Woooo Hoooo, from the second I threw my leg over the new Cube I was gobsmacked, it was just so stiff and taught that every ounce of energy and power was transmitted into forward motion. I have been around long enough to have ridden a fair few bikes, from custom built Roberts for our old road team in England to off the peg Specialized S-Works, but, I have never been on a rig like the Cube. To start with at 6.8kg with a set of Easton 90mm TT wheels it is light, and with some real light wheels would come out in the ultra light range. This light weight is not seen or felt between the fingers on this bike however, often with light bikes you can squeeze the tubes and see them move and this is a little worrying. You cannot squeeze these tubes as they are solid and you can just feel it as you ride this machine. This tube stiffness is helped and aided with a super oversized tapered steerer, humungous down-tube and massive bottom bracket. The amount of carbon in and around the BB is impressive and you just know that it is going to provide an uber stiff ride with little or no lateral deflection when cranking out the power. This massive BB is matched to small slender rear stays to allow for a little vertical compliance and a very impressive ride quality.

It amazes me how times have changed and a bike this stiff can be built to have such a great ride on the rough and tough dead roads of Australia. The way in which engineers can lay up the carbon to deliver such a ride is awesome, years ago we could get hold of very stiff aluminium bikes, but, they would be just smash you into pieces trying to ride them on anything other than super smooth roads.



Out on the road the Cube simply flies along and eats up the road going up or going down. I always do a little test with new bikes and take my hands off the bars at speed when going downhill (I am aware that this is dangerous so don’t try it unless you are confident in your bike handling) By doing this I can gauge the balance of the bike and so often I have felt that dreaded front wheel wobble as the balance or tracking of the bike is not quite 100%, no problems with the Cube, it is just super stable and predictable. This inspires confidence and the ability to just hammer the descents and hold great lines in the corners, it doesn’t dive in or drift out of the line it simply does exactly what it is told, oh happy days.

The arrival of the new Cubes imported by Monza will be a highlight of 2011 and it is great to see this big European brand hitting the shores of Australia, as one good friend said to me at the weekend after spending the last two years racing in Europe on both Specialized’s and Fuji’s

“If you are riding Cubes this year, then you are one lucky bugger”

Ha ha yes I am ;o)