cube or boardman

bens_dad

Hi, I'm getting back into biking after the starting the family etc and am loving it again... I think i've out grown my old hardtail (it's 10years old) and am after a full suspension. The reviews on the boardman fs pro is amazing but i quite like the cube ams elixer r as they are both similar in my price range. Both bikes seem to have similar specs but as they are both mail order i would value peoples opinions? the type of riding i do id mainly single track trails man made and natural and the odd jump or two. I'm the right side of 40 and I should be able to get out at least twice a month.
I'm intrested in subjective feedback but please don't confuse me by suggesting lots of differnet bikes as i just want a like for like comparison. Thanks...

diy

Cube's are good, I have a riding buddy with one and while they tend to go for cheaper components than the boardmans, the frames are really light and sturdy.

Given your casual use, I honestly don't think its matters. My gut feel is you will get in to riding, and will be wanting to do it a bit more frequently.

If you can wait a month you will get a better deal, obviously now is not the best time to pick up bargains. But if it was me I would go for the cube. Remember you have distance selling rights, so you can cancel the contract if you don't like it when you sit on it.

There are plenty of shops that sell cube's too.

Don't worry about being the wrong side of 40 either, I have a riding buddy in his 50s and he does the SDW100 in under 10 hours. I'm the right side of 40 (just) and I can't keep up with him, when he's on a mission.

bens_dad

thanks for the fast reply..
It was good feedback. I think you might be right as the cube frame appears to be the same on the base model as the top of the range models so i guess it's the components that cause the fluctuations in price? the cube i've seen is at chain reaction cycles and has 25% off so i'm not sure if would go down more? the boardman has 10% sale on but it doesn't include the fs pro yet..
It just seems the boardman gets really good reviews but i think this is more due to it being a good specced bike that is relative cheap but with the 25% discount the cube is now on the same par. I just can't seem to find any professional reviews on the cube?
From my copy and paste exercise and putting the components into a shopping search engine and the front forks (rock shox reba race u-turn) are the same but the rear shock on the cube is (fox float rp23) i anout £100 more expensive than the boarmans.
I think the problem is since I last bought a bike the market isn ow flooded with new brands and components and whislt the web is great it's turning me into a bike tech geek, lol..!
It was much easier when you went to the local bike shop and bought the only bike that met your budget, lol!
I'll have a think today and commit tommorow..!
Cheers...

diy

The RP23 is an excellent shock, pretty much the top of the fox air shock range. It has pro-pedal, which means it will react differently to a hit from a landing than you pushing hard on the pedals. This is the big consideration of FS bikes, if you push hard on the pedals (e.g. when climbing) you transfer quite a lot of the force to the rear triangle as your force tries to shorten the bike. Pro-pedal shocks will stay rigid if you are riding smoothly and stop you loosing all your effort in "pedal bob". yet when you are shaking and bouncing on trail it will be open and fluid.

I have an RP23 on my FS bike and it transformed the ride going from an older Fox RL.

There are two other reasons in my mind for suggesting the cube (one is logical one is not):
- Halfords is where you go to buy your kids bike. Every time you ride it you'll be riding a "halfords own brand bike".
- Boardman is exclusive to halfords and you just don't get the same market pressure that can be achieved by multi franchise brands undercutting each other. You can't shop around when buying a boardman.

PS I think you will get a better deal after christmas on both bikes. 2.5% Vat increase will kill the retailers, who will more than compensate with big discounts.

But given your intended use - are you sure FS is the right choice?

Andy B

The RP23 is one of, if not the best air shock on the market, it is a superb shock

You are right, the frame is the same throughout the Cube range, it's just the components on the bike that differ

As for the 2010 price reductions, hard to say if they (other shops) will reduce the price further, or if they will sell them all at the current price, we have 2 2010 full sussers in stock & 3 LTD hardtails left, as far as I know there are no plans to reduce the price further as they are still selling well

VAT increase, I know that we ( www.Cubebikeshop.co.uk ) are not going to increase our prices once the VAT goes up, we're going to take the hit ourselves

bens_dad

Thanks very much to both of you as its really good feedback...

I think you may be right to both things with regard whether I need a full susser or not in such that I probably don't based on the amount I currently ride but also I'll probably end up going more and more. I also think that since reading reviews, bike mags and chatting to guys my age at the trail full sussers offer less jarring and are a bit more forgiving on the joints.

Don't laugh! but my mates and I have started a kind of riding club in such that we've started meeting for a ride once a month. That was mid june and already this month I've been three weekends on the run so I think the bug has bitten...

I'm also mindfull of some of my friends who've recently bought hard tails (trek and specialized) at the start of the year and allready they feel they've outgrown them. I suppose I want a bike I can grow into.. so the cube does seem the best as I can simply keep getting better parts as my budget allows. I also think they look better and whislt they aren't halfords own brand I know what you mean re: the stigma associated with hafords. My mate has a carrera fury as it got good reviews and he rides better than most on the trail but suffers from trail snobbery...!

I think Andy B is right that the discounted 2010 bikes won't go down in price anymore. not sure about the VAT.?

I'll call CRC this afternoon to get the best size for my puny 29" leg as it's either 16" or 18"

Thanks for all your help.

diy

I'd also call andy b to see if he can price match since he has given you some advice.

Always buy from a helpful bike shop - I say.

Andy B

bens_dad wrote:

I'll call CRC this afternoon to get the best size for my puny 29" leg as it's either 16" or 18"

I'm 5'9", 31" inside leg & ride an 18" AMS Pro, I'd guess (without seeing you on a bike) that a 16" will probably be the right size.

bens_dad

fair point..!
Not bought it yet as was going to do this evening. Andy B, I'll phone your shop in the morning as the website doesn't show the sale bikes.
Thanks for all help

bens_dad

by the way it's the cube ams pro elixir r i've been looking at as it has more travel than the standard 100mm as i reckon that'll allow for me jumping and having more fun..!

Andy B

bens_dad wrote:

by the way it's the cube ams pro elixir r i've been looking at as it has more travel than the standard 100mm as i reckon that'll allow for me jumping and having more fun..!

We have one 2010 AMS Pro Elixir R in stock, but it's (I think) an 18" in sid blue, I know that we don't have any 16" 2010 bikes left in stock, sorry.

We can get the 2011 bikes in 16" though.