Cube Aim SL 29er (2017) - Review

by Simon Ananda Raj May 19, 2025 1 min read

Cube is a German bicycle brand founded in 1993. Its product range consists of various types of MTB's, Road bicycles, Cross bicycles, triathlon bicycles, e-bikes as well as trekking bicycles. Ergonomically fitted women´s bicycles, cycles for kids, apparel and accessories complete the product line-up. Cube bicycle regularly feature in the Tour De France with the Belgian UCI Professional Continental Team Wanty-Groupe Gobert. We got the opportunity to test ride the Cube Aim SL 29er (2017) and here is what we thought.

The Cube Aim SL 29er 217 is the perfect hardtail MTB for hardcore trail riding with the help of performance packed components.

Simon Ananda Raj

Cube Aim SL 29er (2017)

Snapshot

3.9

Product Rating Out of 5

Performance 3.9

Design 3.9

Features 3.9

Value for Money 3.7
THINGS WE LIKE

✔ Race ready Alivio/Deore 27-Speed drivetrain

✔ Powerful Shimano Hydraulic Disc Brakes

✔ Remote Lockout

THINGS WE DON'T LIKE

✖ Hard handlebar grips

✖ N/A

✖ N/A
Frame

Aluminium Lite

This frame is aggressive in geometry and gives optimum control over fast bumpy trails.
Fork

Suntour XCM With 100mm Travel

Good Suspension Fork.
Gearing

Shimano Alivio/Deore 27-Speed

Shimano’s 27-Speed Alivio/Deore was smooth and quick in shifting.
Breaks

Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Shimano’s Hydraulic Disc brakes were balanced and powerful to use on both wet and dry surfaces.
Tires

Kenda K1153 29" x 2.1"

The Kenda 29” tires were fast rolling with bulky treads which made trail riding safe and enjoyable.
Battery

N/A

N/A

: Built from 661 lightweight aluminium, the Cube Aim SL 29er's frame has a square-profile down tube which boosts stiffness and the flattened top tube improves standover clearance. In the rear, the bridgeless chainstays provide sufficient tire clearance to prevent you grinding in mud. The ride Geometry provides on this frame is agile with lively handling that is easy to control and is perfect for having fun on the trails, as well as being comfortable and efficient on longer rides.This hardtail MTB features a Suntour XCM fork that offers 1mm of suspension travel to smooth the bumps on the trail. While the coil spring in the fork is heavier than the air springs found on more expensive bicycles the feel is actually smoother. The XCM fork found on the Aim SL features a remote lockout switch. This means that you can lock the fork for more efficient cycling on smoother terrains and then open it back up again on bumpy trails without taking your hands off the handlebar.

This frame is aggressive in geometry and gives optimum control over fast bumpy trails
: The Cube Aim SL 29er comes with Shimano's Alivio at the front and Deore at the rear. Both Alivio and Deore are mid to expert level performance gearing components from Shimano. The 27-Speed drivetrain had enough range for climbs on trails and also quick acceleration. There were absolutely no lags and the shifting ended up being very smooth during the test ride.

Shimano's 27-Speed Alivio/Deore was smooth and quick in shifting
: The Cube Aim SL 29er which I test rode came in a full black frame with dark grey and red graphics. The slating down tube and thin seat stays make the bicycle look sleek, while showing its roughness on the tires, head tube and suspension. The matte finish paint job was of high quality, giving a smooth finish. The rims, fork and saddle were colour coded to the frame's colours, which made this MTB looks aesthetic.

The Aim SL 29er comes in 2 frame colours; Matte Black with Grey/Red and Yellow with Blue
: Shimano's Hydraulic Disc Brakes on the Aim SL 29er was ideal for off-road riding as they offer powerful, reliable and consistent stopping power in all-weather conditions and make it safe to ride fast on unpredictable surfaces.The 68mm stock Cube handlebar was almost fully flat with just a slight raise to give the much needed aggressive yet comfortable posture to keep the bicycle in full control on trails.

Shimano's Hydraulic Disc brakes were balanced and powerful to use on both wet and dry surfaces
: The Kenda K1193 29” x 2.1” wheels are fast and roll smoothly over rough terrain although they do a bit of weight due to the 29” rims. The treads were bulky and evenly placed to make sure there is enough balance even on fast turns. The stock Cube Active 1.1 saddle was ergonomically designed to make sure the sit bones of the rider is placed on the widest part of the saddle. The overall ride quality was fast and comfortable on trails.

The Kenda 29” tires were fast rolling with bulky treads which made trail riding safe and enjoyable

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: Robust yet lightweight and efficient, the Cube Aim SL is built for cross country rides that take in a mixture of terrain; including rocky, single tracks, unpaved trails and even a bit of tarmac. The wide gear range will enable you to take on all the climbs while still giving you plenty of gears for riding quickly on the flat. The hydraulic disc brakes offer confident all-weather stopping power so you can ride all-year-round. Priced at Rs. 38,5(as on 13th December 218) the Cube Aim SL 29er (2017) is the ideal bicycle for leisure trail rides, amateur races and even the occasional urban rides to get to the trails.Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.