[Closed] Woohoo, Jeffsy on the way.

Post up a ride report once you've had a chance to get out on it. It's top of my list at the moment based on price, spec and the few 1st ride reviews around.

Just had a spin on one this morning at FoD Demo Weekend. Very nice. Taut and quiet. Sorely tempted...

Thirstmaster 3000's

Rickos - Member
Just had a spin on one this morning at FoD Demo Weekend. Very nice. Taught and quiet. Sorely tempted...

This is just what I want to hear.

I was in the FoD the other weekend - some chap came running up to me asking (in an excited manner) "is that a Jeffsy"

I had to let him down, you should have seen his face. Looked like a 5 year old with no presents on Xmas day.

(He had mistaken my Capra at a distance)

Thirstmaster 3000's
dare I ask, ...

The frame is too small for a conventional water bottle so they have developed their own. However, they seem capable of designing, building and delivering a complex mechanical construction on time but not a plastic bottle ❓

Was it a bit squeaky Rick?

Anyone ridden a Jeffsy and a Hightower?

Was it a bit squeaky Rick?

No, my FaceStalk post didn't mean that. Jeffsy is one of our local riders (and the bike was named after him), so it was a play on the quote from Deliverance, you know, like, I rode Jeffsy, he squealed like a pig, boy! type of thing.

@Rickos - red shorts you?!

No, that's Gareth the PBA manager.

No, that's Gareth the PBA manager.

oops 😳

I rode a Jeffsy today. Not quite what I had expected. It is a lot stiffer and burlier than other 29ers I've ridden. Great over roots and carries speed nicely. It would benefit from changing the stock rear tyre to something less draggy, even with that might still feel a bit hefty.
Times looked good on anything downhill, it's undeniably a fast bike.

Is the Jeffsy the black 29er with the Onza rubber? One of the guys in my group at FoD today rode that. Looked a big bike! 😆

alialiali , which model was that? The top carbon claims to be pretty light, but the weights climb quite quickly as you go down the range.

I rode the basic carbon, Comp I think.
In terms of the spec, the tyres are heavy and the wheels are a bit lousy, so could be improved upon.
To me the bike feels like it's got 20mm too much travel. It's got the kit to match, so all seems to hang together well, but it just felt a bit like the wrong bike, however nicely put together.

Alialiali - that wasn't my take at all. My guess is you're coming from lightweight bikes? I'm currently on a Commencal V4 and found it climbed far quicker and felt about 2 pounds lighter, if not more, so depends where you're starting from I guess.

As a 140mm 29er it's firmly in the all-mountain/enduro camp and will be a very capable bike - should be awesome for those who fit the geometry.

My guess is you're coming from lightweight bikes? ....so depends where you're starting from I guess.

+1!

I'd like to hear about the Jeffsy from someone coming from a 29er in the same class... stereo, spectral, stumpy, remedy, trailfox etc.

I'm coming from a hideously out of fashion 26" hardtail, which I ride for more or less everything. Broke up my full sus about a year ago, just found it a bit uninteresting on most rides.

I think chakaping has it right, I'm just not looking for/don't need a bike like that. I had hoped it to be a bit more like the Transition Smuggler, something that I can use everywhere and not be overbiked or be worried about breaking it. There don't seem to be many bikes in that bracket and the YT seems to drop on the overbiked side for me. I think the 29" Norco Optic looks good but might fall into the break it category. Clearly I'll never be happy 😉

I think it'll be a popular bike and was well worth testing. I would recommend anyone who thinks they fall between the Medium and Large to get one, or similar bike to sit on. The Large would have been a bit tall to be comfortable for me but gives a fair bit of extra reach, if that's your thing.

I'll report back, it should get a good shakedown at Torridon next weekend. My previous bike was a Trance X 29er which was surprisingly good. I demoed a Hightower, a Transition Smuggler, a Ibis Ripley LS and a Trek Fuel, I found them all good so in the end it came down to value, the clincher being the carbon wheels with the Jeffsy.

I tried a medium and a large and wish they made a large medium!

So Jeffsy arrived yesterday and after a rapid bike build, took it out for a spin. It's fairly light (27.4 lbs with pedals) and definitely fast. I don't have the suspension setup quite right yet, it seemed a bit firm, but towards the end it eased up a bit or maybe it was that I let a little air out of the fork - more experimentation needed.

Size wise I'm 5' 8" and this is a medium, if the seattube had been shorter I probably would have gone for a large but the reverb is almost fully into the frame. Having said that when actually riding it I didn't feel the toptube to be too short.

The saddle (SDG Circuit) is not very comfortable and that will be replaced, also I need to convert the wheels to tubeless and the 32t chainring is too big, it will be swapped for a smaller one. All-in-all looking forward to the weekend in Torridon.

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I think that looks very good indeed!

All-in-all looking forward to the weekend in Torridon.

alialiali's comments just don't seem to get what a big 29er is for, they mostly seem to be "I wish this long travel 29er was an xc bike". The wheels are pretty ideal, and most people replacing the tyres will be going for grippier not faster; the ibex is alright in the dry but you'll soon find its limits on anything softer or slippier.

alialiali's comments just don't seem to get what a big 29er is for, they mostly seem to be "I wish this long travel 29er was an xc bike". The wheels are pretty ideal, and most people replacing the tyres will be going for grippier not faster; the ibex is alright in the dry but you'll soon find its limits on anything softer or slippier.

Yes, I found the Ibex's slippy compared to my normal Magic Mary/Hans Dampf combo, but to be fair I was running them 5 psi higher than I normally would due to not being tubeless. Having said that, I bought this bike for big days out in the mountains, not wet days in the forests, so I might stick with the Ibex's for a while.

alialiali's comments just don't seem to get what a big 29er is for, they mostly seem to be "I wish this long travel 29er was an xc bike"

Don't agree. I think all he is saying is that after testing it wasn't the bike for him. The comment that it had 20mm too much travel indicated that IMO. Fair play, he tried it would prefer something else but was willing to share his experience.

*Edit* Which would suggest that actually it could be a bike I would like!

Looks sweet and I bet it rides well. 5"8 and contemplating a large though, YT really need to sort out tt length/reach.

Looks great. Let us know how it goes in Torridon, could be the perfect bike for up there IMO.

I really like the look of a Jeffsy however the geo is very similar to a spesh enduro, has any body ridden both and can make a comparison. I had an enduro obviously amazing on the downs but felt the sag was too much for all day rides and would look at a jeffsy as one bike for everything. I'll leave out double blacks. I had the carbon expert so would draw a comparison to the jeffsy pro in terms of spec and weight.

Just wondering how it climbs and trots along on flatter terrain. No doubt it's god enough for me on the downs.

I and a transition bandit 29 and that was almost the good all rounder but was a bit lardy and was also cramped reach wise.

Just keeping an eye on this post. Looking to order the same model in an XL but they're not due until mid August.

Looks lovely that. Light too!

That looks ace, the linkage and front triangle looks similar to my camber evo but its got 20mm more travel so should be a fun and capable bike. The base model is only 1500 with Pike and reverb though which is £500 cheaper! And i had to provide my own dropper & it came with a reba not a pike.

Would have probably had this if it'd have been around last year. Love my camber evo though, have a 140 pike on it now and it shreds 😈

27.4llbs for a 140mm Enduro bike sound incredibly light to me !

Its marketed as an all round trail bike not an enduro, the capra fills that gap

Nice. After watching the soho bike video yesterday I really fancy a 29'er again. Sell of my current 650b 160m bike & replace it with a jeffsy.
I already have a yt tues for the big days out. I expect I would loose a fortune on my current 4k bike though trying to sell it.

Its marketed as an all round trail bike not an enduro, the capra fills that gap

It could be a fantastic bike to race enduros on though.

For an all-round trail 29er I'd want 120mm travel.

It could be a fantastic bike to race enduros on though.

Yeah i agree im not into "enduro" really but i see the Hightower is winning them now.

For an all-round trail 29er I'd want 120mm travel.

Never ridden a 140 29er but i have a 120mm camber evo and it works well as an all round trail bike. Ive put a 140 Pike on and its gone from being a ripper to a shredder! The plan was to drop the fork to 130 but im having way too much fun. It was such a good climber before that it hasnt made much difference and i just removed a spacer and adjusted the seat angle a notch.

29ers are so much fun, definitley the way forward. I bet this bike shreds! Such good value too at £1500 for the base model with a Pike and reverb and SLX everything. I can see these being very popular.

After riding the Jeffsy and others I've bought a Banshee Phantom.
As I've said previously that having ridden it, the Jeffsy seems to have been designed to be an enduro bike, it's marketed as a trail bike. I don't think it is a trail bike - by my definition.

For me at 5'10 I would choose a large, BUT the seat tube is almost 19 inches.So with dropper no where really to go with my leg length, 18 would have been better, or even 17 as present bike is with same reach/stack numbers

After riding the Jeffsy and others I've bought a Banshee Phantom.
As I've said previously that having ridden it, the Jeffsy seems to have been designed to be an enduro bike, it's marketed as a trail bike. I don't think it is a trail bike - by my definition.

Hi, can I ask what you mean by designed to be an enduro bike? Did you find the bike to be not poppy enough, a bit slow to accelerate or something different?

I am looking for a bike to replace my old Yeti SB95c that I sold last year, I've been on 27.5" since but I do miss the big wheels and I'm finding that everything else on the 29" market at the moment have low BB's that lead to me clouting my pedals on lots of the trails I tend to ride most. The Jeffsy seems to fit the bill for me, but I like my bikes to feel very good whilst pedalling, this is important to me.

I am looking for a bike to replace my old Yeti SB95c that I sold last year, I've been on 27.5" since but I do miss the big wheels and I'm finding that everything else on the 29" market at the moment have low BB's that lead to me clouting my pedals on lots of the trails I tend to ride most. The Jeffsy seems to fit the bill for me, but I like my bikes to feel very good whilst pedalling, this is important to me.

Just a taster before I get time to write a longer review.

Bike is now below 27lbs after converting to tubeless. Did the Torridon lollipop on Saturday and Cairngorm - Cairn Lochan loop on Sunday. Still a fair bit of snow up on Cairngorm but not a breath of wind.

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Rode one yesterday at the yt demo. Thought it was an excellent bike. Very fast stable and confidence inspiring really good fun to ride. Jumped well on trail features, had lots of pop and was nibble. My wife tried one too and loved it as well despite it being her first go on a 29er

therag - Member
Just keeping an eye on this post. Looking to order the same model in an XL but they're not due until mid August.

I'm 6" 2" and thinking of an xl. Have you ordered? Wondering if I should get in now as they are proving so popular or so it seems. Otherwise if I do decide to go for it could be arriving in winter when I'll be too precious about it and using my rigid karate monkey for winter slop duties!

Looks incredible. If I didn't have a new bike on order I'd be considering one.

Coomber, I'm 6ft and only been able to try an XL. Felt right.
I'm thinking the same, I don't want to pay now as they're not due for a few months but agree it could be winter before delivery

That's good to know. Dilemma on ordering though.. if you go for it post up some pics when it arrives in a few months!

Bomberman: Which Offset Pikes did you go for? Currently trying to decide whether to do similar to mine or get a Jeffsy...

bomberman - Member

Its marketed as an all round trail bike not an enduro, the capra fills that gap

There's not really a line between the two tbh, the most succesful enduro race bike of all time is marketed as a trailbike after all.

Northwind - Member

There's not really a line between the two tbh, the most succesful enduro race bike of all time is marketed as a trailbike after all.

It's not even day glo

There's not really a line between the two tbh, the most succesful enduro race bike of all time is marketed as a trailbike after all.

You could race a raleigh chopper down fort william but it doesnt mean you would win.

Bomberman: Which Offset Pikes did you go for? Currently trying to decide whether to do similar to mine or get a Jeffsy...

That is a tough choice. Im not sure because i didnt buy them new, id measure it if i could but its added at the crown as well as the axle. All i can say is that its a much more fun bike, confidence inspiring. The Jeffsy looks very similar right down to the frame shape and linkages it just has that extra 20mm travel. Im more than happy with 120mm at the back and adding the pike at the front has filled the hole in my heart that knew something wasnt right. 46 or 51mm offset it wont make any difference i shouldnt think, not even the experts can agree which is better for a 29er. I would just do it and then if youre still not happy look at the jeffsy again. Go for 140 and lower it to 130 if you need to.

Whatever offset the jeffsy has go for that

Cheers, might look for a 2nd hand set to try, can always sell on if I decide it doesn't work for me and then go the new bike route

Any more info on the Jeffsy? I'm interested to see how it copes on the rear with clearance in thick mud. as it looks quite tight for space. all info appreciated as its top of my list just now

Any updates?
How are you getting along with Jeff?

Holy thread resurrection .

Any updates now you've ridden it for awhile ?

http://enduro-mtb.com/en/head-head-santa-cruz-hightower-vs-yt-jeffsy-cf-pro/

As a Hightower owner, this review makes the Jeffsy seem like incredible value.