Help me decide which bike?

[Stormy 107]

Which one would you go for and why?

Cube Stereo Hybrid ONE44 HPC TM 800 dustyolive´n´gold

Trail-taming capability redefined, with CUBE carbon design and Bosch CX power

www.cube.eu

Or

CRAFTY CARBON R

mondraker.com

Ride mainly north York moors all year round. Some times visiting a trail centre or days out in the lake district.

They both hit my main points of big removable batteries, new Bosch motor and trail bike travel, give or take 10mm

 

[Astro66]

Cube.

SRAM AXS with T type chain Vs Shimano 12S hyperglide. The SRAM will be much stronger and last much longer and is electronic. This is a big thing on an EBike.

Shimano shifts real nice. But I just don't think the 12s system it's strong enough for full power EMTBs.

 

[HandsomeDanNZ]

Unlike @Astro66 I think the Mondraker would be the better buy - but that's only because I have ridden a Mondraker as a rental and really enjoyed it.
I have only ridden a Cube once and it was an analogue one, but I didn't really like it...which is really comparing apples/oranges to Ford Cortina's, I suppose.
I think both would work well for you, but I am a big fan of Mondrakers, so I'll always be one to recommend their product.

 

[Bndit]

I would buy Mondraker, only weak link on spec is tires and those can be swapped easily. I don`t mind electronic sifting but it`s true that is saves your drivetrain if you are hard on gear changes and it`s good that cube has put wire on it. You can change drivetrain really cheap to 10-speed linkglide if XT it`s not good for you but I think it is. Cube has through headset cable routing…but if you really want that also you can do it to Mondraker also . And Mondraker also looks like business

 

[Stormy 107]

Thanks for your views on the 2 bikes. I think the Mondraker might be the winner just need to get some tougher tyres and it should be sweet. Also the cost of replacing the SRAM transmission cassette is about double that of Shimano

 

[Stormy 107]

Unlike @Astro66 I think the Mondraker would be the better buy - but that's only because I have ridden a Mondraker as a rental and really enjoyed it.
I have only ridden a Cube once and it was an analogue one, but I didn't really like it...which is really comparing apples/oranges to Ford Cortina's, I suppose.
I think both would work well for you, but I am a big fan of Mondrakers, so I'll always be one to recommend their product.

How do you find the Mondrakers for size?

 

[ttocs]

DO NOT GET A TREK RAIL. I got a 9.8 xt gen 4 back in aug and did not get past the first mile before I started to have a temp sensor issues that shut the power off. Took it back to the shop, left it for a week to be told nothing was wrong. Went another mile before it shut off on me again(it needed a slight hill, the shop is all flat) so I took it back again. This time they replaced the battery, took 2.5 weeks and that did fix that problem. Now the other problem that had been happening is the rear shock would lose pressure and sag so badley in turns that I had 2 pedal strikes on roots on slight turns that brought the bike to a dead stop and left me with one heck of a bruise for 2 weeks. And while on this ride the power cut off just rolling over roots/bumps so back to the shop. Now it is going on its 3rd week there, they are now 5 days into waiting for a responce from bosche while the weather is 75/sunny/perfect. I am pushing 50 and questioned that this could be my last bike but no matter what it will will be my last trek bike.

 

[irie]

The bike should be replaced, no question.

 

[JP-NZ]

Shimano shifts real nice. But I just don't think the 12s system it's strong enough for full power EMTBs.

Just FYI the above is wrong. There are thousands of full power bikes out there on Shimano 12 speed systems working just fine.

For the bike the Mondraker anyday of the week. Mondraker is a premium brand vs well its a cube

 

[HandsomeDanNZ]

How do you find the Mondrakers for size?

I ride a medium, but I am on the cusp of med/large in most bikes - I have always found Mondrakers to be a slightly long reach, compared to others, but in modern terms they are about "normal" now. It's just that they have been doing long low and slack for a longer time than most.

Short answer - they're longish.

 

[Astro66]

Just FYI the above is wrong. There are thousands of full power bikes out there on Shimano 12 speed systems working just fine.

Yes. I have the Shimano 12S Di2 XT system on my EMTB. I do a lot of technical climbing in Boost Mode, and I just don't get the life out of chains and cassettes.

When you shift in boost mode, the over run is really hard on the chain and cassette. You need a transmission designed for full power shifts, which is the Shimano Linkglide (which doesn't come in 12S) or SRAM T type.

So when in Boost Mode, you have to stop pedalling for nearly 1 second, to wait for the over run to stop, before shifting, or risk snapping your chain.

You can change drivetrain really cheap to 10-speed linkglide if XT it`s not good for you but I think it is

XT 12S has a microspline hub, whilst 9,10 and 11S linkglide needs a HG hub. Depending on your hub model. It turns out it's easier to buy an entire new rear wheel than trying to fit a new hub.

This is the exact problem I am facing at the moment, and I'm trying to build a new rear wheel myself, with a HG hub, so I can fit Linkglide. And it's not cheap.

BTW. I love my fully electronic Shimano system. And I would not change to SRAM. But the options were Shimano mechanical 12S XT, Vs SRAM electronic T Type, both on a Bosch Motor. I would choose SRAM in this case. The transmission is the heart of an EMTB.

 

[Bndit]

Yes. I have the Shimano 12S Di2 XT system on my EMTB. I do a lot of technical climbing in Boost Mode, and I just don't get the life out of chains and cassettes.

When you shift in boost mode, the over run is really hard on the chain and cassette. You need a transmission designed for full power shifts, which is the Shimano Linkglide (which doesn't come in 12S) or SRAM T type.

So when in Boost Mode, you have to stop pedalling for nearly 1 second, to wait for the over run to stop, before shifting, or risk snapping your chain.

XT 12S has a microspline hub, whilst 9,10 and 11S linkglide needs a HG hub. Depending on your hub model. It turns out it's easier to buy an entire new rear wheel than trying to fit a new hub.

This is the exact problem I am facing at the moment, and I'm trying to build a new rear wheel myself, with a HG hub, so I can fit Linkglide. And it's not cheap.

BTW. I love my fully electronic Shimano system. And I would not change to SRAM. But the options were Shimano mechanical 12S XT, Vs SRAM electronic T Type, on a Bosch Motor. I would choose SRAM in this case. The transmission is the heart of an EMTB.

Yeah, you`re right about the freehub but for common hubs it`s not so expensive, like for those Mavic`s :Instant Drive 360 Shimano MTB Freehub Body
For my DT Swisses it was around 90€?, steel XD hub. Bit anyway, that XT set is legit

 

[Astro66]

Yeah, you`re right about the freehub but for common hubs it`s not so expensive, like for those Mavic`s :Instant Drive 360 Shimano MTB Freehub Body
For my DT Swisses it was around 90€?, steel XD hub. Bit anyway, that XT set is legit

I have the Shimano 7100 hub. And you cannot just change the rachet bit to HG. So frustrating.

I've order a Shimao 410 boost hub in HG, and I've got some spare rims, so I'm just going to build an new rear wheel. If I do a good job. I'll buy all the Linkglide bits.

But even using an existing rim. It's going to cost over $500. And that's using the Cues 11s Di2 derailleur. The XT Di2 11s derailleur is $200 more.

 

[Stormy 107]

I ride a medium, but I am on the cusp of med/large in most bikes - I have always found Mondrakers to be a slightly long reach, compared to others, but in modern terms they are about "normal" now. It's just that they have been doing long low and slack for a longer time than most.

Short answer - they're longish.

I'm 183cm so at the very start of a large and the top of an ML. Think I'm going for ML as it has same reach as my Rocky mountain instinct.

 

[Renton_Yorkshire]

DO NOT GET A TREK RAIL. I got a 9.8 xt gen 4 back in aug and did not get past the first mile before I started to have a temp sensor issues that shut the power off. Took it back to the shop, left it for a week to be told nothing was wrong. Went another mile before it shut off on me again(it needed a slight hill, the shop is all flat) so I took it back again. This time they replaced the battery, took 2.5 weeks and that did fix that problem. Now the other problem that had been happening is the rear shock would lose pressure and sag so badley in turns that I had 2 pedal strikes on roots on slight turns that brought the bike to a dead stop and left me with one heck of a bruise for 2 weeks. And while on this ride the power cut off just rolling over roots/bumps so back to the shop. Now it is going on its 3rd week there, they are now 5 days into waiting for a responce from bosche while the weather is 75/sunny/perfect. I am pushing 50 and questioned that this could be my last bike but no matter what it will will be my last trek bike.

I would reject the bike immediately. However I feel I should counter, in as much as my new Rail 7 Gen 3 arrived early Sept, done ~150 miles all over the place with zero issues

 

[Type1]

DO NOT GET A TREK RAIL. I got a 9.8 xt gen 4 back in aug and did not get past the first mile before I started to have a temp sensor issues that shut the power off. Took it back to the shop, left it for a week to be told nothing was wrong. Went another mile before it shut off on me again(it needed a slight hill, the shop is all flat) so I took it back again. This time they replaced the battery, took 2.5 weeks and that did fix that problem. Now the other problem that had been happening is the rear shock would lose pressure and sag so badley in turns that I had 2 pedal strikes on roots on slight turns that brought the bike to a dead stop and left me with one heck of a bruise for 2 weeks. And while on this ride the power cut off just rolling over roots/bumps so back to the shop. Now it is going on its 3rd week there, they are now 5 days into waiting for a responce from bosche while the weather is 75/sunny/perfect. I am pushing 50 and questioned that this could be my last bike but no matter what it will will be my last trek bike.

OT but "pushing 50" is about the average age of an eBiker I ride with a complete mixture of ages (20's to 70+) and 50 is nothing! One of my mates is 75 and still flying.