YT JEFFSY CF PRO 27
£3,466.80 (inc P&P) Thoroughly capable trail ripper
Following on from their successful first foray into the world of bigwheeled trail bikes with the Je sy 29, YT have decided to expand their o ering and deliver the same bike with smaller 650b wheels.
The frame
On the surface at least, there’s little that’s obviously di erent between this bike and the 29er version. But look closely at the geometry chart and you’ll spot a mixture of subtle and more significant changes.
For starters, the head angle is slacker, at 66.5 degrees in the low setting (a flip chip in the rear shock mount lets you switch between the high and low settings), and the chainstays are a touch shorter, at 430mm. The Je sy 27 also has a steeper 75-degree seat angle. Possibly the biggest di erence, though, is the reach. The large frame we have here is 15mm longer from BB to head tube (horizontally) than its bigger-wheeled equivalent. It also has a healthy 15mm of BB drop, which sits you deep into the bike.
Unlike its 29er counterpart, the Je sy 27 gets Boost rear axle spacing (although not a Boost fork) and uses a metric-sized shock to deliver its 150mm of rear wheel travel. The BB92 press-fit bottom bracket will be more of a fa to work on than an external one, but we’re big fans of the external hose routing for the rear brake, which makes maintenance that bit easier. YT make their own bottle and cage to fit the Je sy, though it’s sold separately. There’s even provision for a front mech, in case you’re adamantly against single rings.
The kit
Considering the price, the CF Pro 27 packs a lot in. Highlights include the SRAM X01 Eagle 1x12 transmission, with its massive 500 per cent gear range, and e*thirteen’s sprightly TRS+ wheels. Be careful when adjusting the height of the Race Face dropper post in the frame though, because its cable tension seems to be easily upset, resulting in a potentially droopy post.
The ride
In terms of shape and purpose, the Je sy 27 feels very similar to its bigger-wheeled brother, though a touch roomier when out of the saddle and flinging it about. It’s a little more stretched out in the top tube too, which is a plus when hitting the climbs. That, coupled with the steep-ish seat angle and the lockout on the shock, means it’ll be your legs and lungs holding you back on the uphills, not the bike.
The suspension balance is really good too, and, paired with the confident geometry, this makes it a seriously fun and incredibly agile trail machine that’s happy to be flicked in and out of turns, hammered along the singletrack or lofted over jumps, where we found it to be progressive enough to deal with some seriously heavy landings.
It’s happy to take a beating too, although it can start to feel a little unsettled when the trail gets properly burly and churned up. But if that’s your thing, the longer-travel Capra may be what you’re after. Instead, the Je sy 27 o ers some seriously impressive all-round credentials and is as happy being razzed about in your local woods as it is clocking up the trail miles, though the bigger-wheeled version does feel like it carries speed a touch better.