CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC in Review

The brand new CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC is said to meet the requirements of the most demanding enduro riders. The spec sheet of the € 7,999 carbon bike reflects this claim, but can it keep its promise on the trail?

Click here for an overview of the best eMTB 2020 group test.

With the change to the new generation Bosch Performance Line CX motor, CUBE have completely redeveloped their Stereo range. The € 7,999 flagship CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC features a carbon main frame and 625 Wh battery, which is cunningly integrated into the down tube. The soft material of the battery cover and the sophisticated internal cable routing keep everything nice and quiet. Further features such as the magnetic cover for the charging port or the specially developed Kiox bracket show that CUBE have paid careful attention to the integration of the Bosch system by bypassing some of its weaknesses. Unfortunately, they didn’t go quite as far for the speed sensor and still rely on the troublesome spoke magnet. The colour and design of the approximately 23 kg CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 are consistent throughout, from the grips to the tires, making a high-quality impression. CUBE have specced only the best components and we especially liked the focus on maximum trail performance for the tires, brakes and suspension without making compromises merely to save weight.

Components, weight and technical details of the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC

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Geometry and size of the CUBE

The geometry table of the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 looks promising at first: slack head angle, tall front end and sufficient reach. However, CUBE are still stuck in the old way of determining frame sizes by the length of the seat tube and the size L with a reach of 460 mm has a 470 mm long seat tube. If you want to ride a longer bike, you will quickly be limited by the 520 mm long seat tube of the next larger frame size (480 mm reach).

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	375 mm	420 mm	470 mm	520 mm
Top Tube	568 mm	590 mm	613 mm	638 mm
Head tube	105 mm	112 mm	122 mm	142 mm
Head angle	65.0°	65.0°	65.0°	65.0°
Seat angle	75.5°	75.5°	75.5°	75.5°
Chainstays	442 mm	442 mm	442 mm	442 mm
BB Drop	13 mm	13 mm	13 mm	13 mm
Wheelbase	1,183 mm	1,206 mm	1,230 mm	1,259 mm
Reach	420 mm	440 mm	460 mm	480 mm
Stack	598 mm	605 mm	614 mm	632 mm

The CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC on the trail

The comfortable and central pedalling position on the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 makes long rides on flat terrain and forest roads a joy. However, the rear suspension tends to sag excessively on steep climbs and the front wheel wants to lift off the ground. Despite this, the 27.5″ front wheel often gets hung up on obstacles. However, since the thick casing of the rear tire can be run at low pressure without the risk of punctures, the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 offers plenty of grip and will rarely spin out when used in conjunction with Bosch’s eMTB mode. Nevertheless, it still takes an active riding style on the climbs, requiring you to weight the front of the bike to keep up with the best climbers in the test field.

The CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC can’t compete with the top-performing bikes in the test field!

The componentry, design and marketing of the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 scream of a hard-hitting bike for the toughest tracks, but it’s far from it! Despite the long travel, the suspension bottoms out easily on hard hits. There isn’t enough support for an active riding style: when popping off obstacles, pumping over rollers or through corners, most of your energy gets absorbed by the suspension. Instead of a hard hitter, the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC is a comfortable and forgiving eMTB for relaxed rides and moderate trail use. It corners well at slower speeds where the balanced weight distribution generates a lot of grip on both wheels.

The handling of the Stereo Hybrid 160 is relaxed and comfortable at slower speeds and in less demanding terrain, whether you’re going up or downhill.

Tuning tip: volume spacers in the shock | longer travel dropper post, inseam length and insertion depth allowing

Conclusion

Instead of being an eMTB for racers on demanding enduro tracks, the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC is more suitable for riders who like taking in the scenery. The bike is well-specced but the undefined performance of its suspension won’t convince aggressive riders.

You can find out more about the CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC at cube.eu.

The test field

You can find everything you need to know about our test for the best eMTB of 2020 right here!

All bikes in test: BULLS SONIC EVO AM 6 | Cannondale Moterra 1 | Canyon Spectral:ON 9.0 | COMMENCAL META POWER 29 TEAM 2020 | CONWAY XYRON 927 Carbon | CUBE Stereo Hybrid 160 HPC | FANTIC XF1 180 Race | FOCUS JAM² 9.9 DRIFTER | Giant Reign E+ 0 Pro | Haibike XDURO Nduro 10.0 | Liteville 301 CE MK1 | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 10K | Moustache Samedi 27 Trail | Norco Range VLT C1 | NOX Hybrid Enduro 7.1 | Orbea WILD FS M-LTD | Pivot Shuttle 29 | Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition | ROTWILD R.X750 ULTRA | SIMPLON Rapcon Pmax | Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert | Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo | Trek Rail 9.9 | Whyte E-180 RS V1 | YT DECOY CF Pro Race

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Words: Felix Stix, Robin Schmitt, Jonas Müssig Photos: Finlay Anderson, Robin Schmitt, Felix Stix, Markus Frühmann