Review: YT Tues – Ready to Race or Rampage

From the side, the Tues’ clean, straight lines give the bike a stealthy look, which is also a clear trait in the way it rides. What the frame lacks in slack head angle, it makes up for in stability with a low centre of gravity. The position isn’t too far removed from the Frameworks DH and could be considered new-school downhill geometry, where stability is achieved through higher stack values ​​and longer wheelbase numbers rather than just a slack head angle. This puts the rider on the bike where their feet are close to the ground, giving them a proud standing position. It puts their hands more on top of the front axle, pushing on it rather than behind it, pushing it forward. What this means on the trail is that when you’re riding at speed through open sections or shredding corners in a bike park, the front wheel tends to fold rather than hold on to the bumps.

I could see some riders installing offset head cups for a slacker head angle and possibly wishing for a longer chainstay. But YT set out to build a versatile gravity bike that can be ridden hard and still be active, while still offering a responsive nature to other riders who don’t care about lap times. This is where the compact wheelbase allows for much more responsiveness over jumps and tight corners compared to a bike like this Intense M1, which trudges along until it gets up to speed.

Either way, one thing you’ll find on the race track and in bike parks is braking bumps, and while the Tues rides through them quite well, there’s no rattle that can be felt through the bike. Doing consecutive laps on four other bikes highlighted this, and like the Glory, there was a higher degree of feedback from the moving chain. Another culprit that could dampen some of the vibration was the small amount of housing that can hit the frame near the lower shock mount.

Components like the O-Chain and STFU chain dampeners are designed to neutralize vibrations and forces felt by the rider, ultimately leading to a smoother ride. In fact, most of the YT Mob team uses such devices. Experiments have also been conducted with an idler pulley to accomplish similar tasks, but this can have negative consequences on pedaling efficiency.

Overall, the Tues was one of the easiest bikes to get to grips with. Its great versatility and consistent character can suit any type of rider thanks to its various geometry settings, plus, it all comes at a relatively low cost compared to some of the other bikes we tested.