First Ride: YT’s New Decoy SN is the Capra’s Motorized Counterpart

Frame Details

The frame is made entirely from YT’s Ultra Modulus carbon fibers, their highest quality option. Even the linkage is crafted from carbon. The frame alone, without motor, battery, and shock, weighs 3,038 g in size L.

The engineers have decided on a mixed wheel setup with a 29″ front and 27.5″ rear wheel. There is no option to swap to a 29″ wheel on the rear.

With a design brief to create iconic shapes, the Decoy SN’s headtube features one of the most prominent updates in terms of form language. Most riders will rejoice as the Decoy SN’s cable routing still enters the head tube from the sides. Inside, the cable guides are bonded into the frame using co-molded inner tube bonding, making cable installation a breeze. Additionally, for the first time, the cables are held in place at the inlets by a plastic piece. This new cable integration was first started with the Jeffsy project but made it into production first on the Decoy SN.

The head tube features ZS56 bearings on the top and bottom, with the top part holding a custom high cap.

To reduce noise, there are plenty of protectors on the chainstays and seatstays. The soft ribs on the chainstay protector are filled with air bubbles. Protecting the motor is a bolt-on skid plate that catches up with the cooling fins of the motor and integrates neatly with the frame protection on the down tube.

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

The rear end features a UDH dropout. The rear disc mount follows the PM 200 standard. The seatpost has a diameter of 34.9 mm.

There are five frame sizes available, ranging from S to XXL.

Motor & Electronics

As the name suggests, the Fazua Ride 60 system delivers 60 Nm of maximum torque. Its integrated battery has a capacity of 430 Wh. YT calls it a mid-support engine. YT tested a lot of available systems on the market but settled on the Ride 60 as it matched the best mix of power, cadence support, weight and integration from their point of view.

The motor’s weight is listed at 1,960 g, and the 430 Wh integrated battery at 2,200 g. Nominal power is 250 watts. A charge port is located in the bottom bracket area and is protected by a magnetic cover. The so-called Ring Control lever lets you switch between three ride modes (Breeze, River, Rocket) and off, as well as a push function.
YT opted to install the non-removable battery option as it allowed them to almost shave a 1,000 grams of the bike, compared to adding all the necessary steps to integrate a removable battery.

If you push the Ring Control lever upwards for two seconds, it activates the Boost function to deliver a maximum of 450 Watts for twelve seconds while riding or for four seconds from standstill (or until you stop pedaling).

The LED Hub is integrated into the top tube and shows the battery charge with five lights. A USB-C port for charging mobile devices or receiving updates is hidden underneath the cover. The LED Hub is also the connecting hub for ANT+ and Bluetooth, allowing connection to a cell 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 various profiles with different presets. The speed sensor is nicely integrated into the dropout area of the frame.

There’s a close relationship between Fazua and YT, leading to regular feedback sessions and ideas on how to improve the system in the future.

Geometry

Comparing the geometry numbers between the non-motorized Capra and the Decoy SN, the figures are similar but have once again evolved towards a more modern approach. Reach numbers have increased by about 10 mm across all sizes, starting at 435mm for size S all the way to 515mm for a size XXL. The chainstay length has also increased slightly but remains relatively compact for an eMTB at 442mm for all sizes.

The almost uninterrupted seat tube across the range is shorter, allowing riders to select a size based on their style rather than being limited by their height. Sizing starts with a short 390mm length for size S and goes up to 460mm for size XXL. The seat angle ranges from 78.4 to 78.2-degrees across the sizes. The head angle is set at 64.2 degrees.

A flip chip at the yoke allows adjustments between a regular and low setting, affecting the head and seat tube angles as well as the bottom bracket height. The regular setting’s bottom bracket height is slightly lower than the low setting on the Capra is to make you feel more embedded. The bottom bracket height measures 344mm in the regular position and drops another 4 mm to 340mm in the low setting. The head angle slackens by 0.3 degrees to 63.9 degrees, and the seat angle drops by 0.2 degrees.

As part of YT’s latest iteration of geometry, the handlebar stack height has been raised. To give riders options for adjustment, 40mm high riser bars are used on all models. Head tube lengths are on the shorter side, ranging from 100 to 132mm, so you can drop down by swapping to a lower rise bar if you wish.

Suspension Design

Rear travel comes to 160mm and is paired with a 170mm travel suspension fork. The V4L system is based on a four-bar linkage layout with a Horst link and a shock yoke.

The leverage curve is progressive, starting with a high leverage ratio for improved suppleness, lower progression in the mid-stroke to make it stable, and high-end progression for bottom-out control. The Decoy SN can be set up with either air or coil shocks.

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

Specifications

The full-carbon Decoy SN CF comes in three spec variations: the top model being the Core 4, the entry offering being the Core 2, with the Core 3 in the middle.

The Decoy SN Core 4 CF – featured in this First Ride article – comes equipped with Fox’s top-of-the-line Factory 38 fork with Kashima coating and X2 damping, as well as a Fox DHX2 Factory coil shock. Both feature high- and low-speed compression and rebound damping. The wheels are Crankbrothers Synthesis E-Bike Alloy, including high-end Hydra I9 hubs. The wheels are customized with an Enduro rim up front and an E-MTB rim in the back. SRAM’s new Maven Silver brakes handle stopping duties. The drivetrain includes a GX Transmission mixed with an e*thirteen 160mm Helix crank.

The Core 4’s stated weight for a size S model is 20.6 kg without pedals, the size L weighs 20.72 kg / 45.7 lb. Color options are Field Grey or Black Magic Bolt. The price is USD/EUR/GBP 8,499 or CAD 11,899.

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 runs 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 derailleur mixed with GX T-Type components.

The Core 3’s stated weight for a size S model is 20.5 kg without pedals. Color options are Reflex Red or Black Magic Bolt. The price is USD/EUR/GBP 7,499 or CAD 9,999.

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

The Core 2’s stated weight for a size S model is 20.4 kg without pedals. Color options are Status Grey or Black Magic Bolt. The price is USD/EUR/GBP 6,499 or CAD 8,999.

All bikes are equipped with YT’s new Postman V2 dropper post, adjustable in travel steps using shims. Size S models feature a 150mm drop, M 170mm, L and XL 200mm, and XXL 230mm.

All Core ranges share Continental Kryptotal Front and Rear tires, with the highlight being the SuperSoft compound matched with the Enduro casing on the front tire – a combination that is just being officially released to the public.

The brakes use 220mm rotors in the front and 200mm or 203mm rotors in the back. There’s a custom MRP SL chainguide on top of the chainring to keep the chain in check on rowdy terrain.

Compared to my usual habit of going into great detail, even when talking about initial impressions, I’ll try to stick to the most basic facts, since I was able to keep the bike for a thorough review at a later point.

One look at the new Decoy SN and it’s obvious that YT spent a great deal of time regarding system integration. The lines of the frame are purposeful and give the bike a silhouette that’s hard to make out as an e-bike. Or light e-bike, although YT rightfully calls the Fazua system a mid-support motor and questions the light e-bike classification in general.

As for the weight, the Decoy SN might not seem like a revelation at about 21.1 kg with pedals, but looking at the spec paints a different picture. The SN is a thoroughbred enduro bike with sturdy tires, a coil rear shock on the tested model, plus no-nonsense wheels and big rotors.

More so, once you swing a leg over the rig and point it down the hill, the Decoy SN doesn’t feel like a slouch when pushed into corners or threaded down a root-infested singletrack. While it sticks to the ground when it’s supposed to, it can quickly be maneuvered wherever you need it to go. When you hit jumps, it feels balanced in the air and is much easier to throw around than some of the heavier, full-power e-bikes on the market.

The Fazua Ride 60 is quite powerful for its build volume and weight. Tthe Boost function helped me up some quite steep sections without much of a fuss, although I’ve yet to try and tackle some challenging uphills on my test laps. The steep seat tube adds to the bike’s climbing prowess.

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

In terms of geometry, the small – yet in some regards not so small – updates compared to the Capra, which comes closest to the Decoy SN’s character, are all more than welcome. I’m happy about the slightly longer chainstays that add some stability and front wheel traction, even if I wouldn’t have complained if they would a thrown in a couple extra millimeters.

The real highlight for me is the shorter, almost straight seat tube. Not being the tallest person, I was able to ride my – in terms of reach – preferred size L frame without compromise. I could even utilize the full 200mm extension of the dropper post that comes with that frame size, although I might have to shim it down by 5 or 10mm in the end to get the perfect fit.

At first look, it seems like YT has done a mighty fine job with the Decoy SN, bridging the gap between the current crop of non-motorized enduro bikes and heavy full-powered e-bikes without compromising in the areas that really matter. I’ll take it down some of my favorite trails in the weeks to come to see if it keeps up the great first impression.