Cube Controls F-Pro wheel review Leave a comment
The new F-Pro maintains the same overall dimensions as its predecessor with a hand-to-hand diameter of 282mm. The weight grows slightly, going from 980 to 1100g. The new front plate, characterized by harder and more angular lines, gives the steering wheel a modern and aggressive design. The 4mm carbon used for the plate has a renewed texture, with greater three-dimensionality and a really nice overall appearance.
The other novelty is the introduction of the two status LEDs in the upper part of the carbon plate. The left led provides information on the battery charge while the right one is dedicated to the status of the bluetooth connection. The handles, more anatomical than in the past, have undergone a major restyling and the plastic polymer with which they are made has also been revised, now slightly softer to the touch but more shiny and slippery.
A new groove in the upper part allows you to easily reach the thumb rotaries while an additional rough rubber grip in the rear area improves the grip offered to the index finger. The die-cast aluminum body is a true little masterpiece and represents an important turning point compared to the past. Die-cast aluminum has allowed Cube to create a robust body with much more complex and articulated lines. At the rear, the design is completed by the proprietary Cube hub, the completely re-engineered shifter and clutch, and the large F-Pro logo. The hub, slightly revised in design, is made of billet anodized aluminum and can accommodate all the 70 and 50.8mm quick releases on the market.
In the lower region of the body we find the new magnetic coupling for the connection of the USB cable, which replaces the old screw connector. The Q-Conn, introduced by Cube on the new Formula Pro, represents perhaps the most important innovation capable of revolutionizing the user experience. In fact, now the steering wheel works in double mode: cable and bluethoot. The four-pin plug incorporates an N52 magnet able to offer a quick and safe connection to the steering wheel. The last two important innovations on the rear body are represented by the bluetooth antenna for direct wireless connection to the PC and by the on / off button to turn off the steering wheel and the backlight.
Buttons, Rotary and Switch
The new F-Pro features 12 momentary buttons, 2 lever switches, 2 7-position joysticks, 4 front rotary, 2 side rotary and 2 thumb rotary for a total of 44 assignable functions. Each button is now equipped with fully customizable RGB lighting in color and light intensity through the proprietary Cube software. The buttons are made of semi-transparent plastic and maintain feedback very similar to those of the predecessor with a very
short stroke, good pressure resistance and a clear and decisive tactile feedback. As in the past, the toggle switches are made of metal and generate the same input both when moved up and down. The switches are equipped with a ring with a green backlight, active when the lever is positioned at the top.
The two funky switches of the new F-Pro are equipped with a blue aluminum knob with the silk-screened Cube logo. The directional cross also finally returns a clear and clearly audible click. The central button and the rotary encoder return the right resistance and precise and pleasant feedback. The 4 front rotary wheels, made of anodized aluminum in different colors, are now much larger than in the past and are equipped with LED backlighting, also completely customizable in color and intensity. The resistance to rotation is really high and the shots are sharp and precise. Definitely a significant step forward compared to those of the previous model.
The side rotary wheels have also been deeply revised, also equipped with LED backlighting and no longer protruding but drowned inside the rear body of the steering wheel. The rotary are equipped with a black anodized aluminum knob that makes it easy to use even with gloves. The resistance to rotation is much higher than in the past and the shots are deep and precise. A welcome change is the addition of the two thumb rotary wheels positioned near the top of the handle. The knob is made of blue aluminum with grooves to increase its grip.
Shifter
Cube has completely re-engineered the magnetic shifters of the new F-Pro which appear deeply renewed in design and mechanics. The supporting structure of the shifter is characterized by the presence of two vertical elements in carbon and by the same number of horizontal elements in anodized aluminum. The lower aluminum element, perforated in the center to allow the passage of cables directed to the hall sensor, bears the Cube screen printing, and is anchored directly to the rear body. Attached to it are the two vertical carbon elements necessary to support and impress the angle of the upper aluminum element it integrates, the magnetic hall sensor, a ball bearing and the gold-colored pin for adjusting the stroke length.
The moving element of the shifter, also made of aluminum, incorporates the magnet necessary for the activation of the shifting. Even the 4mm carbon paddle has been completely revised and appears wider and with a decidedly more modern design. The slots on the paddle allow you to adjust its distance from the hub and possibly its angle. A fundamental novelty compared to the old Formula Pro is that of being able to adjust the total stroke of the shifter. Thanks to the new design, the new shifters offer a much better user experience than in the past. The activation force is significantly increased and the feedback is more powerful and pleasant.
Clutch
The static clutch structure consists of an aluminum block with a truly refined design, which incorporates the magnetic hall sensor, the ball bearing and the pin for adjusting the total stroke. The mobile element, also made of aluminum, incorporates the magnet for reading the analog signal and rotates on the ball bearing. The movement of the blade is guaranteed by a torsion spring, much more rigid than in the past, equipped with preload adjustment. Acting, in fact, on the torx screw positioned just behind the spring, it is possible to check the resistance to the pressure opposed by the blade and its return speed. The deeply renewed 4mm carbon paddle has a more modern and effective L-shape design. The stroke length of the clutches can also be adjusted by acting on the gold-colored pin that slides inside a slot slightly wider than that of the shifters.
The clutches of the new F-Pro offer much higher feedback than in the past and allow precise control of the analog signal and very effective management in stationary starts.
Software
The new Cube software allows you to adjust the backlight color of all momentary buttons and rotary encoders. Lighting management is very simple and it is possible to deeply customize the lighting of the new F-Pro. Thanks to the software, it is also possible to adjust the bite point of the double clutch inside the paddle section. In combined mode, the clutches work on the same analog axis and you can go to act on the bite point slider to adjust the intensity of the second clutch.
Conclusion
The new F-Pro embodies the experience acquired by Cube over the years. A deeply renewed steering wheel, which marks a clear turning point compared to the past and embodies the hard research and development work carried out by Cube in recent years, which has collected customer feedback and has developed a truly incredible product. The dual connection mode is a revolution in the industry but with some details still to be
refined at the firmware level.
