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YT Industries’ DH, Enduro mountain bikes come Stateside w/ Consumer Direct Sales

Written by Zach Overholt Feb 09, 2015 12:29 p.m. ET

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When first announced, YT Industries’ sponsorship of Cam Zink raised a few eyebrows. Why would a company that’s not even available in the U.S. go after such a big name in the American freeride scene? For starters, it’s safe to say that Zink is well known worldwide, not just in the U.S., but YT knew what they were doing. It wasn’t long until the relatively unknown company at the time announced that they had plans for North American distribution. After scoring some serious face time with a huge portion of their intended audience as Zink broke the world record for a dirt to dirt backflip and Andreu Lacondeguy won the 2014 Red Bull Rampage, YT Industries is ramping up to ship their bikes straight to your door.

Starting with an enduro, a downhill, and a dirt jump model, they’re joining the trend of trying to cut out the middle man to deliver well-equipped bikes at prices that may be hard to beat…

Likely to be their flagship model, the Capra jumps on the Enduro bandwagon with 165-170mm of travel out of a Horst Link design they call the V4L. Based on 27.5″ wheels, the Capra will be available in a 2,400g monocoque carbon frame with 4 builds and a hydroformed aluminum frame with carbon seatstays in two different builds. Complete bikes start with the $2,995 Capra AL2 with its RockShox Pike RCT3 fork and Monarch Plus RC3 shock and a pretty impressive SRAM X9 build kit complete with e*thirteen guide, SRAM Guide R brakes, Race Face Turbine cranks, DT Swiss E1900 Spline wheels, and a Rockshox Reverb seatpost. Pretty impressive sped for the money.

At the high end you’ll find the Capra CF Pro Race with an equally high end SRAM X01 build and complete BOS suspension. Claimed weight on the $5,495 carbon beast is listed as 28.4 lbs (12.9 kg).

Riders looking for more travel and bigger hits should check out the Tues. Aside from a name that may make be confused with an abbreviation for the day after Monday, the Tues uses the same V4L suspension linkage with an aluminum frame supplying 208mm of travel and 27.5″ wheels. Available in the Tues AL or Tues AL Comp, we’re guessing the $2,995 starting price for a complete DH bike that is ready to rip will have more riders heading to the lifts.

The same could be said for the 26″ Dirt Love and the First Love, just replace lifts with dirt jumps/skate parks. Considering the Louisville Mega Cavern Bike Park just opened today and a number of other parks are popping up around the country (including Ray’s MTB of course) an $895 dirt jump bike is looking pretty appealing. Built with a chromoly steel frame, the First Love is a simple dirt jump bike with horizontal dropouts, a single speed drivetrain, and Manitou Circus suspension fork. Honestly, the build on the First Love looks really good for the price and at 27.3 lbs (12.4kg) it’s not bad on the scale either. It even ships with the Sensus Swayze grips which aside from being the brain child of Cam Zink, are also one of the most comfy DJ grips out there.

Step up to the $1,195 Dirt Love, and you’ll gain a hydroformed double butted chromoly frame and a Rockshox Argyle R that drops the weight down to 26.6 lbs (12.1kg).

Most of the YT family of bikes will be available to ship starting February 14, with shipping to the continental U.S. an additional $79, or $289 shipping to HI/AK, and $189 shipping to Canada. Warranty and crash replacement services will be handled out of YT Industries U.S. headquarters in Reno, NV.

Head over to yt-industries.com for more details on spec, pricing, geometry and to order.

Zach Overholt

5,630 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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38 Comments

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ThisGuy

9 years ago

I question the integrity of any media source that promotes a brand that cuts out and screws the IBD channel.

barry

9 years ago

Partially in agreement but also its all about bikes and bike news (rumors)
And reporting on that is good …but has its drawbacks..but news is news at least it isn’t electric bikes lol!

FullMonty

9 years ago

@ThisGuy while I agree and love all IBD’s, this IS an internet media source.
You know, the one that ‘cuts out and screws’ printed sources like your newspaper. The internet is a great thing, use it to empower the IBD.

Psi Squared

9 years ago

It’s bike news, not IBD news. If you want news about IBDs, get a dealer or business periodical. The article in no way says anything about BR’s integrity. Besides, the last time I checked, IBDs aren’t the only source through which customers can buy their bicycling needs.

satisFACTORYrider

9 years ago

i question the intelligence of the first post that blames a media source for reporting news. more thanks less butthurt.

Ligero

9 years ago

The bad part is that the one IBD news site also put this up as news.

satisFACTORYrider

9 years ago

@ligero – as they should. i’d wanna know how i am going to use, save and make money.

9 years ago

@Ligero: it’s in the IBD news site because the IBD that ignores stuff like this won’t be in business for long. It’s 2015, internet and direct-sales aren’t going away. Passing ill-thought-out judgements isn’t going to change that. A IBD that doesn’t figure out a way to work this into their plans won’t be around for long.

Chris

9 years ago

Where the heck is HA? I live in HI though…

Author

Zach Overholt

9 years ago

Reply to Chris

@Chris, a laugh? Sorry, late night…

Mark Q

9 years ago

Slight nood here…

What is IBD?

9 years ago

So why aren’t they cheaper?
Their website has the bikes going straight from “YT” to the consumer, whereas the traditional route includes such anachronisms as a “manufacturer”!
Not exactly sure how you cut out the manufacturer, but they seem to be claiming to have cut the distributor and the retailer out too, so you would think the bikes would be super super super cheap. Not just the 20% or so (?) that we see here?!?!?!

Antipodean_G

9 years ago

Can someone comment about the actual bikes?

Mr. P

9 years ago

I’m curious how the LBS’s are viewing the YT entry into the marketplace. These are the the first direct sale full suspension bikes that are actually very good. Between this and Shimano’s internet prices, I wonder what the LBS’s are doing to promote value to their customers.

This is not a bash, the market is very fluid, some will float to the top, others will sink. Staying still is sinking.

Roy

9 years ago

Thisguy is lost in the last century. YT has been growing like crazy in Europe for years basically following Canyon Cycles who followed Dell’s model. If that sales/marketing method did not work, we would not be having this chat. Blame it on a neutral web site is asinine. Thisguy is butt hurt about a narrow focus company like YT coming to the continent?! Just wait till Canyon tees up their US / Canadian business and heads will roll. I am confident that even the brown nosers selling the big 4 will see former customers rolling Canyon’s in for a tune up and the mid size Co’s like Kona etc will feel it in a big way. If Canyon teams up with Amazon you could have your new Spectral delivered on Sunday by a US Postal helicopter!
“Change is the only constant in life.” Heraclitus

Louie

9 years ago

Specialized, Trek, Giant, Cannondale, etc. that all have their business model set up selling through the traditional bike shops are very nervous about not only direct sales, but the bike brands that sell through Internet dealers like Competitive Cyclist, Jenson USA, Price Point, Colorado Cyclist.
http://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-america/2012/08/02/specialized-calls-dealers-drop-brands#.VNklw1XF-0w and http://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-america/2014/10/03/giants-jt-thompson-calls-out-competitors-non-ibd-sales#.VNkl31XF-0x Read those links if you want to be amused.

Chris

9 years ago

@ Zack – No worries. We get odd stuff all the time. Like those damned ‘*’ always attached to the ‘free shipping*’ tag….

Ripnshread

9 years ago

The future of every IBD is in Service. Period.

YT most certainly threatens the IBD channel. I would wager, they are also making a killing doing it. When the time ran out on the Specialized FSR “Patent” this was just an inevitability.

YT has made a smart and well timed move. Now we just have to see if they can keep up the QC and customer service end of the deal.

And those bikes look sweet, can’t wait for some reviews to come out stateside.

Ripnshread

9 years ago

YT Tues AL Comp $3800.
Trek Session 88 DH 27.5 $5500.
Giant Glory 27.5 $6600.

I’d be worried too.

paul

9 years ago

really though, no XL frames and no frame only option cuts their US market down to not much

ThisGuy

9 years ago

@Ripnshread,

Do you work at a bike shop? Doubtful. Takes a great deal of ignorance to purport bike shops will profit off of “just service.” Most service departments break even, and are used to draw customers in. Most are lucky to break even. But you’re out of your mind if you think someone can afford the cost of overhead off of tune ups with (deleted) customers who bought their bike 70% off and won’t spend more than 25 cents getting it serviced, because it’s just a toy to them.

satisFACTORYrider

9 years ago

agreed. with brands coming in like BOS and soon Ohlins to the US, service is key to ibds. we all have those few local ibd wrenches that really ride and know their stuff.

Roy

9 years ago

Thisguy…. I do not work in a shop, but a very good friend owns a small IBD. All he survives on is labor, not sure if you are referring to the big ‘IBD’s making their living on sales, but for a shop that does not have the financial blessings of one of the major companies and their finance dept, he ain’t making it on selling bikes and certainly not parts either, especially when Chain and BackCountry etc sell parts for less than he can get from SBS or QBP. So he cherry picks some small brands that customers want and does a lot of tunes…

Ripnshread

9 years ago

@ThisGuy- I capitalized “Service” as to not have that meaning at all. Sorry if that got past you.

Ilikeicedtea

9 years ago

@thisguy

I managed a very profitable bike shop in the past, and labor made the second most amount of sales, right behind new bike sales, but made a significantly higher margin.

I can’t imagine how poorly run a shop, which charges car repair prices per hour, and pays very little over minimum wage per employee, must be run.

Break even?! Show me the numbers.

Mindless

9 years ago

@ThisGuy: Screw middlemen.

Dave

9 years ago

I am sure the bikes are great and will have a place in the market. If a consumer wants to buy direct from the manufacturer they have every right to do so.

It is also my guess that these full suspension bikes are going to be a bit tricky to build, set-up properly and I know for a fact that maybe 15%-20% ( and that is inflated a bit) know how to build a bike and set it up properly.

With that said bikes shops should welcome a customer when they walk in with a bike like this to have it built or serviced but shops (especially the ones that know what they are doing) should raise labor rates to be profitable especially if they are losing out on sales of bikes, accessories, components, etc.

When you buy a car the dealer does not make much on the car but they sure do on the labor and the bike industry should follow suit.

The IBD is a very important to not only the new rider but as the experienced enthusiast. You better support them because if they go away you will all miss them and finally realize how much you need them.

Rico

9 years ago

Ibds… YOU MAD BROS?

Zane Moses

9 years ago

I have worked for the same bike shop for 15 years, (service dept. manager), and I can say from our prospective these brands offering direct sales will bring change to my job for sure. I believe that brands like YT will force us to narrow our focus and be more responsive to customers needs if we still want to be relevant. A lot of people in the bike industry laugh and say that soon there will be no IBD’s left and all the people who bought bikes online will be screwed, they are wrong. I believe that internet direct companies will just open there own service centers to work on their bikes. The internet can not be competed with, they are like Walmart, but you can work with it. At my shop we are actively seeking ways to increase sales, (pricing, non-internet brands, ect.), and do the things that the internet can not do, (customer service, community building, ect.). Any shop that feels they do not have to step up will be left in the dust, and they should.

Someguy

9 years ago

IBD’s are great, so was Kodak, Blockbuster, Barnes and Noble, and Little Debbie snacks. Bike shop owners need to provide a product and a service that people are willing to pay for, if they don’t they go out of business. The IBD brands need help provide their dealers with bikes that can compete with the online offering, this is not going away. Previously, it was easy to scoff at the technology of the online brands, YT makes a nice bike and if Canyon comes to the US market that will be difficult to do.

Dave

9 years ago

@Ilikeicetea

Maybe I’m lucky as where I live there are quite a number of great shops with great service departments.

Tomytank

9 years ago

FYI guys: I live in the UK and here are some reviews: its a great bike the YT capra…the guys that have them love it !

http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/full-suspension-bikes/yt-industries-capra-pro-review

http://dirtmountainbike.com/bike-reviews/world-exclusive-yt-capra.html#v74qSo2StOMRR42L.97

Darryl

9 years ago

The way bike shops will compensate is simple.
Charge what it is really worth.

If you come in and just want your chain wear checked, you pay.
If you bring in a god awful dirty bike to service, you pay to clean it.
If you bring in an internet brand to build, you will pay a premium because as soon as the shop touches it, all those stupid little things like creaky BB etc will come back to the bike shop and not the seller. So expect to pay a real fee to get them built.
Similarly, if there is problems with the Zipp wheels or shimano parts, don’t expect the LBD to be your warranty broker for you. Sort it yourself.

Sure things will change, but some of the things that change will not be liked by those that expect the LBD to do all the little things for free.
User pays will rule.

J N H

9 years ago

Brands like YT and Canyon are a reaction to the way the big brands do business. Trek, Spesh, Giant make demands on dealers, very deliberately prevent other brands appearing in ‘their’ shops and quite happily gouge prices and abuse markets (Treks have more than double in price in the UK in ten years). Then they open an own brand store half a mile away and kill the bike shop regardless.
.
They blew a giant, gaping hole in the UK market between £500 and £3000-ish and direct sales brands (On One, YT, Nox, Canyon etc) filled the gap. Now they’ve all gone global and instead of reacting in a constructive way the big brands and their supporters are reacting by bullying bike shops even more and shouting down anyone who mentions them.
.
Ultimately the independent shop is caught in the middle, which is not a position I envy. On the other hand, this might force the big brands to actually compete again, instead of just abusing customers and dealers alike.

Roy

9 years ago

JNH is right, the big brands will continue opening their own stores as a way of recouping margin ‘given’ to dealers to better fund their marketing to compete against each other and companies like well funded, well run companies like Canyon and YT etc. The large companies don’t really care about the ibd as long as they keep ordering more bikes every year. If companies like YT and Canyon really start to hurt them the gloves will come off and the pseudo independent dealers will be elbowed out of the way in the fight for market dominance. It ain’t about bicycles all the time, it IS about human nature and the desire to fight and drive to win.

Justin M

9 years ago

Why do people feel that IBD’s are somehow above the evolution of business? The entire economy is transitioning to technology-based interfaces. Why should bike shops be any different?

Ryan Mackey

8 years ago

Yes the IDP will suffer, however I fell that the “Big 4” and all others will be forced to bring their prices down to stay competitive.It’s the only way the IDP will remain relevant. I mean whole sale prices are ridiculous and are ever rising, esp when all of the products made are produced in China etc and are made for pennies on the dollar. Direct sales are here to stay and will most likely be a game changer in the market place. After all why should one pay top dollar for a store bought bike when one could save hundreds, if not a couple of grand on direct sales for the same bike spec? Really I thing the big manufacturers will have to take a hit profit wise to stay viable whilst delivering good products with good margins for the IDP’s.