Responding to apparent consumer demand for burlier aluminium bikes, YT has launched a more hardcore version of its famous alloy Capra enduro bike, dubbed the Capra Shred.
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The 2021 Capra Shred is built around the same alloy frame used on the £1,999 Capra Base, making it the second aluminium bike in the lineup, previously dominated by the carbon model.
The new 2021 YT Capra Shred retails for £3,199 / $3,499 / €3,499 and comes in both 27.5in and 29in wheel sizes.
YT is quick to highlight the Capra's enduro heritage but its CEO Markus Flossmann hopes the new updates will let the Shred model tackle bike parks and big hits just as well.
2021 YT Capra Shred details
With the new Shred designation comes a host of big-hitting parts.
Headlining the changes is the new 38mm stanchioned fork from Fox; the 27in bike gets the 38 with 180mm of travel while the 29er gets 170mm of travel.
In a bid to keep costs down, YT has specced the Float Performance model with a GRIP damper rather than the all-singing, all-dancing GRIP2 model.
Keeping the theme of burly dampers, out back YT's fitted a Fox DHX2 Performance Elite coil shock that comes fitted with different spring rates depending on the bike's size.
The 27.5in Shred model's coil shock delivers 180mm of rear wheel travel, while the 29in bike has 170mm.
Also bolted to the new 2021 Capra Shred is SRAM's 52-tooth GX Eagle drivetrain and YT's own-brand Postman dropper post.
The Postman has 125mm of travel for small and medium bikes, 150mm of travel for large bikes and 170mm of travel for the extra-large and extra-extra-large bikes.
Like the rest of YT's range of Capra enduro bikes, the new Shred is available in two wheel sizes. The smaller 27.5in hooped-bike is available in small to extra-extra-large sizes, while the 29in bike's smallest size is medium but extends up to extra-extra-large.
Both wheel size bikes are fitted with e.Thirteen's LG1 EN wheels, wrapped in Maxxis Assegai 2.5in EXO on the front and a Maxxis Minion DHRII 2.4in EXO+ on the rear.
2021 YT Capra Shred geometry
Although the Shred's spec is all-new, the frames the bikes are based around are identical to the rest of YT's Capra range.
The Capra 29er's flip-chip is present on the Shred model, too. That means you get reach figures spanning from 415mm on the 27.5in small bike, up to 500mm for the XXL 29er.
The head angle is fixed at 65 degrees on the 27.5in bike, but is adjustable between 65 and 65.5 degrees on the 29in model.
Effective seat tube angles for the 650b-wheeled bike are 75 degrees, while the 29er gets a slightly steeper 75.5 degrees, adjustable to 76 degrees, seat tube angle.
2021 YT Capra Shred models and prices
The 27.5in- and 29in-wheeled Capra Shred models share their components, but the change in wheel size is accompanied by a change in fork and shock travel, and different size options.
Both models retail for £3,199 / $3,499 / €3,499.
- Frame: Hydroformed aluminium frame, V4L four-bar rear suspension (27.5in – 180mm travel / 29in – 170mm travel)
- Fork: Fox 38 Float Performance (27.5in – 180mm travel, 44mm offset / 29in – 170mm travel, 51mm offset)
- Shock: Fox Float DHX2 Performance Elite with two position lever (350lb spring in size small, 400lb spring size in medium, 450lb spring in size large, 500lb spring in size extra-large and extra-extra-large)
- Headset: Acros AZX-576
- Stem: e*thirteen Plus 50mm length, 0-degree rise, 35mm clamp
- Bars: e*thirteen Plus 35mm rise, 800mm wide
- Grips: ODI Elite Motion V2.1 lock-on
- Cranks: SRAM GX Eagle, 170mm arm length, 32-tooth chainring
- Chain device: e*thirteen TRS Plus
- Cassette: SRAM Eagle XG1275 10-52 tooth 12-speed
- Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed
- Shifter: SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed
- Wheels: e*thirteen LG1 EN 30mm internal width
- Tyres: Maxxis Assegai 2.5in EXO (front), Maxxis Minion DHRII 2.4in EXO+ (rear)
- Brakes: SRAM Code R, 200mm rotors front and rear
- Seatpost: YT Postman (125mm–170mm depending on bike size)
- Saddle: SDG Radar MNT
- Sizes: Small (27.5in only), medium, large, extra-large, extra-extra-large
- Price: £3,199 / $3,499 / €3,499
2021 YT Decoy Shred details
In a similar vein to the Capra's updates, YT's electric mountain bike, the Decoy, has also gained a more radical model to its lineup dubbed the Decoy Shred.
It also gets a Fox 38 Float Performance fork, although this one is the electric mountain bike model, with 170mm of travel.
The rear suspension is sprung by a Fox's DHX2 Performance Elite coil shock with 165mm of travel.
The Decoy Shred sits between the two current Decoy models and retails for £5,399 / $5,999 / €5,399.