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Monday
Aug242015

2015 YT Tues CF Pro Review

YT Bikes came into the scene with a new approach to bicycle sales. They launched the Tues in 2010 and sold their complete bikes direct to the consumer. Going this route allowed YT to sell complete downhill bikes with good build kits at the price of other companies frames. Their bikes have good geometry and range in price from $2800-$5000 depending on frame and build kit. For our test bike we chose the Tues Carbon Pro in size LG. This bike comes with a BOS Idylle RaRe fork and a VOID DH rear shock for a drivetrain it uses SRAM XO DH 7 spd. This is the $5000 high end bike and we are very pleased with the parts on the bike. Our size LG Tues weighed in at 36.03LBS complete with pedals.

"Imagine two boys in a jump park, stomping 3s on a bog-standard bike. Bearings were popping like Chinese crackers and the fear of something bigger going was ever present. Not that that stopped them. It was all just too fun and they were killing it! It was this scene, back in 2006, that was the catalyst to the formation of YT. “There’s got to be a way of building competition ready dirt bikes without spending a fortune,“ was Markus Flossmann’s thought; he is the founder and director of YT Industries. The idea was to produce technically innovative bikes of high quality that beginners could afford; or put another way, cool bikes for young talents (YT).

The solution was no middle men and no subsidiaries – only possible through direct marketing. YT’s 2010 TUES model was the first comp ready downhill bike in the world that delivered premium quality at an accessible price. Countless awards and test victories attest to the excellence and ingenuity of YT bikes but more importantly our products are trusted by top riders like Andreu Lacondeguy and Cam Zink. Why? Because every cell of what we produce, which is bikes by bikers for bikers, is made from YT’s love of MTB. YT wants the best bikes because they ride them."


Our YT came in an oversize box. Upon opening we saw that YT uses various pieces of labeled cardboard to hold the bike in place while in transit. All we had to do was mount the wheels and the bars onto the stem. It took us 10 minutes to have it ready to ride. This packing job was very impressive and should provide customers with undamaged bikes and get them riding fast. 


The YT Tues uses a Horst Link design suspension they refer to as the V4L. It is designed to give strong mid-stroke support while staying active throughout its travel. These designs have always proved competent at bump absorption but have typically fell short on the pedalling side of things so we are curious to see how the Tues responds to us putting power down. Nothing stands out to us in the geometry department on the YT as it all falls within the ballpark of a normal downhill bike.


The Renthal bars at 780mm are a bit on the short side from what we are used to riding. If this was a personal bike we would swap them out for a 800mm by Enve or Race Face. Keep in mind these are not the lightest wheels out there either so swapping them will shed even more weight off this already somewhat light downhill bike!

"Frame

The 3,500-gram carbon monocoque frame is our latest masterpiece. A whole kilo lighter than its aluminum counterpart, it features the much-loved characteristics of the TUES frame at a lower weight: optimum stiffness and a low center of gravity for awesome handling. Travel has been extended to 208mm, 8mm more than its aluminum predecessor.

The modern race geo features longer reach, and by redesigning the frame around 650B wheels, we were able to place the bottom bracket below the wheel axles. This combination centers the rider’s weight between the wheels, which offers several benefits: more grip in turns, comfort and control at high speed, as well as greater security and balance in the air.

Of course, our new crown jewel has been put through the harshest tests we could come up with, be it in the lab or on the trails.

Suspension

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