Just sold my bike looking for something versatile, and yes I know to perform well at a certain discipline you have a specific bike, but I can’t afford 3 or four bikes, just looking for something light enough for bike and hike, not to much of a slog on the climbs, have fun at up lift park, and take to the alps in summer, not asking much really, any suggestions, was looking at a strive but looks like to much hassle.

Only had a very brief go on a Bronson but it seemed very nice. I have the Capra CF Pro LE from 2015 and I absolutely love it. I’ve not done an uplift day on it yet but I have done some DH tracks and it gave me the confidence to hit drops and a gap jump I’ve never dared do before (previously riding a Pitch with Fox 36s so not exactly under biked).

Climbs surprisingly well and feels almost like a DH bike going down – weighs a good few pounds less than my old bike. Seems to be lots of haters on here because they’re getting too common.

Got one go on a nomad c with the gx build (c am I think) very very nice bike, was riding back to back with my blur ltc. The new vpp iteration is just better, the pedalling was smooth and climbing awesome. Get a demo on one and see what you think.

Bronson… The Capra will spend more time having bits fixed than on the trails. 4 weeks for rear shock to be fixed, rode it once and realised the front shocks are screwed. They went back 5 weeks ago and have been told they are another 4 weeks away! The headset cup is ovalated and apparently they said this is normal. It has spent more time in bits than anything else. I would not recommend it.

I have a Newmad and a 140mm hardtail, been riding my hardtail over winter mostly and thought – “hey, this is pretty good, maybe I don’t need that fancy bike..*” But.. I was out on the Newmad over the weekend.. and my god it’s so much fun and feels fast. That’s on local natural trails, trail centres and uplifts at Antur/BPW/Revo. It does it all for me, love it. I demo’d the previous Bronson and the Nomad before I bought it and the Nomad was a better ride for me, though not much in it and I suspect the recent changes have rectified sizing and geo issues.

*Not to say my hardtail isn’t capable, it certainly is and has it’s place but if it were one bike for all I would choose the Nomad.

Sorry for your bad experience Milkie – seems like they have had some QC issues but me and lots of other have had no issues with our Capras. I did a survey on the YT owners page on FB and there was a significant minority with problems but most hadn’t had any.

What’s your local riding like?

Unless it’s super-gnarly I’d say the Bronson must be the better all rounder.

Bet it’s notably lighter too if the build is comparable.

I have the Capra – its amazing and i have not had a Monday or Friday bike no major issues here

Save the money book a holiday for a trip away with it !!

If your local ish im happy to let you throw a leg over a large ? im based in Hertfordshire

Buy the Capra. With the savings you will make over the Bronson you can have either a second bike or some excellent trips to enjoy the Capra.

What do we think this is about then?
http://www.jeffsy.com/

New shorter travel bike from YT is the obvious gap in their range? Straight 650b or possibly a 29/650b-plus machine?

What’s your local riding like?

Unless it’s super-gnarly I’d say the Bronson must be the better all rounder.

Bet it’s notably lighter too if the build is comparable.

My mate’s L Bronson seemed slightly lighter than my M Capra but there can’t be much in it. With lockout/compression on the forks and shock I can’t see any disadvantage in having 170/165mm travel. I have some pretty steep/gnarly local trails though I suppose.

I’m like a stuck record on this but if you are considering a Bronson go and demo a nomad. I tested a V1 Bronson for an extended weekend and I couldn’t give it back quick enough. It was horrible. People say it’s the best of both worlds between the nomad and 5010 but I found it the worst of both worlds. As someone on her wrote “choose which end of the scale you are and either pick a 5010 or nomad”. The V2 could of solved some of the problems I had like how small it felt and how hard it felt to pedal due to the geometry but it will probably still fail sitting in the middle of its bigger and smaller siblings.
To quote a review I read “the bronson is for people who think they do extreme riding but deep down know they don’t”

I tried my first capra at the weekend. It was the aluminium one and whilst it felt really but not as nice as the nomad. But im used to the nomad and the capra wasn’t set up for me so that would improve it. It felt really heavy though which surprised me. I know my nomad isn’t the lightest as I built it for longevity but the capra felt a lot heavier, sluggish and more reluctant to turn. I do have carbon rims on my nomad which I think is one of the reasons mine feels lighter. The extra weight on other 650b bikes i have tried with aluminium rims has always been immediately noticeable.

I would not buy a Nomad right now, it will more than likely be the next in the range to be updated, sorting out the short reach and short top tube.

Given the choice of those two I would by the Bronson every time.

No issues here with my Capra either.
In fact the poster above is the only one that comes to mind on here and iirc its the BOS version so the issues are not to do with YT but BOS not supplying enough parts.
Any Rockshox issues here and its straight to Fishers vis an LBS or direct and they’ll happily turn it around as long as you show them the proof of purchase.
Thats straight from Lucy at Fishers too in case anyone doubts it.
I checked just in case.

Mine is particularly heavy either – happy to get anyone an actual weight if they want.
Andy – your comment about CF rims stands not so much from the actual weight but because of the unsprung/rotational weight difference.
The gyroscopic weight difference is far greater than the scales would have you believe.

*isn’t!!

Ye not seen many bad reviews on the capra and the cf pro race come with carbon wheels ,150 stealth, Fox forks,and weighs 12,8kg for less than 4k hard to beat, the Bronson I priced up to be around £6000 but would get 10% discount, but with the difference between the two I could get a capra and second hand high end dh or xc bike, and the way the industry is changing I’m worried about putting money into anything right, not so much that I don’t want to be seen on last year’s shit but by the amount you lose in value in resale two years down the line, 27.5+ bigger, hubs.

And as for riding I do well I contract around the country so could be bike park Wales and afan forest, then glentress or lake district, 7 stanes, but I live in north Wales, so do plenty of trail riding and like to get up snowdon, and big days bike and hike looking for new stuff, just looking for something to have in my van, I’ve had a very upgraded Orange five for last three years, now looking for something lighter but as versatile

hammyuk. I’m glad I chose the carbon wheels as I didn’t like the 650b gyroscopic feeling on any of the bikes I tried especially the bronson. It felt like by the time I had though about turning it was already too late. My nomad feels more like my 26″ which is exactly what I wanted really although I never get on the nomad and think these bigger wheels are better I always get back on my chameleon ant think how fast and nimble it feels when turning. But its a different bike so its going to feel different.

No wonder the capra felt heavier. The capra weighs 14.1kg and my nomad weighs 12.23 kg (lbs park scales probably set in flattery mode). I think I would definitely look at the carbon ones.

niether, a transition patrol lol

I met a lad who asked if he could have a go on my nomad. I used his orange 5 whilst he rode mine and He didn’t want to give it back. His 5 felt awful after coming off the nomad. Like it was folding in half. I have had single pivots in the past and enjoyed them but for me vpp is so much nicer and I wouldn’t want to go back. I felt like I was on a pogo stick.
He ordered a nomad a few days later and said he didn’t realise how bad the shortcomings of the 5 were (his words not mine). he never rode it again and sold it when the nomad arrived.

how hard it felt to pedal due to the geometry but it will probably still fail sitting in the middle of its bigger and smaller siblings.
To quote a review I read “the bronson is for people who think they do extreme riding but deep down know they don’t”

^^^ Bollocks, you must be doing it wrong 🙂 …link to said review please, Ive owned both and yep the Nomad is a far better confidence inspiring descender but the bronson is a better all rounder IMO and certainly no slouch, the faster and harder you ride the bronson the more stable it feels,my main complaint about the bronson was the stock shock Fox float that came with the bike, it was a piece of nonsense,soon as it was replaced it ironed out any problems I felt I was having with the bike.

bronson is a better all rounder IMO and certainly no slouch, the faster and harder you ride the bronson the more stable it feels,

plus 1 this, if your looking for a trail couch, walk away now.

Demo the bikes then choose the one that suits your riding.

It’s not bollocks and I’m not doing anything wrong. I really did find the Bronson awful. I wanted to love the bike as wanted a new bike with more than my 125mm trance. A friend had the nomad 2 and I thought it would be too much for what I wanted. I thought I wanted a bike in between my trance and the nomad and on paper the Bronson fit perfectly. But the rides I took it on I pretty much hated every minute. The first day I took it on trails I have never ridden before. I felt useless up and down and it just felt like hard work. To the point when I thought the brakes were sticking or the wheels or drivetrain were dragging. Nothing was wrong I think my body position on the bike was inefficient. Even though it was a large it was far too short and cramped which didn’t help. My friend was constantly pulling away from me uphill on his nomad and when he tried it he couldn’t keep up with me and I wasn’t really putting in much effort. We spent a while messing with shock and fork settings and adjusted the saddle position but nothing made it any better. Downhill it did nothing for me either. It didn’t inspire confidence and just felt slow and lazy. My friend and I sessiond a section of dh track and neither of us enjoyed the bike. The next day I took it on familiar local trails and this was no better. I know every twist turn and jump but after many tries I was still slower than on my trance. It always felt like it was one step behind. My other bikes I ride by instinct but this felt like I had to pre plan everything 2 seconds earlier.

Basically I didn’t click with the Bronson but as bikes are subjective and what we want from a bike is personal my opinion is worthless.

Just try a nomad before buying a Bronson is all I’m saying.

Andy what year was Bronson you demo’d because the new one is longer and slacker basically a scaled down nomad, but I’ve not ridden it reviews seem positive, I’m at work most of the time in different parts of the country so demo days are hard to sort, a capra seems better option for me at moment as it’s only new bike I’ve ridden, nomad is a really nice bike but so similar in size and weight of capra I may as well save 2k, only reason I’m considering Bronson is it’s more trail oriented but can handle bigger stuff if asked, and the capra and nomad can handle big stuff but can climb well enough if anyone can understand what I’m trying to say ha

What size Capra are you looking to get scuff?

It was the first model in size large. I am normally a medium or large depending on the manufacturer. The large Bronson was far too small but my large nomad and chameleon are perfect. As mentioned above I haven’t tried the v2 which has probably sorted the size issues but for me not the purpose of the bike. I could imagine that the right bike in that sort of travel could be very good but I still think I would prefer less or more travel. If i were looking now I would definitely look more st the Capra. The value is hard to ignore. I would also look at the 5010 which looks fun.

Ok – mine’s a new small but they are long – welcome to try it out for size if you travel about.
I’ll be taking some time out soon so sodding off to Llandegla at some point (and the Boardroom)

Ive got a V1 Bronson and an old YT Wicked Pro, if i was offered a Bronson V2 or Capra to ride i would pick the Capra every time.

I understand what Andy is saying about the Bronson, he’s maybe being a bit harsh but i know where he’s coming from. I’ve fitted a -2deg headset, bos rear shock and had push internals put in my Pikes to make it feel better.

Not got either but personally I’d get a Capra with pikes and fit some lb carbon wheels , possibly a size up on the Capra to keep the reach good and fit a teeny stem

Kimbers – they come with a weeny stem!!

What do we think this is about then?
http://www.jeffsy.com/

My money is on a 29er,as the Pinkbike article -Inside YT that was quickly pulled and disappeared showed some advanced 29er frames,drawings etc and YT are out on Madeira at the mo so…..

A nu-skool short travel 29er would be very interesting.

I’m not sure short travel is YT’s thing 😀 It’ll probably ride like a shorter travel bike with some fun to be had deeper in it’s reserves .

I wouldn’t have either the Bronson or the Capra.

Don’t like the YT, and it’s probably too small for me, and the Bronson is a bit of a nothing in between bike for me. Rather have the 5010.

Had a Nomad, wasn’t a bike fan, it just didn’t suit how I rode, but my wife inherited it & loves it.

I’d have to struggle to look past something like the Transition Patrol carbon at the moment 🙂

Jeffsy ?

A mid travel 29er from YT could be awesome. Lead times however……

A six grand bike that’s gonna just sit in your van? FTS; just get something bomb proof and second hand like an Orange Alpine

I’d have to struggle to look past something like the Transition Patrol carbon at the moment

TBH that would be where I spent my money right now. It ticks a lot of boxes and I am quite tempted to sell the Dune for one.

Ha Dave none of the bikes I’ve sit in the van for long I generally work nights and got some good hiding place so still get out for 3 or 4 good rides a week, Orange alpine is a bullet proof bike but to heavy for bike hike up a mountain, I’ll have a look at the transition patrol, also evil do a couple of good looking bikes

I feel I must defend the the Orange Alpine here… it’s usually the build which is heavy (those old RaceFace DH cranks are the best part of 1kg and the old Mavic wheels weigh a tonne). The frames are not actually that heavy for their bulletproof nature and if built up with comparable parts to the Bronson v2 / Capra will come out at a surprisingly competitive weight for a very hardcore bike.

My 2014 Orange Alpine is 13.4kg with pedals running Magic Mary F / Minion DHR2 tyres.
According to the SC website that’s the same weight as a Bronson v2 CC XT for 5k if I put my 400g pedals on it.

I will admit I can take the weight saving no further though… that XT Bronson V2 could have some “upgrades” to make it even lighter… but then you’re spending an awful lot of money.