YT Industries' history dates back to 2006, when company founder Markus Flossman witnessed a crew of youngsters throwing down at the local dirt jumps on department store bikes ill-equipped for the abuses of hard riding. That was the inspiration for the first bike in the company's line, a well spec'd hardtail that was light years ahead of a department store bike, but more affordable than the higher end dirt jumpers on the market at the time. Even though YT's lineup has expanded to include carbon fiber downhill and enduro bikes, the ethos of offering high performance bikes at a reasonable price has remained, which the German company achieves via a consumer direct sales model. You won't see YT on the sales floor of your local bike shop anytime soon – they're solely available online, which cuts out the costs associated with the traditional manufacturer → shop → consumer sales model.
YT bills the Capra as a “hardy mountain beast,” and with 165 or 170mm of rear travel, a slack, 65.2° degree head angle, meaty tires, wide bars and a short stem it has all the hallmarks of a modern all-mountain or enduro race bike. We tested the CF Pro, which has a carbon fiber front triangle and seatstays, BOS suspension front and rear, and a generous helping of e*thirteen and SRAM components. Available in sizes S, M, and L, the Capra CF Pro retails for $5195 USD.
YT Capra CF Pro Details• Intended use: all-mountain / enduro
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Rear wheel travel: 170mm
• Head angle: 65.2°
• Chainstay length: 430mm
• Carbon fiber front triangle and seatstays
• Fork: BOS Deville 170mm
• Shock: BOS Kirk
• Drivetrain: SRAM X1 / X01
• Brakes: SRAM Guide RSC
• Weight: 30.2 lb (
size L, w/o pedals)
• MSRP: $ 5,195 USD
•
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@YTIndustries
Frame DesignThe Capra's carbon monocoque frame has a stout, aggressive look to it, with a head tube junction that could serve as the prow for some sort of futuristic battleship. That beefy aesthetic continues throughout the frame, from the wide, pentagon shaped top tube to the bottom bracket junction that looks capable of withstanding some serious abuse. While the majority of the frame is constructed from carbon fiber, the chainstays are made from aluminum to help ensure they can withstand the abuse that the bike's pilot is sure to dish out.
Internal routing is used for the rear derailleur housing and in the seat tube for the stealth dropper post, while the rest of the housing is cleanly routed along the top of the down tube. ISCG tabs are in place around the PF30 bottom bracket, and there's also the option to run a front derailleur, a feature that's becoming less and less common in this age of 1x drivetrains. Unfortunately, the rear suspension configuration does rule out carrying a water bottle inside the front triangle.
Suspension DesignThe Capra relies on a Horst Link suspension design that YT refers to as “V4L” for its 170mm of rear travel (the travel drops to 165mm if the shorter stroke Monarch Plus rear shock is used instead of the BOS Kirk). The shock is mounted to the seat stays, and just below it there's a Y-shaped aluminum link that connects to the brace running between the seat and down tube. That link is what directs the bike through its travel, and its dimensions and orientation were designed to create a bike with good mid-stroke support for pedaling, while also having a very strong ramp up at the end of its travel to help keep it from bottoming out harshly.
YT Capra CF Pro Spec Sheet
Specifications
|
Price
|
$5195 |
|
Travel |
170mm |
|
Rear Shock |
BOS Kirk |
|
Fork |
BOS Deville 170mm |
|
Headset |
Acros AZX |
|
Cassette |
SRAM XG1180 |
|
Crankarms |
e*thirteen TRSr 170mm |
|
Chainguide |
e*thirteen XCX+ |
|
Rear Derailleur |
SRAM X01 |
|
Shifter Pods |
SRAM X1 |
|
Handlebar |
Renthal Fatbar Aluminum 780mm |
|
Stem |
Renthal Apex 50mm |
|
Grips |
Sensus Disisdaboss |
|
Brakes |
SRAM Guide RSC |
|
Wheelset |
e*thirteen TRSr |
|
Tires |
Maxxis Highroller II 2.4" |
|
Seat |
SDG Duster |
|
Seatpost |
RockShox Reverb 150mm 31.6mm |
|
Geometry