Convince me not to buy a Capra! No wait..To buy!..No

loudog

You gotta help me!

My riding consists mainly of Off-road Leicestershire country side, bike parks & Red and black runs at many trail centres including Afan, Cannock, CYB, BWP...

Im after my first full susser and after seeing the insane value of the YT Capra, I just fell in love. I've almost brought it three times last week but I know in my heart of hearts its just not suitable.......OR IS IT??

The bargainious value is almost taking over common sense. 170mm travel?? Its a downhill bike right? OTT for me?

I want to spend around 2k on my first FS. All I really know is that my preferred rear shock position is one that goes through the frame (like capra, orange 5, zesty ect)

Has anyone brought a Capra and after thought "oh god, what have I done?"

rockmonkeysc

It's completely OTT. Not worth having unless the majority of your riding is in the Alps. There are equally good bikes more suited to UK riding and equally good value.
Shock position makes no difference to how a bike rides, you can get the same characteristics with it in any position.
Take a look at the Rose Uncle Jimbo and Granite Chief. The Uncle Jimbo has 160mm suspension but is nowhere near as much of a tank to ride as the Capra.

Sharky999

Have a look at Radon Bikes, fantastic value for money.

I bought one 4 months ago and i love it.

Hob Nob

it would be horrible for that sort of riding.

A short travel, new school geometry trail bike would be much more suitable, and fun. Transition Scout or similar would be ideal.

Look past the price, and buy the right bike, rather than the right deal.

rockmonkeysc

Transition Scout is amazing but if you really have to ride it where bigger enduro bikes will do half the work for you.
It's a very capable bike though. My mate rode Air Voltage and Super Morzine on his last week and he doesn't take chicken lines! Five years ago no one would ride 20 foot drops on anything less than a DH bike, it's crazy that it's now do able on a 120mm/140mm trail bike.
Mandrake Foxy is kind of half way between the Scout and enduro bikes and also very good.

loudog

Thanks guys.

I knew it was a bad idea and you have kept me from leaping in.

The more I now look at it, I'm starting to become very fond of the Radon Slide. Very fond indeed

poah

would be nice if YT made a shorter travel bike. a couple of my friends have recently bought foxy's and they are well inpressed with the way they handle.

rockmonkeysc

Personally I much prefer the short travel hardcore, slack and low trail bikes to big enduro bikes. I'm sure for most people they are better most of the time.

cooldad

I would get it.
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-yt-industries-capra-al-1-15-49590/

loudog

"Though the Capra will certainly handle anything a trail centre can throw at it with ease, it’s on harsher, bigger terrain that the AL 1 really shines." hhhmmmm I'm not convinced. Although it certainly looks less bulky and more trail orientated in that picture.

rockmonkeysc

Just the press fit bottom bracket alone would put me off. Never having one of them again.

rgasuk

I'll try be as honest as possible. I'm far from being any decent rider but try my best and was sucked into the whole Enduro bug last year . For the spec I couldn't resist the Capra pro and waited 6 month for delivery . 1st couple of rides it was the excitement clouding my real judgement . After a couple of enduros I was blaming my fitness for struggle to have the energy I used to have when doing XC . After lakes visits, few times at glentress and my locally Hamsterley atleast once a week, I can honestly the bike is totally over kill for everything I've done . It saps my energy going up so I'm pretty tired to give good efforts going down unless I take a break before hand. I guess if your super fit you'll probs won't even notice but for average joe and my mates with same bikes all say the same. Yes you can climb hills and rough climbs but your mates on lower travel bikes will be waiting for you.

paul.skibum

My neighbour has one and rides it in the bike park a lot but hates it for trail riding - too much like hard work to ride up anywhere and a pain in the arse descending too. He finds it OK in the park but then finds the frame flexes and has recently tried to find someone willing to do a bike swap with him.

Another local guy with a Capra also has it for sale.

If they aren't favourites for Whistler riders they will be over kill for the UK. And still crap.

ytchi

I use mine for longish rides in the peak district (25+miles / 5000ft climb) and find it quite managable. I ride with other guys on mix of bikes and I'm certainly no slower than them. There's no doubt that it's a fairly burly bike with more travel that you really need on an avergage XC ride but when you're at the top of a descent like Jacob's ladder or similar and you know that can absolutely fly down it and not have to even think about how the bike will perform is quite confidence inspiring. If you like to thrash it downhill and don't mind a slight penalty on the ups then I think it's an excellent bike. If on the other hand you you enjoy riding long distances and are bit more cautious going down then probably loook elsewhere.

rockmonkeysc

It's more than a slight penalty on the climbs though. It climbs like a real tank.

paul.skibum

You dont need a Capra for Jacobs Ladder to have fun but you cant have any fun on a capra getting up to Jacobs Ladder.

BloggingFit

Friend of mine is trying to do the same after selling his Mega Am and I keep telling him not to. I runs Nomad which is a fair more compliant bike for general riding over the Capra and while I have no issue doing more XC based riding with it, after 25 miles at pace it's gets a little laboured. It is over kill but as I'm fortunate for it not to be my only bike that doesn't present so much of an issue and I can reserve it more for the trails that do suit it more.

If this is to be your only bike then go shorter travel as the whole more travel is better will probably only ever apply to a small percentage of the riding you do with the rest just being plain hard work and not that enjoyable. The suggestions already mentioned are pretty much spot on so I would take that advice.

rockmonkeysc

Im not convinced by 160mm bikes being good for UK riding.
I went enduro racing today, the stages were pretty steep and rocky but there was no point where I felt my 125/140mm suspension wasn't enough. My mate was just on a 29er Stumpjumper and finished fourth in a very competitive seniors category and eighth overall. Some of the riders on bigger bikes had to work a lot harder on the big climbs.