2012 Cube LTD Pro 29 or (updated to) 2012 LTD CC Messemodel?

Rob801

Hi. This is my first post here and I could use some advice.

I was wondering if anyone has tried the Cube LTD Pro 29? I'm pretty close to buying one but am a little hesitant since there are no reviews yet.

I live pretty much in the sticks in Denmark and don't have the possibility of trying one first... I did have a Cube Attention that I was pretty happy with but it didn't take long before wished I had purchased a model or two up (it was stolen recently)

I'm also faced with the choice between that (2012 LTD Pro 29) and a 2011 LTD Team 26 for the same price. I know the team has better specs but from what I've read about 29ers, I think that that would fit my riding style better than a 26 (weekend warrior riding mostly forest roads and paths, gravel roads and nothing very dramatic or complicated and every once in a great while, in nice weather, a 100k round trip to work and back).

My max budget is €1000 (including shipping to dk) and to me it looks like I will get the most for my money with the two cubes I mentioned and right now I'm leaning heavily towards the 29er ;-).

Thanks!


http://www.biker-boarder.de/shopware/Cube-LTD-Pro-29-2012-black-anodized-Mountainbike_detail_19015_108.html

xand_xand

Have you actually ridden a 29er before at all - the ride is somewhat different if you are used to the 26.

As you say spec is similar. Weight is not too different (team slightly nudging it), 29er is 2012 of course.

Rob801

No I haven't.

My local bike dealer (where we have purchased all of our family bikes over the years) didn't have any last time I checked. I'm going strictly by what I've read about the advantages an disadvantages of a 29er and just have a gut feeling that it would be best for me (based on what I wrote above about the type of riding I mostly do).

I realize the smartest thing to do would be to try one first (also since I'm a little unsure if it should be a 17" or 19") but that may not be possible.

blackrockracer

Hi , the Cube 29ers range is new for 2012 , they are due to arrive in stores some time in JAN 2012 .

Rob801

Thanks... I guess I need to brush up on my German (never learned it actually). I thought the green boxes next to the frame sizes meant they were (usually means) in stock. It looks like they might mean coming soon instead, even though most on line shops I've visited use orange or yellow for that.

Rob801

Just a quick update... I did manage to find a "Short term test" on a LTD SL 29er, a model above the one I'm looking at, and it wasn't discouraging .
http://twentynineinches.com/2011/10/17/short-term-test-cube-ltd-sl/

The only thing that strikes me as a possible problem when looking at any of the Hardtail 29ers from Cube is how close the rear wheel is to the frame (although the reviewer didn't mention anything negative about this). Is that anything I need to be concerned about (stuff getting stuck between the frame and tire)?

Long_Time_Lurker

I thought the same as Rob - the clearance on the downtube looks very small. I assume that they have taken that into consideration, as the trails that i ride are very muddy.

As for the 26 - it is a very nice bike. My friend rides one. Definitely a XC bike, but can cope with the trails easily. Light and has a great spec.
Plus as it is a 2011 model, the price should be good too.

I have been looking for a 29er for the past 2 months. Have tried plenty, but have yet to find one to convince me that it is worth changing from a 26. The Cubes may do that - you don't lose much in components from their 26" stablemates. Other companies downgrade their specs so much that I have been put off.

Rob801

Just a quick update and another question...

The 2011 Team is sold out. I'm still considering the LTD Pro 29 BUT I'm also falling for the 2012 LTD CC Messemodel which I can get for €100 more than the 29er and it appears to have a complete XT package.

Any comments on the pros/cons of this bike vs the LTD Pro 29 are welcome.

http://www.cube.eu/en/hard/special/ltd-cc/

They describe it as "Fast sporting hardtail for performance-motivated riders. Exhibition model with superior price performance ratio" and I can't help but feel like I'd be getting a whole lot more bike for the money compared to the specs on the 29er.

Rob801

Just another update.

I went ahead and ordered the 2012 LTD CC yesterday from Bike-discount.de (along with some pedals, a repair stand and a pedal wrench). Part of me really wanted a 29er but I just couldn't match the price/component combo of the LTD CC. That and I have only read one review of the Cube 29ers (hard tail) and being that it is their first year producing them I'd rather be safe then sorry if there are any kinks that need to be worked out (the lack of space from the rear tire to the seat stem tube was bothering me a little).

All that being said I am both very excited to get my new bike but at the same time a little nervous, being that it is the first time I have not purchased a bike from my LBS, so am going to be on my own for the first time regarding set up and tuning. Luckily there is a lot of good info here and elsewhere on the net so I'm not too worried (and the shops are still there if I really get stuck).

aslak

Just a quick question, as I am also from Denmark, and also considering buying either a 2011 model in a local shop in Copenhagen or maybe a ltd 29 from germany.

How is your experience buying bikes online, is there an extra VAT or something when the bike enters into Denmark, or how does that work?

I was driving a 29 until this weekend, when it was stolen, and likes the geometry a lot compared to my previous experience with mtbs. But its very dependent on the terrain obviously.

Rob801

This is my first bike purchased outside of DK but I have plenty of experience with other things... As long as the retailer is in the EU (and the product is also shipped from within the EU) you shouldn't have to pay any extra tax. Bike-discount.de where I bought mine charged the German rate of 19% (included in the shown prices) and you don't have to pay extra 6%. Some other places I have made purchases (like Amazon.co.uk and Thomann.de) charge the DK 25%... but that is shown at check out so what you see is what you pay, no unexpected surprises... and they are still a lot cheaper most of the time.

So basically the most important thing is to make sure that shop is located in and the goods are shipped from within the EU (and that the price they show includes VAT).

http://www.skat.dk/SKAT.aspx?oId=1615423&vId=0

Der skal ikke betales told og dansk moms af varer fra et EU-land. Der kan dog være særlige afgifter, som du skal betale.

Særlige afgifter er på ting som alkohol og tobak mm... ikke cykler.