TESTED: Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC SLX 750 e-bike

Cube are a German cycling powerhouse with an incredibly deep range of e-bikes. Germans were one of the early adopters of e-bikes along with many other European countries, so it makes sense that most European manufacturers have seemingly limitless options of e-bikes when you peruse their websites. Cube are only sold at 99 Bikes here in Australia, and their product team pick and choose the models that suit our riders and our trails the best.

Last year I tested the Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC Pro. It was incredible value at $7499, but did leave me wanting a little in a few areas, specifically the fork, tyres and frame geometry. The model on test has a near identical product name, but the Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC SLX 750 has some important differences. The big one is the upgrade to Bosch Smart System, which brings many advantages I'll cover later, but it also includes a 750Wh battery. Just about every brand that moved to a 750Wh battery needed to update their frame's geometry for the larger battery. So the Cube has gained some much needed reach, with my large test bike moving to 473mm from 457mm on the model I tested last year. This is the same sort of change that Trek have adopted on the Trek Rail models that use the Bosch Smart System, as tested by Anna Beck earlier this year. Most parts on this Cube are a higher spec than what I tested last year, and as such this bike sells for $9299, although Club 99 members will pay $8499.00. Not bad seeing membership is free.

Tester: Mike Blewitt
Riding Experience: Enough to be the boss.
Generally Rides: Factor Lando XC, Trek Fuel EX
Height: 178cm
Weight: 72kg
Bike Test Track: Brisbane's best bits.

Cube call the Stereo Hybrid 140 their 'trail hunter', which in my mind means it's meant to be ridden all day, seeking out some fun trails and adventure. With a 150/140mm travel split and carbon main frame, the Cube goes up against bikes like the Giant Trance X E+ Advanced E+ 2 at $9999, which has a slightly larger battery at 800Wh, and a burlier fork, but it is around $1000 more.

Initial Impressions

The Cube is fully bad ass black, which some will like. It's a neatly finished frame, with a carbon fiber front triangle and alloy swing arms. The frame has internal routing for the cable outers, wires and brake hose, plus these run into the top of the headset below the stem. From a maintenance standpoint I'm not a big fan of this industry move – but it is neater, and given an eMTB has a few more cables to manage, it is nice to have a neater front yard. There's room for a water bottle in the main triangle, and there's lots of standover height.

This model bumps the fork travel to 150mm compared to the 140mm on the previous model I tested, and along with the longer reach Cube have steepened the seat angle to 75.5 degrees, and the head angle remains at 66 degrees. The chain stays are a reasonably long 457mm, except on the small which are shorter thanks to that frame size using 27.5" wheels. Cube have used a UDH and a Boost, so it's completely up to modern standards and will accept an upgrade to SRAM's Transmission group sets, or any coming drivetrains that mount the rear derailleur directly to the frame.

A big part of that modernisation is the Bosch Smart System e-bike drive unit and parts. One of the changes you don't really see is how plug and play the system is. This means you can remove the KIOX display if you don't like it, and just use the LED indicators on the LED remote mode selector. You can even opt to use your phone as a head unit, or just keep it on hand to adjust any modes or even lock your bike. That's right, via the Bosch Flow app you can securely lock the bike, complete with a car alarm locking and unlocking sound! The app also allows you to see your real time range for the mode you're using, and you can update the firmware on the system wirelessly.

The Newman wheels have fast rolling hubs and a 30mm wide internal width. They have a narrow gorilla tape rim tape but I fitted 30mm Muc-Off tubeless tape and my own valves, and with the Tubeless Easy Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres they inflated tubeless… easily. Kudos to Cube for speccing the Super Trail casing, and a harder wearing rear tyre and softer front. But a $9000 bike should have tubeless tape and a valve kit as stock.

Suspension wise, Cube have got a 150mm travel eMTB specific Fox Float 34 Rhythm on the front and a Float DPS EVOL Performance shock on the rear. As a trail bike running 150/140mm front to rear, I expected Cube may spec a Fox 36, and I wasn't sure if the 34 would feel underdone. Cube's suspension path on the frame is quite linear, to work well with an air spring's inherent ramping characteristics while still being quite supple over small bumps.

The cockpit is mostly house brand style equipment, and while I'd prefer a 170mm drop on the large, not 150mm, the dropper post has a smooth action. With the bike setup tubeless and before I put some pedals on, it clocked in at 24.4kg. That's no flyweight for sure, but with a 750Wh battery on board that does bring a weight penalty.

On The Trail

When I fired up the Cube Stereo Hybrid and pedalled off from the carpark, I had it in eMTB mode. This is a dynamic mode from Bosch that essentially gives you assistance reflecting what you're putting in. So if you dawdle away, it'll give you assistance but not like taking off in Turbo! But when you do hit a high cadence, you'll have tonnes of support. So as I whirred away up the trails, it was hard to keep the grin from spreading across my face. It happens every time I'm on an eMTB and heading out for a ride. I challenge anyone not to find it fun.

The balance on the Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC SLX is fantastic. I have been riding some slightly longer, and some slightly shorter bikes recently but the Cube felt just right with a reach of just over 470mm in large. It makes for a great balance on a bike of this size and weight, as you don't need to keep thinking about pushing onto the front to keep the tyre gripping into corners; your regular weight shifts are just right for gripping and ripping.

On the last Cube Stereo Hybrid I tested, I found that rockier trails and steep chutes weren't where it really excelled, but the 140 HPC SLX on test here is completely different. This is thanks to a much better tyre choice, better suspension and a change in geometry has really improved the stability of the bike at speed and in rockier terrain. In fact, I enjoyed trying to reset a PB on one of my local trails I always frequent for testing. I didn't quite manage it there, but I did on another trail with a mix of machine and hand built jumps and features in the first half.

While I had made an assumption that the suspension choice may be a bit lacking, the reality was I was having a blast riding the Cube. Save for high speed repeated hits, I wasn't left wanting for a stiffer front fork. The Fox 34 is an eMTB rated model so the legs are thicker and I'm sure a more aggressive or heavier rider may prefer a burlier fork when pushing the bike hard. Still, I rode the bike as is and had an awesome time.

It is always worth remembering why you get an eMTB – it's to take the sting out of the climbs. The 165mm ACID cranks are just the right length to keep the Bosch system cranking out the assistance you need. Bosch have Eco, Tour+, eMTB and Turbo programmed into their system. You can make some small adjustments to the level of support and torque available via the Bosch Flow App if you want to customise your settings, but I think they have done a great job from the factory. Tour+ is fairly new, and it's another dynamic mode that will give anything from 60-350% support and the full 85Nm. I mostly toggled between the Tour+ and eMTB mode, preferring the former on any tighter trails which needed precise navigation out of corners. The rear suspension really needs to be commended on flat trails and climbs. It makes sense for eMTB brands to build the kinematics around landing big hits with heavy bikes. And I found no issues with the Cube in that sense, but it was more supple on regular trail chatter than some newer eMTB bikes I have ridden – and it pedals so well I never reached to firm it up, or the fork.

One stand out feature on any bike equipped with the Bosch Smart System is Extended Boost. Essentially, you have a few more seconds of support once you stop pedalling when using the eMTB mode. This can be useful for clearing step ups on a climb, or maintaining a little bit of support when hitting a jump on a descent. I found it most useful descending and on more open climbs and ones with a lot of features to clear. On twisty, narrow singletrack I much preferred the Tour+ mode. Still, it really goes a long way of negating the feeling of lost speed when you stop pedalling, which can plague the ride experience on many eMTBs.

The Shimano drivetrain and brakes worked a treat during the test period, and I was impressed how well the Shimano 12-speed equipment shifts under the extra load from the Bosch support. The 4-piston brakes and big 203mm rotors were absolutely perfect for the bike. In terms of ergonomics, the LED remote can slide in ots mount to sit further over the brake lever clamp – something that is essential with Shimano's iSpec levers. It seems like a small detail but this really helps make the Bosch system easy to use, keeping all controls readily in reach.

Our Take

With the upgrade to the Bosch Smart System, the Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC SLX 750 has truly evolved to the e-bike it should be. The 140 HPC Pro I tested in late 2022 has the same Bosch motor, but the smaller battery meant the geometry on the Cube was stuck in 2018, and the ergonomics of the older head unit and cheaper build kit just didn't let the bike really hit the mark. What look like small changes with the 140 HPC SLX 750 are massive on the trail, and I'd even suggest that this Cube Stereo Hybrid rides better than the sum of its parts. The Bosch Smart System is an important part of this, and this is one of the best value 29er carbon eMTBs with this system in Australia. And with the 750Wh battery I never had any range anxiety.

Cube have delivered an eMTB that is super fun to ride on mellow trails and high-speed trails with lots of features alike. The suspension provides a magic carpet ride while still giving the support needed when things get rowdy. Getting the geometry balance right here is a fine line, and I think they have found it for a 150/140mm travel trail eMTB designed to be a 'trail hunter'. If you're looking for a bike that is more of an all-mountain bike, or an enduro style eMTB then this Cube may not be for you. But fear not, as Cube have 160mm travel models with either 29" or 27.5" wheels, with the same great Bosch Smarts System. While the Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 HPC SLX 750 could certainly take a fork upgrade to something a little burlier, and perhaps a longer travel dropper post, neither items stopped me having such a great time while testing this bike, and I rarely gave it any thought when on the trails.

RRP: $9299
From: 99 Bikes

Weight: 24.4kg
Available Sizes: S (27.5"), M (29"), L (29"), XL (29")
Frame Material: Carbon main frame, alloy swing arms
Fork: Fox 34 Float Rhythm, GRIP, eMTB 150mm
Shock: Fox Float DPS ECOL, 3-position, Trunnion, 140mm

Drive Unit: Bosch Performance CX Smart System 85Nm
Remote: Bosch LED Remote
Head unit: Bosch Kiox 300
Battery: Bosch PowerTube 750Wh

Shifter: Shimano Deore 12sp
Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT 12sp
Crank: Acid E-crank 165mm, 34t
Chain: Shimano Deore 12sp
Cassette: Shimano Deore 12sp 10-51t
Wheel set: Newman Performance 30, Boost, TR
Tyres F: Schwalbe Hans Dampf Addix Soft, Super Trail 2.6"
R: Schwalbe Hans Dampf Addix Speedgrip, Super Trail 2.6"

Brakes: Shimano Deore XT 4-piston, 203mm rotors
Stem: Cube Performance
Handlebars: Newman Evolution SL, 780mm
Seatpost: Cube dropper, 150mm drop (large)
Saddle: Natural Fit Venec