Review

Long Term Test: Cube Fritzz 160 HPA Pro 27,5″ Review

07.07.2014
by

Cube offers with the Fritzz 160 HPA Pro 27.5 a super interesting bike for a price of 1.999€. ENDURO long-term tester Flo has now completed several hundred kilometers on the Fritzz. We were very interested if the favorable Cube can convince us with good handling and whether the bike offers good durability.

Das Cube Fritzz 160 HPA Pro 27,5"; 13,8kg für 1.999 €
The Cube Fritzz 160 HPA Pro 27,5″; 13,8kg for 1.999 €

Specification & Changes

Already out of box, the Cube Fritzz makes a very solid impression, the parts are well thought through. We only had to retrofit the lack of a dropper seatpost and had to replace the 720mm narrow handlebar, a model with 760mm width. During testing, we also mounted a Bionicon C-Guide chain guide because the Shimano XT rear derailleur comes without the shadow+ technology, and lots of chain losses were the result.

Der Cube Fritzz Rahmen ist bereits für das Verlegen von Stealth Leitungen vorbereitet.
The Cube Fritzz frame is already prepared for stealth seatposts, so the installation of the RockShox Reverb was no problem.
Den Remote-Hebel der RockShox Reverb montierten wir auf der linken Seite neben dem Brems- und Schalthebel.
We mounted the remote lever the RockShox Reverb on the left side of the handlebar next to the brake and shift levers. Unfortunately because of the different manufacturers it was not possible to fit all the levers on just one clamp.
Am verbauten Manitou Radium Pro DC RL verkleinerte ENDURO Dauertester Flo das Luftvolumen. Dies sorgt für mehr Progression und verhindert so das Durchschlagen des Hinterbaus.
At the Manitou Radium Pro DC RL, our ENDURO longterm tester Flo reduced the air volume. This offers more progression and protects the rider from bottom outs.
Der Race Face Chester Vorbau macht einen soliden Eindruck und passt mit einer Länge von 50 mm nicht nur optisch gut zum Cube Fritzz.
The Race Face Chester stem makes a solid impression and fits with a length of 50 mm. Not only because of the good looks, which are perfect on the Cube Fritzz.
Die Bremspower der günstigen Formula C1 geht in Ordnung, leider mussten wir sie jedoch bereits mehrfach entlüften.
The braking power of the favorable Formula C1 is okay, but unfortunately we had to bleed the brake more than once, due to the fluctuating pressure point.
Die serienmäßig verbaute RockShox Pike RC Solo Air überzeugt mit super Ansprechverhalten und guten Dämpfungseigenschaften.
The standard built RockShox Pike RC Solo Air convinced with great response and good damping properties.
Die Schwalbe Hans Dampf Reifen bieten guten Grip und ermöglichen dank tubeless ready Karkasse die Montage ohne Schlauch.
The Schwalbe Hans Dampf tires provide pretty good grip and, thanks to the tubeless ready casing, they can be assembled without a tube.
An den Cube eigenen Laufrädern mussten wir zu Beginn einige Speichen nachziehen, seitdem laufen sie jedoch rund und zeigen sich resistent gegen Dellen und anderen Beschädigungen.
On the Cube brand wheels we had to tighten some spokes at the beginning, but since then they have been run around and shown their resistance to dents and other damage.

Handling

With a height of 174 cm Flo chose the Fritzz in frame size 18 “. The short top tube (586mm) and the steep seat angle (74.6 °) lead here to a central but compact seating position.
Uphill: Even in steep terrain the front wheel holds thanks to the geometry, which helps keep the wheel in contact with the ground. For maximum traction, both the Rockshox Pike as well as the Manitou Radium shock can almost get completely locked. On paved roads especially, so all the force is converted effectively. But if the Uphill is technically demanding and mixed with roots and rocks, the blocked suspension lacks traction. Instead of a complete lockout, we would prefer a pronounced compression damping, as other desired dampers on the market provide it.

Flo will es wissen und gibt dem Cube Fritzz bergab ordentlich die Sporen.
Flo is looking for the limits and hammers down the Cube Fritzz.

Downhill The rear suspension of the Fritzz is very comfortable and absorbs each small bumb smoothly. Even on just middle sized impacts the bike uses a lots of travel, but thanks to the effective rebound it gets offered back to the rider very fast. For a more progressive spring rate, we reduced the volume of the air chamber of the Manitou shock. This is specially interesting for advanced riders who wants a little bit more reserves on highspeed and big impacts.
This smooth response of the rear suspension is very comfortable, but lacks some feedback from the underground, the Fritzz prefers to absorb edges in the terrain as to use it as a kicker for playful maneuvers.

Die Mischung aus dem 120 mm Steuerrohr, dem Riser-Lenker und der stabil im Federweg stehenden RockShox Pike ergibt eine relativ hohe Front die speziell im steilen Gelände viel Sicherheit vermittelt.
The mixture of the 120 mm head tube, the riser bar and the stable standing high in the travel of the RockShox Pike gives the bike a relatively high front which offers a lot of security, especially in steep terrain.

The handling can be described as extremely balanced. The Fritzz is not particularly agile, yet the bike moves stolidly. Cube achieved this by combining relatively long 441.5 mm chainstays with a 66.5 ° steep steering angle. Thanks to this “conservative” geometry the bike sets changes of the direction willingly, but also didn’t act nervous at highspeed because of the lowering bottom bracket of 14mm. Only racers maybe want a lower head angle and thus a slightly longer wheelbase.

Das Cube Fritzz ist kein reinrassiges Racebike, überzeugt jedoch mit einer ausgewogenen Geometrie und gutmütigen Fahreigenschaften.
Cube proves that you can have a lot of fun with the Fritzz, even without a super flat head angle and super short chainstays. The balanced geometry and forgiving handling impress in almost any terrain.

Conclusion:

The Cube Fritzz 160 HPA Pro 27.5″ is, thanks to its low price of 1.999€, especially interesting for beginners, but also experienced riders who know how to appreciate the solid and predictable handling of the bike. According to some minor changes of the parts you will get a solid bike which is best equipped for almost all situations.

Whether the bike also cope with the stresses of a hard bike season you learn in the next part of our long-term tests and constantly updated in our timeline.

For more informations visit: cube.eu

Words & Pictures: Christoph Bayer

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