The new YT Jeffsy in review

The YT Jeffsy is everybody’s darling in the lineup of the direct seller. It is light enough for an after-work ride and sturdy enough to handle a visit to the bike park. And this complete package has always been available at a reasonable price. Can the latest offspring of the Jeffsy dynasty live up to the promises made by its predecessors?

YT Bikes have won Downhill World Cups and World Championships and have been successful at Rampage. What ultimately turned Young Talent from a niche dirt jumper provider into a formidable player in the MTB business was the relentless price-performance lineup that the Frankonians have followed since the beginning. With the launch of the new Jeffsy, YT remains true to its roots. While more and more manufacturers are displaying their top models for €10,000 and more, the prices for the new Jeffsy in the MK 3 version appear approachable. You can get an aluminum model starting at €2500. The top model with all the bling-bling can be yours for €5999. The prices are right, but the only question that remains is how it performs on the trail.

YT has never attempted to take the lead in market technology. And the Jeffsy doesn’t come with a record weight or an outstanding tech gimmick either. For cable routing, the developers opted for the classic entry through the main frame, resisting the trend of full integration through the headset. The linkage of the 4-bar rear triangle remains unchanged in principle but now offers only 145 millimeters of travel, 5 millimeters less compared to its predecessor.

Additionally, the main frame’s reach is extended by 5 millimeters. The head angle is a degree slacker. YT is responding to the ongoing longer-slacker trend without going overboard. The new storage compartment in the downtube and the factory-installed storage mount on the downtube make the hip pack or, alternatively, the Camelbak unnecessary for your after-work ride. Ohhh, yes!

For the “Everybody’s Darling” check, we didn’t just take the YT Jeffsy Core 4 on mellow home trails. We were also keen to find out if the MK3 version of the Jeffsy can handle the rough trails of the Geißkopf bike park. Does the YT manage this balancing act that is expected of it? Right away, on the way to the trailhead, you notice: At 15.5 kilos (without pedals, tubeless in size L), the initial burst is a bit less lively than hoped. You’ll still get up any climb, but a drop of sweat might trickle from your helmet at the trail entrance. The drivetrain-neutral rear suspension doesn’t help with that. The Maxxis tires with Exo+ puncture protection and the hefty Lyric fork add to the weight. Bikes like the Canyon Neuron, Cube Stereo One44, or Orbea’s Occam SL not only come with 10 millimeters less suspension travel but also feature considerably more tour-oriented setups. This saves weight and enhances climbing eagerness. However, these bikes would definitely be out of place in the bike park. And this is exactly where the Jeffsy plays its ace.

Trails like the Mallet Trail at Bikepark Geißkopf are gnarly. Boulders, rope steps, and big jumps challenge both rider and gear as soon as we pass through the gate to the trail entrance. While everything on the Flowcountry Trail is still in the wellness area, it’s now about to get serious. In the upper, flatter section, the speed remains low and the demands on the Jeffsy are still within its limits. But with the steeper trail section, the challenge begins. The Rock Shox suspension swallows up fast sections and rock gardens effortlessly. It’s only when the G-forces spike in fast compressions or after technical landings that you notice there’s only 145 millimeters of travel in the rear. The situations that demand full rear travel are rare and usually don’t belong in the brief of an All Mountain Bike. On the other hand, the Jeffsy doesn’t wallow in its travel when you launch off terrain features.

When you push the Jeffsy to its limits, the Maxxis tire with EXO+ puncture protection truly shines. Despite numerous downhill runs in the bike park and the will to ride the Jeffsy at the edge, we couldn’t provoke a flat during our test. The smooth geometry encourages you to open up the throttle but demands some effort in tight switchbacks. The large 200mm brake rotors at the front and rear make SRAM’s Code brakes the perfect stoppers for the new Jeffsy. The Jeffsy in the MK3 version can handle both the bike park and long tours, provided you have the muscle power in your legs.

As usual, we don’t just provide deep insights into the details. Unlike any other media, our innovative and absolutely objective testing system allows us to give you information about the entire model family. The starting price for the Jeffsy models from YT is 2499 €. The Core 2 at 2999 € offers the best price-performance ratio. If you have even less money available, we tested the Rockrider AM 100 S from Decathlon for under 2000 €. Around 1500 €, it inevitably comes down to trail hardtails like the Rose Bonero.