The steep seat angle also provides effective pedalling and pressure on the front wheel. With such clear race genes, it is almost a little surprising that the rear suspension responds very sensitively and absorbs small bumps diligently - the Racer radiates unimagined comfort. However, when things get rougher on the trail, the progressive rear triangle cannot deny that it only has 108 millimetres of travel available. A real race bike, after all. In technical terrain and on descents, the long 100-millimetre stem somewhat curtails the potential of the otherwise very balanced geometry. A slightly shorter cockpit would improve the handling. Racers in particular will be pleased with the remote control for the suspension elements: the fork and shock can be stiffened together from the handlebars: the front becomes almost rigid, the rear stiffens but remains active. This provides traction at the rear wheel, but also a somewhat unbalanced chassis in this mode. Marathon and touring riders will love the two-speed drivetrain: The gear ratio provides reserves for the steepest climbs. The very good rolling tyres also save power, but quickly reach their limits off-road, especially in the wet. The ready-to-ride weight of 11.6 kilos is not to be sneezed at in this price class, but the AMS does not come close to the best in class. If you're looking for a more compact bike, we recommend taking a look at the top model, the AMS 100 SLT, which Cube specifies with a total weight of just 8.9 kilos.
Florentin Vesenbeckh, BIKE test editor: For a race bike, the Cube AMS comes with surprisingly sensitive suspension, which is a pleasure even on moderate tours. Unfortunately, the lockout mode is somewhat inharmonious. For even better handling, we would fit a shorter stem, which would allow the racer to realise its full potential on technical and twisty trails.
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Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
