machine.