https://www.cube.eu/uk-en/cube-nuroad-pro-metalblack-n-grey/ed328c644ea0ceb31d2b28a489b613d6
https://www.cannondale.com/en/bikes/road/gravel/topstone-alloy/topstone-4-c15902u
New to gravel riding and wanted to get my hands on a Cube Nuroad Pro to start out.
Sadly they're unicorns where I live in Europe so I had to spring for a Cannondale Topstone 4 instead. I bought it a week ago and it's… fine? On paper, the Cube Nuroad is a better bike for me in almost every single aspect and a few minor points keep nagging me about the Topstone.
Size: (My height is 173cm/5'8".) I tried out the size S (51cm) and M (55cm) of the Topstone. M was too large so I bought the S. Comfort is generally okay but I get the occasional toe overlap and constantly feel like I'm gonna scrape the ground with the tip of my shoes when pedaling through even medium sharp corners. (I don't actually know if a bigger bike size would alleviate that). The Nuroad size S (53cm) would provide a healthy middle ground, though I haven't been able to test it out.
Gears: On my ride home from the shop, I quickly found myself running out of gears when wanting to go faster. It's not a huge deal breaker but the Nuroad with 2×10 and a greater gear ratio would be a better fit than the 10 speed on the Topstone.
Weight: I carry my bike up to my 5th floor apartment each time. On the spec sheet, the Nuroad is one kg lighter than the Topstone (11.4kg > 10.4kg).
Price: The Cube Nuroad (1999€) would save me 100€ compared to the Cannondale Topstone (1299€).
Looks: I'm just not a huge fan of the glossy finish on the Topstone.
TL;DR: I bought a Cannondale Topstone 4 but in hindsight the Cube Nuroad Pro could be a more ideal package for me. Should I consider switching or does the Nuroad have some caveats that I'm not aware of?
Keep in mind that I bought the Topstone from a bike shop and would have to order the Nuroad online. I'm not even sure if I can return the Topstone yet.
by TheDarksideofSnow