Cube Attention review

An eye-catching spec sheet, but are the Cube's ride characteristics really worth your attention?

This competition is now closed

By Sarah Bedford

Published: June 4, 2023 at 4:00 pm

The Attention is one of Cube's many hardtails, and is aimed at everyday use and some trail riding.

There are six frame sizes to choose from, with the extra-small and small options rolling on 27.5in wheels, while the larger bikes get 29in hoops.

That means most riders should be catered for, and those who are a little shorter, in theory at least, should get a bike that's decently proportioned (the medium to extra-extra-large frames feature a long 450mm chainstay length compared to the shorter 427mm measurement found on the two smaller frame sizes).

Cube's Attention hardtail frame is built with the brand's double-butted ‘Aluminium Lite’ hydroformed tubes, adding strength to the tubes where necessary without too much extra weight.

The bike weighs in at a reasonable 13.8kg (size small). That seems okay until you consider the Vitus Sentier 29 weighs the same in a size medium and features 29in wheels.

The Attention's geometry has been updated to include a lower top tube and tapered head tube, which Cube claims results in more confident handling.

This is potentially thanks to the increased standover height giving more room to manoeuvre and any stiffness gains that come from the newer, tapered head tube.

That said, most of the confidence here likely comes from the quality RockShox Judy Silver 100mm-travel fork, complete with remote lockout.

Other component highlights are the Shimano 2×11 Deore gearing, impressively punchy Shimano MT200 brakes and Schwalbe Smart Sam tyres.

The Attention comes in six frame sizes. Cube's ‘Sizesplit’ system sees sizes XS and S come with 27.5in wheels and shorter 427mm chainstays, while 29in wheels feature on the M-XXL sizes with longer 450mm chainstays.

The idea here is to create a balanced feel between the front and rear wheels. Pairing a smaller frame size (and therefore shorter reach measurement) with bigger 29in wheels and the longer chainstay would likely have a negative effect on handling.

Using smaller wheels and a more compact rear end should give a more evenly proportioned feel.

Bottle bosses are located on the down tube. There are also mounts for both a kickstand and mudguards, showing the Attention is meant for more than just playing about in the woods.

The head tube and seat tube angles are 68.5 and 73.5 degrees respectively, and are in keeping with the majority of the test group. However, they look a little dated compared to the three front runners in the Budget Bike of the Year category (Vitus Sentier 29, Marin Bobcat 5 and Voodoo Bizango Pro).

The wheelbase is short at 1,082mm. Together with the narrow 680mm bars, which feature on every frame size, and short stem, it contributes to the compact feel of the bike.

Cube also specs long 175mm cranks across the size range, which isn't ideal on the smaller sizes.

I tested the Attention, as with all the hardtail mountain bikes in this Bike of the Year group, on increasingly technical trails. This started with tarmac cycle paths and fire roads, and progressed through all grades of the Glentress trail centre, including the jump park. Testing took in wet, dry and even frozen conditions.

First impressions certainly lean more towards a leisurely paced style of riding than anything more aggressive.

The double chainring helps to ensure those new to mountain biking have a wide enough range of gears that they can sit and spin up hills without running out of options and having to push. The Schwalbe rubber rolls fast and helps to maintain speed when coasting.

Of the bikes in our Budget Bike of the Year test, the Attention offers the shortest wheelbase and reach (398mm). Those stats, coupled with the smaller 27.5in wheels, meant at 160cm, the size small felt a touch too small for me.

Sizing issues aside, it's a surprisingly comfortable bike to pedal and felt more than at home cruising along towpaths or mellow forest tracks, thanks to its upright seated position.

Moving to the green trail centre trails with small roll-over rock features, I found the limit of what this bike is designed for relatively quickly.

The short wheelbase and 27.5in wheels meant the mellowest of rock gardens could upset the Attention's balance. It felt noticeably jarring on my legs and arms as the wheels got stalled and kicked by rocks more readily than those bikes with a longer wheelbase and on bigger 29in wheels.

In tight turns and rocky or rooty steps, the twitchy steep head angle made holding the front wheel on intended lines a challenge.

Having to continuously compensate and correct my body position while climbing and descending detracted from the fun of riding red and black trail centre trails. Sticking to the greens and blues is the Attention's bread and butter, and where it feels most comfortable.

On the flowy blues and greens and over small jumps, the Cube had a surprisingly smooth, compliant feel, which was much more enjoyable.

It would have been interesting to test the medium 29er version, which would have given me more room in the cockpit. However, I would be up against the same issues as experienced on the Scott Aspect 920, which shares very similar geometry with long chainstays.

Interestingly, the Specialized Rockhopper Elite features the same fork, head and seat angle as the Attention.

However, here the key differences lie with the larger 29in wheels, longer wheelbase, chainstays and reach, all of which contribute to a more stable bike that instils greater confidence to ride. For the novice rider, building confidence is key.

In order to make the bike more comfortable, confident and instinctive to ride, upgrading to a wider handlebar would certainly be my first priority.

This would help to stabilise handling and help get the most out of the impressive fork, wide range of gears, solid brakes and fast-paced tyres that help the Cube zip along the trails.

But down the line, while the componentry is clearly very good, it’ll likely be the geometry and sizing that’ll scupper further progress for those keen on getting more serious about their riding.

Generously equipped to rival the competition, the RockShox Judy Silver TK fork, and Shimano drivetrain and brakes will see you through nicely as your mountain biking skills progress.

However, the compact geometry and small sizing will likely hold back a keen mountain biker.

This meant I was reluctant to push the Cube on trickier trails, limiting its use to greens, blues and flowy, small jump trails to ensure it never stepped too far out of its comfort zone.

More affordable mountain bikes are the best they’ve ever been.

These wallet-friendly machines give an insight into all the thrills and spills that mountain biking has to offer, along with being versatile enough to handle the commute or a quick pedal to the shops.

The best budget mountain bikes should combine up-to-date frame features, geometry and componentry that will feel confident and capable everywhere from the towpath to the trail centre.

In an ideal world, the frames will enable you to upgrade to even more capable parts when you inevitably get hooked on the sport.

All eight bikes in this test challenge the preconception that ‘budget’ is a code-word for ‘not very good’. The overall standard and quality on offer mean you’re in for a good time no matter which of these you select. But there could only be one winner.

With that in mind, we selected a wide variety of trails in Scotland's Glentress Forest, where we could put the bikes through their paces, before reporting back to you on the wisest purchase when it comes to quality, performance and value for money.

After weeks of back-to-back testing on increasingly technical tracks, we were able to whittle down which bikes were most capable of taking on ever gnarlier trails where, despite what the price tag might suggest, they felt more than at home.

Thanks to our sponsors Crankbrothers, MET helmets, Bluegrass Protection, Supernatural Dolceacqua, Le Shuttle and BikePark Wales for their support in making Bike of the Year happen.

Contributor

Sarah's been riding MTBs for 20 years, across the UK and abroad. She has honed her skills on the varied terrain of Scotland's Tweed Valley, host to the UK's round of the Enduro World Series and 2023 MTB World Championships. Although Sarah's passion lies at the more extreme end of the mountain biking spectrum, where she prefers to ride enduro, with the number of miles she puts in she's got the fitness of an XC racer. Being out on the trails more often than not makes her the perfect person to put any product or bike through its paces.