YT Jeffsy 29 FAQ

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YT Jeffsy 29 FAQ
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flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jul 9, 2018 at 17:02 Quote
I started to collect some questions during my own YT Jeffsy research, and started to collate some links and answers of questions. I've been a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 owner for 2 years now. If anybody has anything they want to add, post it below and I'll edit this post!

This thread specifically relates to model years 2016-2018 Jeffsy.

How long will it take my bike to ship?
This depends on where you live. Orders are collected, processed, and shipped via different methods depending on your country. There is a forum dedicated to shipping delays here. It seems like Canada has the longest shipping delays, whereas USA and some parts of Europe ship relatively quickly. General rule of thumb is, if it says the bike is in stock on the website, that isn't necessarily true and there may still be delays with your bike getting to you. If the website says the bike IS NOT in stock...this is correct. It IS NOT in stock, and will likely not ship by the estimated date, either.

When will I get a tracking number or a confirmation of shipping?
You may not receive any notice of shipment or a tracking number at all, depending on where you live. Not all distribution centers around the globe seem to use the YT system consistently. Some owners report that their bike just showed up, or were only given a tracking number once they contacted customer service. In Canada, it seems all shipping and delivery information comes directly from the Canadian Rep via e-mail.

How is customer service for a direct-to-consumer brand?
Similar to the above question, this depends on where you live. Customer service in the USA was great when the warehouse was being run out of Reno, NV. There haven't been many negative posts since the US operation was moved to California, so it appears things are running smoothly. Some parts of Europe have excellent customer service as well. Canada by far has the highest number of complaints (I am one of these complainers, just FYI).

Can I buy just a frame?
No, usually not. In the US and Canada you definitely cannot. However, there is a frame only option in Europe for the race build.

Sizing. I am ____ tall with ____ inseam. What size should I buy?
There are literally hundreds of these questions peppering the forums. YT recommends the following. If you are right betweel sizes, size up if you're looking for more stability at speed, and size down for more maneuverability and playfulness.
Small: 5'0 - 5'6
Medium: 5'5 - 5'10
Large: 5'9 - 6'3
Extra Large: 6'1 - 6'7

How does YT fit for very tall people?
Jeffsy has a 465mm reach on the XL size, which is pretty short for todays long, low, and slack trend. I am 6'5, and I find that the bike is on the short side. 2016-2017 bikes came with 60mm stems, but depending on your spec you XL frame may have come with a 50mm or shorter stem for 2018. Sizing up stems to 60-70mm with high rise bars may help your specific fit. In my opinion, this bike is too small for anybody taller than 6'4.

How can I spend ____ on a bike without even trying it?
Good question. I would say YT is a brand meant for riders. So, people who already know what they're looking for and what their size is and how they want their bike to ride. If you are looking to order a YT just for the cost savings alone, I would suggest a bit more research into your expensive purchase. Try and throw a leg over on one of YT's rolling demo tours if there is one in your area. Of course, this isn't always possible. There are many other bikes in trail category that are similar to the Jeffsy. These bikes include Trek Fuel Ex, Santa Cruz Hightower, Transition Smuggler, Norco Sight, Specialized Stumpjumper, etc. Many local bike shops stock these brands where they can be tested for size and riding characteristics.

Can I fit plus sized tires on my Jeffsy?
No, the Jeffsy was designed as 29in only. There is also a 27in version where wider tires can be used, but "plus" sized tires cannot fit. Unless you want to ride this monstrosity around and risk wearing out your frame. Jeffsy owners have posted photos of 2.6in tires fitting in the front and 2.4 in the rear.

Can the Jeffsy accept a 150 or 160mm fork? If so, how does it ride?
Yes it can. Many YT owners have upforked their Jeffsy 29 to have a 150mm or 160mm fork option. Each 10mm of fork makes the head and seat angle 0.4 degrees slacker. Feel free to search the forum yourself, but a bunch have reported that 160mm makes the seat angle too slack, causing the front end to wander on climbs. I would suggest to ride it in the stock 140mm configuration, and move to 150mm if you find you need extra travel for DH trails.

Do I need to buy a new fork to extend travel?
No. If you have a Rockshox fork, you can buy a spare air shaft here. Or here for Fox forks. Make sure to check what version of fork you have.

What options are the best for taping the frame?
Various owners have had success with different methods. You can cut your own tape from 3M automotive tape for cheap. There is a decent guide on applying Invisiframe tape here. You can buy Invisiframe from their UK webstore here.

Can I run an oval chainring? What offset do I need?
This one is complicated. Most Jeffsys come with Raceface cranks, except the highest build which uses e13 cranks. (Keep in mind, YT changes their spec regularly so this may be outdated). Raceface are different than other companies. Their cranks are already spaced for boost by being set 1mm offset, so their chainrings are only 2mm offset instead of the "normal" 3mm boost offset. A chainring that has a poor chainline may result in poor performance or an annoying grinding sensation. Personally, I tried a 0mm offset, 3mm offset, and 6mm offset oval ring and couldn't get anything to feel as nice as the stock RaceFace ring. The 6mm offset rings will be VERY close to the carbon chainstay (1mm clearance). So, I kept the stock chainring and learned to love it. There are many users who report success with Absolute Black oval chainrings.

Update. I went back through my order invoices and here is a list of each ring that I tried and the results. If anyone has different info, please post below and I'll update this post with your thoughts.
1. Oneup Components Cinch Oval Chainring NON-BOOST (6mm offset) - incompatible. Too close to carbon frame chainstay with 30T. Less than 1mm clearance that would certainly rub if any dirt/grit got on the ring.
2. OneUp Components Cinch Oval Chainring BOOST (3mm offset) - incompatible. Grinding in high gears.
3. Blackspire Snaggletooth 30T Oval BOOST chainring (0mm offset) - incompatible. Chainline way off. Resulted in grinding in pretty much all gears.
4. Blackspire Snaggletooth 30T Oval BOOST chainring (3mm offset) - incompatible. Chainline better, but still resulted in grinding in climbing gear when putting down power.
5. Wolftooth Elliptical Direct Mount Chainring BOOST(3mm offset) - incompatible. Grinding sensation due to poor chainline in high gears when putting down power.
6. RaceFace Cinch 30T Chainring (~2mm offset?) - compatible. Chainline is perfect and pedaling is smooth.

Can Jeffsy run Eagle?
Yes, of course it can. You will have to buy a new eagle groupset though. The 11 speed versions are not compatible (unless you are into modifying your own shifter with the new E13 conversion kit and their 12 speed cassette).

My Jeffsy rear shock feels too rough on downhill trails. How can I fix this?
YT build their Jeffsy frame to be very progressive. This means that their spring curve is meant to ramp up quickly towards the end of the wheel travel. On repeated high-speed hits, this may feel harsher than many riders would like.
For 2016-2017 bikes, stock Rockshox Monarch's were being shipped with 3 progression bands. Removing one or two of these bands helps with harshness considerably.

I don't like Monarch's, can I run other shocks?
Of course you can. Some users have run Cane Creek, DVO, Fox, etc. A few owners have even tried multiple options and have posted their opinions. The DVO Topaz seems to be very popular

Which flip chip orientation is "low" and which is "high"?
The arrows on the link are confusing. The low position is when the bolt is closer to the rear of the bike. The high is when the bolt is towards the front of the bike.

Do tires ship tubeless?
No, it would appear that tires ship with tubes installed.

Are rims set up with tubeless tape?
It depends which wheelset came with your bike. Users have posted that their e13 wheels have come pre-taped. No other brands will have tubeless tape installed. Note that the YT branded tape IS NOT a tubeless compatible rim strip. It is simply a thin piece of tape that will not hold air for very long.

Is the Luftkappe a worthy upgrade for the Rockshox Pike?
Yes, it is an impressive upgrade for pre 2018 Pikes. Newer pikes have a similarly upgraded performance so may not be necessary.

Is there any servicing that needs to be done to the bike before riding?
Not necessarily. The bikes are good to go once you assemble them. However, most Jeffsy owners convert their tires to tubeless. Many owners report that their suspension bearings were fairly dry upon first inspection. Having your bearings serviced is a good idea, but not a requirement. However, after servicing my bearings the bike was notably smoother.
Popping off the bearing cover with an exacto knife and applying marine grease (Mobil XHP 222) has been done by several members with good results.

Can it fit a standard water bottle?
No. The YT Thirstmaster bottle and cage can fit, but a standard or large size bottle will not fit. The original Thirstmaster cage was a piece of garbage and would not hold bottles very long. If you ordered a Thirstmaster after spring 2017, you likely have the new one that is better. It cannot hold a larger or different style bottle though.

YT has revamped their Thirstmaster bottle cage and the newer version is a great improvement. Many members report no problems.

Other options include running a Specialized roll cage mounted directly to the waterbottle bosses, but not on top of the cable guides. You will have to route the cables around the cage and you might have to secure them with zip ties. You may need longer screws to secure it, but many members have reported success. Another option is a Zefel Wiiz bottle cage, mounted in the same way. I have tried this option, and it does work for a smaller bottle but the fit is very tight on my XL frame. Personally, I can't recommend this approach because when used without a bottle, the empty cage ends bounce and rattle against each other, resulting in a noisy ride with constant chattering sounds.

Update from member ascdesigns:
The side opening *will* rattle against each other if a water bottle isn't in place... BUT! if you take a dremel and shave off a few mm from each end, it will still hold the water bottle in place securely but not rattle should you leave your water bottle at home. I'm running it this way, so this is experiential, not hypothetical

nelsti wrote:
The Fidlock water bottle system also fits the jeffsy, there's photos on their instagram.

What bottom bracket options are available?

Early versions of the YT Jeffsy 29 had high rates of BB failure with the stock RaceFace BB. However, 2017 and newer versions have had improved versions that do not have this problem. According to several YT owners, the Hope PF41 BB is a suitable replacement.

What rad upgrades should I add?

Upgrades, you say? There is always something to upgrade. Zsandstorm summed it up pretty well with this list:

bigquotesFree (ish)
1----Remove the orange tags from your spokes (jeez, man)
2----Remove most, if not all, of the volume spacers from your shock.
2a--While you're in there, put a fresh coat of suspension grease on sliding surfaces
3----Stick a zip tie in between the fork stanchion and the seal, and drip some fork oil in there
3a--Rockshox forks are notoriously underlubricated when new, so you might consider a complete fork service
4----Tubeless (cost of Stan's and tape)

Upgrades under $150/each

5----Frame protection tape (Depending on the kind, between USD$30 and USD$150)
6----DebonAir air spring upgrade for your fork (USD$40)
7----Grips that have literally any degree of comfort (USD$30)
8----Workable water bottle system (see Jeffsy 29 FAQ page) (USD$50 or less)
9----Change brake pads to CL (USD$20 per wheel)
10---Better Tires (USD$100)
11--XTR Shifter (USD$80)
12--XTR Rear Derailleur ($135)

**what are CL brake pads? CL is a brand of brake pads with roots in the moto industry. The stock Guide R/RS/RSC pads are pretty "meh", and I find the CL pads to be significantly longer lasting and quieter. It can be tricky to track down their products, but there's a good chance that a bike shop somewhere near you has them. If not, I'd order through a moto shop.

Major Upgrades

13---Rear Shock. Personally, I'd suggest either a coil or a DVO Topaz. (USD$400+)
14---Custom wheelset (USD$750+)
15---Carbon cranks (USD$350).......but why?
16---Carbon handlebar (USD$150)........also why?

I want to change my shock to X or Y. What hardware do I need?

The best way to determine this is to download the exploded diagram view on the YT website. The link will be different depending where you live, so an auto-link posted here may not work. The link to the US diagram is here. Consulting the brand of shock you bought is also a good idea. It is not always the case that you can reuse the mounting hardware that came with the stock shock.
flag Rance
Posted: Jul 9, 2018 at 19:23 Quote
Brilliant stuff. Thank you for spending the time on this.
flag SkipSkovhugger
Posted: Jul 10, 2018 at 0:44 Quote
gbeaks33 wrote:
However, there apparently is a frame-only option on the German and European site.

Just to confirm, there is a frame-only option for Europe, and it's the CF Pro Race frame.
https://www.yt-industries.com/en/detail/index/sArticle/1967/sCategory/509
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jul 10, 2018 at 7:39 Quote
SkipSkovhugger wrote:
gbeaks33 wrote:
However, there apparently is a frame-only option on the German and European site.

Just to confirm, there is a frame-only option for Europe, and it's the CF Pro Race frame.
https://www.yt-industries.com/en/detail/index/sArticle/1967/sCategory/509

Edited. Thanks!
flag Poulsbojohnny
Posted: Jul 10, 2018 at 8:35 Quote
Awesome stuff!

I posted a link in the old YT shipping thread to point to the one here. Maybe update the link to drive folks to the new forum?
flag zsandstrom
O+
Posted: Jul 10, 2018 at 9:58 Quote
Also, I love that "monstrosity" comment. I'm sure it rides great, etc., but that thing is ugly as sin. Yellow rims??? Dude, what were you thinking?
flag asmtb
O+
Posted: Jul 10, 2018 at 10:07 Quote
I started collecting a list but stopped.


Bearings:
Repack with - Mobil XHP 222 marine grease
Or switch out to Euro max bearings

DIY BB Guard
https://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=189473&pagenum=416
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jul 10, 2018 at 12:37 Quote
zsandstrom wrote:
Also, I love that "monstrosity" comment. I'm sure it rides great, etc., but that thing is ugly as sin. Yellow rims??? Dude, what were you thinking?

Haha. I know. Had to point that out, as it was a highlight of that thread for sure.
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jul 11, 2018 at 8:11 Quote
Post edited. Added a point about what waterbottles can fit.
flag mv70
Posted: Jul 16, 2018 at 0:05 Quote
Some good info in FAQ!
I was confused by the chainring offset for my 2018 jeffsy 29 CF
Guess now I need the Boost type https://absoluteblack.cc/raceface-oval-boost-cinch-chainring

Not the normal https://absoluteblack.cc/raceface-oval.html
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jul 16, 2018 at 9:06 Quote
mv70 wrote:
Some good info in FAQ!
I was confused by the chainring offset for my 2018 jeffsy 29 CF
Guess now I need the Boost type https://absoluteblack.cc/raceface-oval-boost-cinch-chainring

Not the normal https://absoluteblack.cc/raceface-oval.html

Yes the whole topic is bizarre. Various chainring manufacturers use different offsets and boost doesn't always mean boost. Raceface make it even more confusing and their actual cranks are spaced differently or something so their offset is not matched by any other company. My theory is they want you to stick with their own chainring.

Personally, I couldn't get any other chainring to work other than the stock cinch raceface rings. Everything else made a really annoying grinding sensation that you get with a worn out ring. Doesn't mean you won't have success with other brands, though.

I think I'll update the FAQ to list the exact chainrings I tried and just list them as incompatible.
flag Camstyn
O+
Posted: Jul 16, 2018 at 22:03 Quote
Yes Elliot lt from YT USA confirmed for me that you need a Boost 3mm offset Cinch chainring on the Capra CF Pro. I assume this means all Raceface equipped Capra and Jeffsy bikes will be the same. Not sure if this carries over to the Pro Race models that have E13 cranks/bottom bracket.
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jul 18, 2018 at 15:26 Quote
I added more info to the chainring question, see above for full info.
flag ascdesigns
O+
Posted: Jul 26, 2018 at 9:28 Quote
Hi - thanks for the FAQ's, I think this will help everyone! One quick note regarding the Zefal Wiiz cage:

The side opening *will* rattle against each other if a water bottle isn't in place... BUT! if you take a dremel and shave off a few mm from each end, it will still hold the water bottle in place securely but not rattle should you leave your water bottle at home. I'm running it this way, so this is experiential, not hypothetical Smile

Hope this helps maintain another alternative for water bottles on the Jeffsy!
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Jul 26, 2018 at 9:36 Quote
ascdesigns wrote:
Hi - thanks for the FAQ's, I think this will help everyone! One quick note regarding the Zefal Wiiz cage:

The side opening *will* rattle against each other if a water bottle isn't in place... BUT! if you take a dremel and shave off a few mm from each end, it will still hold the water bottle in place securely but not rattle should you leave your water bottle at home. I'm running it this way, so this is experiential, not hypothetical Smile

Hope this helps maintain another alternative for water bottles on the Jeffsy!

I thought of throwing some electrical tape on there or something but that sounds like a better, cleaner approach. I'll update the post. Thanks!
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