Cube Nuroad Pro Review: A Loaded Gravel Bike That Punches Above Its Price

Introduction

The Cube Nuroad Pro is an aluminium gravel bike built around a full carbon fork, a 10-speed 2x Shimano GRX RX400 mechanical drivetrain, and clearance for tyres up to 45 mm. This one is a 2024 model in size extra small, bought from a local shop for £940 against an RRP of £1,249, and it has since covered a long loaded tour through India plus a stretch of riding around Los Angeles.

That mix of terrain is a useful test. A bike only has to look convincing on a shop floor. It has to be genuinely sorted to carry a rider, camera gear, a laptop and luggage over mountains without turning every day into a chore.

On paper, the Nuroad Pro lands in a crowded part of the market. In practice it turned out to be one of the stronger value options in the drop-bar world, with a handful of clear compromises that are worth understanding before you commit.

Who the Cube Nuroad Pro Is For

The Nuroad Pro suits riders who want one bike to cover a lot of ground: gravel tracks, mixed-surface touring, loaded bikepacking, commuting, and, with a set of slicks fitted, fast road riding.

Geometry is relaxed rather than race-focused, and the size range is genuinely accommodating. The extra small frame reviewed here is a short bike, and Cube goes one size smaller still, with an extra extra small offering 369 mm of reach. That matters for riders who normally struggle to find a drop-bar bike that fits properly. It is still worth saying that the smallest sizes could go further; more options at the very bottom of the range would open the bike up to even more people.

If you are a taller rider, this is simply a neutral, comfortable platform. If you are on the shorter side, the small sizing is one of the more compelling reasons to look here.

Main Strengths

Two things carry this bike: the drivetrain, and the frame’s long-term potential.

Drivetrain, Gearing, and Shifting

The groupset mixes Shimano Tiagra shifters with GRX RX400 derailleurs, and the combination works better than the spec sheet suggests. Shifting was consistently smooth, and the 10-speed spread never felt like a limitation.

The Tiagra levers are not as nicely shaped as the GRX equivalents, and the ergonomics feel a generation behind. That is a deliberate cost decision, and an acceptable one at this price. The cables fitted at the factory are a better grade than the price point normally suggests, and cable quality is an underrated factor in how crisp a mechanical drivetrain feels.

Gearing is where the bike really shines under load. The cassette is an 11-36 mountain bike unit, and the crankset comes in a single option on this model. With a fully loaded bike weighing around 30 kg including camera gear and a laptop, those ratios still got over the mountains. More range would always be welcome, but nothing here needed changing to make a hard trip work.

Mechanical gears also bring a practical advantage on long, remote rides: no batteries to charge, and a spare cable is enough to get you moving again at the roadside. Both gear cables needed a small barrel adjuster tweak roughly halfway through the trip, which is normal as new cables bed in.

Frame, Geometry, and Everyday Practicality

Livability is a quiet strength. The bike uses a standard handlebar, standard stem and standard seatpost, so replacement parts are easy to find and cheap to swap. Brake and gear cables run semi-internally through the down tube, which keeps the front end tidy without making servicing a puzzle.

The seatpost clamp uses two small bolts, held firm throughout the trip, and the internal wedge does not drop into the frame when you remove the post. Small details, but exactly the kind that decide whether you enjoy owning a bike.

The frame is thru-axle, which makes it a genuinely good base for upgrades later. A thru-axle aluminium frame with a carbon fork will absorb better wheels, better brakes and better tyres without complaint, and you do not need to spend a fortune to make it noticeably quicker.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The compromises on this bike are concentrated in two places: the brakes and the wheels. Both are serviceable, and both are the first things worth upgrading.

Braking Feel and Wheel Quality

The bike uses cable-actuated TRP mechanical disc calipers. The upside is roadside repairability, since a spare cable is all you need to keep going. The downside is feel: they are spongy, and outright power is modest. With enough hand force they will stop the bike quickly, but on a heavy, loaded setup that means a lot of squeezing, and long descents stop being fun.

After a full trip, the pads showed very little wear, which suggests a hard compound. Softer replacement pads from another brand are a cheap experiment worth trying before replacing the calipers. If you want a bigger change without moving to a full hydraulic system, TRP also makes the Hy/Rd, which keeps cable actuation but adds a small hydraulic reservoir inside the caliper and feels considerably stronger.

The wheels are the weaker half of the package. Straight from the shop, the bearings felt rough when spun by hand, which is common on budget wheelsets but disappointing at this price. They are unlikely to last long on a gravel bike that sees rain, mud and rough surfaces. After the India trip the rear wheel had gone slightly out of true, noticeable when spinning the wheel but not while riding, while the front stayed true.

Tubeless is worth approaching carefully. It was not possible to confirm whether the rims were tubeless-ready, and a tubeless setup on them lasted around ten days before air and sealant began escaping from the side of the tyre on the final day, with a heavy camera bag loaded on the rear. An inner tube solved it. More tubeless tape might have helped, but the sensible advice is to only run tubeless if the rims are actually rated for it. The 2025 Nuroad models ship with tubeless wheels, which is a welcome change.

The stock saddle is also worth flagging. Saddle choice is personal, but the one fitted here did not work, and the 3D-printed replacement that followed proved very grippy, locking the rider into a single position rather than allowing movement over long days.

Upgrade Options Worth Knowing

The thru-axle frame means upgrades pay off. Wheels and brakes are the obvious first moves, and both transform how the bike feels without touching the frame.

The other gap is mounting points. The bike would be more versatile with additional bottle cage mounts, mounts on the fork, and rack mounts, particularly since bikes in this category are often used for touring and bikepacking. Some rivals at a similar price offer more here.

There is also a newer option to be aware of. The 2024 Nuroad Pro does not have a direct successor in the 2025 range, but Cube now offers a Nuroad EX at €1,399 with 12-speed GRX and hydraulic disc brakes. A cheaper cassette and crankset keep the cost down, and the specification is remarkable for the money. If your budget stretches, it addresses the two weakest points of this bike directly.

Buying Advice

Value is the Nuroad Pro’s strongest argument. The specification is simply better than most big-brand alternatives at the same price. An 8-speed Claris-equipped bike at $1,300, a microSHIFT Advent build at $1,325, another Claris bike at $1,300 and a 9-speed Sora build at $1,299 are all common reference points. Frame details vary between them, but they are all aluminium frames with carbon forks, and the Cube out-specs them on drivetrain.

Sizing deserves attention. The extra small is a genuinely small bike, so check the geometry charts rather than assuming your usual size. Shorter riders should look closely at the smaller options, and remember that Cube goes one size below the frame reviewed here.

Finally, think about what you will actually ride. With a set of slicks fitted, this becomes a capable road bike as well, which widens its appeal considerably for anyone who wants one bike for everything. Add better wheels and softer brake pads over time and the bike keeps improving.

Conclusion

The Cube Nuroad Pro is not perfect. The brakes feel weak, the wheels are the weakest part of the build, and the frame could use more mounts for touring and bikepacking. But the drivetrain is smooth and well geared, the frame is a sensible long-term platform, and the value is genuinely strong.

It is proof that a long, ambitious ride does not require spending thousands. If you want a versatile, comfortable drop-bar bike that can be upgraded into something better over time, this is a sound place to start.