Travel

trekking

Origin

The Travel is Cube's affordable trekking/leisure-touring line from the German (Bavaria-based, founded 1993) marque, positioned below the flagship Kathmandu. It descends from Cube's mountain-bike heritage, carrying a 'cross-country soul' into a fully-equipped commuter/tourer built around a 29" Aluminium Superlite frame. It has been in the range since the mid-2010s and remains in production with annual spec updates.

Specifications

Frame: Aluminium Superlite (7005 alloy), Urban 29, tapered head tube, double-butted multi-profile tubes
Weight: kg
Drivetrain: Shimano 9-speed; crankset Shimano FC-T4060 triple 48-36-26T, shifters Shimano SL-M3100-R Rapidfire-Plus, cassette Shimano CS-HG200, KMC X9 chain
Brakes: Shimano BR-MT200 hydraulic disc, 160/160 mm rotors
Wheels: 29" (622 mm); CUBE EX21 rims, 32H, tubeless-ready; Shimano DH-3D37 dynamo front hub / FH-M3050 rear hub

The verdict

+Strengths

Exceptional value — often cited as one of the cheapest fully-equipped touring/trekking bikes; boutique-level detail at mass-production price
Complete out-of-the-box touring kit: dynamo lights, full mudguards, rear rack and kickstand all factory-fitted
Durable double-butted Aluminium Superlite frame, stiff and confidence-inspiring even on unpaved terrain
Reliable Shimano hydraulic disc brakes with strong all-weather stopping power
Puncture-resistant Schwalbe Marathon tyres and low-maintenance ownership

−Weaknesses

Heavy — ~15 kg with full kit, sluggish to accelerate and carry up stairs
Rigid fork lacks cargo-cage/anything mounts found on modern adventure forks, and transmits road buzz to the hands
Triple 48-36-26 crankset feels dated versus modern 1x or 2x trekking drivetrains
Limited tyre clearance (~2.15") restricts gravel/rough-terrain versatility
Long ~470 mm chainstays reduce manoeuvrability in tight turns