Issue #036, Review - December 21, 2018

YT JEFFSY 29 CF Pro Race Review

If you look at Aaron Gwin’s Instagram account, you’ll very often see the fast American onboard the YT JEFFSY 29 CF Pro Race. The bike won us over too, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to beat the competition.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best trail bike you can buy

YT JEFFSY 29 CF PRO RACE | 140/140 mm (f/r) | 12.90 kg | € 4,999

After the introduction of the YT CAPRA, things have become a bit quieter around the JEFFSY. Nonetheless, the trail bike is still the first choice for many riders, even if it has started to look a bit outdated in spite of the pretty paintwork. The completely external cable routing is practical, but no longer up to date. As you’d expect from YT, you get a lot of excellent components for the fair price of € 4,999: the suspension consists of a FOX 34 fork and a DPX2 shock – both Factory, of course. For the drivetrain, YT relies on a combination of a Shimano XTR rear derailleur and an E13 crank and cassette. This setup isn’t only lighter than an Eagle drivetrain, it also offers a wider gear range, and according to YT, more reliable shifting. The carbon rims and the tires are also from E13. Unlike the CAPRA, the JEFFSY offers room for a water bottle – even if only for a small one, 500 ml should be enough for a quick after-work ride.

Really composed. Compared to the brand image, the handling of the JEFFSY is almost too well behaved.

The YT JEFFSY 29 CF Pro Race in detail

Fork FOX 34 FLOAT FACTORY 140 mm
Schock FOX FLOAT DPX2 FACTORY 140 mm
Brakes SRAM GUIDE ULTIMATE 200/180 mm
Drivetrain Shimano XTR/e*Thirteen
Seatpost FOX Transfer Factory 150 mm
Stem Renthal APEX 35 50 mm
Handlebar Renthal FatBar Carbon 35 800 mm
Wheelset E*thirteen TRS Race SL Carbon
Tires E*thirteen TRS+
Weight 12.90 kg
Price € 4,999

**Unusual**
The combination of the E13 cassette and the Shimano XTR rear derailleur is unusual, but it performs brilliantly and offers the largest available gear range at 511%.

**Old school**
The externally routed cables are a little untidy and, together with the slim shape of the frame, the bike looks a bit outdated.

**Angular**
Not only do the E13-TRS tires roll poorly, but they also have a very square design, which means that they lose grip very suddenly and tend to fold easily.

**Thirsty**
The 500 ml water bottle isn’t huge, but it should be enough for most after work rides. For longer rides, you would usually carry a backpack or hip bag anyway.

Die Geometrie des YT JEFFSY 29

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	400 mm	440 mm	480 mm	520 mm
Top tube	571 mm	592 mm	616 mm	637 mm
Head tube	90 mm	95 mm	110 mm	115 mm
Head angle	67°	67°	67°	67°
Seat angle	74,5°	74,5°	74,5°	74,5°
Chainstay	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm
BB Drop	32 mm	32 mm	32 mm	32 mm
Wheelbase	1132 mm	1154 mm	1178 mm	1205 mm
Reach	405 mm	425 mm	445 mm	465 mm
Stack	605 mm	610 mm	623 mm	628 mm

**Helmet** Troy Lee A1 | **Glasses** Oakley Jawbreaker | **Backpack** EVOC STAGE 12 l | **Jersey** Troy Lee Designs Sprint | **Short** Troy Lee Designs Ruckus

The YT JEFFSY 29 CF Pro Race on the trail

YT makes no secret of the fact that having fun on the descents is their top priority. Nevertheless, the JEFFSY climbs surprisingly well. However, it is advisable to push the saddle as far forward as it’ll go so you don’t pedal from too far back. On long, easy climbs, it’s also worth reaching for the climb switch to stop the shock from bobbing as you pedal. If climbing efficiency is important to you we recommend replacing the slow rolling E13 tires. But, as it is, you’ll be able to reach the top of every trail onboard the JEFFSY. Descending, the JEFFSY delivers a lot of good times. It’s handling is very balanced, which is certainly also due to the increased length of the chainstays in sizes L and XL. The weight distribution is nicely centred and the handling is easy and intuitive. The rear linkage works very sensitively without using its travel too quickly. It absorbs large blows with ease and outperforms the FOX 34 fork. We missed about a centimetre more travel at the front, which would also slacken the head angle a bit. A longer travel fork would increase the bike’s composure on very steep and fast tracks.

Conclusion

The YT JEFFSY CF PRO Race is not as extreme as some might think. It scores with very balanced, good-natured handling and an excellent rear linkage. The fork, or rather the steep head angle limits the potential of the bike on demanding trails.

Tops

good value for your money
good-natured, predictable handling
excellent rear linkage

Flops

Head angle somewhat steep / not enough travel on the fork
externally routed cables seem outdated

Uphill

Downhill

Stability

Agility

Value for money

More info at: yt-industries.com