The Access WLS GTC SL's superlight monocoque carbon frame, high performance Shimano XT groupset and smooth Manitou Minute suspension fork mark it out as a truly high tech piece of sporting equipment. Straight out of the box, it's ready to take on allcomers out on the race course - including the men. But it's not just a racing snake - it also performs brilliantly on long, technical rides in the back country. For 2016 we've stuck with our highly acclaimed Size-Split, so it's available with 27.5 inch wheels in 13.5 and 16 inch frame sizes, and as a 29er in 17 and 19 inch sizes.
This is carbon frame construction at its best. The Access GTC frame - produced with our Twin Mould Monocoque construction technique - achieves its exceptional weight and incredible stiffness only by making use of the latest technologies including a tapered head tube, PressFit bottom bracket, Direct Mount derailleur attachments and the X-12 quick release axle. In order to improve comfort over longer distances, we opted for a slender 27.2mm seatpost. Our highly acclaimed Agile Ride Geometry, optimised for each wheel size, ensures solild propulsion and an agile ride feel.
Only the best will do: the Manitou Minute suspension fork with 100mm hub and the supremely controllable, new-for-2016 Shimano XT disc brakes work together to help tame even the toughest of singletrack trails. Extraordinarily light and stiff Fulcrum Red 66 system wheels deliver fast acceleration. With a 24x34 chainset and 11-40 T cassette, the full 2x11 Shimano XT transmission delivers incredibly precise shifts over the widest possible gear range. Rider contact points from the Selle Italia X1 saddle to the CUBE Performance cockpit components combine the best possible handling experience with superb ergornomics.
We ran innumerable tests to develop the Agile Ride Geometry in our series of big wheel bikes. We also added the 27.5in wheel size to the very well received portfolio. Three important details lead to the very agile character. Increased fork offsets let us achieve the same trail as our 26in bikes without having to steepen the head angle, thus maintaining generous toe clearance to the front wheel. Secondly we shortened the chain stays without compromising the seat angle. We invented a patented construction to mount the front derailleur to give us more tyre clearance while keeping a conventional seat angle, leading to a perfect riding position for every rider size. Last but not least we kept the BB height the same as on our 26in bikes. These measures lead to a natural riding position. Every mountain biker will feel immediately at home on a CUBE 29er or 27.5.
Internally routed cables offer many advantages. Cables are protected from dirt for longer life, weight is saved thanks to the absence of external housing and the bike has a clean, sleek appearance.
Our new WLS models come with different wheel sizes for different frame heights. The 14 and 16" frames have 27.5" wheels, the 17,19 and 21" frames are built as 29ers. Depending on body height, every woman gets the perfect riding character and geometry. The models of our Woman Like Series feature a compact frame geometry with shorter top tubes and longer head tubes, giving a riding position that is more upright than on the mens models. This riding position relieves the pelvis and offers more comfort. The top tubes of the WLS mountain bikes are lowered, making the bike more comfortable and safe to mount and dismount.
In designing the GTC carbon fiber frames, safety and comfort are the main factors. We use high modulus fibers for the parts which are stressed the most the head tube, the seat tube top and the bottom bracket area. That is why the frame still offers flex and comfort resulting from the flexible tubes. Our special production process with inner and outer molding forms ensure that the minimum of required material is used, reducing overall weight even with complex frame designs. All GTC frames have of course passed DIN -Plus testing.
With Press Fit bearings, the bottom bracket bearings are pressed directly into the frame and not screwed in as usual. This gives a wider bottom bracket shell and allows us to build a wider down tube and more broadly-spaced chainstays. Every millimetre of additional width gives a significant improvement in lateral stiffness.
This steerer tube design is stiffer than a conventional straight steerer and yields a more secure ride feel even in difficult terrain. Minimal flex at the front of the frame means the greatest possible steering precision. With the larger steerer, the forks become more rigid. At the same time weight is saved due to the absence of bearing shells as the lower bearing is fully integrated into the head tube. On all of our CUBE carbon models the upper bearing shells are also directly in the frame, so that once more a few grams are saved and the energy transfer is very direct.
In this system, a cone is used to form a play-free connection. It is only necessary to tighten the axle from one side. The position of the wheel is done by an insert in the right-hand dropout which is secured by a bolt. The main advantages of the Syntace system are quick and simple changing of the wheel, reliable position of the brake disc and higher stiffness of the rear of the bike. This allows the assembly to be made lighter than a conventional through-axle.
