Cube full sus or hardtail

SquireRides

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Sep 4, 2018
540
557
UK
I have the 2017 Cube Reaction Hybrid HT, so basically the same as your link (diff fork, but still very similar because my old Recon is a TK model too).

I really enjoy it. Would like 120mm fork, making it a bit slacker, and a dropper would be nice. All things I could add at some point.

I mainly ride natural trails, gravel, and lanes in the UK. If you mostly ride flowy stuff rather than bang through rock gardens, the HT is great. But this bike is a bit of a workhorse, so I commute, tow my daughter’s bike, go to the shops etc.
 

Beekeeper

🍯Honey Monster🍯
Aug 6, 2019
1,751
2,199
Surrey hills
I’m looking for a cheap emtb to thrash in the winter, will be a few small jumps but nothing mad. Just wondering anyone here have a hardtail and how do they find it. Here is a full sus and a hardtail I was looking at

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=295468;menu=1000,173,314;mid=0;pgc=0;page=22


https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=295996;menu=1000,173,314;mid=0;pgc=0;page=1

That hardtail is exactly the same one I’ve ordered and it’s being delivered tomorrow but in a grey and lime colour.
I had the same dilemma but the price drop of the 2019 model was too good to resist.
I don’t intend to do any jumps, just ride along fire tracks and bridleways and visit pubs etc. Therefore the hardtail is all I need. The wife has ordered a similar one (cube access) so we can go out riding together.
 

Old Mike

Member
Sep 3, 2019
58
48
Consett, County Durham
I have a hardtail and a full suspension Cube ebike.

I bought the hardtail because it was literally the cheapest mid drive ebike in the country at the time (it was 2017, it was on offer for £1400 because it was a 2016 model).

Once I knew more about my needs, I went for another last years model, a Cube 160 stereo 500, full suspension.

If you can find the money and you're going on anything remotely downhilly, I'd get a full suspension. Mate of mine bought a hardtail one and he regrets it because of the trails we do - he wishes he'd spend the extra 800ish and bought a full-sus.

Obviously any ebike is better than no ebike and the cubes are all brilliant, I'm just saying you won't regret spending the extra money if you have it.

I'd recommend waiting a bit, the old style bosch motor Cube's will drop like a stone towards Christmas because they'll have to be much cheaper than new stock with the new motor, grab yourself a bargain.

I now ride the hardtail to work each day, 28 miles round trip. Its done 7,000 miles so far, motor sounds as good as new, battery gave up the ghost after 350 charges.
 

Beekeeper

🍯Honey Monster🍯
Aug 6, 2019
1,751
2,199
Surrey hills
I'd recommend waiting a bit, the old style bosch motor Cube's will drop like a stone towards Christmas because they'll have to be much cheaper than new stock with the new motor, grab yourself a bargain..[/QUOTE]

I’ve been checking stock every day and the cube 2019 bikes are disappearing fast already.
 

Old Mike

Member
Sep 3, 2019
58
48
Consett, County Durham
That's good! Any motor servicing, new drive-side bearings, or anything?

None. And because I ride to work along muddy tracks its always covered in shit, I'm not washing it every day so its not exactly nannied.

I've changed the seal twice when I swapped worn sprockets out.

One wire broke so I had to drop the motor out, solder the wire harness, and fit it back again.

The Bosch motor on my off road bike was noisy from new and was replaced under warranty after 600 miles. The replacement motor is very quiet and smooth, I have a feeling it'll last well.

Mate of mines got replaced after 100 miles.

Bosch motors seem to either go on forever or die very quickly.

I was surprised the battery died after only 350 charges, but it was over 2 years old so out of warranty. S**t happens.
 
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Old Mike

Member
Sep 3, 2019
58
48
Consett, County Durham
I'd recommend waiting a bit, the old style bosch motor Cube's will drop like a stone towards Christmas because they'll have to be much cheaper than new stock with the new motor, grab yourself a bargain..

I’ve been checking stock every day and the cube 2019 bikes are disappearing fast already.[/QUOTE]

I had noticed there's not that much around - I was hoping (for other peoples sake) it would get better as the year goes on.

Christmas 2017-2018 was awesome - you get the feeling the shops had massively overestimated demand for 2017, as there were oodles of on offer bikes around early 2018. I bought a cube through the C2w scheme on offer at £1100 (2016 model down from original RRP of £1800), so £640 after tax, basically for the bits. I'm using the battery now as my first one failed, but I also now have a spare motor.

I found a guy at work a cube 400 hpa hardtail with a performance CX for £1100 at infinity - bottom of the range and a ye olde model but that's basically what the motor and battery cost! There's nothing like these bargains around now...
 
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