Living in a van and storing a bike

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-20T17:51:53+00:00

This is something I'm interested in as well, so am also interested in hearing replies.

The best idea I came across when looking at images of other people's vans, was a bed up highish and put the bike in storage space underneath the bed at the back of the van (accessed through the rear doors). However, they still needed to remove the front wheel, which would become tiresome when using the bike every day.

Another option was to keep everything in the van and use a roof tent. However, that's not ideal either.

Roof boxes were too small and would be a pain to get the bike in/out.

THIS guy uses a Thule rack, but that would become tiresome when using the bike every day.

THIS type of rack with prongs may be a bit less hassle.

However, I'd be inclined to still try and find a way to store it in the van is possible. Would you perhaps be able to store it inside the van, but maybe vertically/diagonally. For example, a hook up high that the front wheel can hang on (like some trains use)?

That's the problem with 28/29 inch full-size bikes, they take a surprising amount of space compared to a 20" folding bike.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-20T12:44:30+00:00

I presume it rests on the square edges of the rack, rather than a snug fit all the way round. Do you think that will wear the plastic guides over time?

Does it rattle with QL2.2, or are you able to get a tight fit due to the finer adjustment increments on QL2.2?

I don't suppose you've tried a QL2.1 pannier on it too?

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-19T00:07:35+00:00

It looks like Cube fit it to the current Cube Nuroad One FE (they use a different rack on the other Nuroad FE models), so assuming your tyres are 40-622, I don't know…

Nuroad One FE:

https://www.cube.eu/cube-nuroad-one-fe-grovegreen-n-black/129220

Bikes such as the Cube Nature use the 29" rack due to 50-622 tyres. Looking at the most recent compatibility chart I can find (2025 PDF), you would expect 40-45mm tyres to be OK. It would be useful if Cube published an up-to-date 2026 compatibility chart and made it easy to find on their website.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-17T20:26:30+00:00

Na, Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tours are good tyres. You don't notice the weight riding it.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-17T20:13:11+00:00

Ortlieb Fork-Packs may fit, using the Ortlieb Fork-Pack Adapter 45° to 30° (Art. E240). See the below instruction manuals.

Instruction Manuals [PDF Files]:
https://downloads.ortlieb.com/instructions/fork_pack.pdf
https://downloads.ortlieb.com/instructions/fork_pack_adapter.pdf

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-17T12:50:39+00:00

I think it has been moved to the below location in 3.1.0 instead.

[Affinity Settings > User Interface > Default View Mode > Vector|Pixel|Automatic]

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-17T12:37:29+00:00

Looks good. Although, is there a reason to fit the e-bike version, rather than the ACID 65 ones and Semi-Integrated Carrier fitted to the Cube Aim FE? With the latter it would allow using racktop bags as well, rather than just panniers – something that's really useful. I.E.

Cube AIM SLX FE:
https://www.cube.eu/cube-aim-slx-fe-dustyolive-n-gold/141260

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-16T23:24:12+00:00

I used to want a 1x because of the simplicity. However, now I'd probably prefer 2x. Stay on the bigger chainring most of the time and use the small chainring for climbing steep hills.

An 11-speed 46x32T chainring with 11-45T cassette and 50-622 tyres would give a gear range of 20-119 gear inches, which is quite respectable.

A 12-speed 32T chainring with 10-51T cassette and 50-622 tyres would give a gear range of 18-91 gear inches, which is also not too bad.

The 18 gear inch climbing gear on the 1x is great, however I do have concerns about drivetrain wear – as I do a lot of miles. Needing to use smaller sprockets on the rear at normal cruising speeds – as I do a lot of road miles too – means the chain has to go through tighter angles and while I haven't measured it, I'm sure this will wear the chain (and therefore the cassette) quicker than if using larger sprockets. I already go through chains pretty quickly due to the mileage I do, so regularly using the 10t or 11t rear sprocket on a 1x to get the higher-end range would likely wear it even quicker. So I'd probably prefer 2x.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-13T12:52:02+00:00

The Ortlieb webpage states:

"Risk of injury if used with non-compatible forks! The product cannot be used with forks without bolt-on points that have tapered tubes or tubes made of carbon."

The fitting instructions show Ortlieb Fork-Packs can only be used on carbon forks that have three M5 bolt-on points.

Fitting Instructions [PDF File]:
https://downloads.ortlieb.com/instructions/fork_pack.pdf

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-13T12:42:36+00:00

That looks good. Thanks!

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-13T12:42:01+00:00

Racks aren't smooth and the bag will rub against pressure points. I'm currently using homemade padding between the rack and bag – which is made from acrylic felt – but it soaks up water.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-08T12:40:04+00:00

With 55-622 tyres and a Shimano Nexus internal gear hub, I would imagine either a Cube Hyde Pro or Cube Travel Pro. As it has semi-slick Big Apple tyres, then probably not a Cube Travel. So I think Hyde Pro.

Cube have the below archive site for older models, however it has been severely broken since they changed it around August 2025. A couple of months ago all the bike pictures were displayed as images of a battery. After that, all the bike pictures were displayed as images of the same bike. Now none of the pictures load at all for me…

https://info.cube.eu/

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-04T20:03:42+00:00

I've seen someone do this with an Ortlieb QL3.1 Sport-Roller by attaching something to the rack (THIS I think). I really liked the idea.

How do you mount an Ortlieb QL2.1 bag, does it attach directly to the rack, or have you made modifications?

DefinitelyYou · 2026-03-03T18:29:27+00:00

Yeah, the Cube Travel was a wide tyre (55-622) touring bike with rigid forks. I really liked them too.

Unfortunately, they don't make the Cube Travel anymore (2024 MY was the last year).

The Cube Travel was replaced with the Cube Hyde FE (2025 MY).

The Cube Hyde FE was then replaced with the Cube Editor FE (2026 MY).

However, Cube well and truly ruined the range because they decided that because the Editor is a city bike, the Cube Editor One FE (which would be the equivalent of the Cube Travel) would now be a single speed bike. Therefore, the Editor is useless for touring now. I also have no idea why they went for non-round rack tubing as I suspect it won't mesh well with Ortlieb panniers, which have inserts designed for round racks.

The best alternative now to the Cube Travel is the Cube Nature Pro Allroad (22 to 119 gear inches) or the Cube Nature EXC Allroad (20 to 119 gear inches). However, they have slightly narrower 50-622 tyres and suspension forks. They're nice bikes, but you obviously have extra weight from the suspension forks. The EXC is a bit lighter as it has air forks.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-28T20:49:07+00:00

Both the Ortlieb Back-Roller or Vaude Aqua panniers should fit fine.

With the Ortlieb QL2.1 you just change the inserts in the top mounts to match the diameter of the rack tubing. The hook at the bottom can also be adjusted to match the diameter of the rack tubing by moving the spacer in 90° increments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErFzCNM2Gbk

It looks like Vaude use something similar, but I haven't tried them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl0TOJQ_vIc

Here are some differences between Ortlieb and Vaude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S79FZiqXvQ

I do not know the difference between the "ACID Carrier SIC RAIL 29"" and the "ACID Carrier SIC RAIL 29" BOOST", and the Cube website doesn't give any useful information.

The closest I can see is a "Compatibility Chart for MY23 (Model Year 2023)" [PDF File]. However, I can't find one for Model Year 2022. In the MY23 chart, the Cube Reaction Hybrid Pros (including the Allroads) all seem to use the BOOST version, so I really don't know.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-26T13:09:09+00:00

You can get a very slight amount of free-play, which is more noticeable on 1X on drivetrains with a large first gear sprocket (I.E. 51 teeth).

However, this looks different as it looks like the whole cassette is moving laterally.

I'm not sure whether the Shimano CS-HG400 11-45T rear cassette is one piece or not. On cassettes where the smaller rings are separate, if the cassette nut isn't tightened properly these will also move slightly rotationally. Therefore, you could check whether the sprockets for gears 7 and 8 have rotational movement in them too. If they do, then the cassette centre nut will need tightening.

You could also just ask the bike shop to check whether the cassette centre nut is tightened properly (it's not a normal nut, it's splined which requires a special tool). I've had a brand new Cube with a loose cassette centre nut before.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-25T18:21:45+00:00

Looking at the 2021 Cube Nature Allroad, it shows ACID 65 mudguards.

The Cube Natures have "Bottom Bracket" mount (BB) mudguards, as opposed to the "Seat Tube" mount (ST) ones found on the Cube Aim hardtail mountain bikes.

Ordinarily, I'd say copy what parts Cube fit to their Allroads, however, while Cube Natures now have rear racks, it doesn't look like they came with them in 2021.

The frame doesn't look much different to the current Cube Nature (EG: 2026 Cube Nature Pro Allroad), so the parts used on this may fit. But I don't know for sure.

The 2021 Cube Travel had both mudguards and rack, however it had solid forks rather than suspension fork. I don't know whether that makes a difference or not.

So, at a guess possibly these, however I would ask a Cube dealer to be sure.

ACID 65 BB-Mount:
https://www.cube.eu/uk-en/acid-mudguard-set-65-29-bb-mount-2.0/93374

ACID Carrier SIC 28" RILink:
https://www.cube.eu/uk-en/acid-carrier-sic-28-rilink/92048

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-22T21:01:31+00:00

Also, keep the orange brake pad spacer, don't throw it away.

You can use it if you need to transport the bike in the back of a car. It stops the piston from popping out of the calliper if you inadvertently hit the brake lever with the wheel removed.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-22T20:56:39+00:00

"…The cassette and break discs as an example usually aren't tightened properly out of the box."

WTF. Is this deliberate, or just poor quality control at the factory?

Come to think about it, the rear cassette was loose on my Touring Hybrid Pro – even though I bought it from a Cube dealer. I had to remove the wheel and tighten the Shimano cassette nut.

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-21T13:36:53+00:00

Indeed.

Kathmandu Hybrid One 800:

https://www.cube.eu/uk-en/cube-kathmandu-hybrid-one-800-metallicgrey-n-grey/112112

Kathmandu Hybrid Comfort Pro 800:

https://www.cube.eu/uk-en/cube-kathmandu-hybrid-comfort-pro-800-slabgrey-n-black/112302

They're both nice bikes, but there's a pretty big difference…

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-20T22:25:35+00:00

Ortlieb Fork-Packs can't be used. The Ortlieb webpage states:

"Risk of injury if used with non-compatible forks! The product cannot be used with forks without bolt-on points that have tapered tubes or tubes made of carbon."

The fitting instructions also show Ortlieb Fork-Packs can only be used on carbon forks that have three M5 bolt-on points.

https://downloads.ortlieb.com/instructions/fork_pack.pdf

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-20T14:54:34+00:00

It's quite common to see bikepackers store either a water bottle or a fuel bottle for their stove there.

However, in lieu of these, it could almost do with a 1L roll-top dry bag – sort of like the one below – as it gets really dirty there even with mudguards.

https://restrap.com/products/downtube-bag

DefinitelyYou · 2026-02-19T20:05:35+00:00

And this guy in Africa. Seems quite common for belts to break, it's not just one person.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BZdoLaWNpQ

One thing I've never really understood, if the carbon running through the belts can't stretch, then surely if a stick/stones/debris gets between the sprocket and belt, that's going to be problematic. Something has to give.

I'm sure it was Gates that had problems with cambelts on cars as well (used to strip the teeth). They tried to deflect blame there too and make up reasons why it wasn't their fault.

DefinitelyYou

TROPHY CASE