In the last decade Western Europe has become a world force in terms of mountain bike brands. Within that area Germany has made a habit of providing us with some pretty exciting hardware, the YT range, Canyon, Last. Having already had considerable time on Cube’s Stereo I looked forward to sampling the latest downhill equipment from the company that produce slick, well presented bikes with excellent angles. Dan White promised us the first look on the Cube Two15 and was good as his word when he showed up with this striking new descender, a bike it’s said the Atherton’s had considered as a possible for the 2012 season…
From Dirt Issue 120 – February 2012
Words by Steve Jones. Photos by Steve Jones.
CHASSIS| Size | Wheelbase | Head Angle | Bottom Bracket | Chainstay | Front Centre | Standover | Bar | Weight |
| One | 46.7” | 63.5º | 13.6” | 16.85” | 29.85” | 30.5” | 760mm | 40.6lb |
The Cube boasts some hugely credible brands all round, from Syntace, Easton, FSA and Alex Supra rims. Gears come in direct and strong in the form of Shimano Saint along with the crankset. This would be our first ride on the Formula Oval brakes, but reunited with Muddy Mary’s, which appeared to be sporting a harder compound than ones we had previously ridden on Yeti team bikes. Overall then, a solid build needing little if any work prior to action.
Kashima fork, Kashima shock, it’s a rugged build by Fox matched by a solid suspension link–set that comprises a large number of pivot points – or ‘Triple Linkage Geometry’ in which two of the links control, via the third, the curves of the shock pivot points. Cube say that in this configuration they are able to have fine control of the curve of the damper compression. The long shock and low spring weight gives a good idea of this different approach.
There’s clearly some other detail that needs explaining apart from the ‘elaborative developed kinematics’ designed in sync with a properly tuned shock. FSP 4 link, a four–pivot chainstay construction aimed at eliminating the negative effect of braking; X12 through axle in which a cone is used to form a play–free connection and greater all round rigidity and simplicity. Cube are certainly not shy of playing the tech card, but how did it perform?>>
