2018 YT Capra Launched – The Goat Returns With Bigger Wheels

The YT Capra launched today with an 1980s style horror movie called ‘Return Of The Goat’. It’s a full on cinema style production, with language that you might not wish too play too loudly in the office.

Calibre T3 Hardtails: High stoke, low budget

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As with any ’80s horror, the story line is completely bonkers and there is a screaming woman. There’s wide eyed fear, some scary dude in a van (Actually, it’s a full on death wagon. If you ever see anyone in a van like that you probably should ride as far and fast as you can), and a bit of conveniently timed thunder and lightning. There’s a man in a goat’s head – although the goat does in fact blink, so maybe it’s a goat on a man’s body? ManGoat/GoatMan does something horrible to some bikes, but for a 12 minute bike promo there is actually very little by way of riding in it. And for the 160mm/180mm bikes that it’s promoting, it has a very trail riding feel – there’s no death gnar, just the death wagon. We’ll let you watch the movie to see how it all ends.

It’s become the habit of YT to go big on the marketing teasers and final reveal, and the launch of the Capra is no different. But what of the bike that all the fuss is about? Read on…

Longer, lower is the name of the game here. As the previous generation Capra was starting to show its age compared to some of the more modern bikes, YT has increased the reach across the range, added a new XXL size option, and dropped standover and seat post length at the same time. Other mod-cons include a metric shock and boost hub spacing.

The Capra is now available in two wheel sizes. The top of the range carbon fibre Capra 29 CF Pro Race and Capra 27 CF Pro Race will retail at £4,699, while the base model alloy Capra 29 AL and Capra 27 AL will cost you £2,299. In all there are seven models in each wheelsize, two of which are alloy and five of which have a full carbon front and rear triangle. The 29ers have 160mm travel forks, while the 27 range has 170mm travel up front, except for the CF Pro Race tier, which adds an extra 10mm of travel to both wheelsize options. 180mm travel? I see your death wagon and ride over it.

With so much travel on tap you might wonder how the new Capra would cope with a downhill fork installed, well YT has thought about this and although they won’t be speccing this enduro ‘weapon’ with a dual-crown fork, they have tested the frame to the same standards and with the same stress testing as the TUES downhill bike, so it is possible. This also has us wondering if a 29er Capra with DH fork might be seen under Aaron Gwin during the WC in 2018?

While you might think that the only difference between the Capra 29 and Capra 27.5 is wheel size, YT assures us there is more to it than that. As this is the first time the Capra has been offered in a 29-in package the frame is completely new from the ground up and even features a slightly different suspension tune to the smaller wheeled model. The 27.5 model has been designed to soak up the worst that a rugged enduro course can dish out, and so has the 29er only in a firmer and more efficient way. We’d love to ride them back to back to see what the differences mean on the trail.

Claimed weights (for size S) are 13.2kg for the 27 CF Pro Race, and 13.5kg for its 29er equivalent. The alloy 29er base model is 14.4kg, or 14.1kg for the 27 AL. The Capra 27 will be available in five sizes, S-XXL, with the Capra 29 missing out the size S and starting at Medium, recommended for riders 1.64m and taller.

For their 2018 CAPRA, YT is introducing what they’re calling “YT Tailor Made”. A low seat post height is offered in combination with seat posts that are specifically matched to each of the bike sizes. This allows riders to choose between two or even three different frame sizes for their body height. So if you prefer a longer reach, you can size up. It’s certainly an interesting development in sizing, and no doubt one which is facilitated by the increasing availability of longer travel dropper posts.

In a change from many bike brands, YT has opted to go for an E*13 drivetrain for the Capra as it has with the 2018 Jeffsy range. This offers a 1×11 set up with 511% gear range, which YT claims is lighter, more durable, and easier to adjust than the 12 speed SRAM Eagle options. With a spot of somewhat questionable mathematics, YT says this extra 11% range will give you at least 11% more #GoodTimes. We can’t help but wonder, what it the correct unit of measurement for #GoodTimes? Is it inversely proportional to the amount of blood drawn? Directly correlated with the volume of #HellYeahs?

Let’s go down a nerd wormhole…

As you are all undoubtedly aware, #GoodTimes can be derived using Tuppers Formula, and is represented by the integer:

6 972 488 116 116 930 028 923 125 317 923 685 208 463 979 565 181 091 303 703 558 898 371 052 682 564 767 143 012 725 852 793 682 972 109 486 384 294 740 379 407 441 435 506 863 222 536 109 243 388 142 942 512 980 236 803 411 098 348 292 328 436 242 265 168 779 813 151 999 092 410 700 594 200 482 336 700 215 176 576 144 903 610 405 729 609 812 333 778 654 215 976 296 038 672 144 386 192 379 532 191 314 856 041 175 853 081 462 183 755 223 140 737 094 345 789 621 806 884 835 484 615 325 657 483 945 008 784 788 736 187 170 572 730 368

More brand specifically, we can also calculate YT #GoodTimes:

6 935 160 711 472 095 777 882 971 985 807 893 021 294 570 068 826 058 193 342 794 473 685 243 414 746 885 592 291 957 302 349 046 109 343 136 122 896 704 013 633 767 761 918 847 305 719 095 732 137 659 667 768 930 583 720 956 042 958 094 348 188 578 240 162 131 317 109 520 866 979 941 866 844 426 375 384 946 983 585 581 393 278 206 421 389 349 857 731 580 467 102 186 792 445 340 251 309 650 506 155 634 205 283 883 492 202 657 302 016 035 129 044 634 263 242 974 825 250 478 433 158 820 894 432 097 777 980 966 110 324 570 343 345 018 892 746 176 468 218 718 600 575 286 034 644 809 913 035 717 282 031 321 784 191 253 879 843 893 466 390 044 082 176

Which reveals the difference between the two to be represented thus:

If that’s not the head of a goat and an inverted skull of death in there, we’re not drinking the same thing as you.

…and let’s resurface…

Back in the land of the less brain warping, if you want to know more about this bike then hop on over to the YT Industries site.

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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