Video: Jordie Lunn rides the YT Decoy
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-hfGYISkG0
Jordie Lunn at Vancouver Island with a smart dog.
What is it
Introduced in March, this full suspension ebike sporting 160mm of front and 165mm rear travel pushes the limits of the category. But rather than just loading it up with gobs of suspension travel, YT approached the problem with balance and stealth.
Ebikes are heavy enough so YT got the weight for this capable bike under 50 lbs with good front and rear balance and agility. This was achieved by creating their own battery for the Shimano motor and mounting it as low as possible on the down tube. Fox X2 suspension is employed in the rear to control that mass. And in a stroke of early execution, they made the rear 27.5 Plus compatible only mated to a 29er front wheel. This allows the rear to be stiff and quick to compensate for the bike’s weight. A 29er wheel is employed up front to tackle the many miles of descending with panache.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ng0nSY9CZY
Here, Adolf Silva puts the bike through its paces.
The Spec and the price
The YT Decoy comes in three spec levels, the CF Pro Race, CF Pro, and CF Base. Pricing is set at $6999, $5999 and $4999. The CF Pro Race and Pro sport full carbon frames while CF Base utilizes a carbon frame with an alloy rear end.
Spec is typical YT which is top-end with little compromise. The Pro Race for example is hung with Fox 36 with the Grip2 damper, Fox X2 rear shock (as mentioned previously), Fox Transfer dropper, Minion tires, E-Thirteen carbon wheels, Di2 electronic shifting and Shimano E-8000 motor. These are some of the best and priciest components in their respective categories.
How much does it weigh?
Weight is 48.28 lbs or 21.9kg for the CF Pro Race, 48.94 lbs for the CF Pro and 49.38 lbs for the CF Base or for small size frames. In other words, they’re all under 50 lbs which is quite an achievement considering these all sport big Maxxis Minion tires and the Pro Race model uses the capable but heavy Fox DPX2 rear shock. The Decoy has a bigger battery too that most comparable competition with 540wh instead of the typical 504wh on most standard batteries.
The geometry
Geometry is modern with a 65-degree head angle and 76-degree seat angle. Rear stays are short at 442mm and bb is low at 340mm. The only thing not very modern about the geometry is the reach and the wheelbase. Reach fairly short at 425mm for a medium. This is perhaps for the wider applications and riders anticipated for the Decoy which may include moderate riding and exploration rides. Also, the heavier bike is sometimes a handful to throw around on singletrack when the reach and wheelbase are very long. Thus the rider is steered towards a bike that is not long by modern standards.
The good news is the YT Decoy comes in 5 sizes and a typical rider can fit three different sizes because the seat tubes are short and out of the way. The rider can choose the bike size based on their preferred reach and wheelbase instead of the old top tube clearance method.
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