Opinions of this MTB please : Cube Race One

[RhythMick]

http://www.mhw-bike.com/detail/index/sArticle/3237

Cube Race One in Black FlashnYellow, hardtail. Predominanlly Shimano Xt componentry, Shimano M785 disk brakes (which seem to get rave reviews).

I mostly ride road or light trail and have a separate bike for that, but want something I can take with my son who is getting into proper MTB territory. I don't need anything particularly brilliant to be honest, but I hate buying cheap crap that will just wear out quickly. I'd rather pay a bit more for a better spec and this one looks pretty good compared to the others I've seen, especially for the price.

 

[RhythMick]

or this at the same price - not so hot on the colour scheme but the Manitou Marvel fork is better than the RockShox Reba SL ?

http://www.mhw-bike.com/bikes/mount...nch/2937/cube-ltd-race-27.5-blue-n-green-2015

 

[derrick]

Looks good to me, not that i ride the MTB much these days.

 

[RhythMick]

or this at the same price - not so hot on the colour scheme but the Manitou Marvel fork is better than the RockShox Reba SL ?

http://www.mhw-bike.com/bikes/mount...nch/2937/cube-ltd-race-27.5-blue-n-green-2015

Hmm ... conflicting reports about the Manitou forks. Perhaps RockShox Reba more reliable, easier servicing ?

 

[marzjennings]

I'd go with the Rockshox spec'ed bike over the Manitou. Plus I'm a big fan of 29" wheels. Not convinced yet that 27.5 is the way to go.

 

[Drago]

I'd go ride a few. With mtb's especially the spec sheet doesn't always correlate with they ride, forks included, especiwlly as not all manufacturers valve their forks to compensate for differing rider weights between frame sizes. Especially important with MTBs that you get your leg over the prospective candidates.

29" might be great in Texas, but in Barnsley that a a nice extra chunk of wheel diameter to be clagged with mud and on a crappy UK winter ride that's an extra few kg of mud to wrestle with, which soon becomes tiresome.

 

[marzjennings]

29" might be great in Texas, but in Barnsley that a a nice extra chunk of wheel diameter to be clagged with mud and on a crappy UK winter ride that's an extra few kg of mud to wrestle with, which soon becomes tiresome.

Rubbish, that's tyre choice and nothing to do with wheel size. I've found 29er's to handle muddy conditions better that 26ers, regardless of whether I'm hitting UK or US trails.

 

[RhythMick]

The Race One Pro isn't available until Nov. Looks really well specced and probably over what I need anyway. Shame though.
This looks good at 300 eur cheaper...

http://www.mhw-bike.com/bikes/mount...e-attention-sl-27.5-black-n-grey-n-blue-2015#

 

[RhythMick]

The Race One Pro isn't available until Nov. Looks really well specced and probably over what I need anyway. Shame though.
This looks good at 300 eur cheaper...

http://www.mhw-bike.com/bikes/mount...e-attention-sl-27.5-black-n-grey-n-blue-2015#

Ordered. Will let you know what it's like. Spec looks great for £660 delivered.

 

[Crackle]

Rubbish, that's tyre choice and nothing to do with wheel size. I've found 29er's to handle muddy conditions better that 26ers, regardless of whether I'm hitting UK or US trails.

Yes, my experience so far, is the same. Mud which would have stopped my previous bike is rideable on my 29er.

 

[SteCenturion]

Nice bike, Luuuurve Cube.

 

[RhythMick]

Ordered. Will let you know what it's like. Spec looks great for £660 delivered.

Bike arrived today. No issues with customs or tracking. Well boxed, with protective plastic bits where they are needed (around the rear mech, the disk rotors, spacer for the front brakes, etc. Not much to do to get it set up - fix bars, front wheel and pedals. Set fork pressure for my weight. Quick test and off. Unfortunately at home stuffed to the gills with a cold, hopefully out on it tomorrow.

Have to say I think this is a lot of bike for £650. Looks and feels great, at least around the estate. Lots of UK shops selling the 2014 version for around the same price (coil fork instead of air). There is a cube-specialist shop in Durham that had the 2015 bike with the right spec, priced at £699 with free delivery so not much more expensive, but happy with buying it from MHW.

Added Topeak M1/M2 guards and a small under saddle bag. Just get rid of this damned cold. grr

 

[Drago]

Yes, my experience so far, is the same. Mud which would have stopped my previous bike is rideable on my 29er.

i found the opposite. The extra footprint is nice for grip and stability in soft ground. Downside is that those big hoops present an extra diameter to clag up with the heavy clay soil that this part of England presents. I sold my Trance X 26 to buy my Carve 29er but after last winter got so frustrated with this that I in turn flogged that and went to a Trance 27.5. The difference going back to smaller rims, even only 650B, is the difference between finding it hard word or utter misery.

Somewhere drier or lighter soil would be a different matter I should think.

Oh, and all 3 bikes were on the same make and pattern of tyre, Conti Mud kings, so not sure how @marzjennings figures that one out. Indeed, the bigger wheels leave less room for clearance around the rear wheel, which exacerbates it further. But what would i know as I merely teach the sport to Dibble, several Search and Rescue Groups, and a very small number of private clients.

In the better weather I swap to cheap old Nevegal Sports, which seem work well with my excess blubber pinning them to the ground. Cheap, but not without cheer. Indeed, for these conditions a 29er comes into its , son in going to try again and bike 8 on the fleet looks likely to be a Whyte 29er of some hard tail variety, then I'll have one of each flavour, can pick the most suited for terrain and conditions.

 

[RhythMick]

Bike arrived today. No issues with customs or tracking. Well boxed, with protective plastic bits where they are needed (around the rear mech, the disk rotors, spacer for the front brakes, etc. Not much to do to get it set up - fix bars, front wheel and pedals. Set fork pressure for my weight. Quick test and off. Unfortunately at home stuffed to the gills with a cold, hopefully out on it tomorrow.

Have to say I think this is a lot of bike for £650. Looks and feels great, at least around the estate. Lots of UK shops selling the 2014 version for around the same price (coil fork instead of air). There is a cube-specialist shop in Durham that had the 2015 bike with the right spec, priced at £699 with free delivery so not much more expensive, but happy with buying it from MHW.

Added Topeak M1/M2 guards and a small under saddle bag. Just get rid of this damned cold. grr

The weak point I think is the pedals, but to be honest it's have been happy if it didn't have any.

 

[Fred the red uk]

Hi where can you get the Cube race one in the UK