Cube mountain bikes. Which one?

stoneruile

I have been looking to get a new Bike with teh cycle to work scheme. I haven't had a mountain bike for years. I had decided that i wanted a Cube Acid. I went to a shop here in Dublin and was talked into a LTD Pro with ethe anodized frame and Fox shocks. Beatifull looking bike but it is nearly 200 euro dearer than the Acid. It would mean that i have to put 100 to the bike and don't have a lot for accessories etc. I suppose this isn't a big deal as i can get these myself.

What i am asking is do i really need a LTD Pro at my level? Is it worth the extra cash as it would mean that i won't need to upgrade in a year or two?

Heart says buy the LTD Pro, head says buy the Acid.

What do you lot think?

Edit : Sorry it's the LTD Race : http://www.cube.eu/hard/ltd/ltd-race-black-anodized/

Kintarō Hattori

Well the only thing I can say is I got the 2011 Acid last year on the BTW scheme and I have no regrets. It's a brilliant purchase for my intended use (road cycling). While I could have bought a more expensive bike I can't see what one would have offered me that the Acid doesn't.

I can't see you needing to upgrade for a long time- unless you wanted a new bike just because. If you look after your bike it should last you many many years.

steamsey

Hi - both bikes are great and will serve you well for Irish XC Mountain Biking.

Personally, I would spend the extra €200 (if I had it to spare) on the LTD Race mainly because I prefer the FOX Forks on the LTD Race to the Rock Shox on the Acid. Not sure exactly which Rock Shox are on the Acid you are looking at but if they are Dart - then I would recommend the LTD Race more strongly. Avoid Dart. If they are the new Reba's then these are pretty good. The Acid's Rock Shox might come with a remote lock out on the handlebar - for me these just take up handlebar space. Without a remote lockout, it takes all of 4 seconds to reach down and adjust the lockout directly so I wouldn't necessarily count the lockout as a selling point for the Acid.

The components are better on the LTD Race (tyres, wheel hubs, forks as mentioned) and IMO, the LTD Race with the anodised frame looks a lot better than the Acid. However, there is debate on the difference in parts quality - is XT really better than SLX etc - but that's a different discussion.

One essential part of any mountian bike is the confidence it gives you when you are blamming down a a hill, and for me, I'd have more confidence, and therefore more fun, on the LTD Race.

If you do go for the Acid, you can be safe in the knowledge that it's a good bike and will serve you well.

Keep in mind that front forks have to be serviced annually (more or less). A full service on Fox forks costs €150ish as far as I remember. Fox Forks can only be serviced by OC Tuning in Kimmage. Not sure who services Rock Shox but I think a few places do them.

The stock pedals are pants on Cube bikes so I would replace them immediately.

So to answer your question directly - NO - you do not need the LTD Race for basic MTB'ing. The questions are - do you want it? and is it worth it? (In my opinion it is).

I would buy accesories as I need them - and almost certainly not from an Irish Bike Shop (sorry Irish Bike Shops). I'd go to chainreactioncycles.com for all those bits. Helmet, backpack and pads (knee & elbow) would be my first port of call - then you'll need a tool kit, spare tubes, puncture repair kit, pump, possibly a fork pump (€40), lights, decent shorts, a base layer top for cold days - you can go on and on but I think it's better to get the essentials first and then buy the rest as it suits you and as you learn more about MTB'ing.

Make sure you get the right size bike for you - this is critical for MTB'ing.

You can find some reviews of the the Cube bikes on Bikeradar.com - just be sure that the parts on their review bike are same as what you'd be getting.

Hope this is of some help.

instinct

Unless you plan to really get into mountain biking i dont see why the Acid wont be more then enough for you.

I have the Race LTD but I only use it in the mountains and I expect a lot out of the fork and the brakes. It works flawlessly and so far I have not had any problems with anything on the bike. The Acid may not stand up to regular abuse so well and depending how serious you are you might be looking to upgrade components like the brakes and fork set etc but i dont see why you would.

Depends what you want. An extra hundered for the Pro seems like a great deal but if your going to use the bike for likes of commuting you will need all those things like lights, lock, tools, helmet and maybe some cycling clothes.

mikerd4

I bought a ltd sl on the btw scheme as my first MTb and I love it to bits. Sure it's a better MTb than I will ever need but I thought if I'm spending that kind of money I may aswell push the boat out and get something really nice. It's a great bike and I'm very impressed with cube bikes.

I bought mine in cycle bike in Dublin

Outkast_IRE

I bought a CUBE LTD PRO last year , must say for me its a brilliant bike no real issues with it a year on .

I cycle it to college 5 days of the week and bring it out to forest trails and mountain biking about 20 times in the last year including trips to ballyhoura etc.

Its still perfect with a little TLC such as oiling ensuring bolts are tight etc

I picked the PRO over the ACID as i knew i would be getting a hell of a lot of use out of it and the extra components and anodized frame were well worth it.

Personally i wouldnt get the LTD RACE as i wouldnt be out on trails enought to justify the extra cash. To me the LTD PRO is the best value for components for my type of usage.

stoneruile

Cheers for all that info lads. Good to hear from people that actually own one. I would be using it for MTB at the weekends and maybe the odd road cycle after work. I think the extra cash for the better bike would probably be worth it. I'm the type of person that would only lust after the better bike in a few months and end up buying it anyway. Now i just have to do the maths on how much they will take out of the aul pay chequ every month , :eek:

Edt : Maybe it is the Pro i was looking at. It had Fox forks so i assumed it was the Race. I must call the shop.

instinct

Yes the RACE is the one with the Fox forks.

It also has Shimano SLX shifters and XT F/D and also XT Hubs. The PRO model has slightly lesser end Shimano components.

You can use the cube web site bike comparison page to easily see the differences.

http://www.cube.eu/en/service/bike-comparison/

for me, the Fox fork alone is worth the extra outlay.

Tenzor07

Just to note, Fox generally require a bit more maintenance than Rockshox and your very limited to where you can bring the Forks for servicing also..

MediaMan

I have a Cube Acid (2012 model). It has a RockShox Recon Silver TK fork. Haven't been out on it much yet, but so far I think it's great.

aongo

You won't go wrong with either, as Cube make lovely bikes... I splashed out on an Ltd Race last year, and have several hundred miles on it to date...

I viewed most of the Cube range and choose the Race due to quality of components and the fork... as I'm 6'5" and 100kg, the 34mm Fox oil/air-fork is burly enough & adjustable to take me and my riding... I'm afraid I'd a be bit too much rider for a skinny little RS Dart (would take up 80% of travel just setting sag! ...)

I also swapped over pedals (as posted previously) and fitted 2.4 inch Continental Mountain King tyres, again as I'm a big guy

So if you're a bigger guy or really want to get into your mountain-biking, then go for the Ltd Race

I wouldn't be overly concerned about Fox servicing as there's a wealth of DIY info out there if you willing to take your time and have a go yourself...
(disclaimer: I haven't actually had a go at these procedures myself yet - though I've well passed the Fox service intervals, my fork still moves like butter... so manufacturer instructions might be a bit OTT)

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/172459

http://www.foxracingshox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/011/Content/Seals_and_Foam_Rings.html

http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/index.htm

bazzak20

Im in the same boat. Was in my LBS's today. I had been looking at similar spec bikes 2nd hand and got fed up and decided to take the plunge and buy new again.

Get the LTD Race. That fox fork is meant to be amazing. I bought a cheaper bike to see if Id like the sport and Im after getting hooked. The Trek I had was entry level and was starting to fall apart after lots of local runs and 2 Ballyhouras ( 35km each time ) and I offloaded that and now am like a child at x-mas waiting for the Race to come. If you are like me you will regret buying the lower spec, and will have to sell it at a loss and then go buy something better.

One of my cycle buddies is on a 2010 Cube Ltd, think its Race, and its brilliant. Get the better bike if at all possible.

Forget the accessories for now. Add them as you go, its more fun. Lights and all that jazz are cheap on ebay and CRC so dont worry about them.

I've been drooling over the Race for sometime now, cant ait to put it through its paces.

thebouldwhacker

steamsey wrote: »

almost certainly not from an Irish Bike Shop (sorry Irish Bike Shops). I'd go to chainreactioncycles.com .

Could not disagree more, it may take some time to find and develop a relationship but a good local bike shop is worth its weight in gold.

Tenzor07

aongo wrote: »

I wouldn't be overly concerned about Fox servicing as there's a wealth of DIY info out there if you willing to take your time and have a go yourself...

Famous last words there!

Would not mess around with a set of forks costing around €500 unless I was very confident and did not mind invalidating the warranty!

aongo

ha ha, true enough... but I'm a divil for tinkering!

I suppose the way I see it is this... I believe the fork has a 1 year manufacturers warrenty... if say, I have a problem with it and go back to shop/fox, they are going to want to see evidence of periodic servicing as per their approved schedule... If I can't provide this then I probably won't be entertained...
As I am not going to expense of frequent services that I feel are unnecessary, so hence I've practically invalidated the warrenty...

Also as I've found out over the years, it's quite difficult to hold your ground over any broken parts on a mountain-bike, based on the conditions that the bike is usually used in... the argy-bargy banter goes back and forth, sometimes in my favour, sometimes not

As mentioned previously, there is a fox servicing centre in Ireland, but I believe you won't get much change out of €150 - €200 and be without a bike for weeks

The suspension fork is definitly the most complex bit of kit on your bike, but I reckon with a bit of care, time, instructions and proper tools, any home mechanic would manage it...

Worth the risk for me anyway!

Tenzor07

aongo wrote: »

As mentioned previously, there is a fox servicing centre in Ireland, but I believe you won't get much change out of €150 - €200 and be without a bike for weeks

Wrong!

Yes, there is an Excellent(and only!) Fox servicing centre in Ireland who carrys out warranty work and servicing with next day or most likely Same day turn-around servicing! Not sure how much a one-off service is, I think the first service may be free under the 1 year warranty, OC tuning will check this from the Forks serial number anyways...

If your not in Dublin they will even arrange to have your bike picked up and dropped back by courier to any part of the country, next day collection and delivery!!

OC Tuning now have a special on Servicing for Fox front shox of €150 for Unlimited yearly front fork servicing, €250 if you include the rear shox... So, this means that say you have just done a downhill or XC race.. feel like the forks need new oil? Just drop it into the shop and it will be done, amazing deal!!!

aongo

am happy to stand corrected Tenzor07, thanks for the info...

just had a look on www.octuning.ie, and as you say they do offer a pick-up service and quick turn-around...
I don't see anything about 1st service being free, but might give them a call later all the same...

Tenzor07

aongo wrote: »

am happy to stand corrected Tenzor07, thanks for the info...

just had a look on www.octuning.ie, and as you say they do offer a pick-up service and quick turn-around...
I don't see anything about 1st service being free, but might give them a call later all the same...

No probs! Sure give them a call, Fox forks require a bit more servicing than Rockshox and OC will have them feeling like new after a service!

davidsr20

Sorry to bring up an old tread but iv just ordered a cube acid in Galway , iv heard there a good bike and heard great reviews,
I was originally going for the cube attention but for €200 more decided on the acid as it has way better forks and gear trains.
Iv a few questions tho! I'll be using this 80% on the road to get fit as I don't want a road bike I want a mountain bike,will it suit for road use to get fit?
Secondly I'm 17.5 stone big build and 6f 1 inch in height will a 20 inch bike suit as the shop said the 22 inch are hard get?

Iv heard 22 inch are for 6ft 2 and over is this true?

Thanks in advance.

Hmmzis

davidsr20 wrote: »

Sorry to bring up an old tread but iv just ordered a cube acid in Galway , iv heard there a good bike and heard great reviews,
I was originally going for the cube attention but for €200 more decided on the acid as it has way better forks and gear trains.
Iv a few questions tho! I'll be using this 80% on the road to get fit as I don't want a road bike I want a mountain bike,will it suit for road use to get fit?
Secondly I'm 17.5 stone big build and 6f 1 inch in height will a 20 inch bike suit as the shop said the 22 inch are hard get?

Iv heard 22 inch are for 6ft 2 and over is this true?

Thanks in advance.

The cube frame sizes are a tad smaller than the indicated size. Not sure about how much 6ft 1" is in cm but I have a 20" cube and I'm 180cm and I feel I could have gone a tad smaller. I'm guessing the 20" would fine for you. Jus try the size out before you buy.

Outkast_IRE

davidsr20 wrote: »

Sorry to bring up an old tread but iv just ordered a cube acid in Galway , iv heard there a good bike and heard great reviews,
I was originally going for the cube attention but for €200 more decided on the acid as it has way better forks and gear trains.
Iv a few questions tho! I'll be using this 80% on the road to get fit as I don't want a road bike I want a mountain bike,will it suit for road use to get fit?
Secondly I'm 17.5 stone big build and 6f 1 inch in height will a 20 inch bike suit as the shop said the 22 inch are hard get?

Iv heard 22 inch are for 6ft 2 and over is this true?

Thanks in advance.

It all depends on the length of your legs, not your overall height thats just a general guide.

davidsr20

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

davidsr20 wrote: »

Sorry to bring up an old tread but iv just ordered a cube acid in Galway , iv heard there a good bike and heard great reviews,
I was originally going for the cube attention but for €200 more decided on the acid as it has way better forks and gear trains.
Iv a few questions tho! I'll be using this 80% on the road to get fit as I don't want a road bike I want a mountain bike,will it suit for road use to get fit?
Secondly I'm 17.5 stone big build and 6f 1 inch in height will a 20 inch bike suit as the shop said the 22 inch are hard get?

Iv heard 22 inch are for 6ft 2 and over is this true?

Thanks in advance.

It all depends on the length of your legs, not your overall height thats just a general guide.

Iv roughly a 33 length Inseam if this helps!

davidsr20

Anyone?

Rew

davidsr20 wrote: »

Anyone?

Im 5' 10" with a 30 inch leg and I have a Cube LTD Race in 18, I think you will be fine on a 20.

Did you ride any size bikes?

Outkast_IRE

davidsr20 wrote: »

Anyone?

Honestly the only way to know for sure is to go to the bike shop and ask to try the frames for size.

davidsr20

The shop didn't really say much about trying anything for size, he just said going by my size a 20 inch would be fine.

Outkast_IRE

davidsr20 wrote: »

The shop didn't really say much about trying anything for size, he just said going by my size a 20 inch would be fine.

It probably will be im your height and the 20 inch cube suits me perfectly. If anything i find you want a mountain bike a fraction small so you can easily put the foot down etc when necessary.

Just make sure you try it for size before handing the money over.

MediaMan

Agree with need to try for size. Check stand-over height and general feel of the bike. And once you figure out the size, definitely don't go for another size because the right size takes longer to get. Also I suggest if you are going to be 80% on-road, talk to the shop about swapping the tyres out for ones more suitable for road use.

davidsr20

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

davidsr20 wrote: »

The shop didn't really say much about trying anything for size, he just said going by my size a 20 inch would be fine.

It probably will be im your height and the 20 inch cube suits me perfectly. If anything i find you want a mountain bike a fraction small so you can easily put the foot down etc when necessary.

Just make sure you try it for size before handing the money over.

U say try it for size in shop, I don't know much about mountain bikes so how will I know it's the rite size!
Is there any easy ways to tell?

Also is using mountain bikes tires a real issue on road?

Outkast_IRE

yes after adjusting the saddle a bit, when you are cycling whilst sitting on the saddle your leg should be at full extension or near to it when at the lowest point pedalling if that makes sense.

Im not an expert this is just all from own experience someone feel free to correct me.

MediaMan

davidsr20 wrote: »

U say try it for size in shop, I don't know much about mountain bikes so how will I know it's the rite size!
Is there any easy ways to tell?

Also is using mountain bikes tires a real issue on road?

Rule #1 for me for a mountain bike size would be when you stand over the bike, that is with your feet on the ground and the top tube between your legs, is there clearance between the top tube and your personal assets. If not I would drop down a size. If there is too much clearance then the bike will probably feel too small.

Once that's sorted, rule #2 would be how does the bike feel when you cycle it - if it feels too big or too small, it probably is. If you have to reach too far to the handlebars then that will not be comfortable I don't think there is a huge difference in reach between adjacent sizes though.

If you find yourself between sizes and are not sure, then the general advice is to go for the smaller size. If the shop won't let you try out the bike, then find another shop.

Regarding the tyres, I guess it's personal preference. It's a question of what tyres are best suited to what you plan to do. I find the knobbly tyres seem like very hard work on the road, but then again I am used to a road bike. You can get tyres that are less knobbly and good for the road, but still have enough grip for occasional off-road use. I'd imagine that the faster you want to cycle on the road the more of an issue it would be. If you are doing fairly short distances and not in a rush then it won't matter.

As a plus, the Acid has a lockout on the fork so that helps a lot for on-road use, especially when going up hills.