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YT Capra AL Comp


The Capra has impressed us since we first threw a leg over it back in 2014, thanks to its aggressive angles and the poise and composure delivered by YT’s progressive ‘V4L’ linkage. Considering that the AL Comp is the cheapest bike in the final six, the spec is hard to fault too – Maxxis rubber, DT Swiss wheels, SRAM 1x11 gearing and Guide brakes, plus a formidable RockShox Lyrik RC fork up front and Monarch Plus RC3 shock at the rear.

This great value for money is possible because YT – along with fellow top-six contenders Radon, Canyon and Commencal – sell direct to you, the ‘consumer’, from their website. That means you can’t just wander into your local shop for buying advice or to check the bike out for yourself, but if you’re confident in what you’re doing, it’s a way of buying bikes that’s well worth considering.

Without LBS backup, it’s fortunate that the Capra requires very little set-up time to get it feeling just right. We had to do little other than set the sag and rebound to achieve a good suspension balance, and could then just crack on. You’ll likely find yourself reaching for the low-speed compression lever on the shock when tackling really tricky climbs, but for the most part we ran it fully open.

Where the Capra really becomes grin-inducing is when the trail gets rowdy. The stable, composed suspension lets you drive hard through tyre-ripping corners and clatter through braking bumps with masses of control, and the bike feels playful and agile when carving from line to line or launching off lips and skipping up and over trail features.

Some of that liveliness undoubtedly comes from the fact that the YT isn’t particularly big, with our large sample boasting the shortest reach of the six top bikes here. While there is an XL in the range that’ll suit those around the 6ft mark, anyone much taller will struggle to find a Capra that fits.

The Capra offers impressively tuned, well-balanced suspension and a fantastic spec for the money, but be careful with the sizing because it’s not as long as it could be 

SPEC
Frame Aluminium, 165mm travel
Fork RockShox Lyrik RC Solo Air, 170mm travel
Shock RockShox Monarch Plus RC3
Drivetrain SRAM X1 with Race Face Turbine cranks (1x11)
Wheelset DT Swiss E 1900 SPLINE wheels, Maxxis High Roller II EXO 27.5x2.4in tyres
Brakes SRAM Guide RS, 200mm
Bar/stem Race Face Atlas 35, 780mm/Race Face Atlas 35, 50mm
Seatpost/saddle RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper/ SDG Fly MTN
Weight 14.6kg (L)

 Price $3600
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