Bike Review: YT Decoy Electric Mountain Bike Review – 2019
YT entered the ebike world after an almost three-year development of the Decoy. A few manufacturers have slapped a motor and battery on an existing frame to power their way into the market, but YT took their time to develop their ebike from the ground up. The engineering shows through in the uncompromising performance and sleek design.
Bike Category: Electric Enduro
The Decoy follows the YT recipe: go quickly downhill. It fits happily in the EEnduro realm with a 65-degree head tube angle, low bottom bracket and of course, a motor for your built-in shuttle pleasure. It sits next to the Specialized Vevo and Pivot Shuttle in travel and capability, but with a Direct to the Customer price tag.Who It's For: Aggressive downhill riders that want a motor
Right on YT’s website, they say that “Whoever thinks that E-MTBs are for old or lazy people has really missed the boat.” YT intended this bike to fit in with any mountain bike crowd while allowing you to ride longer or do more laps of your favorite enduro trail. The bike opens up a world of steep terrain that the average mountain biker may not have been able to climb before, all without a clunky, cumbersome ride down. No longer will you wander around the bottom parking lot of your favorite trails with your big enduro bike in tow, holding your thumb up in hopes to hop on a shuttle.Bike Details
Pro Race Build Kit:
- Frame: YT Carbon frame with 165mm rear travel
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Factory E, 29”
- Shock: Fox Float X2 Float
- Motor: Shimano E8000, Mid-drive 250W Motor with a max output of 70Nm
- Display/Motor Control: Shimano E7000, with Eco, Trail, Boost and walk modes
- Ebike Class: Class 1
- Battery: Removable and custom built by YT, 540Wh, 36V
- Weight: 48.3 Lbs
- Drivetrain: Shimano Di2, 1x11-speed
- Wheelset: E*Thirteen e*spec Race
- Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF 29x2.5
- Seatpost: Fox Transfer Factory
- Headset: Acros AZX-260
- Stem: Renthal Apex 35, 40mm
- Handlebars: Renthal Fatbar 35, 30mm Rise, 800mm
Bike Features
- Battery and motor integration
- Geometry
- Handling
Battery and motor integration
YT wanted to make this bike stealthy and it shows in the details. The cables are routed internally to hide the wires from the electrics. At first, and second glance you cannot tell there is a motor and battery worked into the frame. The Shimano E7000 motor control is tucked next to the stem and hides behind the 35mm bars. Even the power button was hidden on the bottom of the top tube.Geometry
The geometry starts to tip you off on how stable this bike will be downhill. A flip-chip on the rear suspension allows you to choose between a low, climb position with a 65.5-degree headtube angle and a 76.5-degree seat tube angle. Alternatively, the lower setting is a 65-degree headtube angle and a 76-degree seat tube angle. These angles coupled with the 340 or 347mm bottom bracket height will let you point the bike downhill and feel stable at incredible speeds. Thankfully, the bottom of the frame and the precious motor is protected by a skid plate for when you drag the bottom bracket over a rock, and you will drag it over a rock. Many bikes in the enduro world have been getting shorter and shorter chainstays. YT kept the chainstays on the longer end of the spectrum for The Decoy, and on those steep climbs with the added torque from the motor, they help keep the front tire planted.Handling
With the low centered battery, most of the weight on the bike is kept close to the bottom bracket, this lets the bike stay lively on the descents. With the medium length chainstays, the bike is flickable, yet not terrifying on fast, flowy trails.Pros
- All the downhill enduro fun, with a built-in shuttle
- Stealthy design
- Awesome pricing and kits
- Very stable at high speeds
- Two wheel sizes compliment the ride
- Great size options
- Modern enduro geometry
Cons
- Rear suspension progressiveness was dialed down too much
- Tall slack height and low bottom bracket can cause understeer in flat corners
- Shimano motor power delivery can be choppy in Boost mode
Bike Details
Climbing
Descending
Suspension
Geometry
Electronics
Additional Bike Details
Build Kit(s)
Climbing
I’ll be the first to admit that I will be the last one up the mountain in any bike crowd. The enduro bike category has always suited me, you go slow up then bomb downhill. With The Decoy, you have the energy to do lap after lap of downhill goodness. No longer do you have to take turns with your bike buddy driving each other to the top of the trail. Nor do you have to spend gross amounts of money on a lift ticket. YT roughly based The Decoy on the 29 Capra. Something the Capra has always lacked is the ability to climb well. For almost seven inches of travel it did okay, but the addition of a motor was a brilliant move. The Shimano motor is powerful and assists you up almost any hill with ease. In Boost mode, the motor can be a bit choppy, but overall it's a good ride and leaves you with plenty of energy at the top of the climb. The 250W motor also features a walk mode, for those times you need to hike-a-bike. There is also a couple of other improvements for the climb, a higher geometry setting on the flip-chip in near the rear shock and the reduced anti-squat, which helps control the pedal bob.Descending
As with other bikes in the YT lineup, it has the stability and carries a sneaky amount of speed. It feels solid and quiet. Internal cable routing, chainstay protection and the elastomer on the battery all help to keep the rattles to a minimum. Even when plowing through rock gardens the bike never sounds clunky. The weight adds to the stability, since the time was taken to position the battery and motor so low in the frame. Speaking of added weight, you do start to notice it in corners, it can have a bit of push through the corners, or understeer, at high speeds. Luckily, with the 200mm brake rotors, you can get that tendency in check quickly. Tires are a big deal on enduro bikes, both up and downhill. The size combination was welcome. On the uphill, the wide, 2.8 inch rear tire kept the traction even on loose, steep sections, and with the motor, you don’t notice the added rolling resistance wider tires are prone to. Downhill the 29-inch wheel up front kept the speed well and helped smooth out the chunk.Suspension
Although the V4L suspension design was included, the usually aggressive ramp-up at the end of the stroke was dialed down on the Decoy kinematics, this change sucks up the chop nicely, but can feel slightly vague on flow. Pedal kickback can be an issue on some enduro bikes, and YT made an effort to reduce the kickback by 30%. This keeps the tension on the pedals and motor at a minimum while riding downhill, or up choppy shelves on the climb. They did not sacrifice the proven Virtual 4 Link suspension, keeping the ride quality that is expected from a YT, a sensitive beginning stroke, smooth yet supportive in the middle and a progressive ramp up toward the end, this progression was noticeably dulled for the Decoy.Geometry
The geometry starts to tip you off on how stable this bike will be downhill. A flip-chip on the rear suspension allows you to choose between a low, climb position with a 65.5-degree headtube angle and a 76.5-degree seat tube angle. Alternatively, the lower setting is a 65-degree headtube angle and a 76-degree seat tube angle. These angles coupled with the 340 or 347mm bottom bracket height will let you point the bike downhill and feel stable at incredible speeds. Thankfully, the bottom of the frame and the precious motor is protected by a skid plate for when you drag the bottom bracket over a rock, and you will drag it over a rock. This was coupled with a shorter than standard reach. When on steep downhill descents, this allows for a low, rear stance that you can’t get on some of the long, low enduro rigs. Many bikes in the enduro world have been getting shorter and shorter chainstays. YT kept the chainstays on the longer end of the spectrum for The Decoy, and on those steep climbs with the added torque from the motor, they help keep the front tire planted.Electronics
The Shimano Steps E8000 motor is coupled with a custom 540 wh battery. The battery has about 40 more watts than the standard Shimano battery and has the 21700 cells that Tesla uses in its cars. With the increased battery capacity comes a 140mm longer length than the standard Shimano battery, but with the cleverly integrated mounting, the weight manages to stay low in the frame. In the bottom tube, the battery is held in by two bolts and an elastomer to keep the rattles and wear and tear on the battery to a minimum. On the handlebars, YT opted for the smaller of the Shimano motor controls with the E7000. This is neatly tucked next to the stem, one less thing for you to worry about destroying in the event of a crash. Next to the dropper post lever is the mode selector fitted with two toggle buttons for the four modes, Boost, Eco, Trail and Walk. The Decoy comes in four build kits, but you do not have to sacrifice on the electronics with a lower price tag, all of the kits come with the same motor and battery setup. Compared to the Bosch and Brose motors, the German motor brands, the Shimano motor is a bit louder and can get a bit choppy on power delivery in certain modes. Boost mode, in particular, has a raw delivery of power that can be surprising if you are not used to it. That said, it has plenty of torque to get you through the punchy sections of climbs, at 70Nm. It is easiest to leave the motor in either Trail or Eco mode to get you through a variety of climbing situations. Shimano has a larger service network than most of the other brands of motors, and with YT being direct to consumer brand, this seems like a logical choice. If any issues were to arise with the battery, that would be handled by YT. A common theme on some ebikes is the motor sensor magnet being located on the rear spokes. Fortunately, YT thought of another great integration for the sensor and magnet that will keep you from constantly worrying about losing your spoke magnet. The sensor has been placed in the rear linkage and the magnet is integrated into the rear brake rotor. Just one more detail that makes this ebike so stealthy. There is no official range numbers from YT, but the added 36Wh of battery capacity serves the motor well. Range will of course vary widely on terrain, the mode you run the motor in, etc. However, the battery was only down 3 out of 5 bars after 25 miles of riding. This included some climbs back to the top of trails, and running the motor between all three modes.Additional Bike Details
Backing things up a bit to the arrival of the bike, even the box is well thought out. Everything has its own crafted place in the box and everything comes out ready to assemble. The cables are already cut to a perfect length, and short of suspension set up the assembly is quick and even those with little mechanical ability can put it together and head to the trail. The integrated cable routing was designed right into the frame, making servicing or replacing cables much easier. This routing and the nice cable lengths stop undesired cable rattle. From the moment you pull the bike out of the box, you can see the clean, striking lines that clearly make the bike a YT. It looks fast and ready for downhill sitting still. Each build offers simple color combinations that accent the lines, without making the bike look over the top. Additionally, carbon frames, the Shimano drivetrain and integrated battery are the same across the board, keeping the dashing good looks consistent. German engineering shines through every inch of the bike. YT designed a 540 wh battery that is cleverly integrated into the bottom tube of the bike. It was designed to keep the center of gravity low in the frame, to avoid compromising downhill handling characteristics of the Capra. To keep things proportionate and for added strength, the top tube is a bit chunkier than the standard Capra frame. One quick side note on the suspension and frame tweaks made on this bike. Because of the suspension design, the regular Capra does not have a place to mount a water bottle on the down tube (or anywhere else). However, The Decoy frame was able to fit a small bottle below the rear shock, a fantastic feature for a bike that is sure to keep you on the trail all dayBuild Kit(s)
The Pro Race kit is the top-of-the-line build at $6,999 and features some nice ebike specific parts. At the front, there is a Fox 36 Float Factory E, the ebike specific fork has stiffer lowers and a stronger crown to compensate for the added torque and weight of the motor. In the rear, you have the Float X2 Factory. The wheels are carbon E*Thirteen E Spec. The Shimano motor is coupled with the Di2 derailleur and the same toggle button shifter as the motor. The derailleur shifts on the steel E*Thirteen TRS Plus cassette, this choice was also made with the added torque from the motor in mind. SRAM’s Code RSC brakes are a great choice with 200mm rotors front and rear. To round out the Fox build kit is a Transfer Factory dropper post. A few specs are the same throughout each build kit, they all come with Maxxis Minions on the front and rear, but the size is where things get interesting. In the front is a root and rock smashing 29-inch tire, but the back is equipped with a 27.5x2.8 inch tire for stability and traction. All of the frames currently available from YT are carbon and offer 165mm of travel in the rear with 160mm fork travel. The Decoy Pro build comes in at $5,999. The fork is still E specific, but drops down to a Fox 36 Float Performance Elite E. The shock is a DPX2 Performance Elite. The drivetrain is mechanical on this kit, Shimano XT, but still keeps the E*Thirteen cassette. Some cost savings is in the wheelset, you lose the carbon E*thirteens and instead get the E*Spec aluminum setup. These are still fitted with 200mm rotors and Code RS brakes. The dropper post here, and on the base model, is an SDG Tellis, but it has more length options than the Pro Race. It ranges from 125mm on the small, M-XL has a 150mm and the XXL is fitted with a 170mm. This could be an important factor in choosing a build kit, the different lengths can really make a difference in comfort climbing vs. getting the seat out of the way once things get rowdy. The Base kit has a price that is lower than come of YT’s upper-level Capras, at $4,999, allowing riders to get into an ebike for roughly the same cost as one might pay for a regular mountain bike. This is very refreshing to see in the E-MTB world and holds true to the fantastic YT pricing we all love. Yet, like other base kits from YT, you get components that are still tough, reliable and suit the capabilities of the bike. One of the main differences in the base vs the upper end builds is the rear triangle. It is made of aluminum, but the front end is still carbon. The suspension takes shift over to RockShox for this build, with a Yari RC up front and a Deluxe R in the rear. The drivetrain is still Shimano, taking a small step down from the Pro build with the SLX. The brakes are Code R, and still come with 200mm rotors to not compromise on stopping confidence. DT Swiss supplies their H1900 Spline wheelset for the base model. Overall this build weighs just over a pound more than the Pro Race kit. This also means that even with the increased battery capacity, each kit is under 50 pounds. Something that is rare to see, particularly at this price point. A surprise for the Decoy was the Maxxis Tires. YT has a relationship with E*Thirteen and Onza and has spec'd all of their bikes with their tire lineup. However, neither brand had a 27.5x2.8 size tire for YT to use on the rear of The Decoy. As a result, they had to go with the very popular Maxxis Minion. A welcome change for many in the enduro riders. As you can expect from a direct to consumer brand, particularly YT, all of the build kits offer top of the line components for each price point. Compared to comparable ebikes in the enduro or all-mountain segment, you get a fantastic spec for thousands of dollars less than equal components in a standard dealer model brand.Recommendation/Final Verdict
Electronic Specs
- Motor: Shimano E8000, Mid-drive 250W Motor with a max output of 70Nm
- Display/Motor Control: Shimano E7000, with Eco, Trail, Boost and walk modes
- Ebike Class: Class 1
- Battery: Removable and custom built by YT, 540Wh, 36V
Bike Specs
| Sizes | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toptube length | 568 mm | 589 mm | 611 mm | 634 mm | 657 mm |
| Reach | 415 mm | 435 mm | 455 mm | 475 mm | 495 mm |
| Stack | 620 mm | 625 mm | 629 mm | 638 mm | 647 mm |
| Seattube length | 400 mm | 420 mm | 445 mm | 470 mm | 495 mm |
| Chainstay length | 442 mm | 442 mm | 442 mm | 442 mm | 442 mm |
| Headtube angle | 65 / 65,5 ° | 65 / 65,5 ° | 65 / 65,5 ° | 65 / 65,5 ° | 65 / 65,5 ° |
| Seattube angle (eff.) | 76 / 76,5 ° | 76 / 76,5 ° | 76 / 76,5 ° | 76 / 76,5 ° | 76 / 76,5 ° |
| BB Drop | R20/F36 / R13/F29 mm | R20/F36 / R13/F29 mm | R20/F36 / R13/F29 mm | R20/F36 / R13/F29 mm | R20/F36 / R13/F29 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1178 mm | 1200 mm | 1222 mm | 1247 mm | 1271 mm |
| Headtube length | 95 mm | 100 mm | 105 mm | 115 mm | 125 mm |
| BB height | 340 / 347 mm | 340 / 347 mm | 340 / 347 mm | 340 / 347 mm | 340 / 347 mm |
Sizing on the Decoy ranges from small to XXL so everyone can find a frame that suits them. With the slightly shorter reach and taller stack heights of the bike, you can also play around with the sizing for your riding style, if you are in between two frame sizes. If you prefer a more nimble bike, round down, for more stability with speed and rough terrain, opt for the larger of the two. Low top tubes and short seat tubes also contribute to the flexibility in sizing, allowing customers to get a bike dialed around their preference.
