Help me choose between two Cube emtb models

[anfos]

Hi - I've been a road cyclist for 6 years and live in a hilly area. I am planning to switch to e-mtb since there are a lot of great trails around here and would benefit from the motor.
I've narrowed it down to two Cube models

1) Cube Reaction Hybrid Performance 400 - 2021
2) Cube Reaction Hybrid Pro 500 - 2021

I'll try to describe what kind of rides I plan to do and hopefully you can help me out with which model to select.
Biggest ride is a ~70km total with ~1300m of elevation or 17km of climbing at 5% grade.

So first concern - is the 500Wh battery of the Pro model enough for such a ride? the whole ride is tarmac, then I plan to descend through the trails so an extra point would go to the Pro model for having the SR Suntour XCM34 fork which can be locked (which I guess would help with the battery range, not sure if the difference is big though?)

I am not planning to do any crazy trail descending, so I am guessing I won't need any upgrades if I select the pro model other than the tires and saddle.

If I select the Performance 400 model I will be able to add another 400 battery and get to the price point of the 500 model - but this one has no lockout fork, EX23 rims vs EX30 (no idea how both perform) and worse components overall.

Then there is the different motor 65nm vs 85nm which I don't know if I need.
Any pointers to help me decide would be appreciated!

 

[Pigin]

After many years of road cycling I gave off road cycling a go. No suspension just better brakes and tyres. Then I tried a hard tail. Much better. Then I tried a full suspension with lock outs, better still. Then last year I went electric. This year I went for a “better” one.

Through this long time line my riding changed but I do still enjoy road and mtb. With the eeb I found myself doing more mtb and being a lot more aggressive in my approach because it does it so well.
If I would so bold to offer advice it would be about getting something that would easily deal with rougher terrain than you currently think you will do. Of the two you have chosen , Gen 4 and 500 powertube for certain.

The Gen 3 can be software upgraded to 85nm.
Have a look at the Stereo models as well.

 

[alan_sh]

I think you should go for the one that is in stock. Given that most things are on 6 month+ lead time (or that's what it seems), this makes the most sense.

 

[urastus]

I think you're the first person I've heard of who wants to lock out their fork.

 

[lightning]

My Ebike has a 504Wh battery and it will do 30 miles of pretty extreme off road riding on a single charge.
On a more road oriented ride l can get three rides on one charge if l
am reasonably careful, so about 60 miles in total.

 

[fenwick458]

I think you're the first person I've heard of who wants to lock out their fork.

is this specific to e-bikes? a few years ago I picked a lower spec bike just because it came with the fit grip sweep adjust damper (that effectively locks out) over the top spec model with the grip2 damper and no lockout. a few people did just make a similar comment to you, that I must be crazy, who wants to lock a fork out etc, but it did come in handy when you want to climb out of the saddle without a whole load of fork bobbing

but yes if we are talking e bikes then who cares, I have set my bike up with some heavy coils and run everything wide open just because I can now

 

[anfos]

Well I imagine it can't hurt if most of the ride is in tarmac like I mentioned in first post?

 

[urastus]

is this specific to e-bikes? a few years ago I picked a lower spec bike just because it came with the fit grip sweep adjust damper (that effectively locks out) over the top spec model with the grip2 damper and no lockout. a few people did just make a similar comment to you, that I must be crazy, who wants to lock a fork out etc, but it did come in handy when you want to climb out of the saddle without a whole load of fork bobbing

but yes if we are talking e bikes then who cares, I have set my bike up with some heavy coils and run everything wide open just because I can now

I think it's because the fork is a funny thing ?. I did try locking the fork out years ago with a hardtail that I use for urban duties, and concluded that it was wasted on me. Climbing; I do lots of that here, and descending - Tasmania is all hills and mountains. I use the flip switch on the shock which is just a heap of compression damping. It does keep the rear end higher and of course isn't so reactive. I find this helps when I'm at my limit of climbing ability re steepness and technicality. I also nearly always run in eco on a lower than normal setting, so my style is still like a clockwork bike (seat up). The fork I leave open so that it can roll over obstacles a bit easier - this is more important on hard climbs where it doesn't take much to stop things or lose traction. I'm also usually struggling to get enough weight on the front end so having it open will never be a hindrance.

I've only started dabbling in small jumps and drops, but even so I have to run suspension at reasonably high pressures (still below recommendations) just for those hits. So the fork is reasonably stiff for hits, but most of the time, despite my attack position, doesn't have much weight on it. This seems fairly universal - not due to a poor attack position. I've seen my attack position in video and was surprised at how good it is ?. Most people seem to get punctures, bent rims etc in the rear. Even on analogue bike the rear tyre wears out much more quickly than the front.

I can imagine if my fork was really soft, and bobbing up and down, I might lock it out. I'd probably try adding air with my pump first - it's good for 60 or 70 psi I think. Anything I say can only be a generalisation at best though. It has been a mystery to me why forks have lockout and no one seems to use them; I can see your point even though I've never experienced it - or haven't been bothered by it (I'm not aware of which).

I have retired an xc hardtail to urban duties, and did pressure up the fork for that. Riding on road and paths made it feel plush and bouncy, and then there are many more square edges (stairs etc). Also upped the pressure in the tyres, but not much.

 

[TheRealPoMo]

I have a 2019 Hybrid Pro Eagle 500 which only appears different to the current one in that mine has an air fork. In addition to my everyday local trails which are under a km away, Sundays I do 80+ very flat path and road sitting on 29kph and get home with over 60% remaining. If I ride to more distant trails, elevation changes are probably 1200m and distance about 60km. After the commute and 15 or so km on green and blue trails I get home from these jaunts almost empty. My bike is perfectly adequate for these capers. Glad we are keeping full suspension nonsense out of this one, given your projected usage.

 

[anfos]

Thanks for your input, so getting the entry level Performance 400 and upgrading to an entry air fork (300€) would be a wiser choice? then if the battery of the 400 isn't enough add a second one?

All I care about is that the battery can handle 16km of climbing at 5% on tarmac and then the suspension to be able to handle easy downhill through the trail.

Are there any differences between Bosch Gen 3 65nm and Gen 4 85nm other than pure power that is worth the extra money for Cube Pro model?

I also plan to upgrade to a tire like the Continental Raceking to improve the rolling resistance on tarmac, along with higher pressures until I reach the descend and remove some air for the trail.

Also, I have the chance to buy a Hybrid Acid 2020 model with upgraded forks (Rockshox): CUBE Acid Hybrid ONE 400 29 black´n´green 2020 which might be worth considering? (is it possible to mount 2 batteries with this one?)

 

[lightning]

The Bosch Gen 3 motor in my 2016 Cube was the best Ebike motor l have owned, better than the E8000 in my current Ebike.

The 400Wh battery fitted to the bike was good for 25-30 miles of mixed off road riding.

 

[anfos]

Thanks, what do you do if you want to fit a second battery? Do you buy the same one and carry it on a backpack or you can mount them on the bike? The Acid model has the powerpack and Reaction models have the powertube. Can you combine both or?