CUBE VS VOODOO

OVERALL VERDICT

When it comes to getting a mountain bike right, the devil really is in the detail. Despite being at a price and spec disadvantage relative to the Halford’s backed VooDoo Bizango, it was neither of those things that did for the Cube Attention SL.

The more critical issue is that the Cube feels very much like a bike that’s trying to hedge its bets. It can’t decide between being a genuine off-road machine and a bike that’ll satisfy people who want a more relaxed machine for commuting to work on a towpath or tackling the occasional trail centre. In itself, that’s no bad thing and the handling is involving enough as long as you stick to tamer terrain. Plus, while the kit doesn’t blow us away, it’s all solid, well functioning stuff.

But the Cube was always going to suffer by comparison. The VooDoo has a much better spec in a number of crucial areas; the stiffer and more accurate fork and chain-taming mech being just two examples. The high-quality Maxxis tyres happily clamber up and over obstacles that would have the cheap Schwalbes specced on the Cube sliding and slipping about.

The final nail in the Cube’s coffin is the Voodoo’s composed and sure-footed handling that’ll have you looking forward to the tough descents rather than shying away from them. Okay, the stiff seatpost is the one area that could do with some upgrading attention if you plan to get serious in off-road multisport but, considering the price differential, you could get this and a whole lot more before you’re missing out.

So what’s better in off-road tri or duathlon with a run leg to follow? Once again it’s the VooDoo. Aside from that stiff seatpost, it has the grippier tyres and confident frame geometry that means it requires less mental attention when you’re riding, allowing you to save energy for the last leg.