[Gromov]

Hey Gang

I'm trying to decide which bike to get as my first FS

Choice is Cube 130 AMS Race or 150 AMS Race. Both 27.5.

Currently I'm riding Cube LTD 26 hardtail.

I guess my question is how badly will extra 20mm of travel will get in a way if it isn't absolutely essential where I'm riding? Folks that ride with me mostly ride 120mm 29" and 27.5" and advising me the same.

150 AMS is a little higher spec wise and also comes with reverb seat post whereas 130 does not. I'm planning on installing either reverb or kronolog (if the bike I choose doesn't come with one) but if I do that with 130 it will be a little heavier than 150. Plus 150 just looks oh so much better than 130 color wise, it's silly but at least I'm being honest

Choice is pretty much Cube bikes because thats what LBS is selling

 

[gvs_nz]

Look at the geometry more thyan travel. you can stiffen up the suspension on a 150mm bike to feel like a 130mm bike but the 150 is slacker and longer. Could be a handful on tight trails especily since most 26" hardtails are very much old school tight and steep geometry compared to contempory FS bikes. Jumping whel sizes also adds a slower element to the geometry.
Add to that ,IMHO the 150 color scheme is finger down the throat horrible.

 

[Gromov]

My hardtail is the same color as the AMS 130, just has red accents instead of blue, so since I'm planning on keeping the HT, having two matte black bikes would be boring and I also want something screaming so yes I can see where you're coming from

going to check the geometry now.

 

[trailrider24]

Go for the AMS 150. You'll appreciate the extra travel when you ride on more demanding trails. For example if you travel to a big mountain. The specs are better and the Pike fork is the top of suspension forks nowadays. Stiff, plush, tunable, looks awesome. The clourwa is not bad imo. Sure it's not the usual blackout stuff, but get what you like. I'd like it more if it was orange/blue, but it looks quite good too.
If you can, test it before buying. I don't say you shouldn't take your buddies advices, but you will know what you want after test rides, not they.

 

[Gromov]

Look at the geometry more thyan travel. you can stiffen up the suspension on a 150mm bike to feel like a 130mm bike but the 150 is slacker and longer. Could be a handful on tight trails especily since most 26" hardtails are very much old school tight and steep geometry compared to contempory FS bikes. Jumping whel sizes also adds a slower element to the geometry.
Add to that ,IMHO the 150 color scheme is finger down the throat horrible.

So geometry looks pretty much identical to AMS 130 which would be a more of a "right" choice technically. BTW I've spoken to the LBS owner here and he has just received the shipment of 2014 Cubes and he didn't order AMS 150 because of the color, as he didnt think anybody would buy it because of the color lol, so remembered your post straight away

Go for the AMS 150. You'll appreciate the extra travel when you ride on more demanding trails. For example if you travel to a big mountain. The specs are better and the Pike fork is the top of suspension forks nowadays. Stiff, plush, tunable, looks awesome. The clourwa is not bad imo. Sure it's not the usual blackout stuff, but get what you like. I'd like it more if it was orange/blue, but it looks quite good too.
If you can, test it before buying. I don't say you shouldn't take your buddies advices, but you will know what you want after test rides, not they.

We rode on a so called Spaghetti trails today (because of many single tracks that go down the mountain). it was a bit of extreme for my skills and the hardtail, for the first time I have felt how my modest Rock Shox Recon Silver TK worked to its 100% capacity for the first time. Also a guy who was riding a 2013 AMS 150 26" had his fork compress to about 145mm but apparently he has a bit cushy setup and was riding much faster since he knows the trail. So now I'm convinced that I will be able to utilize the 150 setup. All I need is bosses approval to spend just over 3,5k on a bike.