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2016 Cube Mountain Bikes – Upgraded carbon Stereos, prototype fat bike & 27.5″ TWO15 DH bike

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2016 Cube Stereo 160mm enduro mountain bike

Alongside Cube’s 2016 road bike introduction were their new and updated mountain bikes, bringing the high-end C68 carbon construction to the dirt.

Called HPC (high performance carbon), the Stereo models will get a two new carbon front triangle bolted to their alloy rear triangle. The high end one is called C68, which uses a squarer fiber strand, which reduces the amount of resin needed to fill in the space between round strands. The result is the same strength but using 68% carbon versus resin compared to a normal frame with ratios as low as 40% fiber to resin. The other frame type is C62 (62% fiber), plus an alloy model that saves about 400g compared to the prior alloy model by using thinner, lighter tubes and linkages with all excess material removed.

They also add nano particles to the C68’s resin, which stops cracks or delaminations between layers from spreading. Translation: better impact resistance.

The new Stereo bikes will come in a 120mm travel 29er, a 140mm with both 27.5 and 29er wheel sizes, and the 160mm 27.5 bike shown above. The 27.5″ 140 and 160 bikes get a Boost 148mm spaced rear end but standard forks, the 29er gets a Boost 29er fork, too (the differences in spec are due solely to availability of compatible parts).

2016 Cube Stereo 160mm enduro mountain bike

The Stereo 160 gets a shorter 436mm rear end (5mm shorter than before) that goes from a constant leverage ratio to slightly progressive.

2016 Cube Stereo 160mm enduro mountain bike

They say that since the new Fox shocks work better with a higher leverage ratio, they changed it from 2.6:1 to about 2.8:1, which let them use a shorter stroke shock to get the same travel and maintain the same system weight as before.

2016 Cube Stereo 160mm enduro mountain bike

One of the more interesting rear brake hose routings we’ve seen.

2016 Cube Stereo 160mm enduro mountain bike

Head angle slackens to 66° from last year’s 66.5°.

They shortened the seat tube about 40mm to improve stand over height, which also lets shorter riders run dropper posts low enough that they fit well when fully extended. But, there’s still enough tube that dropper posts will install high enough for taller riders, too.

2016 Cube Stereo 160mm enduro mountain bike

It also gets an ISCG05 mount and Di2 ports with a battery container near the BB under the armor plating. This one is team replica, other colors will be available.

2016 Cube Stereo 120mm trail mountain bike

The Stereo 120 gets a slightly progressive suspension and all new geometry with steeper seat angle, slacker head angle and longer reach.

2016 Cube Stereo 120mm trail mountain bike

It’s also updated with a Sideswing port…

2016 Cube Stereo 120mm trail mountain bike

…with all cables, hoses and wires run internally through the downtube.

Not shown, the new Stereo 140 29er gets shorter rear end and more progressive suspension to make it more playful and responsive. Only available in carbon.

And yes, Cube is working on a 27.5+ version. Look for a 150mm Stereo model coming with Boost all around and a 441mm rear end.

2016 Cube Two15 SL 275 downhill mountain bike

If Enduro isn’t fast enough for you, the new Two15 SL DH bike gets more progressive and 27.5″ wheels…and it gets a LOT lighter. Hydroforming on tubes all around and hollowed out forged parts save weight, plus a much more simplified rocker arm suspension design with a shorter shock save more than 1,000 grams!

2016 Cube Two15 SL 275 downhill mountain bike

Geo has a steeper seat angle and 12mm longer reach.

2016 Cube Two15 SL 275 downhill mountain bike

 

The bike ships with a 63° head angle using spacers on the top of the head tube, but can use an Angleset to get up to 1.5° slacker without changing any other geometry figures other than front center and wheelbase.

2016 Cube Two15 SL 275 downhill mountain bike

Suspension kinematics change to have 9% progressivity compared to the 26″ model’s flat curve. Double sets of bearings on the upper and lower main pivots, with external cover plate. They look small, but they’re big on the inside. Their old multilinkage design was done to create a nearly constant leverage ratio. But with the move to a more progressive design, this rocker arm layout saved a lot of weight. Rear uses a 157mm rear axle.

2016 Cube Two15 SL 275 downhill mountain bike

The shock will get a carbon shock fender that Velcros to the piggy back reservoir. Designed around the Fox DHX2, but will fit their air shocks and the Cane Creek Double Barrels.

2016 Cube Two15 SL 275 downhill mountain bike

Cable routing is now completely internal, with only the brake hose popping out and running externally along the bottom of the chainstay. Weight without pedals as shown was 15.4kg, with tubes, but production bikes will get a carbon seatpost.

2016 Cube prototype fat bike

A Cube fat bike is coming, and it’ll also be available as an e-bike.

2016 Cube prototype fat bike

Geo is based on their Reaction alloy 29er, so it’s meant to shred. It’ll only be spec’d with suspension forks, because they don’t like the feel of rigid forks…suspension is just more fun!

2016 Cube prototype fat bike

Sideswing compatibility and a 121mm PFBB surround a protruding direct mount front derailleur (or chain guide) mount.

2016 Cube prototype fat bike

Rear axle uses the wide 197mm standards.

2016 Cube prototype fat bike

Fits up to 26×4.8, but will ship with custom 4.5″ Schwalbe Jumbo Jims to comply with EU clearance safety regulations in the fork.

 

Cube.eu

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Dustin
Dustin
8 years ago

A fatbike ebike? Hope they are calling it the “Murcia”

scentofreason
scentofreason
8 years ago

Have a cube carbon hardtail. Wonderful bike. Just to bad I had to buy it out of Great Britain. When will Cube come to the States????

Smokestack
Smokestack
8 years ago

2.8:1 leverage ratios? Ask Rocky, Transition, & Norco how well that worked for the dampers on their bikes back in the early 2000’s.

Vengista
Vengista
8 years ago

Nice brake hose,branches will love it.

Craig
Craig
8 years ago

@Smokestack. Early 2000’s were almost 15 years ago now. Shock technology has improved somewhat since then…

Raphael
Raphael
8 years ago

Just like many 2015 cube stereos the screw for the dérailleur hanger is missing. (Second pic from top). Which means if you take off your rear wheel the hanger will fall off. Nice attention to detail. pathetic to see on a show model.

Steven
Steven
8 years ago

@Raphael. Not sure if you are just trolling but it clearly looks like the derailleur hanger is integrated into the thru axle dropout. See the big threaded hole? Now do you see the little threaded hole next to it. Surely that is how the derailleur hanger connects to the inside of the frame and surely it won’t jut fall off when you remove the wheel…

Raphael
Raphael
8 years ago

Not trolling. I’ve built many of these up and it’s definitely missing a scre. The small hole next to where the axle is threaded is meant to hold a small screw.

Raphael
Raphael
8 years ago

Zoom into the stereo 120 and you’ll see a silver screw.

Smokestack
Smokestack
8 years ago

@Craig, thermal expansion properties of suspension oil and thermal wear properties of seals haven’t changed much though. Shaft velocities on those dampers will cause premature wear of all seals due to heat build up.

Vincent R
Vincent R
8 years ago

Can we have more info on the 140mm 29er ?
chainstay ? Cable routing ? Geo ?

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