Cube Travel Pro - First Tour (HELP)

Question

I need a bike for my first ever bike tour, and desperately need some help...
I'm quite new to the "bike world", and have a hard time understanding all the technical jargon.
After some research, I'm thinking this might be a good choice;
https://www.cube.eu/uk/2021/bikes/city-tour/offroad/travel/cube-travel-pro-blacknteak/
A few questions then:

Anyone with personal experience of this model, who'll give a quick review?
If no personal experience, does it seem like a decent enough touring bike, or are there any big red flags based on the listed components?
According to their size chart, I'm in between two sizes (S,M). Sadly, no local dealers nearby, so I can't physically try it before buying... so, which to choose? Is smaller generally better for not destroying your back, or is it the other way around?

If anyone has the time to answer, favorably in a "biking for dummies" sort of language, I would be eternally grateful!

Adam Rice · Answer

We try to avoid specific product recommendations here.
Looking at the specs, the things that jump out at me are:

The weight. Even for a touring bike, this is pretty heavy. It does include kickstand, rack, and lights, which makes up for that somewhat.
The gear range: this has a planetary gear with a 307% range. That's OK for in-town riding and riding over fairly flat terrain, but if you're going to be doing any serious climbing, you'll want a wider gear range than that.
Flat bars: they give you only one hand position. I prefer drop bars, but this is a matter of personal preference.

The most obvious tradeoff with size is that a smaller frame will pull your torso down more (which can be fatiguing if you're not used to it), a bigger frame will have less clearance when you're standing over it. Pick your poison.

Cube Travel Pro - First Tour (HELP)

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