A motor like a statement: 1300 watts of peak power. Up to 150 Newton metres of torque in boost mode. Support factor of up to 800 per cent.
These are numbers that used to live in the motocross garage - not at the trailhead.
The new e-bike motor Avinox M2S (to the detailed test) from the Chinese tech company DJI weighs only around 2.6 kilograms and is barely visible above the bottom bracket. This is made possible by a compact planetary gearbox and a weatherproof encapsulated housing with IP66 protection. Polymer components are designed to save weight and reduce noise.
In short: the Decoy X is not a quiet assistance system. It is a power station with pedals.
The rumour mill was already buzzing when the new Decoy with freeride suspension (180/170 mm) was unveiled last spring. Did the bike have the power motor from Avinox, it was speculated. No, it didn't. But now it has, with the Decoy X.
The Avinox system is the latest development for E-MTBs, so it was a natural choice to combine this system with our proven SN geometry. This launch marks a turning point for YT and a glimpse into our future. - Markus Flossmann, founder and CEO
Aluminium instead of carbon - consciously
The frame is made of hydroformed aluminium. Not a step backwards, but a decision.
Hydroforming creates stable tube shapes, a stylish design and a robust aluminium platform for a bike that can do a lot very quickly. The internal cable routing remains easy to maintain, the battery sits protected in the down tube, a motor base plate provides cooling and impact protection at the same time, nicely elastic so that nothing splinters.
Weight: 25.4 kg (frame size Small / 800 Wh battery).
At the rear, the Virtual 4-Link kinematics work with 160 millimetres of suspension travel. Sensitive at the beginning, stable in the middle, progressive at the end - at least that's the idea. At the front, a 170 millimetre Fox Podium Factory fork completes the setup.
The geo is based on the successful Decoy SN. Sit on it, feel good! In size L, the reach is not too long: 475 mm. The chainstays are pleasantly short for a playful riding experience: 442 mm. The head angle is 64.2°. The Decoy X is available from S to XXL.
The whole thing rolls in MX format: 29 inches at the front, 27.5 at the rear. Control meets playfulness.
Same battery for all
Many E-MTBs save on the battery in small frame sizes. YT does not. All sizes from S to XXL get the same 800 Wh battery. It weighs around 3.7 kilograms and charges fully in around 2.5 hours with the 12-amp fast charger - 75 per cent is achieved after around 90 minutes. This is less a detail than an attitude: range should not be a question of body size.
Equipment: only the best!
The Launch Edition already shows where the journey is heading:
- Suspension fork: Fox Podium Factory fork
- Damper: Fox X2 Factory damper
- Circuit: SRAM X0 AXS Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Silver brakes
- Seat post: Fox Transfer Factory Dropper
- Impellers: DT Swiss HX1500 with 240-DF hubs
- Tyres: Continental Kryptotal (Enduro front, Downhill rear)
The DT Swiss DF technology allows either zero or ten degrees of pedal float - an attempt to minimise pedal kickback directly at the source. That sounds technical. On the trail, it means above all: more composure when things get rough.
Between two worlds in the YT cosmos
The Decoy X sits strategically between two well-known brothers. Above the lighter Decoy SN with Fazua motor (tested here). Under the more radical Decoy MX with Bosch CX drive (to the test).
In other words: more power than the trail-light bike, less weight than the full-power monster. The Avinox system creates a new category here: high-power enduro without the need for carbon fibre.
Price and reality
The Launch Edition costs 8499 euros and is already available for pre-order. Three further core models are set to follow in the summer.
But the decisive factor is not the price. It's the question that this bike poses: How much motor does a mountain bike actually need before it becomes something else?
The Decoy X does not answer them. It postpones them.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
