Nulane C:62 Is the Most Affordable Carbon Gravel Bike on the Market: Sold Out Everywhere

Ladies and gents, and cyclists of all ages and skill levels, feast your eyes on one of the most affordable carbon fiber two-wheelers you can currently get your hands on if you can find one, that is. It's called the Nulane C:62 SLT, and it's nothing more than a cyclocross/gravel bike built out of carbon fiber. Best of all, in my area, they're selling for €1,800 ($1,990 at current exchange rates). That's just the kind of price tag I've been looking for!

Now, the minds and hands behind what we see are none other than Cube. The one and the same that's been hitting the cycling industry with everything they got since 1993. In time, they would grow to run alongside greats like Bianchi, Trek, Specialized, and a slew of other timeless brands, and still do today. In short, they're at the forefront of cycling and will probably continue to do so for years. Well, it's this know-how that Cube brings to the table to craft the Nulane C:62.

Overall, everything starts off with a carbon fiber frame, utilizing a proprietary blend and carbon layup technique. This allows Cube to place all the right stiffness in all the right places, leading to a solid but extremely lightweight bike for around $2,000, that is. Heck, with all the components thrown on, a medium size machine weighs no more than 9.3 kg (20.5 lbs).

This is achieved by two factors during the building process, the C:62 carbon fiber, high-modulus goods injected with nanoparticles, and a twin mold layup. The latter is a method of crafting a bike's tube in two layers; the outer mold ensures an "accurate layup," while the inner mold keeps fibers in place while curing occurs. Personally, it's a fancy way of describing a traditional carbon fiber bicycle building method, with some proprietary attention, that is.

Still, the result is a bicycle that I'd be seen riding. It's completed with a carbon fiber fork too, and all that is sure to give rise to a two-wheeler that absorbs vibrations from the road with gusto. Cube even hit me with that flat bar handlebar setup, a feature I'm a big fan of. If you'd like a set of drop bars, this puppy is tuned with a gravel geometry, so you're set for that move too.

One neat aspect of the C:62 is the fact that it's been crafted to fit up to 45 mm tires, but if you opt for mudguards, 40 mm is the max width you can drop onto this puppy. Sure, you won't be able to rock some massive 50 mm or above tires, but for around $2,000, what did you expect? Plus, all that carbon should reduce vibrations no matter what.

Regarding the drivetrain, here, too, we can tell that Cube has done the market research and equipped this puppy with a 2x11 speed setup from Shimano. A GRX cassette with 11-34T and a GRX crankset with 46x30T range is in place, but so are GRX front and rear derailleurs.

Now, take all that and try and picture yourself in the presence of this bike. Maybe you will find a place in your town where you can take a test ride. Best of all, try and picture yourself owning the Nulane C:62. That way, you can fully grasp what I'm about to describe.

Picture yourself on a Saturday morning. The garage door is opening, and the morning sun is starting to warm your bones, from your feet and up to your head. In the background, your Nulane sits leaning against the wall. However, you're not just into occasionally taking your bikes out for a spin; you're the bikepacking kind of human.

This means that your Nulane is waiting for you with mudguards, a cargo rack, and a few other frame-mounted bags. Among the goods you've packed are some bottles of water, snacks, food, and above all, a tent for camping out under the stars. If there's room for a stove and gas bottle, perfect! You hop onto your fully-loaded "Cabon Fiba" steed and head down the road to group up with the other riders.

From here, the next few days are filled with sweaty foreheads from uphill battles, breezy downhill stretches, and pictures of the night sky from that mountain ridge you've been planning to climb for months. At base camp, your Nulane is waiting to take you back home and be your urban solution to replacing your car, even if only for a few miles each day. That's just more cash in your pocket. After all, bicycles are a truly green mode of transportation.

If you've been looking for an affordable yet tastefully-built carbon fiber bicycle, the Nulane C:62 SLT is definitely a machine to consider, especially if you're looking to hit the whole gravel biking scene that's going on right now.