A good trail bike should be light, fast and fun, and on paper the CUBE Stereo 140 C:62 SL looks like an amazing buy. At only 12.05 kg the Stereo lives upto its superlight ‘SL’ title, but can it punch above its weight on the trails?
Starting from the front it’s clear that the CUBE Stereo 140 C:62 SL is playing hardball. The full C:62 carbon frame looks beautifully finished and the 150 mm RockShox Pike RC Solo Air fork is always a test team favourite. The cockpit too screams strength, with the 50 mm Race Face Ride stem and 760 mm Race Face Ride bar using the new oversized 35 mm diameter. Rather basic SRAM Guide R brakes lack the contact point adjuster but provide good braking power. A SRAM X01 drivetrain is welcome at this price, as is the RockShox Reverb Stealth. The DT Swiss CSW AM wheels are light and direct, if a little flexy and the Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2.35 Trail Star and Rock Razor 2.35 Pace Star combo is a racy choice if you ride a lot in the dry.
All were impressed with the build quality and finish of the frame and even though the external cable routing ruins the clean lines a little, home mechanics will be delighted. On the trail the Cube was a popular bike with the test team. The wide 35 mm oversized bars and RockShox Pike RC fork add huge confidence to the front end really unlocking the CUBE’s potential when you are taking crazy lines in rocky terrain. All testers concluded that the CUBE Stereo 140 C:62 SL is a very fun bike to ride fast, with a lively and playful character that is both agile and confidence inspiring, and easy to exploit. The long top rocker give the suspension an active but taut feel that copes very well over big square hits and provides a very smooth ride over big rocks. We were impressed with the DT Swiss CSW AM wheels that held up to some serious abuse. We did find on long or hard descents the FOX DPS shock starts to lose its battle against heat and the rebound gets a little spiky, and on very steep trails the combination of a steep 67.5 degree head angle, relatively short top tube and low front end makes the bike feel a little less balanced.
Specifications of the CUBE Stereo 140 C:62 SL 27.5
Fork: RockShox Pike RC SoloAir 150 mm
Rear Shock: FOX Float DPS
Brakes: SRAM Guide R
Drivetrain: SRAM X01
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth
Stem: Race Face Ride 35
Handlebar: Race Face Ride 35
Wheelset: DT CSW AM 2.7 27.5″
Tires: Schwalbe Hans Dampf/Rock Razor
Weight: 12.05 kg
Price: € 3,999
While the Schwalbe Hans Dampf and Rock Razor tires were brutally fast in the dry, they became a bit of a handful in the wet, and we would like to see a more suitable tire choice on such a good all rounder. On fast and flowing trails we really liked the CUBE’s handling and the Agile Trail Geometry ‘ATG’ is well named, a shock with more guts would really unlock this bikes performance.
Conclusion
The CUBE Stereo 140 C:62 SL is a great all rounder, light stiff and efficient. It would make a great bike for long Alpine trails and all-day epics. The full carbon frame screams quality and the well chosen components provide an excellent ride.
+ Beautiful C:62 carbon frame
+ Agile and playful
– Performance FOX Shock feels outgunned
More information you can get at the Cube website.
[/emaillocker]For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: Battle of the super powers: 9 of the best trail bikes in comparison
All bikes in test: Canyon Spectral CF 9.0 EX | Giant Trance Advanced 1 | Specialized Stumpjumper 650B | Radon Slide 140 Carbon | Ibis Mojo 3 | SCOTT Genius 710 Plus | Whyte T130 C | Yeti SB 4.5c
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