All Arround MTB

The new Tues downhill bike is here – and won a World Cup on its first outing While a number of big brands have launched 29er downhill bikes,YT Industries are sticking with proven 650b wheels – for now, at least. The latest Tues comes in five sizes (S-XXL), with the biggest sporting a reach of 495mm. Head tube and chainstay lengths now vary between sizes, to put the rider in a better position on the bike. The S-L bikes have 435mm stays, while the XL and XXL are a shade longer, at 440mm. Reach is longer than last year on some sizes, including the XL ridden to victory by Aaron Gwin at this year’s openingWorld Cup round.A reachadjust headset can be used to tailor the fit further. YT have also made subtle but significant changes to the suspension. The initial stroke is said to be more sensitive, while there’s more mid-stroke support, to sit the bottom bracket a shade higher when on track.YT have decreased end-stroke progression, by five per cent, to make tackling really big hits th...

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 rebo...

In their debut year of racing, YT have put wheels beneath the most feared man on the circuit