2022 Emtb Shootout - Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 Review

The Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 HCP Race 625 is designed to tackle the toughest enduro challenges and offer the power to get you back up the hill for more in quick time. Cube’s Stereo Hybrid eBike is the only dual-27.5” wheeled bike in our eBike Shootout this year. Packing 160mm of travel, the Stereo Hybrid 160 is powered by a Bosch Performance CX G4, with a 625Wh battery to make getting up the hill as fun as going down. We put the Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 e-Enduro machine to the test against seven worthy competitors in our 2022 eMTB Shootout, and came away surprised by its capabilities. Continue reading for the full scoop on this heavy hitting eBike and see if it’s the right bike for you.

THE DIRT
Every year it seems there’s a bike that just doesn’t look as cool, or as good as we’d like it to. This year that bike was the Cube Stereo Hybrid 160. It looks like a relic of the last generation eMTBs, before tube shape changes, lines improved, and brands worked to hide the clunkiness of eBikes better. Furthermore, the name-brand cockpit components and entry-level suspension package had us wondering how this 27.5” wheeled bike would hang on the demanding trails of Windrock Bike Park. While some of the crew was a bit skeptical of the German e-Enduro machine, others were eager to throw a leg over the Cube and let it rip.

Pretty quickly their smiles and hoots were enough to get other riders to line up for a chance to try it for themselves. While this bike certainly wasn’t our favorite, it is quite a capable and fun machine that has more than a few good traits about it. Of course, like anything, those traits could be downsides for other riders looking for more. First up, the relatively short and high Cube Stereo Hybrid is quite a climber. Combine that with the powerful Bosch Performance Line CX drive unit and it was easy to see why some of the most technical and tight climbs were devoured by the Stereo 160. Even though we suspected the smaller wheels would lead to more pedal strikes, the relatively high BB meant we were actually able to keep spinning the cranks over technical terrain with ease. Similarly, navigating tight switchbacks, both up and down, was fast and easy thanks to the smaller wheels and shorter wheelbase. While the 65-degree head tube angle is not ideal for those seeking out the steepest, fastest downhill trails, it makes traverses, flatter trails and technical maneuvering a breeze.

When it came time to charge the downhills, the crew’s feedback was a bit more split. While everyone loved climbing the bike and attacking technical bits of trail, downhill trails presented different challenges for some riders. First up is the relatively short and steep geometry. The 460mm reach is about 15-20 less than our dream numbers and 25 shorter than many other in the category. Similarly, the head tube angle is much closer to many of the bikes in our Trail category and 1.5-2.5 degrees steeper than more aggressive bikes in the mix. This led to some riders having a little less confidence and stability on very steep or high-speed trails. Others enjoyed the more playful nature of the bike however, but we all agreed a slight update in geo could help make it a better descender for those looking to ride hard, fast or want more stability.

[ This is just a short snippet of our written review. For the full write-up with great photos, visit the site. ]

Weight as Tested: 54.6 lbs
Review: https://theloamwolf.com/2022/05/23/cube-stereo-hybrid-160-hpc-2022-emtb-shootout/
Visit Fly Rides USA Website to get yours: https://bit.ly/3PAeKna

Fly Rides supplied us with this bike and our Mondraker Level as well. Since they love our readers as much as we do, they have offered some discount codes for those in the market for any eMTB they carry.

Save $150 off ANY in stock ebike with code “TLW” in addition to their $400 rebate.
Save $100 off a Kuat NV Base 2.0 with code “KUATWOLF”
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