2016 YT Capra AL Comp 1 Review

Over the past few week’s we’ve had the pleasure of riding the 2016 YT Capra AL Comp 1 (650b / 27.5”) Enduro MTB, and by pleasure we mean nothing but trail slaying good times. The Capra boasts extremely good looks and a stack of top shelf components that combine to, what can best be explained as, a beast of a bike.

YT Industries went to town on their 2016 bikes and the Capra AL Comp 1 handles any type of terrain you throw at it with ease. Its fun-orientated geometry and aggressive design makes charging any trail or downhill a blast, and it can carry you back up the mountain. With plenty of stability and control it brings through the confidence to get off the brakes and pin it.

Straight out the gate we were instantly comfortable on the bike and couldn’t think of changing a thing. On building the bike, we did the obvious adjustment of the suspension, brake levers and handlebars, and we changed to tubeless. The Maxxis High Roller II tyres coupled with the DT Swiss wheel-set (standard on the bike) are tubeless conversion ready.

Travel? There’s plenty of it. With 165mm on the shock and 170mm on the fork the Capra sits beefy, ready to attack. It comes standard with Rockshox’s Monarch Plus RC3 shock (air shock with 3 position compression – low, mid, firm) and with the new Lyrik RCT3 fork (air fork with 3 position compression – low, mid, firm). The Lyrik fork is amazing and probably the best fork Rockshox has ever made. YT’s V4L rear linkage provides a linear and sensitive suspension response, and is progressive throughout the travel, which prevents sagging and bottom outs. It reacts only when it’s supposed to and helps make the bike a machine on the uphill too.

The Capra AL Comp 1 is pure fun! It rides smooth, jumps easy, corners like it’s on rails and is capable of taking on world level enduro’s out the box. The value for money is incomparable, it lives with bikes twice its price.

Our YT Capra AL Comp 1 stand-out features

-Rockshox Lyric RCT3 Fork – one of the best on the market.
-Short carbon chain stays – prevents a sluggish ride.
-SRAM Guide R brakes – insane braking and feel.
-1×11 SRAM drivetrain – the perfect gear ratio for any ride.
-Rockshox Reverb Stealth dropper seatpost.
-170mm Race Face crankset – for better clearance.
-V4L rear linkage – proven suspension response.
-Upper chain guide.
-Top shelf components all round.
-Great performance and geometry.
-Value for money.

All in all, the YT Capra AL 1 delivers on every aspect, from performance to specification to geometry to pricing to visually pleasing. It’s a bike you just can’t go wrong with!

Available in South Africa now from YT Industries South Africa.
Price: R58 000.00.

For more info, join the YT Industries South Africa Facebook Group or email them on sa@yt-industries.com.