​CUBE stereo full-suspension bike for 1,999 euros with carbon frame: Mountain biking has never been more affordable!

Conclusion by Max Fuchs, BIKE editor

You have to look twice at that price. €1,999 for a fully-fledged off-road hardtail – Ten years ago, that would have caused quite a stir. Back then, for that sort of money, you could get an aluminium frame with decent spec here and there. Today, after years of criticising the fact that you get less and less for your money at the entry-level, the entry-level model in the new Stereo range almost seems like a relic from a bygone era.

Carbon main frame, 150 millimetres of RockShox suspension travel, Shimano XT rear derailleur, Magura Louise four-piston brake, a telescopic seatpost and high-quality Continental Enduro tyres. CUBE doesn’t equip its most affordable Stereo HPC like an entry-level bike, but rather like a genuine sports bike.

Of course, the price means you have to make some compromises. 16.3 kilos The Stereo HPC Race is a bit on the heavy side – it’s hardly what you’d call sleek. But this is exactly where CUBE gets its priorities right: it’s better to have sturdy tyres, powerful brakes and a Vario seatpost than a few hundred grams less on the scales.

This could make the Stereo HPC Race the most interesting bike in the new Stereo range. Not because of its technical prowess, but for something much simpler: It makes getting started in serious mountain biking affordable again. However, only a practical test will show whether the concept really works on the trail. We are deliberately not assessing its performance at this stage.

Key facts about the CUBE Stereo HPC Race

• Price: 1,999 euros
• Weight: 16.3 kg
• Frame: C:62 carbon, aluminium rear triangle
• Suspension travel: 150 mm at the front / 146 mm at the rear
• Fork: RockShox Psylo Silver RC Air
• Dampers: RockShox Deluxe Select+
• Circuit: Shimano XT 12-speed rear derailleur with Deore components
• Brakes: Magura Louise, 4-piston, 203/203 mm
• Wheels: Newmen Performance 30
• Tyres: Continental Xynotal Enduro Soft, 2.4 inches
• Seat post: CUBE Dropper Seatpost
• Steering angle: 64.2° / 64.8° adjustable
• Ground clearance: up to 65 mm
• Sizes: S to XL

1,999 euros – back to reality?

Let’s take a moment to recall what 1,999 euros used to mean. Years ago, a full-suspension bike at this price was generally considered to be at the lower end of the mid-range, but still functional. Anyone seriously keen on off-road riding could count themselves lucky to get a solid bike with an aluminium frame and decent components for that price.

Nowadays, many manufacturers charge several times as much for comparable trail full-suspension bikes. With its most affordable stereo HPC, CUBE shows that there is another way: Just as it was years ago, you can now get a fully-fledged, functional full-suspension bike for 1,999 euros – and this time it even comes with a carbon main frame. The industry giant is thus not only positioning the Stereo HPC Race as an affordable model within its own range, but is also significantly lowering the barrier to entry into modern mountain biking.

Carbon at an entry-level price

The most exciting feature is the frame. On the Stereo HPC Race, CUBE uses a main frame made from high-performance carbon and combines it with an aluminium rear triangle. The carbon front section utilises CUBE’s C:62 monocoque technology with Advanced Twin Mold. It also features a bolted bottom bracket, an ISCG05 mount and a UDH derailleur hanger.

This is remarkable because, on budget bikes, carbon is traditionally one of the first things manufacturers cut back on. CUBE turns this logic on its head: The expensive material is used where it makes the biggest difference, both visually and technically – in the main frame.

Added to this are features you certainly wouldn’t expect to find on a €1,999 bike: integrated cable routing, an adjustable headset and a storage compartment in the down tube. Even the cable routing can be configured as semi-integrated as an alternative.

150 millimetres of suspension travel: this isn’t a beginner’s full-suspension bike for forest tracks

CUBE doesn’t do things by halves when it comes to suspension travel either. At the front, the RockShox Psylo Silver RC Air offers 150 millimetres of travel, whilst at the rear, the Deluxe Select+ delivers 146 millimetres. This means the Stereo HPC Race is clearly aimed at challenging trails rather than leisurely forest roads.

When it comes to the fork, however, it’s clear where CUBE has made cuts – after all, a price like this simply cannot be achieved without some cost-cutting measures. The Psylo Silver RC does not belong to RockShox’s performance class. The Silver version is a lower-tier model and also features steel stanchions. This makes the fork comparatively heavy, and its simple internal design means it lacks the reserves and responsiveness of higher-priced RockShox models. However, for €1,999, this compromise is acceptable – after all, the competitive price has to come from somewhere.

High-end enduro tyres for 1,999 euros

The choice of tyres seems particularly bold. CUBE fits Continental Xynotal tyres in the Enduro Soft version 2.4 inches wide. It also features Newmen Performance 30 wheels.

CUBE could easily have saved weight and money here by fitting entry-level tyres. Instead, the manufacturer has fitted the bike with robust, high-quality tyres. This adds to the weight, but pays off enormously in terms of off-road capability.

It is precisely these kinds of decisions that define the character of the Stereo HPC Race: It’s not just about looking good on paper. It’s also about proving itself on the trail.

XT rear derailleur and Magura Louise

For the drivetrain, CUBE combines a Shimano XT rear derailleur with Deore components. With a 30-tooth chainring at the front and a 10–51 cassette at the rear, the bike offers a gear range well-suited to trail bikes.

The brakes are even more powerful: Magura Louise with Four-piston calipers and 203-millimetre discs at the front and rear. CUBE also includes its own in-house dropper post with a handlebar remote.

All of these are components that serve their purpose on the trail. This is exactly the kit that beginners actually need:

Modern geometry with adjustable features

CUBE doesn’t compromise on adjustment options either. The steering angle can be fine-tuned using eccentric headset cups. 64.2 and 64.8 degrees are possible. In size M, the reach measures 455 millimetres, whilst the chainstays remain constant at 439 millimetres.

This means the Stereo HPC Race features modern trail geometry. With a flatter head angle, the bike is designed to offer a smoother ride, whilst a steeper angle is intended to provide a more direct response. As the chainstays are the same length across all frame sizes, the XL and S sizes in particular are unlikely to feel quite as balanced as the standard M and L sizes.

Editorial commentary

The Stereo HPC Race shows just how far the cycling market has strayed from offering good value for money in recent years.

€1,999 for a full-size carbon full-suspension bike with 150 millimetres of travel is by no means the norm in 2026. It is an absolute exception – and perhaps also a wake-up call to the competition.

Of course, you won’t get high-end suspension, carbon wheels or a weight-optimised trail bike for this price. But that’s not what the Stereo HPC Race is about. CUBE focuses the budget on the key elements: a carbon main frame, a decent suspension system, powerful brakes, a reliable gear system, a dropper post and, above all, sturdy tyres.

This could mean that CUBE strikes a chord with beginners in particular. Anyone looking to take up mountain biking today no longer necessarily has to budget 3,000 or 4,000 euros to get a full-suspension bike that’s truly suitable for off-road riding.

We are not yet in a position to say whether the bike lives up to these high expectations in practice. But the range on offer is remarkable in its own right. It’s been a long time since there’s been such an appealing introduction to modern mountain biking.

Plus

• An extremely attractive price of 1,999 euros
• Carbon main frame instead of an aluminium entry-level frame
• 150/146 mm suspension travel
• Modern trail geometry
• Adjustable steering angle
• Magura Louise four-piston brakes with 203 mm discs
• Conti Xynotal Enduro Soft
• Shimano XT rear derailleur
• Drop-down seatpost as standard
• UDH, ISCG05 and down tube storage compartment

Minus

• 16.3 kg is heavy
• Heavy RockShox Psylo Silver RC with moderate performance