Issue #034, Review - July 27, 2018

YT CAPRA 29 CF PRO Review

YT doesn’t make it easy for its customers: which model do you choose? CAPRA or JEFFSY? 29″ or 27.5″? And once you’ve made those decisions, you can usually also choose between two frame sizes thanks to short seat tubes. With the YT CAPRA 29 CF PRO, we found our dream bike – and we’re sure you will love it too!

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: Love at first sight – 8 enduro bikes under € 4,500 in Review

YT has long been known for offering top builds at a fair price, but with the brand new CAPRA CF, the German mail order company has outdone itself. It starts with the look: with its oversized tubing and the red on red paint job, the CAPRA looks outrageously good. As you’d expect from YT, the spec of the € 4,299 CAPRA is also very well thought-out and of extremely high quality. For the fork, they opted for a FOX 36 FLOAT Performance Elite, the interior of which is identical to the factory model, but without the Kashima coating.

The drivetrain consists of a mix of Shimano, Race Face and E*thirteen components. This combination is supposed to be particularly light and reliable, as well as offering an 11% larger gear range than SRAM Eagle. The remaining components are from Race Face and E*thirteen, and none of them gave us anything to complain about. Braking is taken care of by powerful and easily modulated SRAM CODE RSC brakes.

Ride what you want – the CAPRA is always the perfect companion!

**Helmet** MET Roam | **Glasses** Oakley Jawbreaker | **Jersey** iXS VIBE 8.1 JERSEY | **Shorts** iXS ASPER SHORTS

The YT CAPRA 29 CF PRO in detail

Fork Fox 36 Float Performance Elite160 mm
Shock Fox DPX2 Performance Elite 160 mm
Brakes SRAM Code RSC 200/200 mm
Drivetrain Shimano XTR / E+Thirteen TRS+
Seatpost Fox Transfer Performance Elite
Stem Race Face Turbine R 40 mm
Handlebar Race Face Turbine R 800 mm
Tires E+Thirteen TRS+ / TRSR 2.35″
Wheels E+Thirteen TRS+ 29
Weight 13.96 kg
Price € 4,299

**Progressive**
The rear suspension has a good amount of progression and works best when set up with around 30% sag. The shock requires a lot of pressure – this can be a problem for heavy riders.

**Full Control**
With the FOX 36 FLOAT Performance Elite fork you can adjust both the high and low-speed compression settings to your preferences

**Dirty**
When it’s brand-new, the red chainstay protector looks really cool, but after a few rides, it just looks dirty. YT should have kept it black.

**Smart combo**
YT uses a combination of Shimano, Race Face and E*thirteen components for low weight, high durability and a huge gear range

The geometry of the YT CAPRA 29 CF PRO

Size/th>	M	L	XL	XXL
Top tube	583 mm	619 mm	642 mm	664 mm
Head tube	95 mm	105 mm	115 mm	120 mm
Head angle	65.5° / 66°	65.5° / 66°	65.5° / 66°	65.5° / 66°
Seat angle	76° / 76.5°	76° / 76.5°	76° / 76.5°	76° / 76.5°
Chainstays	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm
BB Drop	28 mm / 19 mm	28 mm / 19 mm	28 mm / 19 mm	28 mm / 19 mm
Wheelbase	1199 mm	1223 mm	1252 mm	1274 mm
Reach	445 mm	465 mm	485 mm	505 mm
Stack	618 mm	627 mm	636 mm	640 mm

With a rider height of 180 cm, you’ll be exactly between the frame sizes L and XL of the new YT CAPRA. While we decided on the larger size for the 27.5″ test bike, we chose the smaller size for the 29er – and it turned out to be the right choice. Despite the large wheels, the bike still feels very agile and very direct. On board the bike, your weight is placed comfortably between the wheels, and you’re given all the room you need. The rear suspension has a good amount of progression and works best when set up with around 30% sag. It isn’t quite as plush as the best in the test field, but it offers a lot of feedback. Thanks to the low bottom bracket and a good compromise between front and rear triangle length, the CAPRA is very easy and very predictable to ride. There is a flip chip for geometry adjustment, but we always rode the bike in the slack setting. Even then, the seat tube angle remains steep enough at 76° and with the saddle pushed slightly forward you’ll easily get up most climbs. The CAPRA impressed us no matter what kind of trail we rode it on. It’s as much fun on flow trails as it is on hard, rough downhill tracks.

Tuningtip:
– none!

Conlusion

The YT CAPRA 29 CF PRO is the perfect all-rounder: it climbs well and descends like a champion. Wherever you go, whether it’s flow trails or the downhill track, with this bike you’re always sure to be well equipped. It is the most versatile bike in the test, comes with high-end spec, and the price is fair too – our well-deserved Best in Test!