Cube no fun........

AAddict

After a 10 year gap, I've recently returned to mountain biking. I bought myself a Cube AIM Disc in feb 2012 and have used it pretty much every day since. It's a great bike for the money, everything works as should etc, but there is something missing. My partner has recently bought a Cube LTD Pro, which while better than mine in many ways still lacks the same thing, FUN!

My past bikes were the following:

Klein Attitude
Kona Kula
Kona Roast
Kona Stinky (before they were DH bikes)

I find on smooth fast trails and fireroads etc the Cube's are great, nice and fast and good climbers but when things get a but more rough they seem a bit numb. For example I find hard to hop the bike over things or even to pop up the front end in manual over ditch etc. I never had this feeling on any other bike I have owned. So either is just cos I'm an old fart now, or its something different about Cube bikes?

The only thing I can think of is the head angle of 70deg and my previous Konas all had a pretty slack angle. But would this change the way it feels numb and hard to handle on the rough stuff?

Thanks in advance for any input/replies.

RevellRider

Cube hardtails are designed around traditional XC geometry. A slightly shorter stem with liven the bike up a little

AAddict

RevellRider wrote:

Cube hardtails are designed around traditional XC geometry. A slightly shorter stem with liven the bike up a little

Hmm, thanks, do you think a higher rise bar would help some more too?

Long_Time_Lurker

It's a XC bike designed for speed. However they have a very front light-end, so I haven't found them difficult to pop or manual over anything - in fact it is a little too easy at times.

From what you say (and from your past purchases), I would guess that you were looking for an all-mountain/trail bike, but have bought a cross-country racer.

AAddict

Long Time Lurker wrote:

It's a XC bike designed for speed. However they have a very front light-end, so I haven't found them difficult to pop or manual over anything - in fact it is a little too easy at times.

From what you say (and from your past purchases), I would guess that you were looking for an all-mountain/trail bike, but have bought a cross-country racer.

Quite possibly, but financially I am gonna be keeping this bike until next summer. So anything that makes it suit better without breaking the bank is what I'm after.

Huwbertus

Hi there,

I have 2010 Cube LTD and find the same problem. I swapped out the 110mm stem for a 40mm and put a wider bar 680mm I think. Merlin Cycles £30 for the pair. Truvatives Hussafelt.

It's a bit lighter on the front as weight is moved backwards. It has made the front twitchy through rocky stuff and I felt front grip was compromised. So I fitted a Maxxis Minion DHF 60a and all is restored. I ride mainly Llandegla and Coed y Brenin.

I also find it harder to set my fork air pressure for some reason. I think it's because the front is lighter, pressure required is reduced and the fork just wont perform with such low pressures. The fork didn't get glowing reviews when new anyway.

HTH

AAddict

Huwbertus wrote:

Hi there,

I have 2010 Cube LTD and find the same problem. I swapped out the 110mm stem for a 40mm and put a wider bar 680mm I think. Merlin Cycles £30 for the pair. Truvatives Hussafelt.

It's a bit lighter on the front as weight is moved backwards. It has made the front twitchy through rocky stuff and I felt front grip was compromised. So I fitted a Maxxis Minion DHF 60a and all is restored. I ride mainly Llandegla and Coed y Brenin.

I also find it harder to set my fork air pressure for some reason. I think it's because the front is lighter, pressure required is reduced and the fork just wont perform with such low pressures. The fork didn't get glowing reviews when new anyway.

HTH

Thanks, that's very helpful. Do you find the front wheel pops up when on a steep climb with the 40mm stem?

benpinnick

40mm might be a bit short for most. All cubes come with a too long stem. Its just the way they make em. I swapped to an 70mm from the 110 that came on mine, and added some wider bars - makes a lot of difference. Also the wheels they put on the Ltds (and maybe AIMs?) are pretty heavy and unresponsive. Changing them helps alot too, but is a much bigger cost. Cubes are also a little short in the frame too (probably hence the long frame), so that means saddle all the way back on the rails to give you a bit more space.

glentressmonster

Also take into account you have owned Konas. I too have always bought Konas for one reason - they are FUN. They tend to be twitchy and very responsive which makes for a very engaging ride. From what I have read about Cubes, they are excellent value for money, but as RevellRider pointed out and what I've read in reviews, their geometry is very much old-school XC. This is fine for the speedster, but not much fun for throwing it around with a big grin on your face.

Do some research, sell it and buy a Kona or something else which has more play factor. There are some fantastic long-travel hardtails out there which will put a smile back on your face. My mate has a Cove Handjob which is superb for thrashing about on. There's no point throwing money at something, which when it comes down to it is not the right bike for you. Put it down to experience and move on (and stay away from Boardmans, they are along the same lines as Cubes - good value, a good ride, but very staid on the trails).

AAddict

glentressmonster wrote:

Also take into account you have owned Konas. I too have always bought Konas for one reason - they are FUN. They tend to be twitchy and very responsive which makes for a very engaging ride. From what I have read about Cubes, they are excellent value for money, but as RevellRider pointed out and what I've read in reviews, their geometry is very much old-school XC. This is fine for the speedster, but not much fun for throwing it around with a big grin on your face.

Do some research, sell it and buy a Kona or something else which has more play factor. There are some fantastic long-travel hardtails out there which will put a smile back on your face. My mate has a Cove Handjob which is superb for thrashing about on. There's no point throwing money at something, which when it comes down to it is not the right bike for you. Put it down to experience and move on (and stay away from Boardmans, they are along the same lines as Cubes - good value, a good ride, but very staid on the trails).

Hmmm, I feel the truth coming through lol

I kinda rushed into it, like many on the cycle to work scheme. We had to buy through halfords but the C2W guys could order most makes in for us so I rushed into the Cube without so much as a testride as I had heard many good things about them. Like I said above, it's a really good bike, I'm just not suited to it. It's not really mine to sell until next summer, but not sure they'd ever find out.

allthegearnoidea

the aim is the base model HT on the cube range really, they are comparitively low spec'd in comparison to the ltd pro of your good lady!
without upgrading a lot of the parts on it i feel you wont really be able to make it That much fun, a shorter stem and wider bars will certainly help but the suntour xcm's up front wont take that much abuse! they simply arnt meant too, But! its a great bike to get you back into it,
my lbs use a fleet of std aim's as the hire bikes as they are cheap and cheerfull and do the job, they are used for the coast to coast trail down here which is predominantly flat and typical canal toepathy. they still get trashed!

your list of previous bikes does show a theme, and the cube doesnt really sit well with htem, kona's and cube's are very different!!
you could improve the feel of the bike with shorter stem, wider bars and different tyres too, and as has been mentioned, the wheelset isnt the lightest, a bit of ebaying could find you some good bargains, as can rumaging through merlin, on-one and crc etc as they poften have parts dirt cheap (in another thread about some wheels there is a link to some sub 2kg wheels for something like £60!!) that and have a nose through the classifieds ion here and dare i say it *COUGH* singletrackworld*COUGH* as they often turn up trumps!! if you wanted to upgrade the forks without too much cost then some Suntour epicons would go well with it!

just depends how much you fancy throwing at it, you could just run it inot the ground and look out for a another bike on ebay/classifieds etc. that fits the bill??

grenw

Only issues I ever had with Cube was that it got a bit hairy going downhill. XC angles and stem etc made it very forward leaning. It was however fun, agile and fairly twitchy. Never a problem getting over or round anything however you wanted to do it. Can't see how it ever could not be called a fun bike. Okay it's not fun for everything as I mentioned above but its not a heavy cumbersome bike. A slacker head angle will probably be less agile and more laid back assuming nothing else changes.

All depends on what you want to do with the bike really.

supersonic

Konas generally have slacker head angles.

Huwbertus

40mm is a bit short but at £30 with the bar bargain. And it's better than the OE spec Moving the seat back will put more weight over the back wheel though.

Remember to just change one thing at a time and try it on your favourite bit of trail. That way you can feel the difference the component change has made.

I got my CUBE on the C2W and was disappointed. Everybody else on the trails were whipping my ass and taking the piss (in a good way). I hated the bike and my local BS for selling it to me. It turned out I was just fat and unfit After 2 years and lots of miles I actually prefer it now. Stick with it.

defride

I had Kona's for many years had a break and bought a Cube Ltd earlier this year. I hear what your saying, I enjoyed being out on the Cube but felt it had a potential that could be released. I went new wheels, lighter & livelier they've made a huge difference. That instant acceleration and responsiveness to rider input that i remember from albiet highend Konas is back and I'm really enjoying riding it.