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Cube Agree GTC Pro vs Peloton Sl or Race?

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  • January 10, 2015 at 11:58 pm #22989
    thearchitect

    I am a regular commuter cyclist but wishing to make a proper investment in a good all rounder road bike to take my cycling and fitness to another level. I hope to use for longer endurance, sportives and hopefully club ride outings. I have tried out a few makes and models from the likes of Willier, Cannondale & Cube and I am pretty settled on the latter from a geometry, spec and cost point of view. My LBS majors in these brands so a bonus if there’s s problem.

    However I am really stumped on which Cube to go for? Yes, I would love to invest in the new Agree GTC Pro 2015, carbon frame is comfortable to ride and full Shimano 105 5800. However the Cube aluminium range £200 less is topped by the SL model with Ultegra front & rear derailleurs complementing 105. The weight difference is not that big between the two.

    Does anyone have any experience of either of these models? Also is the new Shimano 11 speed 105 really worth investing the extra in? I have seen loads of great offers on Cube 2014 models but they are all 5700 group set. I don’t plan to do loads of upgrading in the future, so what I go for is what I’ll keep unless things fail and have to be replaced.

    TIA

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Viewing 8 replies - 16 through 23 (of 23 total)
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  • January 12, 2015 at 12:46 pm #825849
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    parksey

    The difference between the
    The difference between the groupsets on the two models you mention will be hard to distinguish, I’ve got bikes with both 5700 and 5800 and the overall feel of the newer one is perhaps marginally nicer, but on my 5800 setup the 11th cog only gives me a lower gear which I’ll probably never use, rather than a tighter spread of ratios between the gears. An occassional complaint on my 5700 bike (with a 12-30 cassette) is that I don’t always have the “right” gear when on the flat in the big ring, so the tighter spread of 5800 with something like an 11-28 cassette might be preferable to fix that.

    Don’t get hung up on carbon for carbon’s sake. Yes, it’s what the Pros use, but it doesn’t automatically mean *you* need a carbon bike. At this end of bike brands’ ranges, carbon really won’t be discernably lighter/stiffer/smoother than a good aluminium (or steel) frame, so do try both before you buy. Yes, it’ll be different if you’re spending twice the money, but I’d personally take a better groupset on a decent aluminium frame than believing the hype of the negligible improvements that a thousand pound carbon bike will give you.

    Also, bear in mind if you are using a Cycle to Work scheme that the retailer may not honour a sale price on a 2014 bike when bought through the scheme (most indepdent stores don’t). Much like many other big brands, Cube seem to have lowered the prices of their more mainstream models this year, so the new price of the 2015 Agree GTC Pro is £1199 (against £1399 for the 2014 model), meaning sale prices of last year’s bikes might not be as much of a bargain as they appear.

    January 12, 2015 at 11:48 am #825847
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    thearchitect

    Thanks Sean, sounds like the
    Thanks Sean, sounds like the carbon is worth the investment.

    My last question though: I have the option of a reduced 2014 GTC Pro (with 105 5700) in carbon grey, or the 2015 version with 5800 in white. This sounds very picky and is purely aesthetic but I love the look of the 2014, but is the up to date spec 11 speed version really worth going for, would I see great improvement over last years model? You may not be able to answer if you haven’t tried the 5800 set?

    Cheers

    January 12, 2015 at 10:28 am #825845
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    sean evans

    the difference between
    the difference between ultegra and 105 rear mechs is minimal, the ultegra shifter is a bit nicer as it has more of a definite click but the thing you should focus on is the benefits of the carbon frame over aluminium, this is the deal breaker.

    January 12, 2015 at 10:25 am #825843
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    sean evans

    I had a Peloton for a year
    I had a Peloton for a year and got an Agree GTC pro with the same groupset, it is a world of difference, brilliant for long days in the saddle due to the forgiving rear end flexibility and shock absorption. Much stiffer for climbing, it’s a world of difference. the agree is well worth the extra few hundred quid, I would certainly go for that if budget permits.

    January 11, 2015 at 8:23 pm #825841
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    thearchitect

    Firstly, I am the most
    Firstly, I am the most indecisive person on this planet, a decision like this ends up blowing my mind!!!

    I can only really stretch to the entry level Agree GTC Pro as I’m going to use the B2W scheme and that would mean me topping up £200 to go above the £1k limit. The spec of the 2015 is 11 speed, but downside it only comes in white this year!

    I have sourced a 2014 model in the dark grey/black/red colourway but this is 10 speed 5700, this only saves £50 going for the older 2014 model, but personally think looks much better and won’t need cleaning so often (my main gripe with white bikes without mudguards)!

    Now the aluminium Peloton SL has a great spec, better than the carbon GTC Pro, comprising Mavic Aksium wheels, 5800 groupset sprinkled with Ultegra derailleurs. I think it also looks great in the new black+white colour scheme. Only gripe would be that someone on a carbon bike pulls alongside at traffic lights, would I get bike envy and wish I had invested that little bit more for a smoother ride?

    So these are my three choices?

    January 11, 2015 at 6:21 pm #825839
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    arckuk

    I’ve got an Agree GTC SLT
    I’ve got an Agree GTC SLT 2013 which I possibly love a little too much, It’s been fantastic over the last year since I bought it, with an all Ultegra 10 speed groupset. 2014+ Agrees have 11 speed Ultegra, but there are some good deals out there to be had on older models. £1500 is 46% off the 2013 Agree GTC SLT Di2 (basically the same as mine, but with electronic shifters) from Bikeshed and seems like an absolute steal – that’s where I’d put my money today! There are other places giving 20-30% discounts on 2014 models.

    The peletons are the aluminium version, I’ve never ridden one but they get decent reviews.

    January 11, 2015 at 5:26 pm #825837
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    joeegg

    I have a Cube Agree Pro
    I have a Cube Agree Pro aluminium about 4 years old. It came with full Ultegra and has been a great bike. Not one problem. Changing the wheelset brought the weight closer to my friends carbon Cubes.I’m not sure if the present alu Cubes have the same frame as mine as its triple butted in places. Ride quality is just as good as my carbon Scott.
    Bikeshed have the Di2 on offer at £1499. Just watch the sizing. I would normally take a 54 but the Cube is a 58.
    Wouldn’t hesitate in buying another Cube.

    January 11, 2015 at 2:08 pm #825835
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    Simon E

    They’re all good, just pick
    They’re all good, just pick the one you like best.

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