Cube Reaction TM 2018 Mountain bike Grey/Black

We wanted to make something a bit special with our Reaction TM. After all, it's the pinnacle of the Reaction range - so it made sense to us to pull out all the stops. We began by giving it some serious technical trail ability with 2.6 inch tyres and a 120mm Fox 34 Rhythm fork with Boost axle. Sure, that's a bit fatter and a bit longer than you'd normally find on a bike built for speed, but we figured that you wouldn't want a few rocks to get in the way. Then we added a Shimano XT 1x11 transmission and Magura MT Trail hydraulic discs with four pistons at the front and two at the rear, for smooth and seamless stop-and-go ability. It all just... works. The whole lot, bolted to our new-for-2018 Reaction frameset, makes for the ultimate trail-taming - or race-winning - hardtail. It's your decision.

A bike built for speed needs to fulfil three criteria. It must be stiff, it must be light, and it must be comfortable. To improve on our Reaction frame's already superb rigidity our design team equipped the 2018 version with a thru axle at the rear. Combined with the tapered head tube - fitted with a fully integrated, sealed bearing headset - it makes for a frame that steers so accurately, it's almost as though it's linked directly to your brain. Naturally, all that torsional rigidity also makes for rapid forward progress. Double butted, mechanically formed 6061 aluminium tubes shave weight where it's not needed, so you can be sure there isn't a single unncessary gramme. And to improve comfort - and, ultimately, speed - the slender stays and slim seatpost help keep trail shock to a minimum. Finish off with neat internal cable routing, including for a dropper post, and you've got the ultimate hardtail speed machine.