A new superlight Cube AMS Hybrid ONE44

Finally, we're getting more bikes with the great Bosch Performance SX lightweight motor. Let me start with the name of the new bike. The entry-level version is looking very interesting, and it’s called the “Cube AMS Hybrid ONE44 C:68X SLX 400X 29”.

Cube always had long and complicated names, but this takes it to another level. “AMS” means all-mountain something, I guess. Cube has always labeled their ebikes "Hybrid" and ONE44 probably refers to the 140 mm suspension travel. “C:68X” is some sort of carbon frame, SLX is the spec level while 400X seems to refer to the battery size. And lastly, 29 is the wheel size.

One of the lighter lightweights​

It’s not the claimed 16,2 kg of the lightest model that impresses me, it’s the weight of the entry-level Cube AMS Hybrid ONE44 SLX. A claimed weight of 17.3 kg for the least expensive bike is around 2 kg less than most other entry lightweight emtbs.

CUBE AMS HYBRID ONE44 C:68X SLX 400X 29 - €5.999​

Sure, it’s not a cheap bike, but price isn’t bad for a bike in this segment. And I think the specs are surprisingly good. It comes with a 140 mm Fox Performance GRIP fork and a Fox Float Performance shock. That's nice, and when you get Shimano XT drivetrain and dual caliper brakes then I can’t ask for more. Okay, I would probably ask for some different tyres. I would prefer something more solid than the hard rubber Schwalbe Wicked Will 29x2.4” rear tyre. But it’s not a bad tyre, and it will be a great choice for some.

A Cube AMS Hybrid ONE44 that doesn’t exist​

It seems to me Cube could make an even cheaper model, to push the starting price further down. How about a Shimano Deore 11s level bike with Rockshox Lyric and Deluxe RC suspension, pushing it below €4.999? I can dream can’t I?

CUBE AMS HYBRID ONE44 C:68X TM 400X 29 – €6.499​

If you think the SLX model isn’t burly enough, then check out the TM! Here you get Fox Performance suspension with a 36 mm stanchions fork and a piggyback shock. And as if that wasn’t enough, you get Sram GX AXS Transmission wireless shifting and powerful Magura MT7 brakes too. The soft rubber Schwalbe Nobby Nic and Magic Mary tyres complete the impression of the ONE44 TM being a quite burly bike. And it’s of course noticeably heavier with a claimed weight of 18.4 kg.

CUBE AMS HYBRID ONE44 C:68X SLT 400X 29 - €7.999​

The second most expensive model is actually the lightest one, allegedly weighing 16.2 kg. It comes with lightweight components such as Fox Factory suspension, Maxxis Rekon/Race tyres and a Shimano XTR groupset. The price is actually good considering the weight. You’re sacrificing some performance on the rougher trails, but just swapping for tougher tyres should help a lot.

CUBE AMS HYBRID ONE44 C:68X SUPER TM 400X 29 - €8.999​

The top-of-the-line model is priced well below 5 digits and at 17,7 kg it’s a lightweight bike. The components are from the top shelf with Fox Factory suspension and the Sram XX AXS Transmission drivetrain.

A great motor, the Bosch Performance SX 55 Nm + 400 Wh battery​

We got to ride this motor last summer, check out that review. Lately, I’ve been riding it on the new Superior iXF. And it reminded me of how good this motor is. Sure, it needs a bit of cadence to feel powerful. But as you keep pushing and pedaling faster, you get similar performance to the full-power motors. The Performance SX isn’t powerful enough to shuttle you up steep hills while you barely contribute. For everything else, it’s silent, powerful and natural feeling.

The Cube AMS Hybrid ONE44 has the Bosch CompactTube 400 Wh battery fixed inside the frame. 400 Wh is 10-20 % more than many other “Superlight” emtbs. If that’s not enough, you could add more capacity and range by purchasing the PowerMore 250 Wh extender battery.

Geometry​

Cube never was at the forefront of the modern long-low-slack geometry trend. With that in mind, the AMS Hybrid ONE44 frame geometry looks quite okay. Sure, a 66* head angle is steep, and 1.239 mm isn’t a long wheelbase for size L. But adjust the headset to the slack position and you get 65.4* for the head angle and the wheelbase grows to 1.246 mm. For an all-mountain kind of trailbike, those numbers are okay.

But the BB height drops from 335 to 320 mm in “slack”. That’s low, and I’m intrigued. If the number is correct, I guess some will find it too low. Reach for size L is 473-474 mm, depending on the headset setting. A 450 mm chainstay isn’t among the shortest, but it’s short enough for a bit of fun and it should improve stability.

My take​

It's cool to finally see more bikes using the new Bosch Performance SX 55 Nm lightweight motor. This motor could be enough for me to rarely miss the heavier and noisier full-power motors. Getting a nicely spec’ed 17.3 kg bike for €6K is good value. But I’d like to see an even cheaper model in their line-up. How about a sub 18 kg bike at sub €5k? I might never remember the name of the new Cube AMS Hybrid ONE44 C:86X Super TM 400x 29 by heart. But it's a bike I'll remember if I finally decide to buy a light and mild emtb.