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I love the shape of the Newmen Wing Bar, with its slightly oversized diameter, mid-compact drop and fantastic, thick Acid bar tape. It’s all down to the combination of the excellent tyres and great contact points.
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It’s not as sharp and reactive as the Synapse or as balanced as the Defy, but it’s confidence-inspiring and very rapid. When you do get to point the Attain downhill, it’s quite thrilling to descend on. I’d also love to try the Attain with a set of genuinely lightweight road bike wheels because I’m convinced that would make for a formidable combination on alpine ascents. It’s especially good when climbing, the frame feels taut and responsive and it properly punches up climbs – the steeper the better. However, I was really impressed by how the Cube felt. The Attain doesn’t quite match the smoothness of the best endurance road bikes when riding on poorer tarmac surfaces, where it feels a little firmer, but it’s not uncomfortable. Shimano Ultegra is good to see on a bike at this price. The 28mm width shapes up well on the Fulcrum rim and I came away impressed both by how well they rolled and how tenaciously they gripped in the corners. The Continental Grand Sport tyres have most of the features of the brand’s premium tyres, and in this SL guise they’re clincher-only. The hubs are basic but, in true Fulcrum style, they are well made, free-running and the freehub picks up quickly.
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They’re based on Fulcrum’s Racing 6 DB and share the same low-profile 24mm rim with a 20mm internal width. The Fulcrum Racing 77 DBs are OEM (original equipment manufacturer) wheels, so aren’t available aftermarket. Yes, I did manage to make the rotors protest occasionally on some long descents on a hot day, but it’s nothing I’d mark the Cube down for. The shifting is superb, and the brakes offer control, power and a progressive feel. I can forgive that when you consider you’re getting one of the best mechanical groupsets ever made. The only deviations from Shimano Ultegra are a step down to a 105 cassette and standard rotors rather than Ice Tech. The glossy black graphics add a touch of class and everything is very well coordinated, making the GTC SL a premium-looking offering.Īs is usual for Cube, the Attain really hits the mark when it comes to value. Our test bike’s matt-black finish has only the lightest of paint touches, so you can see the carbon through the finish. Is Ultegra the best mechanical groupset ever? Steve Sayers / Our Media