The perfect enduro bike!? YT shows new carbon light e-MTB

YT jumps on the light e-MTB bandwagon and brings the Decoy SN to life, where the abbreviation SN stands for Supernatural.

• first light e-MTB from the mail order brand from Forchheim
• Fazua Ride 60 motor with 60 Nm & 430 Wh battery
• 170/160 mm suspension travel on all models
• Mullet wheels: 29″ front & 27.5″ rear
• three equipment variants in five frame sizes
• Prices from 6499 euros, available to order online now
• Weight: from 20.4 kg in size S

The bike should feel super natural. And that “even though” it is an e-bike! Because YT approached the project with the goal of building the best enduro in the world. To achieve this, the brand uses the Fazua Ride 60 motor, which we already know from bikes like the Haibike Lyke, Santa Cruz Heckler SL or Lapierre e-Zesty. Or from the Focus Jam² SL, which recently won our light e-MTB comparison test.

The 60 Nm Ride 60 mid-engine from the Ottobrunn-based brand weighs 1960 grams and is one of the more powerful units in the light world. This is also shown by the fact that YT itself calls the bike a “mid support bike” and wants to combine the best of both worlds – biobike and full-size e-MTB. The motor is protected at the bottom by a large skid plate, which makes contact between the motor and stones etc. virtually impossible.

While the rated continuous output is 250 W, the maximum output of the motor mounted horizontally in the YT is 350 W. In boost mode, up to a maximum of 450 watts is possible for a short time for 12 seconds. To switch to this mode, the familiar, somewhat fiddly ring control remote is briefly pressed upwards.

By the way: In 2025, an update of the often criticized lever and a new 480 Wh battery are expected. A range extender is available for Fazua still not. This is “still in development. It will have a capacity of 215 Wh and weigh around 1.1 kg,” Fazua recently told us when asked. The system is powered by a 430 Wh battery that is firmly installed in the down tube (and rattle-free on the test bike!). This weighs 2.3 kg.

The charging port on the YT bike is located on the left side above the bottom bracket, and the cover is absolutely secure. In addition to the motor, battery and lever, the display is the fourth important component of the system. Fazua's simple LED hub only shows the remaining range (in 20% increments) and the support mode. There are three in total: Breeze (green), River (blue) and Rocket (red).

Even before the release of the new Fazua Lightrider from YT Industries, we were able to test the Decoy SN Core 4 exclusive on the challenging trails around Saalbach-Hinterglemm and Leogang testing. Lukas Ittenbach reports on his Driving impression:

What surprised me most was how agile the bike is to ride. Despite the modern geometry and the generous suspension travel, the wheelbase is only 1263 mm (size L/regular), which simply ensures good agility without sacrificing smoothness. The test bike in frame size L with its 475 mm reach was a pretty perfect fit for me as a 1.80m rider. While the chassis makes the bike a comfort miracle downhill, uphill, thanks to the Fazua motor, you can really go wild if you want. For me personally, the concept of lots of suspension travel, 60 Nm torque and cross-stable parts works perfectly. Great bike!

A complete test You can read it in MOUNTAINBIKE issue 09/2024, available at kiosks from August 6th.

But back to the bike itself: The Decoy SN is based on a full carbon frame that weighs 3038 g in size L. At the front there are fat suspension forks with 38 mm stanchions, at the rear air or steel spring dampers absorb the shocks. The bike was not specifically developed for one of the two types of damper, but the kinematics of the V4L rear end are designed to be suitable for both air and coil shocks.

The look of the Decoy SN fits perfectly into the YT portfolio, looks fresh, but also fits in well with the other bikes from the mail-order brand. As with all other YT bikes, the cable routing runs through the head tube, not through the headset. There are two mounting points on the top tube to which tools or tubes can be attached. The top model tested, the Decoy SN Core 4, even comes with a corresponding mount including tire levers and tubeless tool, the Crankbrothers Stash Kit, installed at the factory.

From the details to the big picture – the geometry. Important to know: The bike cannot be ridden with a 29-inch rear wheel. There is a flip chip, but it has nothing to do with the wheel size. The flip chip in the shock linkage offers two settings (regular or low). In the regular setting, which is how we rode the bike, the steering angle is 64.2 degrees. In the low setting it would be 63.9°. YT offers the bike in five sizes from S to XXL.

In all sizes, the Decoy SN has been given 10 mm more reach (compared to the Bio-Enduro Capra). It is a moderate 475 mm in size L, 495 mm in XL and 515 mm in XXL. The reach on the L bike measures 648 mm, while the seat tube is only 420 mm long, allowing dropper posts with up to 230 mm (size XXL) travel to be installed. It is at least 150 mm (size S), with all models and sizes using the revised Postman post from YT itself, which now offers a slimmer head so that more adjustment range finds its way onto the bikes. The chain stays measure 442 mm in all frame sizes, and the crank arms are kept nice and short at 160 mm, also due to the low bottom bracket. YT uses 220/203 mm diameter brake discs on all variants and sizes.

That all sounds good… But how much does the fun cost? From 6499 euros it starts. A lot of money for a mountain bike and a lot of money for an E-MTB – especially for YT as a mail order brand. The top model, on the other hand, costs “only” 8499 euros, so all three variants are close to each other in terms of price and all impress with well thought-out, (very) good equipment. All Info and specs We have summarized them for you in the table.

+++ Review 2020 +++

New for 2020: The E-All-Moundtain Bike Decoy 29

YT launched the Decoy e-mountain bike last year. At the time, it was a lively enduro for downhill descents. For 2020, YT is now introducing a new Decoy, the Decoy 29. The new electric bike should now feel primarily at home in the all-mountain category. This means that the new bike should now have good climbing characteristics in addition to downhill expertise. Unlike the bike introduced in 2018, the YT now offers 29-inch wheels at the front and rear.

The Decoy 29 comes in two different equipment variants: Decoy Base 29 and Decoy Pro 29. The geometry of the bikes is identical, the only differences are in terms of equipment and weight. The price of the Base is 4,399 euros, the Pro comes in at 5,599 euros.

“We wanted to set new standards with the Decoy last year and our definition of what an e-MTB should be able to do has achieved exactly that. We have created a very attractive looking enduro with an integrated shuttle that will put a smile on riders' faces on both technical descents and challenging uphills. After the Mullet build, the Decoy's intended use will be expanded in 2020,” says Markus Flossmann, CEO at YT Industries about the new bike.

Despite the improved climbing characteristics, the downhill capabilities should not be forgotten: The Decoy 29 comes with a 150 mm suspension fork and 145 mm travel at the rear.