The new year brought a new team for Quinten Hermans and Corne van Kessel, who broke from the Telenet Baloise Lions to join the new Tormans CX Team run by the Circus – Wanty Gobert road program.
The move to a new team meant a switch to a new bike as well. Circus – Wanty Gobert is sponsored by Germany’s Cube Bikes, and the duo is now riding the company’s Cross Race C:62.
The Tormans CX Team duo of Van Kessel and Hermans finished sixth and seventh. 2020 World Cup Nommay, France. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
We got the chance to take a closer look at Hermans’ Cube Cross Race over the weekend at World Cup Nommay.
Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race
Cube Bikes was founded in the early 1990s in Waldershof, Germany. The company has been a sponsor of the Wanty Gobert Pro Continental road team that became Circus – Wanty Gobert this calendar year. Although the Cube Cross Race is new to top-level cyclocross, the bike has been around for a while now.
Hermans is riding the Cross Race C:62 model. The C:62 designation is for Cube’s “Advanced Twin Mold” carbon technology. The bike also comes in alloy models that are also called the Cross Race.
Cube says its C:62 carbon technology features an “Advanced Twin Mold.” Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
One aspect of the Cross Race’s design that stands out is the rear cables are internally routed at the head tube and not into the down tube like many other carbon cyclocross bikes. The company claimed one of the reasons for the design was to save weight by not having to reinforce the down tube.
The company does not list a frame weight, but the highest-end SLT model with SRAM Red eTap AXS and carbon wheels weighs a claimed 17.0 pounds, which is pretty svelte.
One unique aspect of the Cross Race C:62 is it routes cables through the head tube and not the down tube like many other bikes. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
The flat top tube features a rounded junction into the seat stays reminiscent of the Canyon Inflite and Wout van Aert’s now-vintage Colnago Cross Prestige.
The junction between the top tube and seat stays is rounded. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
The down tube is boxy, like a cube extruded into a prism. (high school geometry, FTW)
The Cube Cross Race C:62 down tube has a boxy appearance reminiscent of the bike’s name. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
The rest of the Cube Cross Race C:62 is modern, with 12mm thru-axles, flat mount calipers and a full carbon fork.
After switching to SRAM Red eTap AXS this season with the Lions, Hermans is back on the more-familiar Shimano Dura-Ace on his Cube. At Nommay, he was running a Dura-Ace R9100 crankset with the 46/39t pro-only rings we frequently see Euro pros run.
Back on Shimano Dura-Ace, Hermans ran an R9100 crank, R9150 front derailleur and 46/39t rings. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
His derailleurs were Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 front and rear, and he ran an 11-28t cassette.
Hermans is back on Shimano Dura-Ace with an R9150 Di2 rear derailleur. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
Hermans’ wheels were carbon tubulars from Fulcrum, an Italian subsidiary of Campagnolo. His 40mm-deep Speed 40T DB tubulars featured Fulcrum hubs with CULT ceramic bearings.
Hermans ran Fulcrum Speed 40T DB carbon tubulars. Fulcrum is a subsidiary of Campagnolo. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
When we saw his bike the day before the World Cup, Hermans had 700c x 33mm A Dugast Typhoon intermediate treads mounted.
When we saw Hermans’ bike, he had A Dugast Typhoon intermediate treads mounted. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
Hermans used stock parts from Germany company Newmen in his cockpit. He ran a carbon Advanced Wing Bar with an Evolution 318.4 stem.
Hermans cockpit featured a handlebar and stem from Germany’s Newmen. He wrapped his bars in Prologo tape. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
In the rear, he swapped in a carbon Ritchey WCS 25mm-setback seatpost and a Prologo Zero saddle with carbon rails. Shimano XTR M9100 SPD pedals rounded out Hermans’ contact points.
Hermans opted for a Prologo Zero saddle with carbon rails. Quinten Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62 Cyclocross Bike. © E. Haumesser / Cyclocross Magazine
For a closer look at Hermans’ Cube Cross Race C:62, see the photo gallery and specs below.
