We're picky about which bikes get to wear the Trail Motion name, but the Reaction TM ONE has earned its place in this special CUBE category. Its long, low and slack frame – built to make tough trails easy to handle – is just the beginning. We chose an SR Suntour XCR36X air fork up front for its simple adjustment, 140mm of travel and super-precise steering. It's your wingman for when things get rowdy. Schwalbe's Magic Mary and Tacky Chan 2.4in tyres aid and abet your line choices, helped along by a remote dropper post. Magura's powerful Louise hydraulic disc brakes keep everything under control. And Shimano's 1x11 Cues gears put the right ratio at your fingertips. It's got it all – the rest is down to you.

Frame

There's more than one way to get down a tough trail, and the Reaction TM proves the point. With a 65° head angle, 73.5° seat tube angle and a low standover, it's designed to be stable and reassuring when the trail is throwing questions at you and you're not sure of the answer. Short chainstays tuck the rear wheel under the rider for tight handling and superior traction, and there's plenty of clearance to run tyres up to 2.5in. Stealth dropper routing is standard, of course, as is a UDH hanger for future-proof gearing. And we included a durable moulded chainstay protector for quiet descents, plus an ISCG chain guide to keep everything on track.

Specification