Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 Review | A Powerful, Plush and Top Value e-Enduro Bike

[@z33r0now3]

Got the 140 action team model, preordered in December last year here in Germany, got it in may this year. After 1500km and a vacation in southern Tyrol I have to say I am completely satisfied with my purchase. Had zero issues and zero maintenance to do apart from cleaning. The ride quality is superb on 29ers, the suspension, brakes and tire combination is confidence inspiring, and the motor is just so much fun uphill. In Meran I got a range of about 65km with 2000m elevation, in Munich where I reside I regularly get 110km range on a charge.

[@deusvult44]

Das ging aber schnell mit der "Wartezeit" - wo hast DU bestellt bzw. gekauft ???

[@z33r0now3]

@@deusvult44 Rabe Bikes Cubestore in Feldkirchen bei München

[@deusvult44]

@@z33r0now3 ..Das ging ja schnell; Ich habe ein 140 AT anfang November 21 ! beim CubeStore Simmerath (Eifel) geordert, immer noch nicht da :(... Saison ist jetzt auch bald vorbei ....

[@z33r0now3]

@@deusvult44 Das ist übel…

[@jamesporter8987]

I have just ordered the same bike.... I hope you are still happy... I can't wait to get riding

[@robinmorgan-jones8767]

Nice to see a review willing to point out some of the bad points on a bike. Seems like a very honest review.

[@RealSouljah]

Owned one of these too and i just love it! A real beast on the trail.

[@slypanda3655]

That happen to my headset cap too! I was shocked to find such an integral part was made of plastic

[@WilliamrikerNCC1701]

Rocking the 27.5 wheels, awesome! So many people these days just want the absolute fastest to plow through anything (29” both, or mullet), but give up the ‘nimbility’, as PB likes to call it. I ride an ebike with 27.5 wheels and it’s just so much fun. I suppose i could maybe plow through a bit more chop slightly faster with a 29 on front, but who cares, we’re not all racing like our lives depend on it.

[@EvilChem1st]

Once again great review! Would be interesting to see the review of Stereo Hybrid 140, as it is a more of an all-arounder, that would suit a wider vatiety of riders. If you get a chance , of course 😊

[@lee2569]

Owned one of these in the UK for nearly 3 months now and it's an absolute beast. The Float X shock on the rear which was new for this year I believe in the Fox range, is a real gem. I even prefer it over the X2 for use on a EMTB as it offers more support but is not far at all off the performance and plushness of the X2.

[@G4RY1159]

what price was it please ?

[@enricofiori7797]

Ho un AT 140 e l’ho mullettizzata. Sostituito forcella con fox 38 grip2 170 con cartuccia aria da 160 per non alzare troppo l’anteriore, ammortizzatore formula mod a molla. Angolo sterzo è 63,5, un mostro in discesa, nessun problema in salita. Stabile ed esprime sicurezza. Non capisco perché cube non faccia queste modifiche. Complimenti al servizio, molto interessante.

[@gmbmedia28]

Love the New Intro. Awesome review as always. Waiting for the Merida One Sixty and One Forty review 🤙🍻🤙

[@eGazTheFirstAustralian]

I think is suitable, remembering there are many who don't want to go tubeless. All those things even you mentioned here cost a bomb and Cube is doing its best to offer high quality at a price affordable to all. If you also want tubeless, just add it.

[@rodmorrison2701]

Just want to add a PS, I had to wait 19 months for my presant bike here in Germany, it was still worth that wait, last week I put in an order for the 2024 CUBE, an Actionteam model as the 2023 models have been all ordered out for this particular shops allocation from CUBE of these medium models. The only thing I was not overly happy about was the only one available to me was a 29er = 140A....I can live with that.

[@barberboyz]

Hi, what size do you recommend for the 29 inch actionteam? I am 1.77, inseam 85…. thanks 🙏

[@53glowe]

Top review...impressive. Presenter is excellent 🙂👍

[@TheBoneyardWrangler]

Love this bike but by all my efforts to buy one they’re impossible to buy any Cube Stereo Hybrid in Australia. 99 Bike only but zero stock 😢

[@RealSouljah]

Buy it in germany!

[@rodmorrison2701]

Hi Will, good to find you on or in a Flow KZbin set up, you use to be my mechanic at My Mountain, good to see also you have kept your values, I am in Germany and have the very bike here that you have just reviewed, it IS an awesome bike and makes light work of the downhills as too the climbs. There is one thing that I did come across that happened to me that might interest you, not a major thing at all I am sure. The stoppers for the handlebars are within the headtube, this is supposed to stop the bars from spinning, IF you do happen to come off and the bars do try to spin those stoppers may move about within the headtube and you would end up with possibly a lopsided L&R turning circle. The other thing is the Kiox I have here, is situated on the handlebar and is out of the way of everything, as for the cluster of the handlebars I have used thick tubing, (light and easy to slip over the hand grips) when I have a need to upend the bike. A very good honest review, thanks Will.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Nice one Rod, great to hear from you after all these years! And appreciate the feedback on the review and you passing on your experience of owning the Stereo 160. That's a good point about the Acros headset and steering limiter - I hadn't encountered that issue myself. Crazy to hear how long you had to wait for your current bike, though an indication of the state of the bike industry over the past two years. Hope you continue enjoying your bike mate, and thanks again for watching and for getting in touch! [Wil]

[@griffmtb]

Will always with a new hairdo, keeping us on our toes :)

[@Emtbtoday]

Just bought the 160 action team in a large its amazing fit4 is absolutely fantastic on it than grip2 easy to upgrade if you really wanted to but you don't need to its beautiful alot nicer than the previous frames with the motor replacement now level the 2024 version I have they have seen to alot of these issues with the plastics now perfect fit and silent chain gaurd doesn't move atoll need to force it up alot better also decal placement and some decals removed looks alot cleaner

[@garethbennett6200]

I have just brought one.

[@audifrik]

Looking for my first e-bike to buy, and this is one of the bikes i'm looking for. Also looking at trek rail 9.8, specialized turbo levo comp alloy and scott patreon. I have only testet a scott genius for a weekend before I decided to buy my own. Any suggestions wich bike to buy?

[@asifitmatters1]

Not Cube!!! Anything but Cube. On paper it looks like an amazing deal but in reality it’s nowhere close to other brands in terms of frame/suspension performance. It’s basically a supermarket brand. There is a reason that it has its own Cube stores and that’s because it’s really hard to get dealers to stock these things with other brands.

[@steves365]

Well, every brand has its plus and minus points. As with trek a loose battery while driving. Cube is good bike for the money. Unless your pockets are deeper and just a bike of $10k can buy.

[@audifrik]

@@steves365 i just bought a scott strike as good as new for less money than a cube. Had it for about 1.5 month now, and happy with the bike so far. Dreaming of building a pole bike within 1-2 years mayby.

[@jasonbull179]

Hi Will, can you please say where you did the testing.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Bunch of different locations through Central Victoria - Bendigo, Harcourt, Castlemaine and Maldon. Bit of a combination of smoother, purpose-built trails and more natural, rugged singletrack. [Wil]

[@billmarriott6918]

There does not appear to be any grommet or boot over the cables routed through the stem - so what happens when you ride in the rain or wash your new bike? Where does the water dripping into the headset go? What's to keep it from forming a puddle over the lower headset bearing?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

This is the problem with most of the bikes out there with internal headset cable routing - the holes in the top cap provide another opening for moisture and dirt to make their way into the bearings, which doesn't make a lot of sense on a mountain bike that's going to be ridden in all conditions. Some of these new headset designs are coming with additional bearing shields to provide protection against contaminants, and in the case of the Scott Spark that I had on test for around 9 months, those shields seemed to do the job well. The new Canyon Lux World Cup is also coming with those fancy CeramicSpeed SLT bearings that are supposed to be the ducks nuts, and will likely be spec'd on many of these bikes that feature headset cable routing. Still, I'd just rather a conventional headset with proper sealing in the first place, and the cables to route through the frame. It's just easier to live with when it comes to replacing a gear cable, adjusting the stem position, and cleaning out the headset bearings. Sadly, I think we might be fighting a losing battle on that one - it sounds like many other brands will be introducing new models with this routing method in the near future! [Wil]

[@billmarriott6918]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin I agree - it does not make sense on a bike that will get wet. Have you seen any official maintenance steps to deal with the headset getting wet every time it rains? Perhaps modified service schedule for stem routing? Or do Cube just ignore this in the user manual?

[@a.kolokotronis]

what are the widest tyres i can fit to this bike? im sure the fork can handle up to 2.8, what about the rear? thanks

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I'm pretty sure 2.6in is the widest you'd want to go in the rear. There's good clearance, but if you went much wider on the tyre I think you'd run the risk of rubbing the frame. [Wil]

[@a.kolokotronis]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin thank you!

[@wilko2907]

I’ve changed my fork to 29er grip2 best thing I’ve done to this bike now it’s a beast 😈 Hope pro5 wheel set Swapped to sram eagle xx1 shifters and mech 34” chain ring 9-52 cassette ethirteen 160 cranks Aluminum bar less vibration Raceface stem and top cap ( not that plastic garbage) Love it now ❤

[@Mark70dsf]

Do I understand that right? You changed your front weel from 27.5 to 29, making the 160 a mullet bike? Does that not change the whole geometry?

[@danielparkinson4315]

Where is the trails you filmed this video. Like the look of them.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Hey Daniel! We shot this review mostly at the Harcourt MTB Park and around Bendigo in Central Victoria. [Wil]

[@paulholyoak]

Would be nice if there were any in Australia.... Not due until June 2023....

[@sandycarmichael31]

Great review as always Wil. One thing I was wondering was do you think the advantages of a bike like this in terms of agility, handling and exuberance to get airborne would be better served going to a lighter weight package such as seen in Orbea Rise or Trek Fuel EXe rather than going "full fat" (hate that term) and trying to shoe horn it into the Enduro category, when it is never going to be a capable on enduro tracks as full 29" or mullet set up? I guess given the partnership between Cube and Bosch this isn't a reality as Bosch don't have a light weight or detuned motor yet- do you think there will ever be a market for light-weight, long travel 27.5" eMTBs?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

That's a really good question Sandy! It's hard to answer, because the e-MTB market is evolving so rapidly, and it's also drawing in a lot of newer riders to the sport that may have different preferences/desires compared to the longer term trends we've seen in the regular mountain bike market. However, I don't think we'll see a lightweight e-MTB with dual 27.5in wheels - it feels like the market is moving exclusively to 29ers and mullet setups, not just for lightweight e-MTBs, but across most categories (Santa Cruz and Specialized being key examples). I also think it can't be that far away before Bosch develops a low-powered drive system, and I'd love to see how that would compare to the current motors across the Levo SL, Fuel EXe and Rise. Time will tell! As for the Stereo 160, there's still a market for 27.5in wheels. This particular bike hits an interesting balance where it suits more experienced/aggro riders wanting maximum agility from a full-powered e-MTB, but equally it's a great option for newer riders wanting a bike that's comfortable, powerful and easy to ride. It's probably the riders in the middle (like myself) who will find it less appealing, and will likely prefer a mullet or 29in setup. Those same riders tend to be better candidates for the lightweight e-MTB category too. That was quite a drawn out answer, but hopefully it answers some of your question. Either way, certainly a lot of innovation and development going on in this space, and surely some cool things to come in the future! [Wil]

[@cyclefactoryuk]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Good review Wil, I've been riding one of these for a month or so. Absolute beast of a bike! I've been on full 29 enduro bikes for 8 years and moved to an Evil mullet earlier this year and love it! I did wonder how I'd find a full 27 but ebikes are totally different experience anyway. Initially at speed I noticed less gyro forces through the bars and in turn more gentle input was required. Thats been it though really the bike risp up and down Calderfornia :-) Cant wait to do a couple of races on it next year if we still have it.

[@haydenjarmey1380]

I have mulleted mine👌🏻👍🏻

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Nice one! How does it ride compared to the full 27.5 setup Hayden? [Wil]

[@haydenjarmey1380]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin really really good!! I run the new zeb ultimate and axs shifting on it also 👍🏻👌🏻

[@Raumance]

Would've bought this but why the hell would you put a fit damper on this. Plastic cap? Inners not tubeless?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

It's a shame because Cube has gotten a lot right on this bike - the tyre spec in particular shows great attention to detail. [Wil]

[@stevesracingbits]

How tall are you if your running a medium in this bike

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I'm 175cm tall and typically ride a Medium in most brands. If you're interested, we have more detail about sizing, geometry and setup in the full review here: flowmountainbike.com/tests/cube-stereo-hybrid-160-review-2022/ Hope that helps! [Wil]

[@EdzashedFudwinkle]

Just been offered a 160 for £5k, and I know nothing about them, fella says it's worth £8k, but unsure. How fast do these badboys cruise at, a full days riding in it or what.

[@AdamGdoesFPV]

You can get them for about £5k brand new if you order online from Germany. In a shop in the UK I expect you'd pay around 7k. A full day riding it depends on what mode you ride, terrain, your weight etc. I just did 3 hours trail riding on my Cube with a 625 battery using Tour+ mode most of the time, covered 45km/28miles and my elevation gained was 1,248m/4,100ft. At the end I had 15% battery left from a full charge. Hope that helps.

[@Gshekela]

I prefer 27.5 inch all the time

[@lakaldrak]

Not a Fan of the 3 color Combination. I think a black fork would fit perfekt.

[@nickstevens3139]

Love the orange!

[@lakaldrak]

@@nickstevens3139 yes me too. Just Not the Rest cause IT doesnt Match at all.

[@martind.6208]

I thought the same and thought about to change it if i ordered it. Then i "changed" it first with Photoshop. ;) Orange looks so much better!!! :)

[@nickwightman3735]

I wasn't even aware that the Fox 38 Factory was available with a Fit4 damper

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Same here - it wasn't until the Scott Patron turned up that I realised Fox made a 38 with a FIT4 damper and lockout! [Wil]

[@wilko2907]

Fox don’t sell them separately

[@saeedtavakkoli6687]

hi wil how are you ? thanks for you

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

He there Saeed! I stand at 175cm tall. Our testers ranged from 172-176cm, and according to Cube's sizing recommendations, all of us were recommended to ride the Medium size. I'd be curious to try out the Large to see how the bike would handle with a longer reach, but unfortunately the seat tube gets much longer on the Large, which meant I wouldn't have been able to fit it with my saddle height. [Wil]

[@igormarinkovic1531]

Its nice until you need to pay to service it😅

[@glynnb6572]

Wil I love the reviews but these bikes are going to be miles out of the average riders price range. Should do more in the average punters range. And who is paying 10.5+ grand for this unit when you point out how cheap it looks and sounds with the guards coming loose. And the headset issues. That cheap plastic chain guard is embarrassing at this price point- I had that on a marlin 7!! Not a 11 grand ebike. These are issues you/we shouldn't have to worry about at this price imo.

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback Glynn! As someone on a bicycle journalist's wage and who can afford very few of the bikes we review, I'd normally agree with you. Then again, I'm continually surprised at just how many S-Works Levos and Kenevo SLs we see being ridden at various riding destinations across the country - and those bikes are literally double the price of this Cube! The good news is that the models below this one share an identical frame, motor, battery, geometry and suspension design. Hopefully folks who are looking at those models will find this review useful when it comes to the handling, suspension and motor performance. For that reason, we typically don't go too deep on spec in our reviews, though in this case I did because the value for money is especially noteworthy. We recently tested a Scott Patron, which has a similar level of components to this Cube, but sells for $5K more. It's a similar story with Trek, Specialized and even Giant. Now, whether these bikes should cost over $10K is a whole other discussion. We could also talk about how people buy Ford Rangers for $80K, or BMWs and Mercedes, but then as someone who's never spent more than $7K on a car I probably shouldn't get into that discussion ;-) [Wil]

[@glynnb6572]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin hahaha same here. I find your reviews more than helpful. Tbh they have me now choosing between the norco sight or the polygon n9 as they always pop up when i look for reviews on new bikes i fancy.. and if I can wait.. I'm tempted by the sight vlt or the polygon bromo. Again from stuff I have read from you. Quick question and I appreciate you prob can't be too direct! When I have been on reddit to get riders opinions, I've read on and off that cube can have issues with frame quality.. is that something you have come across in your time? Ps: I'm constantly amazed at how many people have super expensive bikes, either a lot of people doing very nicely or a lot of credit cards getting regular hammerings :)

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

I can't say I've had a tonne of experience with Cube, so I've limited experience with general frame and long-term durability. We put our test bikes through a heap of riding, but of course there's only so much we can do within a few weeks - especially compared to someone who owns one and is riding it nearly every day in all conditions. I will say that I wasn't impressed with the cheap plastic furnishings on this particular bike (headset, chainguide, downtube armour etc), but there were no glaring issues we encountered otherwise with the carbon frame or suspension pivots. The overall ride quality was great, and it's made me quite interested in checking out some of Cube's non-e bikes. The Stereo 150 looks pretty rad, especially in that Actionteam model. Still a lot of cash, but again it's not far off being half the price of an equivalent Trek/Specialized! [Wil]

[@glynnb6572]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin thanks for both in depth replies mate. Much appreciated.

[@sandycarmichael31]

@@glynnb6572 I own a 2017 Cube Reaction GTC (it was my gateway ride into mtb), admittedly a hardtail but similar carbon front triangle, alloy chain and seat stays, no problems with frame durability 4 years on, despite riding it down rougher stuff than it was intended for. It was the out-dated geo, limited range of applications and stiff, teeth rattling ride quality not the frame build quality that had me looking to upgrade

[@camperp195]

Trouble with cubes is wheelsets are crap,i just bought a 2023 stereo hybrid 140 race e mtb,I immediately got decent wheels built with hope pro 4 hubs and dt swiss fr541 rims,newmen components are utter rubbish

[@asifitmatters1]

Cube has always been crap and will remain it. The only reason anyone buys a Cube is either because it’s their first bike and they are very influenced by price or it’s because they are so simple minded that when they see some kashima and compare to a proper brand they think that they are getting a great deal. The reality of Cube is that it’s a completely wooden ride, these are bikes for those who like to stand around talking about the merits of 1.5 psi more in your shock and how Titanium bolts on your brake rotors have been a real game changer, but on the trail when faced with a two foot step have to dismount and say things like “omg I totally forgot that that was there, would have so taken it, just got distracted. next run…” or “I have to warm up my tires first” or “you don’t jump with a Camelbak. It’s just too dangerous…”.

[@McStoolio]

^^ is this the most bitter and twisted twisted commet on the internet? What a douche.