Dan from Cube dropped off the Stereo 650b bike last Friday morning. Friday afternoon it had pedals on it and by Friday evening I was up the woods. I was still up the woods on Saturday and Sunday (I’d gone home for tea though) having a rather good time on this inbetween wheel sized bike.

I’ve ridden a few 29ers and found them efficient machines for getting around the trails but seemed to lack a bit of simple fun, they were 120mm bikes though. This 160mm 650b Cube Stereo on the other hand was fun out of the box (boom box?) lively, well balanced and playful, maybe because this was the medium 18″, at 6ft I could probably do with the 20″ anyway went uphill well and just wanted to go faster and faster on the descents. Was the wheel size helping out or was it just that this bike has good angles? Jones (Dirt tester, he’s actually out on the bike now) will hopefully tell us in a magazine feature soon. I’d like to ride this 650b 160mm back to back with a good 26″ 160mm machine to compare things but first impressions on the Stereo were bloody good.

The office scales have broken so no exact weights, the Cube webber says 12kg/26lbs, it certainly does feel light. And quiet too, even with a triple ring set up. Alas no ISCG tabs for a chain device if you wanted to go 1*10.

If you want one it’ll cost you £3999 (RRP).

More info over at www.cube.eu and stay tuned for some words and photos in the magazine soon too.

Any of you lot ridden any 650b machines? What did you think?

Up the Kymin before a night ride.

Carbon frame, Kashima coated Fox CTD bouncers, some internal cable routing and a black stealth finish all adds up to a neat looking machine.

She’s just itching to get up the woods.

How the Stereo looks on the website.

How it looks in the carpark at night between bays 6 and 5.