Is the Cube LTD pro really a rough ride?

LKC

I am buying my first MTB. Based on some trail riding on a borrowed bike and advice from other riders, I decided on a Scott Scale 760. Unfortunately it seems to be out of stock anywhere around where I live. Looking for an alternative, the Cube LTD Pro 27.5 caught my attention. It’s roughly the same price, but actually better specked.
However, the geometry is also different. And according to this review not for the better – they call it an “overly stiff and unforgiving ride”: http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/hardtail/c ... eview-989/
I will of course ask for a test ride before buying, but I doubt ant dealer will let me take to an actual trail in the woods ;-)
So therefore: anybody out there with experience with this bike (or a similar Cube) that would care to comment on its ride characteristics?
Thanks in advance!

kajjal

Most XC hardtails are fairly stiff due to having no rear suspension. The upside to this is more trail feedback and you can get the power down better, if taken too far the bike will just beat you up all the time. It is like many things down to personal preference. I ride an XC hardtail and also have the tyres at higher pressures than most but if I wanted to I could soften the ride by lowering the tyre and fork pressures.

cooldad

I don't think that the reviewer was just using a lot of words to mean hardtail. Stiff and suspension are not the same thing.

rockmonkeysc

Some hardtails give a more forgiving ride than others. My old Giant XTC gave a much more forgiving ride than my On One 456SS which was extremely harsh.
It's all about the chain stay design and quality of materials. The On One was made from recycled scaffold tube and was much more crude than the Giants well designed, curvy rear (like my own really).

The Rookie

Geometry and stiffness/harshness are almost totally unrelated.

And XC race bike will be very stiff for best power transfer, and the Cube seems to be made that way and very harsh, the EN frame test has probably made some of the less expensive frames feel harsher as well.

Of course tyre size and pressure can have a huge effect as well.

kajjal

cooldad wrote:

I don't think that the reviewer was just using a lot of words to mean hardtail. Stiff and suspension are not the same thing.

I know what you mean my steel Orange hardtail is less harsh than my current aluminium hardtail. Not a problem but you can tell the difference.

LKC

Thank you for your replies. I know the general difference between a hardtail and a FS. I also know that there are differences between hardtails. I thought it had to do with frame geometry among other things, but I might be wrong there.
Anyway, what I would really want to hear about, is the impression of the Cube LTD Pro from someone who has tried it out on the trails.

supersonic

Nice big tyres art a lower pressure works wonders.

Long_Time_Lurker

The Cubes are stiff - but they are designed that way for a reason. You can get power down very quickly and the frame provides a lot of feedback.
A few months of riding and you will be able to tell what the trail is doing under your wheels.
I use mine for long rides (it's down 4 coast-to-coasts and loads of all-dayers around Northumberland).
It's all personal preference - some people prefer something a little more forgiving over the bumps (my mate thinks my Cube is twitchy - he rides an Orange Crush), whereas I think it's 'responsive'.

Lewis A

My frame is more or less the same, I don't have any problems, though I do run about 22 psi in the rear.

LKC

Thank you for answering, all of you. I have decided to go for the Cube :-)