First Ride: YT’s New Decoy SN is the motorized counterpart of the Capra

Frame details

The frame is made entirely of YT Ultra Modulus carbon fiber, which is their highest quality. Even the drawbar is made of carbon. The frame itself without motor, battery and shock absorber weighs 3038 g in size L.

The engineers opted for a mixed wheel setup with a 29″ front and 27.5″ rear wheel. There is the option of exchanging for a 29″ rear wheel.

With a design brief to create iconic shapes, the Decoy SN head tube has one of the most significant updates in terms of form language. Most riders will cheer because the Decoy SN cable routing still enters the head tube from the sides. Internally, cable guides are attached to the frame using press-fit inner tubes, making cable installation a breeze. Additionally, for the first time the cables are held in place at the inputs by a plastic piece. This new cable integration was first initiated by the Jeffsy project, but was put into production first on the Decoy SN.

The head tube has ZS56 bearings top and bottom, with the top holding its own tall cap.

There are plenty of protectors on the chain stays and seat stays to reduce noise. The soft ribs on the chain stay guard are filled with air bubbles. The motor is protected by a bolt-on skid plate that catches up with the motor cooling fins and integrates neatly with the frame guard on the down tube.

The bike can hold a full-sized water bottle, although the maximum capacity varies with different frame sizes. Another bracket on the underside of the top tube gives you the option to mount accessories. The Crankbrothers Stash Kit comes with a Core 4 spec and can also be purchased aftermarket for other models.

The rear part is equipped with a UDH socket. The rear disc mount corresponds to the PM 200 standard. The diameter of the seat post is 34.9 mm.

Five frame sizes are available, from S to XXL.

Engine and electronics

As the name suggests, the Fazua Ride 60 system provides a maximum torque of 60 Nm. Its integrated battery has a capacity of 430 Wh. YT calls it a mid-support engine. YT tested many systems available on the market, but decided on the Ride 60 because, in their view, it represented the best combination of performance, cadence support, weight and integration.

The weight of the motor is listed at 1,960 g, the integrated 430 Wh battery at 2,200 g. The nominal power is 250 watts. The charging port is located in the bottom console area and is protected by a magnetic cover. The so-called Ring Control lever allows you to switch between three driving modes (Breeze, River, Rocket) and off, as well as the push function.
YT decided to install the non-removable battery option because it allowed them to almost shave 1000 grams off the bike compared to adding all the necessary steps to integrate a removable battery.

Pushing the Ring Control lever up for two seconds activates Boost, delivering a maximum of 450W for twelve seconds while riding or four seconds from rest (or until you stop pedaling).

The LED Hub is integrated into the top tube and uses five lights to indicate battery charge. Under the cover is a USB-C port for charging mobile devices or receiving updates. The LED Hub is also an ANT+ and Bluetooth connection hub that allows connection to a mobile phone with the Fazua app.

The Fazua Rider app is available for Android and iOS and gives you the option to tune each riding mode separately or download different profiles with different presets. The speed sensor is nicely integrated into the extendable area of ​​the frame.

There is a close relationship between Fazua and YT, resulting in regular meetings for feedback and ideas on how to improve the system in the future.

Geometry

Comparing the geometry numbers between the engineless Capra and the Decoy SN the numbers are similar, but again it has evolved towards a more modern approach. Reach numbers have increased by about 10mm for all sizes, starting at 435mm for the S and going up to 515mm for the XXL. Chainstay length has also increased slightly, but remains relatively compact for an eMTB at 442mm for all sizes.

The nearly uninterrupted seat tube throughout the range is shorter, allowing riders to choose a size that fits their style rather than being limited by their height. The size starts with a short length of 390 mm in size S and goes up to 460 mm in size XXL. The seat angle ranges from 78.4 to 78.2 degrees for all sizes. The head angle is set at 64.2 degrees.

A toggle chip on the caliper allows adjustment between normal and low, which affects head and seat tube angles as well as bottom bracket height. In the regular setting, the bottom bracket height is a little lower than the low setting on the Capra for a better feel. The height of the center bracket measures 344mm in the normal position and drops a further 4mm to 340mm in the low setting. The head angle is reduced by 0.3 degrees to 63.9 degrees and the seat angle is reduced by 0.2 degrees.

As part of the latest iteration of the YT geometry, the height of the handlebar post has been increased. 40mm riser bars are used on all models to give riders adjustment options. Head tube lengths are on the shorter side, ranging from 100mm to 132mm, so you can go lower by switching to a bottom bar if you wish.

Suspension design

Rear travel reaches 160mm and is paired with a suspension fork with 170mm of travel. The V4L system is based on a four-bar arrangement with a Horst link and shock absorber yoke.

The leverage curve is progressive, starting with a high leverage ratio for better flex, a lower mid-stroke progression for stability, and a top-end progression for bottom control. Decoy SN can be set with air or coil shocks.

The shock measures 230 x 65mm, giving an average leverage ratio of 2.46:1.

Specifications

The all-carbon Decoy SN CF comes in three spec variants: the top model is the Core 4, the entry-level offering is the Core 2, with the Core 3 in the middle.

The Decoy SN Core 4 CF – featured in this First Ride article – features a premium Fox Factory 38 fork with Kashima coating and X2 damping, as well as a Fox DHX2 Factory coil shock. Both have high-speed and low-speed compression and rebound damping. The wheels are Crankbrothers Synthesis E-Bike Alloy, including top-of-the-line Hydra I9 hubs. The wheels are matched with an enduro rim at the front and an E-MTB rim at the rear. New SRAM Maven Silver brakes handle braking. The drivetrain features a GX transmission mixed with an e*thirteen 160mm Helix crankset.

The stated weight of the Core 4 for the S size model is 20.6 kg without pedals, the L size is 20.72 kg / 45.7 lb. Color variants are Field Gray or Black Magic Bolt. Price is $8,499/EUR/GBP or $11,899 CAD.

The Core 3 CF comes with a RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork and Vivid Ultimate shock. TRP DHR-Evo brakes with 2.3mm wide rotors provide stopping power. It rides on Crankbrothers Synthesis E-Bike Alloy wheels, but with different hubs compared to the top model. The drivetrain features SRAM’s new electronic S1000 Eagle Transmission mixed with GX T-Type components.

The stated weight of the Core 3 for the S size model is 20.5 kg without pedals. Color options are Reflex Red or Black Magic Bolt. Price is $7,499/EUR/GBP or $9,999 CAD.

The Core 2 CF is suspended with a RockShox ZEB Select fork and a Vivid Select shock. It has DT Swiss H1900 hybrid wheels and TRP DHR-Evo brakes. Shifting is handled by Shimano SLX and XT components.

The stated weight of the Core 2 for the S size model is 20.4 kg without pedals. Color options are Status Gray or Black Magic Bolt. Price is $6,499/EUR/GBP or $8,999 CAD.

All bikes are equipped with YT’s new Postman V2 post, which is adjustable in steps of travel with pads. Size S models have a depth of 150 mm, M 170 mm, L and XL 200 mm and XXL 230 mm.

All of the Core series share Continental Kryptotal front and rear tyres, with the highlight being the SuperSoft compound matched to the Enduro tire on the front tire – a combination that is just being officially introduced to the public.

Brakes use 220mm rotors at the front and 200mm or 203mm rotors at the rear. On top of the derailleur is a custom MRP SL chain guide that keeps the chain under control in noisy terrain.

Compared to my usual habit of going into great detail, even though I’m talking about first impressions, I’ll try to stick to the most basic facts as I could save the bike for a thorough review later.

One look at the new Decoy SN and it’s clear that YT has spent a lot of time on system integration. The frame lines are purposeful and give the bike a silhouette that is hard to tell as an e-bike. Or a lightweight e-bike, although YT rightly calls the Fazua system a mid-boost motor and challenges the classification of lightweight e-bikes in general.

In terms of weight, the Decoy SN may not seem like a revelation at 21.1kg with pedals, but looking at the specs tells a different picture. The SN is a purebred enduro bike with solid tires, a coil rear shock on the model we tested, plus zero wheels and big rotors.

What’s more, once you throw your leg over the kit and point it downhill, the Decoy SN doesn’t feel like a slob when you push it into corners or down root-infested singletrack. Although it stays close to the ground when it has to, it can be quickly maneuvered to wherever you need it to go. When you jump into jumps, it feels balanced in the air and is much easier to throw around than some of the heavier, full-powered e-bikes on the market.

The Fazua Ride 60 is quite powerful for its size and weight. The Boost function helped me climb some pretty steep sections without too much fuss, although I haven’t tried to climb challenging hills on my test laps yet. A steep seat tube contributes to the bike’s climbing prowess.

In particular, there is not a single part that seems out of place, except for one – I had trouble getting used to the 50mm long stem. Since it’s an easy fix, it’s not really a big deal, and I’ll run both setups in a long-term review for a better comparison.

As for the geometry, the small – in some ways not so small – updates compared to the Capra, which is closest in character to the Decoy SN, are more than welcome. I’m happy for the slightly longer chainstays that add stability and traction to the front wheels, although I wouldn’t complain if they added a few extra millimeters.

The real highlight for me is the shorter, almost straight seat tube. Without being the tallest person, I could ride my – reach-wise – preferred L-frame without compromise. I could even use the full 200mm of dropper post extension that comes with that frame size, though I may end up having to back it up by 5 or 10mm for a perfect fit.

At first glance, YT seems to have done a great job with the Decoy SN, bridging the gap between the current crop of non-motorized enduro bikes and heavy-duty full-powered e-bikes without compromising on the areas that really matter. I’ll be taking it to some of my favorite trails in the coming weeks to see if it holds up to that great first impression.