YT Tues Core 4 review

YT’s Tues Core 4 downhill bike gets a host of updates over the outgoing model, including adjustable geometry and switchable 27.5in and 29in rear wheels without requiring additional frame parts.

This range-topping Core 4 model uses Fox’s Factory-level dampers, SRAM’s X01 DH groupset and TRP’s DH-R EVO brakes. It retails for £5,999 / $5,999 / €5,999, with the size-large Tues weighing an impressively svelte 16.63kg.

Its smooth, forgiving 200mm-travel Horst-link V4L suspension has plenty of pop and support; grip is abundant and speed easy to generate. Combined with its low weight, it’s remarkably fun to take down your favourite descents.

Whether you’re hammering down the racetrack or cruising bike-park style blue runs, the newest Tues has a geometry setting or wheel-size option to suit. Even in its stock configuration, it’s massively versatile and easy to ride.

Privateer racers, bike-park shredders and downhill enthusiasts will all love the Tues.

YT Tues Core 4 frame and suspension

Built from YT’s ultra-modulus carbon, the Tues’ frame is claimed to be super-tough. It’s also clad with plenty of chainstay, seatstay and down tube protection designed to keep noise to a minimum on rough trails.

Fork bumpers on the side of the down tube double up as cable-routing ports. Cables pass through uninterrupted guide tubes, so replacing them should be simple and noise from banging reduced.

The main frame shock mount uses replaceable hardware, should you accidentally over-torque the bolts and strip the threads.

Unusually for a downhill bike, it uses SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger and a 12x148mm Boost spacing rear axle. Typically, DH bikes use a wider 12x157mm standard.

Employing YT’s Horst-link V4L suspension design, the Tues has 200mm of rear-wheel travel. Its kinematics are claimed to help with creating speed and provide plenty of ramp-up for big bottom-outs.

YT Tues Core 4 geometry

The Tues’ geometry is impressively adjustable.

Dubbed Integrated Chainstay Length Adjustment (ILA), the bike’s stays can be adjusted by 5mm by simply flipping a chip.

A lower shock mount flip chip adjusts the head angle and bottom bracket height between ‘regular’ and ‘low’ settings. This alters the head angle by 0.3 degrees and the bottom bracket height by 3mm.

The chunky EC49/ZS56 head tube means the frame is also compatible with offset reach-adjusting headsets.

Finally, both 27.5in and 29in rear wheels can be used thanks to a flippable linkage. Simply turning the link through 180 degrees permits a wheel swap, while maintaining its geometry.

All models in the five-size range (small to extra-extra-large) can be run with either a 27.5in or 29in rear wheel.

Reach figures start at 426mm and lift to 506mm (regular setting), increasing in 20mm increments.

Chainstay figures – while adjustable – are also size-specific. Small and medium bikes get 439/444mm (short/long) figures, the large bike is 441/446mm, and the extra-large and extra-extra-large bike 451mm/456mm.

The (regular) head angle is 63.2 degrees and stack heights range from 635 to 653mm.

All-in, then, the Tues is very adjustable with a lot of size options, meaning it should fit a wide range of rider sizes, from 154cm to 203cm, according to YT. It’s impressive stuff.

YT Tues Core 4 specifications

The top-spec bike is decked out with kit that would be nigh-on impossible to upgrade.

Up front, Fox’s Factory-level 40 fork is fitted with the ultra-adjustable GRIP2 damper and matched with a DHX2 Factory coil shock, sharing the same adjustments.

SRAM’s X01 DH groupset is fitted, with a seven-speed DH-specific cassette and short-cage derailleur.

Crankbrothers Synthesis DH Alloy rims, laced to Industry Nine 1/1 hubs, are claimed to blend smoothness and steering accuracy with strength. They’re wrapped in DH-casing 3C MaxxGrip Maxxis Assegai tyres front and rear.

TRP’s DH-R EVO brakes have four-piston calipers that clamp 220mm rotors front and rear.

Renthal’s FatBar 35 bar is clamped by the Integra 35 stem. SDG takes care of the saddle and seatpost.

All-in, the size-large test bike weighs 16.63kg without pedals.

YT Tues Core 4 ride impressions

Taking advantage of my local uplift venue – Scotland’s famous Innerleithen, which hosts a wealth of national and international MTB events – I took to well-known downhill race tracks to test the Tues Core 4.

While the descents aren’t as long as Alpine top-to-bottoms, they’re rough, fast, steep and technical with a uniquely slippery, rocky surface that pushes bikes and their setup to the limits.

Setup

The Tues was personally delivered to me in Innerleithen. This made getting it set up, with expert help, much easier.

For my 75kg kitted-up weight, I ended up with 87psi and two volume-reducer spacers in the fork and left all the other damper adjustments fully open.

The stock 425lb spring gave me roughly 26 per cent sag. This felt good and well-balanced with the fork, so I didn’t change the spring rate during testing. I added plus eight clicks (from open) of low-speed compression damping, and – like the fork – I left all the other damper adjustments fully open.

I ran the bike with a 29in back wheel, had the chainstays set to their longest position and the bottom bracket height to the mid setting.

YT Tues Core 4 descending performance

With a commanding and confidence-inspiring ride, it’s possible to plough headlong into the roughest, wildest and fastest terrain with virtual impunity from any consequences.

Its high front end and low-slung rear makes the handlebars feel like a reassuring fairground ride safety barrier that can be weighted as hard as you dare.

You can confidently and consistently push your weight on the front end without fear it’s going to dive out of the way; the tall, stable bar position endures on all types of terrain, no matter how chaotic or steep it becomes.

This fosters a confident approach to riding the Tues, befitting of its World Cup-winning pedigree. The more you push into the bars, the better the bike feels – and the faster and harder you can ride it.

The high front end isn’t the only part to the Tues’ success story; the bottom bracket feels slammed, lowering your hips and feet to the ground.

This boosts cornering traction by keeping your centre of gravity low and helps reduce how much erroneous rider inputs upset the bike’s trajectory.

The size-large bike's 466mm reach – which is bang-on for a large DH bike – gives you room to put your weight generously fore or aft without overly influencing the chassis’ stability and taking you off-line.

It’s impressive just how much you can hang off the front, back or sides of the bike before things start to go wrong. Seemingly, you can get very wild and make all sorts of shapes before you’re punished for technique-based misdemeanours.

But here’s what surprised me the most; it doesn’t feel like an oil tanker to turn.

While you are impressively insulated from the trail, your inputs aren’t insulated from the bike. You can choose whether you go hard and make it work with the ground or sit back and relax, and let it gobble up the terrain in front of you.

Manoeuvrability is impressive; with a few simple, direct commands, the bike changes direction and can be made to bound across the trail with relatively little fuss. This is down partly to the bike's low weight, but also its shape and suspension.

That means its versatility is a standout trait.

As comfortable cruising down a blue flow trail as it is hammering down the gnarliest, steepest double black diamond descent you can find, its wide performance band seems to be devoid of compromises.

Absorbent and comfortable, the rear shock is free to patter smoothly and competently over bumps. This boosts grip to the max; the bike can be left to its own devices to help you conquer cambers or root-infused sections without breaking a sweat.

There are times – such as when you’re hitting multiple, successive, sharp and harsh bumps – where some feedback can be felt through the pedals.

This seems to be caused by a modest amount of pedal kickback at the start and up to the sag point of the shock’s stroke.

This can catch you off-guard the first time you feel it bouncing your feet on the pedals, but once you’ve learnt how the bike rides in the rough, you end up compensating by dropping your heels further to improve grip.

YT was playing with pedal kickback on the prototype versions of the Tues, with its semi-concealed idler wheel. The idler didn’t make it onto the production bike, but given the minimal effect of kickback on performance, it doesn’t seem to matter if the idler isn’t fitted.

Deeper into the travel, there’s a forgiving and plush ramp-up.

Whether you’re pushing hard through a bermed-up turn to drive speed, hammering into successive deep-stroke square-edged bumps or navigating wildly deep compressions, it’s not possible to create harsh bottom-outs.

Adding low-speed compression damping to the shock was a key ingredient to maintaining balance with the fork. Once dialled in, there was plenty of support throughout the travel without throttling small-bump performance.

While I loved the 29in front and rear wheels for their bump rollover, additional traction and speed, the rear tyre tended to frequently hit my backside on steep, sharp drops and rolls, an issue potentially caused by my shorter than average legs.

I’d comfortably speculate shorter riders (sub 170cm) – unless they’re dead set on the stability of dual 29in wheels – would benefit from running mixed wheels to start, given the extra clearance that provides.

It's almost eerie how muted it is; there’s no cable rattle, chain slap, creaks, cracks or groans. The only noise is your breathing and the wind in your ears – just how bikes should be.

YT Tues Core 4 bottom line

It’s no surprise the likes of Vali Höll and Oisin O’Callaghan have ridden the Tues to great World Cup downhill success. It’s massively versatile with a wide performance band that makes it both forgiving and scarily capable on high-speed technical downhills.

Overall, the Core 4 culminates in an impressive package that’ll suit World Cup contenders, budding downhill racers or people who love the gravity-fed side of our sport, regardless of speed, ability or style.

Adaptable geometry and stock wheel-size compatibility extends its performance further. At £5,999 / €5,999 / $5,999, it’s not exactly cheap, but the Core 4 offers top-spec performance for a relatively affordable price; the latest Tues is likely to become the next privateer race bike of choice.