New YT CAPRA Shred 2020 – Is this the new king of the bike park?
The new YT DECOY Shred promises to make even the gnarliest trails seem like a walk in the park. The new eMTB is designed for maximum fun on the descents with super capable suspension to back it up. What else makes this bike so special?
The YT CAPRA has already featured in a lot of reviews at ENDURO. The bike recently demonstrated its potential in our group test of nine affordable enduro bikes up to € 3,500. There, the carbon model impressed us with its downhill capabilities, though we weren’t entirely convinced of its suspension. The new CAPRA Shred puts an end to this, equipped with a FOX DHX2 Performance Elite coil shock and a FOX 38 Performance fork. For the first time, YT have also chosen to spec the new SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain and 10-52 cassette. As usual, the bike is available in both 29er and 27.5″ versions. Depending on the wheel size, it offers either 170 mm (29″) or 180 mm (27.5″) travel and is priced at € 3,499. Unlike YT’s previous special aluminium editions with coil shocks, the new YT CAPRA Shred isn’t limited.
The geometry of the new YT CAPRA Shred
Regarding geometry, the new YT CAPRA Shred doesn’t differ from the regular CAPRA currently on offer. This is no wonder considering that the frame hasn’t been changed. The size L 29er still has a moderate reach of 460 mm and short 435 mm chainstays, which are 5 mm longer on sizes XL and XXL. The head and seat tubes angles, as well as the bottom bracket height, can be adjusted using a flip chip. These measurements aren’t extreme either and offer the balanced handling on the descents that you’re used to. Uphill, the CAPRA Shred is guaranteed to climb just as comfortably as the current models with its rather slack 75.5° seat tube angle in the low position. Thanks to the short seat tubes, you can choose the frame size based on your preferred reach and simply fit a longer dropper post if necessary.
The geometry of the CAPRA Shred 29 in detail:
| Size | M | L | XL | XXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 420 mm | 445 mm | 465 mm | 490 mm |
| Top tube | 584 mm | 621 mm | 645 mm | 667 mm |
| Head tube | 95 mm | 105 mm | 115 mm | 120 mm |
| Head angle | 65.0° | 65.0° | 65.0° | 65.0° |
| Seat angle | 75.5° | 75.5° | 75.5° | 75.5° |
| Chainstayn | 435 mm | 435 mm | 440 mm | 440 mm |
| BB Drop | 25 mm | 25 mm | 25 mm | 25 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1.203 mm | 1.227 mm | 1.256 mm | 1.279 mm |
| Reach | 440 mm | 460 mm | 480 mm | 500 mm |
| Stack | 621 mm | 630 mm | 639 mm | 644 mm |
The geometry of the CAPRA Shred 27 in detail:
| Size | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Tube | 400 mm | 420 mm | 450 mm | 470 mm | 490 mm |
| Top tube | 572 mm | 594 mm | 617 mm | 639 mm | 661 mm |
| Head Tube | 97 mm | 109 mm | 120 mm | 130 mm | 135 mm |
| Head angle | 65° | 65° | 65° | 65° | 65° |
| Seat angle | 75° | 75° | 75° | 75° | 75° |
| Chainstayn | 427 mm | 427 mm | 427 mm | 432 mm | 432 mm |
| BB Drop | 8 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1169 mm | 1194 mm | 1219 mm | 1248 mm | 1271 mm |
| Reach | 415 mm | 435 mm | 455 mm | 475 mm | 495 mm |
| Stack | 597 mm | 607 mm | 617 mm | 626 mm | 631 mm |
The componentry of the new YT CAPRA Shred
Before now, if you wanted an aluminium enduro bike from YT you would only have had one choice: the € 2,299 CAPRA BASE. The new CAPRA Shred isn’t intended to be another affordable alternative to the carbon options out there, instead, it’s price puts it mid-range in the line-up at € 300 more than YT’s most affordable carbon model. With a FOX 38 performance fork and a DHX2 Performance coil shock, everything has been optimised for maximum downhill performance. Shifting is taken care of by a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain and 10-52 t cassette while SRAM’s CODE R brakes paired with large 200 mm rotors front and rear provide the necessary stopping power. An even bigger 220 mm rotor would have paired just as well with the FOX 38 fork. YT say goodbye to E13 for the tires on the CAPRA, speccing it with a MAXXIS Assegai up front and a Minion DHR II at the rear, though, unfortunately, only in the EXO and EXO+ version. When used as intended, the bike definitely needs thicker, more durable casings. It’s rounded off with E13 LG EN1 wheels and a 125 mm YT Postman dropper on sizes S and M, a 150 mm version on the L and XL, and 170 mm version on the XXL.
Our first impression of the new YT CAPRA Shred
The new YT CAPRA Shred is sure to put a smile on the faces of those who like going big in the bike park! The spec is good, it looks stylish and the geometry is proven. Combined with the progressive rear end that already convinced us in previous tests, the result promises to be an excellent complete package. However, it’s clear that this bike is no mountain goat and not your best option for all-day epics.
For more information, visit the YT Industries homepage
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