Okay I asked this one a few months ago in anticipation of our cycle to work scheme launching last month – I didn’t get many responses. Its now happening in July so I really need to decide what to buy.

The usual £1k budget will apply and I want a hardtail, something racy would be good. I don’t want anything hardcore.

The Cube Race looks good for the money as does the boardman whatever its called. The Cuve Race Ltd can be had for about £50 over the £1k budget – can you still top up on ctw?

Any other suggestions? Thanks.

I posted a similar thing last week and got zero response. I tried the search feature but couldn’t really come up with much.
I’m in the same boat and have a £1000 voucher landing pretty soon. I had a Boardman FS but realised it is overkill for the XC riding I do and my 26er singlespeed is a few years old and pretty tatty.
I looked at the Cube Ltd Pro 29 and on spec it wins (can’t get Canyon on C2W) so I was all set for that but then I saw MBR magazine recently did a hardtail test and slated the Cube (6/10).
I’m now opting for their test winner – a Scott Scale 960. Slightly worse spec than the Cube but around the same weight (maybe lighter?)and apparently a pretty decent bike.
I’m not usually one to pay attention to magazine tests. Had it been similar reviews, i’d have still gone with the Cube but it seemed that every other bike in the test beat it.

Thats disappointing about the review. Although I’ve never rated MBR very much, what was the issue with the cube?

Too rigid and a poor riding experience from what I recall. Skittish rear end. As I have a rigid singlespeed anyway for tearing around on, I want something that will be more comfortable for longer rides.
I think they said something like, “Cube are known for making good, well specced bikes – unfortunately, this isn’t one of them.”
I think the Canyon Yellowstone was second and the Cannondale Trail SL third. Like I said, I don’t usually pay much attention but they had several reviewers and MBR are based near me so ride the same sort of trails as I do. If the Cube had come second or even third, I might have stuck with it but it was literally the bottom performer.
It’s worth having a nose at the review to see for yourself (they only reviewed 29ers though so not helpful if you want a 26er). I’m going to read a few other mag reviews if I can but there doesn’t seem to be much that I can find about either bike.
Hopefully, i’ll get to test ride before I make the purchase……

What Mountain Bike have a Cube Ltd 29er on long term test. What they’ve written so far seems positive but they are drip feeding information about it.

I bought THIS for £1150 from Start Cycles in Newcastle and have found it to be great never been out on the Stumpjumper FSR since I got it. With regards to topping up in the past it was down to the shop where you are getting the bike from if they will let you do it

That Scott did get a glowing review (I have to admit to buying a copy of MBR – it was an impulse, the neoprene chainstay guard was my weakness).

Anyway, I’d seriously consider the Boardman – my 2010 one was really nice to ride. My current Team CX is ace.

The spec of the Boardman is much better than most stuff around that price point to.