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Considering a new road bike, and have pretty much narrowed it down to the Cube Attain SL Disc or Specialized Allez Elite.
Main difference is hydraulic discs on the Cube and calipers on the Specialized, and a £250 price gap.
I can get either from one of my LBS’s, and I like to use them whenever possible.
In an ideal world I’d like discs, but at the same time haven’t ever had a problem with non-disc road brakes before. I’ve also read a fair number of stories of Cube’s customer service being poor, although using an LBS ought to mitigate that to some extent. I assume Specialized are still up with the best in that respect?
My mate has the Attain disc and really likes it. I have the calliper version and from my limited knowledge of road bikes think it’s ace. Couldn’t really see the need for discs but am most defo a fair weather road biker.
I've had an Allez and now own a Cube with discs. Discs will be slighly heavier, calipers easier to maintain. But discs have better performance in the wet and on long inclines.
So I would say it comes down to how hilly it is where you live and if you like to ride in the rain.
Also the Cube is more comfortable but the Allez was stiffer.
I live in Lochaber, so both hilly and rainy. And I’m at the robust end of the scale.
Never ridden the cube, but have the new allez and the frame is a cracker, pretty much as good as my far more expensive carbon 'best bike's.
Only thing I would say about the allez is whilst it comes with guard mounts, good luck fitting anything other than a race blade.
Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016 owner here for just over two years, it restored my faith in road bikes after my Xmas 2013 RTA, love taking it out to the South Downs hills between Winchester and South Harting.
Clearance for tyres that 31mm wide such as 700x28 GP4000S IIs, propriety mudguard set v2 finally became available in late 2018 after v1 was pulled around Xmas 2016, only it did not come with a long enough bolt to secure the seat stay bridge (but it's a common size, M5x25 IIRC).
2019 Attain SL Disc is ~0.5Kg lighter, comes with a full carbon fork rather than just carbon blades and comes with Shimano 105 7000 (with BR-R7070 brakes) rather than 105 5800 (with BR-RS505 brakes).
Cheers. Fairly positive for both then. Seen the Merlin ROC Disc as well, full 105 incl. hydro discs - £999. Not from the LBS mind.
What will you use it for?
Do you live somewhere flat or hilly?
Are you lightweight or heavy?
Are you a fair weather rider or ride in all conditions?
Flat, lightweight, fairweather = caliper
Hilly, heavy, foul weather = discs with good mudguards and tyre clearances.
For me the cube wins hands down.
Hilly, heavy, foul weather
All the above
Anything not to like about the Merlin? Road.cc liked it
https://road.cc/content/review/255433-merlin-roc-disc-105#comments
Hydraulic discs all the way for me. I like doing rolling stoppies when drivers pull out on me.
For not much more you could go carbon or Ti hydraulic disc brakes. You could for the same cash get aluminium and hydraulic disc brakes.
The merlin is OK, has a threaded BB which is a plus but has quick release wheels.
Compared to the merlin I'd rather have a cheaper planet x bike and then spend a couple of hundred quid on better wheels and tyres and keep the stock wheels for winter and still have money left.