YT Jeffsy Long Term Review

When we first Googled “YT Jeffsy” for research purposes, we discovered that the social media department at YT is doing a bang-up job, as our channels were suddenly flooded with images of a motley crew of heavily tatted gravity riders shredding steep and gnarly trails to a soundtrack of speed-metal music.

While we felt like we were certainly within the boundaries of the target market for this bike, we couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by the messaging around it. What if we’re not that “shred-ready?” The motto of the YT Mob, both the official team name and colloquial term for the athletes and die-hard brand enthusiasts, is to “live uncaged.” So, we decided to throw our inhibitions to the wind, bring one into the test fleet, and see if all that hard-core imagery translates to real trail performance.

FRAME

The Core 2 AL version of the new Jeffsy comes with a full-aluminum frame with multi-butted tube construction and improved strength-to-weight ratio. The suspension rides on double-sealed industrial bearings, and the pivot points are equipped with an additional seal to keep water and grit out. The rear-axle spacing is Boost, and the quick-release axle handle doubles as a 6mm Allen wrench, the same size as every linkage bolt on the frame. The bottom bracket is threaded, the hanger is UDH, and the frame protection is ample in the key areas. Internal cable routing keeps the aesthetics clean, with simple rubber grommets at each end of the housing to keep it from rattling.

The Jeffsy’s geometry is designed for all-mountain riding, meaning it’s more slack and stable than a typical trail bike but more nimble than a full-enduro or DH bike. Our size-large Jeffsy has a 475mm reach paired with relatively short 437mm chainstays, the same size spec’d on the medium and small frames. XL and XXL sizes come with longer 442mm chainstays. Updates to the bike include a geometry-adjustment flip chip that will change the angles by .6 degrees and the bottom bracket height by 8mm. The bike ships in the low position with a 65-degree head and 78.9-degree seat angle.

SUSPENSION

The Jeffsy uses a Horst-style, four-bar-link suspension design called “V4L.” Designed with a 150mm-travel fork in mind, the frame sports 145mm of travel. The suspension is Fox’s Performance line front and rear. The fork is a 150mm trave; 36-float air-sprung fork with a GRIP damper that features a low-speed compression adjustment. The shock is the Float X with a similar on- or off-style compression adjustment.

Both fork and shock spring rates are tunable with volume spacers, and the shock comes with a small .2 one installed from the factory. There is room for larger ones to make the bike more progressive for support on big hits, although both the shock and fork felt supportive and adept at handling a wide range of terrain with just the stock setup.

We ran the bike with a 25-percent sag front and rear, which felt firm enough to push the bike to its limits, but left the suspension still usable and easy to ride.

COMPONENTS

The Core 2 represents the higher spec of the alloy-framed Jeffsy models, and at $3499, strikes us as the stand-out value in the Jeffsy lineup that ranges in price from $2799 to $6499. The Core 3 version of the bike comes with an identical parts spec, but with a carbon fiber frame and the addition of their integrated frame-storage system for an extra $1000. The Core 1 version comes with the identical alloy frame, but with basic RockShox suspension componentry and the lower-spec NX drivetrain that uses an HG hub instead of the higher-spec XD driver offered with this bike. The SRAM Code R brakes offer reach adjustment, sintered pads, and large 8-inch rotors front and rear.

Somehow, YT finds room in the budget for Fox Performance suspension and DT Swiss wheels. Nice additions include the Renthal bar and stem, and SDG Bel Air saddle, both of which work for a wide range of riders. The YT Postman dropper post comes with size-specific travel to maximize usability.

CLIMBING

It’s a challenge to make a weighty bike feel like a good climber, but the Jeffsy makes the most of your efforts with a very comfortable position atop a steep seat tube, which puts the rider in a powerful position right over the bottom bracket. The mass feels less noticeable, thanks to the great ergonomics, and the Jeffsy spun up long climbs without feeling like we were on a bike designed only to ride downhill.

The climbing switch on the shock is helpful to keep the rear suspension from moving under pedaling. The fully locked position on the fork shifted our weight forward more than we liked, and we found our climbing position felt more balanced with some sag—in the middle setting of the GRIP damper.

DESCENDING

The Jeffsy descends with balanced confidence. The suspension gobbles rocks and chunder with an active and plush feel, and the geometry is capable of handling steep and technical descents with relative ease. This formula can be throttled downhill like we saw in all those YouTube ads, but it can also make a novice rider feel like a skilled intermediate in an instant. The suspension is so good at smoothing out the sharp edges that it can feel isolated from the trail, until you learn to turn up the pace. We felt in sync with this bike in no time and went from cautiously picking our way through technical lines to simply blasting over them, oftentimes with both wheels in the air.

On big impacts, the Jeffsy feels in control even deep into the travel. If you don’t yet know how to fly downhill, the Jeffsy might be the bike willing to teach you. We found the best attribute on the descents, and a result of the relatively muted feel was an overall feel of forgiveness when line choices go awry.

ASSEMBLY AND PACKAGING

YT includes a complete toolkit that’s right on top when you open the box. This includes a torque wrench, 8mm Allen wrench, shock pump and tire pump. Also included in the box are the valves to convert the tires to tubeless, although you will have to provide the sealant. Inside the box is also a big sticker sheet and keychain, just to welcome you to “The Mob.” We hate to admit it, but we kinda like the gimmick. Everybody likes stickers.

Most components on the bike are already installed and adjusted, including the drivetrain and brakes. You should double-check these, but ours were dialed. Kudos to the assemblers at YT for nailing the cable lengths, which are left too long on most bikes. Simply adjust air pressure in the shock and fork to your preferred sag, and you’re ready to hit the trails.

WHAT DID WE LOVE?

The Jeffsy feels like the triumphant return of the real-value trail bike. For just over three grand, and less than that when it’s on sale, you can have a bike that comes to your doorstep with everything you need to ride almost any trail you can think of. Seriously, that’s a deal. There’s no skimping on components you can’t see here or a need to upgrade components out of the box. The Core 2 is the pinnacle of value in the lineup, and has superior suspension and drivetrain components compared to the Core 1, which are worth the price difference. The carbon frame with frame storage may be attractive to some, but it adds $1000 to the retail price.

WHAT DID WE HATE?

There’s no getting around the weight, unless you plan to put the bike on a diet by upgrading the components. The frame quality is worth a project like this, but not necessary. We’d recommend just not picking up any of your friend’s trail bikes to compare. When you don’t think about it too much, the Jeffsy carries its weight as well as could be expected.

The Thirstmaster 4000 bottle is only 600 milliliters, which isn’t enough for a long ride. The top tube mounts could hold another bottle, but without a stash compartment on the aluminum frame, this will be a dedicated tool mount for many riders. Hydration packs may be necessary for some with this bike.

BOTTOM LINE

The Jeffsy is a much more well-rounded bike than the shred-it-style advertising footage would have you believe. It feels more nimble than an enduro race bike and more burly than many trail bikes. It’s impressively capable in the hands of a skilled pilot and would be plenty of bike to handle the rigors of any black trail in a bike park, no sweat.

It’s also a forgiving bike, with a suspension that can eat mistakes and a geometry that lends confidence. Some riders will feel the need to put the Jeffsy on a diet with lighter components. The aluminum frame is built to last and is a worthy platform to have fun upgrading. But, the stock Core 2 rides great, too. There are no compromises on the components you don’t readily see.

Whether you’re a novice looking for a starter bike packed with value or a seasoned pro looking for a well-rounded, ride-most-anything machine, the Core 2 ticks all the boxes. With a sale price that’s less than $3k, it feels like an incredible deal that won’t last forever, too.

YT JEFFSY CORE 2 AL

www.yt-iundustries.com

CATEGORY: All-mountain

SUSPENSION: 150mm (front), 145mm (rear)

TIRE SIZE: 29″

Price: $3499

Weight: 34.5 pounds (without pedals)
Sizes: S, M, L(tested), XL, XXL
Frame tested: Aluminum (145mm)
Shock: Fox Float X Performance
Fork: Fox 36 Float Performance
Wheelset: DT Swiss 1900 (30mm internal)
Tires: Maxxis DHF/DHRII EXO+ (29x 2.5,2.4″)
Seatpost: YT Postman (170mm travel)
Saddle: SDG Bel Air 3.0
Handlebar: Renthal AL2014
Stem: Rental AL6061
Grips: ODI Elite Motion V2.1
Headset: Acros AZX-576
Brakes: SRAM Code R
Rotors: SRAM Centerline (200mm)
Rear derailleur: SRAM GX
Shifters: SRAM GX
Crankset: SRAM GX
Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB
Cassette: SRAM GX 12-speed, (10-52T)
Chain: SRAM GX
Chainrings: SRAM GX (32-tooth)

GEOMETRY SIZE LARGE

Head tube angle: 65–65.6°
Effective seat tube angle: 77.9–78.5 °
Reach: 575mm (22.6″)
Stack: 642mm ( 25.2″)
Bottom bracket height: 343–351mm (13.5″)
Chainstay length: 437mm (17.2″)
Wheelbase: 1238mm ( 48.7″)