YT’S LATEST GWIN NING MACHINE

The new Tues downhill bike is here – and won a World Cup on its first outing

While a number of big brands have launched 29er downhill bikes, YT Industries are sticking with proven 650b wheels – for now, at least. The latest Tues comes in five sizes (S-XXL), with the biggest sporting a reach of 495mm. Head tube and chainstay lengths now vary between sizes, to put the rider in a better position on the bike. The S-L bikes have 435mm stays, while the XL and XXL are a shade longer, at 440mm. Reach is longer than last year on some sizes, including the XL ridden to victory by Aaron Gwin at this year’s opening World Cup round. A reachadjust headset can be used to tailor the fit further. YT have also made subtle but significant changes to the suspension. The initial stroke is said to be more sensitive, while there’s more mid-stroke support, to sit the bottom bracket a shade higher when on track. YT have decreased end-stroke progression, by five per cent, to make tackling really big hits that bit smoother. A 15 per cent increase in anti-rise is said to help the Tues sit down into its travel when dragging the brakes down steep sections, keeping rider weight as rearward as possible and increasing stability.

The pivots and shock hardware can all be accessed from the drive side (with the exception of the chainstay pivots), to make it easier to work on the bike when it’s clamped in a workstand. All pivots also move to full-complement bearings, with double-row bearings in high-stress areas. The Tues also gets new bracing pivot axles, additional sealing on pivots/bearings, plenty of frame protection, some properly neat internal routing and cable clamps, and, finally, better tyre clearance.

Three models are available, ranging from the £3,599 (before shipping) CF Pro to the CF Pro Race MOB Edition, which will set you back a cool £4,999.