Cube Updates the Kathmandu With Bosch SX Motor

Cube, a high-end manufacturer of road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes and several types of e-bikes has announced an update to its Kathmandu model. The Cube Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLT 400X and Kathmandu C:62 SLX 400X are city/touring models built with a lightweight carbon fiber frame and fork, Bosch’s Performance Line SX motor and CompactTube 400 battery. The Kathmandu C:62 SLT comes with Shimano’s Deore XT 12-speed drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes, while the Kathmandu C:62 SLX comes with Shimano’s 12-speed Deore group.

The decision to spec the Bosch Performance Line SX motor grabbed our attention as this is the first e-bike that isn’t an eMTB we’ve seen equipped with the Bosch motor laying claim to its highest power to weight ratio (300W/kg or 136W/lb.).

If you’re thinking that the combination of a carbon fiber frame and fork combined with Bosch’s lightest motor should yield a lightweight touring/city e-bike, you’d be right. The Cube Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLT 400X weighs less than its name, coming in at just 35.7 lbs. (16.2kg). With such a low weight it would be a dream for any city dweller who must carry their e-bike up stairs.

With a carbon fiber frame and fork, the Cube Kathmandu isn’t designed for carrying heavy loads and is limited to a total weight capacity of 253 lbs. (115kg)—including e-bike.

The Cube Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLT 400X and Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLX 400X are made in both step-over and step-thru frames and each frame is produced in four sizes. Worth noting is that the step-thru frames have a much greater stack height, meaning they allow the rider to sit more upright than is possible with the step-over frame.