This week, we’re introducing YT’s Jeffsy Core 3. The first question you might be wondering is: did this review have anything to do with Jeffsy rhyming with Jeffrey?
The inconclusive answer is: … maybe?
Psst.. TLDR? Head over here for a quick bike comparison to see how the Jeffsy stacks against the Hightower, Genius, Ripmo, and more.
The second question you might be wondering is what YT stands for, and that answer is a little more conclusive: Young Talent. Yes, a name for aspiring influencers everywhere.
Before we pedal into the details, a few shoutouts — thank you to Jenson USA for sponsoring the original YouTube video and making this content possible. Any purchases through my links help support the channel and website, at no extra cost to you. If you’re eyeing a YT Jeffsy at those steep post-bankruptcy discounts, check out their inventory here.
Editor’s Note:
These articles are adapted by Savannah (Handles) from Jeff Kendall-Weed’s YouTube videos for riders who prefer reading over watching. They’re written in Jeff’s first-person voice to stay true to the style and storytelling of the original content.
Now, let’s pedal our way in to what makes and breaks the YT Jeffsy.
We all like a little controversy, don’t we? Nothing stirs the soul like heated debates on the battlefield of a comments section, between strangers on the internet. Words are the most powerful weapon, I suppose. If that’s the kind of thing that tickles your tastebuds, you might enjoy taking a gander at the comments on the YouTube video, or over on Instagram.
It turns out when you don’t sugarcoat the truth about the timeline of a brand’s rise and descent — into bankruptcy, for example — the diehard customers don’t particularly love your narrative. Well hey — all I can say is don’t shoot the messenger!
The YT Backstory: Disruption, Bankruptcy, and What It Means for Riders
Business, like biking, is about spotting opportunities in the chaos. Or finding your line through the roots. Once an industry settles into its ways, an outsider inevitably shows up to shake things up. If consumers embrace it, the whole game changes. That’s the tale of YT Industries, the German direct-to-consumer brand that stormed the US market on January 30, 2015.
Back then (because apparently 2015 was not just yesterday), buying a bike straight from a brand online was unheard of in the States. It took European outsiders like YT — without established dealer networks to ruffle — to take the risk. They cut out the middleman, promising higher specs at lower prices, backed by massive marketing. Hot on their heels, Commencal signed Red Bull Rampage winner Kyle Strait just a day before YT’s US announcement, validating the model. By 2017, Canyon joined the fray, and the low-price genie was out of the bottle.
YT’s value? “We cut out the middleman!” paired with killer marketing. Their bikes were solid, but the real edge was better parts for the buck compared to traditional brands.
Over a decade, though, legacy companies sharpened up, and post-COVID discounts flooded the market. YT’s edge dulled — their prices crept close to competitors, and the business model faltered. YT Germany filed for bankruptcy, YT USA shuttered its sales and marketing ops.
In a twist of irony that echoes how life’s disruptions can lead to unexpected alliances, the remaining US inventory was scooped up by online retailer Jenson USA — my longtime supporter. The brand that bypassed bike shops now relies on one to clear stock.
Consumers win big: Jeffsys are now at fire-sale prices, up to 43% off already competitive tags. Warranty? A question mark per Jenson’s site, but priced accordingly. Is that much different from pre-bankruptcy YT?
A Philosophical Take
YT’s rise and fall reflects what personal empowerment looks like on the trail. You learn how to inflate your own tires after depending on someone else; likewise, consumer-direct brands like YT showed us that we don’t necessarily need a middleman. Is that enough to build a long-term legacy on?
Some might say no.
The truth is that YT didn’t innovate much in terms of engineering (headtube angle adjusters at Rampage, sure, but nothing groundbreaking); but they transformed how we buy bikes. What happens when other brands begin to adopt an innovation, and that innovation no longer is enough to set that original brand apart?
It’s a question still hanging in the air, but inflated with more visions of potential now that the founder has bought the brand back. Speculation soars — will they pivot to something new? As of now, the future is a question mark, but at the end of the day a question mark holds more possibility than a sad emoji.
For now, let’s focus on the Jeffsy itself.
Unboxing and First Impressions
In short: not particularly innovative or unique, but besides that, the bikes are absolutely fine.
For my Jeffsy review experience, I went for the Core 3 carbon model — both influenced by the top-tier suspension and the Hayes Dominion brakes that I’ve been itching to try for years. Complete with dual 29-inch wheels, 145mm rear travel via Horst link suspension, 150mm fork — it’s as plain-Jane as all-mountain bikes get. Available in carbon or aluminum; I opted for the carbon fiber version, in a beautiful cream with blue accent.
Unboxing was straightforward, with solid packaging from Jenson, as usual. But the exciting bonus? A tool carrier came attached to the frame (what?!), and even comes with a water bottle and cage — sweet! Before hitting dirt, I swapped stock tires and tubes for my go-tos: Maxxis Assegai front and DHR II rear in Double Down casing with Max Grip compound. Kept the Crank Brothers Synthesis rims (wide and stiffer than expected) but noted the sloppy rear hub engagement. For the pedals, I had the RaceFace Turbines (you can read all about my pedal comparison over here, or watch the video over here).
Setup Notes: The shock tune is on the lighter side, and the bike itself is known to not provide a lot of support for aggressive riding. With that in mind, I maxed damping and ran 200 PSI in the rear (RockShox Super Deluxe), and 80 PSI up front. Keep in mind that this is considering my bodyweight at 175 lbs, which is on the heavier side of the average rider.
First ride? Not a stellar climber, with a lot of lag in the CrankBrothers freehub. Suspension moves a bit – not as much as on a soft enduro bike like the GT Force, but more than any trail bike I’ve ridden recently. I’d say the Specialized Stumpjumper Evo actually climbed better. Some enduro bikes definitely do climb better; I ride the Pivot Firebird a ton, and it absolutely outclimbs the Jeffsy.
In short, an acceptable climbing performance, but not a show stopper.
Descending: Okay, but for my tastes I found it front-heavy on this medium (65° head angle, 455mm reach). It’s a bit smaller and shorter than my usual geo. Stock bars felt both low and a little too wide, with the stock stem feeling a bit longish. This is, of course, all stock, and I’m set to dial in the JKW custom build. Initial complaints aside, the frame did feel stiffer than I expected (a happy plus), and the suspension on the down was totally okay. I will add in another complaint that the seatpost doesn’t go low enough with the 150mm dropper. On the plus side once again, I quickly felt that it bottoms out smoothly.
The Jeffsy handles trails fine, but didn’t inspire pushing limits. I felt confident that with some JKW customizations, I could transform this bike from “totally okay” to something that had potential to be truly amazing.
Riding stock is always a great reminder that when we take what life gives us, we can adapt to those limitations. But what happens when we take what we’re given and take the time to adapt it to fit our needs and our style? We open the door for possibility that wasn’t handed to us, and embody the belief that we deserve more than settling for off-the-shelf.
Second Ride at North Shore
Following an extra special social ride (I don’t treat those to myself often!) on which I rode my beloved Stooge with Steve and Meg of Hardtail Life, I took the Jeffsy on trails I poured my eyes over in magazines as a kid. What a treat it is to literally live the dream that I saw on printed pages as a child.
If you’d like to dive into some hardtail love, you can watch that video over here!
I installed a taller Enve 40mm rise bars and a shorter 35mm length stem (also Enve), and then swapped to my normal grips. The fit was so much better with my preferred cockpit. We made it up the tech climb bits, even if it felt a bit slow. To be fair, most of my recent reviews, and thus riding, have been for e-bikes, so one might suggest a variable there — but it really felt like a lot of effort was wasted with the squishy suspension.
Remember those Hayes brakes I’ve been visualizing in my dreams? Dang, they are nice! Unfortunately, the suspension definitely does not love low speed North Shore-style drops, but it exceeded my expectations on the low impact rock rolls.
Again, I found the bike just “okay.” I didn’t feel inspired or confident enough to push my limits. Funnily enough, I felt that I had more confident in how I handled my rigid Stooge than in the Jeffsy. It wheelies well, pops okay, traction decent — not glued like high-pivots, but predictable.
Applying the JKW Upgrade to the Jeffsy
This channel isn’t about “bikes ride fine” — it’s about dialing them for real fun. This channel is all about real tires, real geometry, and real fun.
I decided to get a new air shaft for the fork to increase its travel up to 160mm; add volume reducers to both the longer fork, and to the rear shock. I felt committed to make this bike work, or strip out every bolt in trying to do so. (Hopefully the former.)
Rear: Stuffed three purple volume reducers into the shock for progression (unsure about Gnar Dog spacer compatibility — let me know in the comments if you know compatibility with SRAM). I hoped three would make a noticeable difference, because I need more progression. Even though I always say that I’m bad at jumping, I am truthfully all about that jump.
Front: Swapped 150mm air shaft for a ($92) 160mm one, added two volume reducers, Fox Float fluid in shaft, Fox 20wt Gold in lowers.
Result? Drumroll, please.
The suspension has been upgraded… slightly. A little bit of a longer fork, a little taller, subtley noticeable. A bit more progression on the back (not necessarily noticeable on camera, but from the seat, very nice).
These changes were a really nice improvement — noticeably better than I expected. Honestly, this might be the single best “simple” suspension tweak I’ve ever done to a bike.
The weight bias still feels a little different compared to the enduro bikes I’ve been riding lately, and the suspension itself is solid — good, not mind-blowing. It doesn’t climb amazingly, but with some patience it gets the job done. Importantly, it doesn’t pedal significantly worse with the changes I made.
YT Jeffsy Sizing: Solid Range with Unique Increments
Perhaps the single most important area of discussion around any bike is the sizing range. YT offers a solid 5 sizes to choose from, with logical 20mm reach increments that make perfect sense. I have to give YT props for this — too many brands stick to large 30mm gaps or only offer 4 sizes.
I’m 5’8″ (174 cm) and went with a size Medium Jeffsy, as nearly all my bikes are mediums. The 455 mm reach feels fun and easy to hop and wheelie. The size Large jumps to just 475 mm reach, which is similar to other bikes I’ve really enjoyed. Paired with the short 437 mm chainstay (on M/L sizes), I suspect I might have loved the Large even more.
Hayes Dominion Brakes, Crank Brothers Rims, & The Postman
Getting back to the bike, I really like the Hayes Dominion brakes. Big surprise there. The modulation is very controlled, and the overall power is exactly what I want. I may transfer these over to some other bikes this winter — they feel so good I wouldn’t mind giving them a real chance across the fleet.
The Crank Brothers Synthesis rims feel pretty good: wide and stiffer than I expected. But the sloppy engagement of the rear hub sucks — noticeable lag on pick-up. Also, the short dropper post is annoying. I’ve adapted to it, and on less steep stuff it’s not as bad, but it stands out more on steeper North Shore-style trails.
The bike wheelies pretty well, and the suspension is feeling nicer for my tastes. At only 175 lbs, I’m darn near maxed out on damping. On a moderate drop, I was pleased to see that I still hadn’t quite bottomed out on either the front of the rear. The volume reducers have helped, but if you are heavier and have an aggressive riding style, that may be something you’ll want to note.
Before buying the Jeffsy, I read online that the frame is pretty flexy. It’s not awful — it’s stiffer than my Yeti SB140 and roughly similar to an Ibis Ripmo. If anything flexes noticeably, it’s the rear end rather than the front, but it’s not scary at all. That said, with this unfamiliar wheelset on it right now, it’s hard to judge the overall stiffness accurately. I’ll swap on my usual Industry Nine wheels soon — since I know those so well — and get a much better sense of how the frame really feels.
Now for a confession: I didn’t actually want a Jeffsy. I was aiming for the enduro model, the Capra, and I wish I’d gone that route instead. I’ve got over a dozen bikes, and not a single one has noticeable pedal kickback. I specifically need a bike with some kickback so I can make a video comparing O Chain, to e*thirteen, to DT Swiss. The Capra would’ve been perfect for that.
People online say the Capra doesn’t climb well and that it’s too gnarly for local trails. But honestly, I’m not loving the climbing on the Jeffsy either — so I might as well go bigger. The Jeffsy is improving on descents the more I ride it, but it still doesn’t descend as well as I’d like. The Capra just seems more aligned with my preferences overall.
I haven’t ridden a Capra yet, though. If you have one (or have ridden both), drop a comment below — I’m curious how it actually compares in real life, especially on climbs, descents, and pedaling feel.
Comparisons: How the YT Jeffsy Stacks Up
| Bike Model | Climbing | Descending | Suspension Feel | Stiffness | Overall Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT Jeffsy Core 3 | Average; bobs more than trail peers | Solid post-upgrades; playful but not inspiring | Soft stock, progressive after tweaks | Decent; rear flexes | Plain-Jane fun; value king |
| Ibis Ripmo | Way better; efficient | Similar, but more rad-inspiring; easier to get air-born | Better overall; predictable traction | Similar | Adjustable, exciting; prefer over YT except price |
| Santa Cruz Hightower (V4) | Good | More DH-oriented | Exciting | Stiffer | Party-ready; Jeffsy keeps up |
| Santa Cruz Hightower (V3) | Excellent pedaler | Efficient | Exciting | Stiffer | Pretty much the same as the V4 |
| Scott Genius | Much better; feels lighter | Less capable | Stout frame trades descending | Stiffer | Inspiring despite gimmicks |
| Orbea Occam LT | Much better | Better; comfy quick | Polished | Good | More refined; climbs/descends superior |
| Canyon Spectral | Better | More inspiring on jumps | Engineered focus | Good | Pedals/jibs better; emphasis on innovation |
Click over here for a more detailed breakdown between each bike comparison.
Final Thoughts: Tempting Value in a Post-Bankruptcy World
I don’t hate the Jeffsy — it’s absolutely acceptable, especially at discounted prices. Playful, versatile, and now more tempting than ever. But transparency: It didn’t excite like the GT Sensor or Ibis Ripmo. Am I the target rider? Maybe not. But by no means is it a bad bike, and the price is compelling.
The more I’ve ridden the Jeffsy, the more I’ve genuinely enjoyed it. The shorter back end, overall short wheelbase, not super slack headangle. With all of those variables, it does lend itself to being playful on the trail. But is it the outright fastest bike? In this size, for my riding style, the truth is no.
Despite that, it’s a satisfactory all-rounder. I still enjoy a 15 mile cross-country ride, while feeling confident in hitting big jumps on it.
Do I like other bikes more? Sure. But they also cost more. As with anything, you win some and you lose some.
Like a reclamation of independence, the Jeffsy teaches adaptation. In a disrupted industry, it’s a reminder: Value isn’t only about specs — it’s about how the bike empowers your ride, and your purchasing options as a consumer.
Peace, love, and wheelies
🚴 — Jeff
As always, a big thanks to my friends at Jenson USA for making the dream possible. Thank you to LMNT for keeping me hydrated with delicious electrolytes. And thank you to YOU for supporting my channels — whether here, or on the Tube. Any purchases you make through these links help the dream grow, so I can continue to be a resource and share everything I know about bikes, bikes, and more bikes (and sometimes snorkeling).
If you’re looking to level up your riding game even more, I drop a fresh tutorial every month exclusively on Patreon. It’s an easy way to sharpen your skills for about the price of a good coffee — and you get instant access to the entire archive of dozens of previous deep-dive features too. Worth it if you’re serious about bikes (and maybe a little obsessed, like me).
And, any like, share, or comment helps to tell all the algorithms that this stuff matters. I love a good dialogue too! So please, like, share, subscribe, and comment away. I’d love to connect with you where I can.
