Cube Stereo 170 Race costs £3,000, which we reckon makes it one of the most most affordable 170mm 29ers on the market today.

>>> Best enduro mountain bikes in 2020: 150 to 170mm travel full suspension bikes

Cube Stereo 170 Race need to know

• Fox Float DPX2 shock, delivering 170mm of rear wheel travel. The bike can also run a coil shock, and Cube has built two mounting points and a flip-chip for the shock to allow for the different kinematics of air and coil and tune progression, as well as let you tweak the bike’s geometry
• Reversible headset inserts from Acros let you change the bike’s head angle by 0.6° to allow for fine fettling — or if you fit a 180mm fork aftermarket and consequently need to readjust the angle
• Cube hasn’t scrimped on the tyres, the Stereo 170 uses a Maxxis Assegai on the front and a Minion DHF on the rear, mounted to excellent Newmen Evolution SL A30 wheelset
• SRAM 1×12 GX Eagle drivetrain, SRAM Code R brakes with 200mm rotors, Race Face cockpit, and Cube’s own 150mm dropper post

Do you have to spend a fortune if you want big travel for racing enduro or hitting bike parks? There’s a growing group of new bikes that says you don’t have to, delivering solid components, alloy frames, decent suspension, and modern standards.

From the Whyte G-170 S to the new YT Capra Base, manufacturers are increasingly offering big-travel bikes at affordable prices, trickling down the suspension and geometry know-how developed on their flagship carbon bikes, and making it available further down the ladder.

And the latest contender is the Stereo 170 Race 29 from German behemoth Cube. The only rival that can best it on price and travel is the Capra Base, for just over £2,000.

We’ve long been fans of the Stereo 150, but always felt Cube could go a little further with its modest geometry and really slacken things up. Well, on paper the 170 Race looks sorted, now let’s hope it lives up to the hype.