Riding the YT JEFFSY 2019

To give us the best first ride experience, YT flew us out to Portugal to put the YT JEFFSY 2019 to the test on the trails near to Sagres. For 2 days we would test the 150 mm top-of-the-line YT JEFFSY 29 CF Pro Race, with a FOX 36 Float Factory GRIP2 150 mm fork and DPX2 Factory shock. This was arguably the wrong model, featuring more travel than the lower specced models, so we will base these first impressions only on that model. The CF Pro Race model has a E13/XTR mixed drivetrain (11 speed not the latest 12 speed) and runs on E13 TRS Race carbon wheels with aggressive E13 TRS Race / TRS Plus tyres. Our 180 cm, 80 kg tester felt a size Large was the best fit. On recommendation from YT we started with 25% SAG, with 72 Psi in the FOX 36 Float Factory fork, with 4 clicks of HSC and 6 clicks of LSC (from open).

A good trail bike should feel instantly at home, and the YT JEFFSY 2019 is as instantly familiar as an old mate. The super low standover, stretched reach, and comfortable contact points feel well chosen, spacious without being radical. The Renthal Fatbar Carbon with a 30 mm rise puts you in a nice head up position, integrating you inside the bike and the low seat tube means that even the most hobbit proportioned riders will be able to get maximum dropper post extension. Shifting crisply through the XTR gears and spinning into the first climb, it’s clear that YT have made some good decisions with the new suspension design. The Achilles heel of the outgoing YT JEFFSY was the low anti-squat values and slack seat tube, meaning that on long climbs in the big cassette sprockets the bike would bob up and down and platform damping was needed to stabilise the bike. It’s observable that the new YT JEFFSY is a far more efficient climber showing minimal pedal induced movement. Combined with the steeper seat angle it winches up steep faces without fuss, only the draggy E13 TRS Race tires hold it back. The trade-off for this slight inefficiency is that there is very little pedal kickback and the YT JEFFSY carries speed very well over hard and fast impacts, not tugging back on square edges like some of the competition.

The YT JEFFSY 2019 feels like a bike that you could pull out of a bike bag, anywhere in the world, and know you had the right bike for the job

The YT JEFFSY 2019 is not a Capra, so it should offer the complete package. From the minute we hopped on the bike, we knew that it would not suck downhill. Low slung and lengthy, you feel like you have huge amounts of room to throw yourself around over the bike. Running 25% SAG as recommended by YT the bike feels efficient and sits up well in its travel, skipping over hard hits. However, on the longer travel 150 mm version the ride was much improved by dropping to 30% SAG, allowing the bike to sit better in its suspension and lowering the BB height to make it more planted in the corners. The combination of a 660 head angle and the wide Renthal cockpit give the steering a good balance, not too sluggish to dumb down flow trails, but stable enough to charge rock gardens without holding your breath. The YT JEFFSY is a quiet bike too, the only noise came from a wheesy damper on the FOX 36 GRIP 2, but the bike was box fresh and things had not had time to settle in, adding to the super confident feel. Cable routing is super neat, however if you run your brakes UK style, they do tap the bar a little.

If you ride bike-parks, push hard and ‘being-honest with yourself’ feel that you need more travel, then the Capra will be the right tool for the job. For everyone else, the YT JEFFSY 2019 is the more versatile animal, and it’s still a total beast.

The ride can best be described as balanced, the YT JEFFSY 2019 holds speed well on mellow trails, flowing down straights, carving predictably through corners, and soaking up the hits and drops without fuss or complaint. It’s easy to instantly feel in tune with the bike, it requires no heroics to ride fast. Beginners will revel in the roomy riding position and confident and composed handling, while advanced riders would be able to put the hurt on much longer travel bikes on any trail, no matter how tough. YT want us to see the new JEFFSY as a new friend, a partner in crime for any adventure – In reality, it’s more like Al Pacino screaming “Say hello to my little friend”. Compared to the outgoing bike, the new YT JEFFSY 2019 – at least the 150 mm travel model we tested – has upped the artillery, taking a large step into Capra territory. It comes as perhaps no surprise that YT have built a trail bike their way, We are keen to test the 140 mm travel model on home trails to see if that channels more of the original YT JEFFSY DNA.

Helmet: MET ROAM MIPS, Glasses: Oakley Racing Jackets PRIZM: Jersey VOID Orbit TEE, Shorts: VOID Range Shorts, Shoes: ION Rascal, Kneepads: Bluegrass SKINNY D30

Conclusion

The new YT JEFFSY 2019 is unquestionably more efficient and confident than its outgoing predecessor. Has it lost some of it’s ‘trail friendly’ nimbleness? Yes, at least in the aggressively tired, 150 mm CF Pro Race model we tested. However, it has gained phenomenal composure and sure-footedness, Channeling new DNA, for riders looking for a bike that will never hold them back, initial feelings are that the new YT JEFFSY is simply outstanding.

More information at yt-industries.com


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