Cube must be listening to rider feedback, because the bike comes with a 720mm handlebar, which is a good width for this sort of bike. Even cross-country racers are going wide these days. I found the Syntace 100mm stem too long on this size bike so switched it to a 60mm and that transformed the ride, bringing the bars into a position that gave me more control and leverage.

Schwalbe’s Rapid Rob tyres in 2.25in width are a good choice for dry trails and provide a reasonably sized volume for attempting to take the harshness out of the frame. I played around with the tyre pressure, going softer and softer in pursuit of a bit of smoothness, eventually running them low enough to risk pinch flats. A tubeless tyre setup would be needed long-term. The Sun Ringle wheels on which they’re mounted stayed true through despite some hard riding, and the bearings are still going smooth. They’re carrying a bit of extra weight and this would be a prime area for an upgrade down the line.

As a package the Cube impresses, you get a solid and dependable build kit for the money with a decent weight, and there’s little you’d need to change from the get-go. I’d recommend a shorter stem a consideration early on to improve the ride performance. As a long-term investment the Cube offers plenty of upgrade potential as parts wear out, and you could easily chop some of the weight off it if you wanted.

Verdict

I wanted to love the Cube Reaction GTC Race 29, for it offers a quality package for a decent price. The part of me that loves racing savoured the stiff and fast responses of the frame, but it’s a harsh ride over rougher terrain and requires 100% commitment all of the time.

For racing and fast marathon riding it’s a phenomenal package, but for trail riders, there are better-suited carbon hardtails that offer a more balanced ride.

Pros

Light
Stiff
Good components package

Cons

Too stiff
Long stem

Price: £1,599
More information: Cube Reaction GTC Race 29

What Cube says:

A high performance carbon 29er hardtail with all the advantages of the bigger 29in wheels but as agile as a 26in bike. The oversized tube diameters of the head tube and the Press Fit bottom bracket guarantee optimum lateral stiffness.