Aaron Gwin’s new YT Tues CF is not a well known bike – but this is certainly the fastest up and coming brand in gravity mountain biking right nowDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Gwin railing the course in Cairns, AustraliaRobert Conroy - @robertconroycreative
Built with YT’s own SL4 suspension system, the Tues CF offers 208mm of rear wheel travel. We were told Gwin prefers the feel of the Fox Float X2 air shock on this new rideDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Gwin. He literally has ‘win’ in his nameDavid Rome / Immediate Media
In the effort of saving weight, nearly all the bolts are swapped out with high-tensile titanium. These are typically replaced every few races and after major crashes as a safety precautionDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Now that’s a brand of brake not seen on pro bikes too often. Gwin has moved to the Tiawanese braking company TRP for 2016David Rome / Immediate Media
The ODI Elite Motion lock-on grips are a little different to generations past, with just a single side locking to the bar for a lighter designDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Renthal provides its award-winning carbon bar. It’s super light and extremely strongDavid Rome / Immediate Media
TRP has its own two-piece rotors. Note the carbon-shelled e*thirteen hubDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Does this cassette look tiny? That’s because it is. Gwin is using e*thirteen’s new race-specific 9-21t 7-speed cassette and matched rear hubDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Solid linkages are there to prevent flex. There are very few riders in the world that can push a bike as hard as GwinDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Strangely missing any branding, these are clearly e*thirteen carbon cranks. We suspect they’re the LG1r modelDavid Rome / Immediate Media
A pedal Gwin co-designed. The HT X2 is a downhill-specific clipless pedalDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Something you don’t see so often anymore, Gwin is using SDG’s I-Beam saddle and seatpost combinationDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Friction tape on the shift paddles ensures slip-free gear controlDavid Rome / Immediate Media
YT Industries is a very young brand, but this German consumer-direct outfit is on an extremely fast rise right nowDavid Rome / Immediate Media
After two rounds, Gwin leads the World Cup seriesDavid Rome / Immediate Media
America’s speedster, Aaron Gwin, burst onto the downhill scene and quickly surged to the top of the sport with a ridiculously quick and calculated riding style brought across from motocross. Much as Sam Hill changed the speed of the sport in the past, Gwin upped that level again.
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With a long history of riding exclusively for American bike brands (Yeti, Trek and then Specialized), his 2016 signing to consumer-direct German brand YT Industries shocked all. All the more significant, YT had never competed at World Cup level in downhill.
The 2016 season kicked off in Lourdes and the story couldn’t have started any better. Gwin took the win, earning YT its first World Cup win on debut and proving his rather unproven list of sponsors have serious merit. Perhaps not the result he sought, but a podium at Cairns is further proof this new outfit for Gwin is working.
A stock YT Tues CF running on air
Gwin railing the course in cairns, australia:
Gwin railing a turn on his way to a fourth place in Cairns, Australia (credit: @robertconroycreative)
Gwin is riding a stock large size YT Tues CF Pro, a frame that offers a long reach, a slack 63.5-degree head angle and a dumped bottom bracket. Despite a price tag lower than nearly all its competitors, the 208mm-travel Tues CF is clearly a fast frame.
While YT pitches it as both a park and race bike, the Tues CF’s carbon construction and 27.5in wheels certainly sing performance. The carbon version is said to be a full kilogram lighter than the cheaper alloy offering, even though the two share the same metal chainstays.
Where many of world’s best race on coil-sprung rear shocks for delicate small bump sensitivity, Gwin’s setup is far firmer. Such a setup obviously requires great strength to ride, but doesn’t wallow and slow through the bumps or on heavy landings. With enough speed, Gwin stays on the top of obstacles, rather than sinking through them.
