How objective are bike reviews, this looks like a well engineered bike, but according to MBR it’s pretty rubbish, a whooping 2.5 stars out of five, any owners like to comment.

If it had been a Specialized Fritz it would have easily been the bike of the year

You mean “Orange Five Fritz” ?

Yeah but they are not particularily glowing about the Enduro comp either, which i was under the impression was pretty sorted, it only gets 3 stars where the ever in vogue Lapierre scores 5, is it really that superior to other bikes in the AM category.

It’s been a while since I last thumbed a copy 🙂

Here’s the thing I think is most relevant to the MBR reviews (and pretty much all bike reviews in magazines, with the exception of Dirt and perhaps STW).

They review the bike as a whole, not the frame.

That might seem a bit obvious, but the thing is that the score reflects the whole package when really, the only thing that most people should worry about is the frame, fork and wheels.

It’s not that I think marking a bike down from say a five to a three because the stem is too long, the bars too narrow and the tyres rubbish is wrong. Just that in the grand scheme of things its a lot easier to fix those things in the short term.

I’d really like to see two scores on bike reviews. One for the frame/suspension package and the other for the full bike.

I had a Fritzz when Cube first started out in the UK, maybe 2005ish?

They’re the conkers. Try one and see for yourself.

Sorry it wasn’t MBR it was the other UK rag, just browsing, you are right marking a bike down because it has gash tyres is just wrong. They marked the Enduro down because they said the rear flexed due to a standard Qr, come on the Ariel scored 4 and they make out it had a flexing back end. So how much of this is due to preferences.

No idea, how it rides but that is one ugly linkage & it seems to put the shock right in the way of all the crap from the back wheel

Yeah Bullheart maybe i will try the fritz.

I can’t even say they are German bashing as the Canyon won a shootout.

OH maybe i won’t, it was the handling when it got technical they didn’t like, it amazes me how manufacturers can get it so wrong according to these reviews.

Head angle makes it handle like a proper boat IMO. Also, the OEM handlebars are the world’s most awful bike component ever in the world ever. Great spec for the money, but I’m really not a fan of the handling.

@ Fergal: which MBR issue are you looking at which rates the Cube as 2.5, Enduro 3 and Lapierre 5 (Zesty or Spicy curiously)? Am in the process of ordering a Lapierre Spicy based on recommendations by other people and old reviews from 2008 and 2009. Unfortunately not had the chance to test ride which would have been ideal. The other bike I was interested is the Canondale Jekyll but not available till July.

Sorry my mistake it’s not MBR but mountain biking UK, i don’t have a copy but just browsing in sainsbury’s oops, think it was the spicy but don’t quote me on that, the Ariel Saracen scores 4!! stars.

I’ve had one for a year and have no issues with it. Head angle is slack enough to make it stable DH, you just need to get used to different handling on flat techy trails to a more upright shorter travel bike, but equally its not as extreme as a Ragley which everyone rates…
Shock doesn’t suffer any more from mud than other designs as they spec a mudguard so no issues there and the FSR style linkage gives loads of traction and grip. Nice low BB too. I’ve just spent a week ragging mine up and down natural trails in the lakes and Scottish trail centres and had no issues anyhow. The standard steering setup is a bit suspect though, stems too long and the bar is an acquired taste but bearing in mind the price its sorted by an easy upgrade.
Try one and see, I rated it over the Spicy and Enduro I tried but its all down to what you like.

MBUK review here of Fritzz Pro.
Fritzz SL looks such a tidy bike

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/product/cubefritzzprofullsuspensionmountainbike2011.aspx?&id=15378

I bought a Cube Stereo team, almost in spite of the average reviews from the “other mags”

I asked other people (who own one!) what they thought
I rode one!!!
I weighed up the whole bike because at £2k I was not swapping an bits any time soon
I bought it
I love it!!!

Note the excessive use of I, because all said and done the I don’t care if the bloke next tome on the O5 likes my bike

Up yours MBR MBUK! By the way Dirt and Single track liked the bike and the month before MBUK recommended it in one of the letters. Go figure

I borrowed one for a razz down glentress black and even though the suspension was set up for someone a stone lighter than me it was still fantatsic, very forgiving and corners like a beast. The new enduro is supposedly the bees knees too I wouldn’t take any notice of what mbr say, group reviews are mostly done in an afternoon of plodding around a trail centre getting evermore jaded with each lap. I’d be much more inclined to listen to long term reviews or the ones where bikes have been taken away for a week of riding

I’ve got a 2010 Stereo, which is a slightly shorter travel version, still low and long tho. MBR had it in a test last year and gave it 9/10 (orange 5 and Lapierre Zesty scored 10/10), they docked the Stereo a point because they said the BB was too low, so I immediately bought one. So far I’m loving it, super confidence inspiring downhill and when messing around on rocks and stuff.

Seems to depend what mood the hack is in;

BikeRadar Fritzz review

I’ve got one (custom build) and love it. Best thing to do is try a demo for yourself, if you have the opportunity, and make your own mind up.

Gave up with their reviews. Even those from an apparently highly respected MTBer and journalist.
Last thing I looked at was brakes, which got the dog’s danglies 4.5/5* review (probably a Formula rather than Hope fanboi), then went back a few days later and suddenly they are 2/5* because they were reviewed by someone else (who’s probably a Hope rather than Formula fanboi). And if you comment, they reply saying that they changed the way they award scores.

Never ridden a Fritzz, so can’t comment on that, but I wouldn’t believe a review, and certainly wouldn’t make a decision based on the number of stars it got (especially when marked down for component or tyre spec… when most bikes have 3-4 levels of compnent choice anyway).