YT Decoy first ride review: A brilliant ebike with outstanding performance

[Doomanic]

You actually think most people are more interested in what you are going to do with your bike than how warranty is handled on a 5000 € bike?

Yes. Gary has a unique "style" and we don't always see eye to eye but he does seem to know his stuff.

@Gary I'm interested in the mods you're planning. The narrower tyres are a no brainer for you, but I'm more interested in why you don't think the "moto" wheel set will suit you.

 

[Doomanic]

Are you sure?

The website says;

 

[magnil]

You guys don’t see the mixed fad coming?? Mark my words this will be the next big thing over the coming seasons on all categories of bikes. It is about a lot more that short chainstays. The 29er front wheels adds so much stability and cornering traction and the 27.5 rear maintains flickability, bike control and bum clearance on the steeps. I’ve been doing it for years and absolutely love it! Wants some empiracle evidence? UCI removed the 40 year ban on two wheels of different diameter on 10/2/18. The very first EWS race with the new rules (last weeks ewsnz) Martin Maes won every single stage on a mixed wheel size bike! That’s a first in ews history. Another empiracle study done by the bike maker Liteville discovered 80% of the increased roll over provided by larger wheels comes from the front wheel. So mixing is like having your cake and eating it too. It’s brilliant y’all.

Totally agree with you. I ride my Levo with 29 front and 27.5 rear and like it a lot. Definitely the best setup for my riding.

 

[drjarvis2003]

Are you sure?

The website says;
View attachment 12469

Sorry, my mistake, it the display that's from an E7000.

 

[Gary]

It's really all just down to my own personal preference Dom.
Coming from DJ and old skool DH background I'm more of a #264LYF type of rider. Sort of the opposite of a lot of new skool enduro/trail rider with their super long super stable (but less nimble) bikes and riding styles
I'm 5'11" so not exactly tall and just don't get on with 29er mtbs at all. I can ride them (possibly actually faster in many situations) but I just can't stand the lean in the higher axle and larger diameter wheels gives when turning/changing direction. It's far more of an enjoyment preference than anything to do with the larger wheels performance in covering ground fast for me.
I'd also far rather have a mismatch in suspension travel (in favour of more up front) over less fork travel and a larger diameter front wheel. this also allows more scope for finetuning of ride height via suspension settings.

We don't ride "Moto" bikes (proper engine ones). they'd actually be worse for the sort of riding I tend to do and aren't designed to. I've always run a grippier front tyre up front. (since the early days of BMX) which means either a softer compound, more aggressive tread, or larger volume (or a combination of the 3) front tyre. The 29 front, 27.5+ rear idea goes against this thinking some what.

plus, as I said earlier in the thread. I can lower and slacken the bike by doing this gaining stability without sacrificing nimbleness

I hope this helps you understand slightly better where I'm coming from

Before anyone brings up Maes (#no_spoilers ). He wasn't using a rear plus tyre
He is making the most out of 27.5's smaller diameter for pretty much the same reasons I love 26" in the rear

 

[HikerDave]

Yes. Gary has a unique "style" and we don't always see eye to eye but he does seem to know his stuff.

@Gary I'm interested in the mods you're planning. The narrower tyres are a no brainer for you, but I'm more interested in why you don't think the "moto" wheel set will suit you.

Gary reminds me a lot of the late Jobst Brandt, who also would have chided me for using the term “chain stretch”. Jobst was the knowledgeable curmudgeon of rec.bicycles.tech and a mentor.

 

[HikerDave]

It's really all just down to my own personal preference Dom.
Coming from DJ and old skool DH background I'm more of a #264LYF type of rider. Sort of the opposite of a lot of new skool enduro/trail rider with their super long super stable (but less nimble) bikes and riding styles
I'm 5'11" so not exactly tall and just don't get on with 29er mtbs at all. I can ride them (possibly actually faster in many situations) but I just can't stand the lean in the higher axle and larger diameter wheels gives when turning/changing direction. It's far more of an enjoyment preference than anything to do with the larger wheels performance in covering ground fast for me.
I'd also far rather have a mismatch in suspension travel (in favour of more up front) over less fork travel and a larger diameter front wheel. this also allows more scope for finetuning of ride height via suspension settings.

We don't ride "Moto" bikes (proper engine ones). they'd actually be worse for the sort of riding I tend to do and aren't designed to. I've always run a grippier front tyre up front. (since the early days of BMX) which means either a softer compound, more aggressive tread, or larger volume (or a combination of the 3) front tyre. The 29 front, 27.5+ rear idea goes against this thinking some what.

plus, as I said earlier in the thread. I can lower and slacken the bike by doing this gaining stability without sacrificing nimbleness

I hope this helps you understand slightly better where I'm coming from

Before anyone brings up Maes (#no_spoilers ). He wasn't using a rear plus tyre
He is making the most out of 27.5's smaller diameter for pretty much the same reasons I love 26" in the rear

Maybe YT will follow your lead and give us that option from the factory.

 

[Jamsxr]

YT were great with my Jeffsy, in combination with a great LBS. No major issues, just a few niggles.

My nervousness about the Decoy is buying a first gen product and going through all teething issues, but it just looks so good!!

To be fair to YT, they usually get it right out of the blocks.

 

[Andy A]

YT were great with my Jeffsy, in combination with a great LBS. No major issues, just a few niggles.

My nervousness about the Decoy is buying a first gen product and going through all teething issues, but it just looks so good!!

So have you ordered one then

 

[Fivetones]

Gary reminds me a lot of the late Jobst Brandt, who also would have chided me for using the term “chain stretch”. Jobst was the knowledgeable curmudgeon of rec.bicycles.tech and a mentor.

Someone else old enough to remember news groups. ?

 

[Jamsxr]

So have you ordered one then

Got to sell my Motorbike first. New family on the way so I’m selling my expensive motorbike to buy a “cheap” eBike!

 

[Gary]

Maybe YT will follow your lead and give us that option from the factory.

no. they won't.

plenty YT supported big name slopestyle/Fest etc. riders ride Tues' with 26" wheels.
That'll never be an option to buy either

 

[Benson]

I love my YT Jeffsy 29er CF Pro Race, bought it new in 2017 and only ever had reason to contact YT support once. Their response was fast and utterly satisfactory. I think they’re far too mature to simply demand every bike with a whiff of an issue get shipped back to Germany. If I didn’t already have a six month old Levo I’d be all over the Decoy without hesitation like a fat bird on chocolate muffins ??

 

[davosaurusrex]

They do look absolutely mint and geo is spot on, there's only 3 things that put me off ordering one;

1 - I'd rather wait for the bigger battery to come as standard
2 - having to unbolt the battery would be a PITA compared to external with a key, I charge mine indoors at least 6 months of the year and I live on the South Coast
3 - In an ideal world I'd like a bottle cage

Totally sold on the mismatched wheels having been on analogue 29ers for years. Looks mint, can't see the warranty issue being any worse than the Vitus I have now (Brexit notwithstanding and I still hope it never happens). Not a fan of E13 wheels either having been bitten before so that's 3 and a half things as the base model doesn't have them. Also have no spare funds currently so that's 4 and a half things. Also Gary has ordered one so I'd have to put up him yapping on about 264lyf or whatever it is every second post on every YT thread for evermore so that's an even five (love you Gazza ?)

Maybe next year.

 

[Gary]

it has bottle cage mounts Dave


... because you're worth it

x

 

[Doomanic]

I’m also waiting to see how much it’ll be with the 700Wh battery. If they hadn’t hinted about the bigger battery I’d probably be being unnecessarily nice to the long haired general while simultaneously stealing her credit card...

 

[Ivan]

pricing is the state’s is higher than I’d expect too. Seems like YT maybe consider themselves a premium brand despite the direct sales model. Most of their bikes sell out, so makes sense to raise the price a bit.

What you've said is probably true mate regarding pricing.

The problem is there are other options., I'll likely buy a Norco Sight instead of this, and they've positioned themselves in a place where a lot of manufacturers can undercut them on pricing with new models. Those Manufacturers might even have shops that offer test rides.

 

[davosaurusrex]

it has bottle cage mounts Dave


... because you're worth it

x

Does it? Didn't look that closely as I can't afford one. They aren't on the underside of the down tube are they? Because that would be properly pointless

 

[Gary]

Nope. on the upperside of the downtube below the shock.
similar to the position on the Jeffsy

 

[Gary]

Can't see me fitting a bottlecage

 

[davosaurusrex]

Nice to have the option though. Assume that needs the YT specific mini bottle thing?

 

[Dax]

Nope. on the upperside of the downtube below the shock.
similar to the position on the Jeffsy

Mind. Blown.

 

[Gary]

MOAR

 

[davosaurusrex]

Proper bit of kit though isn't it? Lovely. I bloody love my E-Sommet but it's no looker. Not even with the pink ano I've added....

 

[Dax]

 

[Nasty Nick]

Nice to have the option though. Assume that needs the YT specific mini bottle thing?

Looks like a mount for gear cause a bottle that small is for wee little lads.

 

[njn]

Nice to see cage/gear mounts down low.

Not sure on different wheel sizes. Setting the SJ with 29 2.35f and 27.5 2.8r to try out the hybrid wheel size thing.

 

[SwissDH]

This YT really is a great looking bike, at an excellent price too.

Made me think twice about cancelling my Levo S-Works I have on order just on looks alone, and my ideal bike is somewhere between these 2 in geometry & travel

What I like:
Looks, frame layout (I'm a big fan of Jeffsy & Capra), stand-over height, mixed wheel sizes, spec,

What I am not sure about:
1. Buying someone's first attempt at an eMTB - after all Specialized has designed and built eMTBs for a long time, and has a well resourced eMTB specific design centre, and yet still had issues with the early 2019 Levo's!

2. Designing their own battery / BMS / power system when they have never done this before. I may want to give them a season to iron out any issues.

3. Shimano E8000 - yes I know it is a great motor system, but I'm just not a fan. I think that though 70Nm was a lot in 2016 when it was first announced, the current trend is to way more than that now (Brose, Rocky Mountain, Flyon, Panasonic, etc.), and I think this will age the bike quickly.

4. Not sure how firmware upgrades etc are done with the 'direct to consumer' approach.

5. And a biggie........No BLEvo!

Anyway, as expected, YT certainly seem to have executed this well, so good luck to them. I think it will sell well.

 

[Jedipip]

Rob, we are going to need a Decoy forum ?

Plenty of chatter about it, how many of us (and many like me are likely to be YT owners already) have completed their purchase having spent a glorious few days comparing spec and colour?

 

[Jedipip]

So I ordered an all black CF Pro - like Rob said, it’s a sweet spot without the carbon wheels and Kashima coatings, the 2016 All black analogue Capra CF Pro benefits from the shiny bits. So at some point this year (it won’t be 5th June will it!!) there’ll be a tough choice to make in the bike shed most days....good times indeed.