Cube Touring Hybrid ONE

The Cube Touring Hybrid ONE is a discovery for budget-conscious trekking buyers: a German bike with solid Bosch power, a Shimano Deore 10-speed drivetrain and full equipment under €2,200. Cube mainly builds mountain bikes and gravel bikes, and that attention to detail carries over to this touring version — cable routing is tidy, welds are clean and the cockpit feels solid. The typical buyer knows what they want, has probably ridden a regular trekking bike before, and is simply after the best specs per euro without being tied to a specific house brand. For recreational touring on the Veluwe, loops along the Rhine dikes or even multi-day cycling holidays this is a smart package.

The Bosch Active Line Plus is the same motor as in the Batavus Finez E-go Power and Sparta d-Burst M8Tb — whisper-quiet, natural in feel, but limited to 50 Nm of torque. On the flat Dutch polders that is no problem at all, and the Cube compensates with a very efficient frame and wheel combination so it rolls remarkably far in Eco. Range is 65 to 115 km from the 500 Wh battery. The Shimano Deore 10-speed derailleur offers more range than the hub gears on the Batavus or Sparta, which makes a difference on a trekking route over rolling terrain. Compared to the Giant Explore E+ 2 you miss the 80 Nm SyncDrive Sport motor, but you save €600 and do get standard mudguards and a rear rack.

Honest weaknesses: the Cube feels less 'velvety' than the premium QWIC Premium MN8 Belt or the more powerful Kalkhoff Endeavour 5.B Move+, and on really long climbs in Limburg you feel the difference with a stronger motor. The Cube dealer network in the Netherlands is smaller than Gazelle or Batavus, so check whether there is a certified workshop in your region. The chain drive needs regular care — expect lubing every 500 km in the rain. For budget trekking buyers who value specs over brand name, the Cube Touring Hybrid ONE is one of the smartest buys in this test.