YT Industries enters a new era with the development of a gravel bike range made up of two models, the Szepter Core 4 and Core 3.
The company was founded by Markus Flossmann in 2008 to give talented riders access to competitive dirt jump bikes. YT stands for Young Talent and reflects its founder’s approach to life: no matter the age, it is never too late to explore your hidden talent or passion and try something new.
YT mainly focuses on mountain biking and offers a wide range of products from downhill and enduro to trail bikes as a direct-to-consumer brand. Renowned for quality and price, their bikes have seen success at Red Bull Rampage, Downhill World Championships, and World Cups. YT bikes have carried athletes to major titles.
They now have taken all that gravity experience and thrown their hat into the already crowded best gravel bike market with the new Szepter.
The new bike is aimed at mountain bikers and existing YT customers looking for an additional bike that can extend the scope of their riding all year round and cater to the needs and lifestyle of gravel riders, leisure cyclists, and commuters.
Design and geometry
YT have altered the gravel rule book with several tweaks to the 'norm'. By increasing the top tube length, they have made a longer bike that should improve stability, especially when riding on the drops.
While many gravel bikes have a headtube angle of around 72-73 degrees, YT has gone for 69.3 degrees, with the addition of a suspension fork giving an increased stack height and a more upright body position. The combination generates increased rider confidence, comfort, and safety.
Along with a 74.3-degree seat tube angle that YT claims will improve efficiency and deliver improved climbing characteristics. It's a dramatic change in the gravel geometry playbook.
With their frames on the Szepter models, YT used advanced carbon fiber technology intending to achieve a perfect balance between stiffness and compliance in the three key areas. Upfront the cockpit is brand-new and inspired, oddly but remarkably similar to a gladiator's helmet. The front-end stiffness along with the suspension fork that comes as standard on both models should add further comfort and control.
In the center, the bottom bracket area is an essential point where the frame tubes and surfaces join and YT has aimed to create maximum stiffness in this area to avoid flex and waste power.
And in the rear a claimed all-new sophisticated connection from the seat stay to the bottom bracket creates lateral stiffness while still allowing for vertical compliance in direction of the seat tube. This in theory generates a certain amount of flex to improve comfort and grip. Alongside the new generation of damped dropper posts that again should create a unique feeling of comfort while delivering the required stiffness toward the bottom bracket.
All this combined has qualified the Szepter frame for ASTM 3 classification (the classification for Fiber Reinforced Carbon Composite Structures), which basically means the frame is suitable for hitting small jumps and rough trails.
Key componentry
YT wanted to include features that would add comfort and be practical for those long days in the saddle. Drawing inspiration from their extensive MTB knowledge, they have added what they believe to be a cornerstone for the development of a gravel bike, a suspension fork. The emphasis is on off-road performance, comfort, and fun. Both Core 4 and Core 3 models rely on the RockShox Rudy XPLR with 40mm worth of travel.
Both models come with a very cool-looking rear mudguard, it's a fully integrated design aimed at keeping the dirt at bay. It creates a stealth-like look and is sure to create a Marmite debate among riders.
While all models feature 700 x 42mm tires, the tire clearance allows the rider to ramp up grip and comfort in poor conditions by fitting 700 x 45mm wide tires.
With four rivets on the top tube and two on the seat tube there is plenty of on-bike storage mounting options. Additionally, a mounting cut-out with two different mounting positions for water bottles is featured, so riders can use the YT-specific ‘Fidlock’ baseplate and Thirstmaster bottle combination which looks pretty cool. These can remove and mount generic bottle cages if you prefer.
Another interesting feature again lifted from their MTB knowledge is the addition of a dropper post, but it's only the Core 4 that features the RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR (with a 50mm or 75mm drop dependent on frame size). The Core 3 comes with a static seat post.
The whole package and looks on the YT Szepter Core 4 and 3 ooze class and the mountain bike influence are clear to see. The coloring options are eye-catching and the addition of design tweaks and utility features make for an interesting option.
For more details on the bike and how it rides, check out our first ride review of the YT Szepter Core 4.
YT Szepter pricing and availability
The Core 4 model costs $4,499 / £4,399 / €4,499, while the Core 3 version comes in at $3,299 / £3,199 / €3,299. Both bikes are now available to order from YT-Industries.com.
Tech specs: YT Szepter
YT Szepter Core 4
- Frame: Ultra modulus carbon in Assault Green and Machine Light Grey
- Fork: 40mm RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR
- Reach: 398mm (size medium)
- Head angle: 69.4 degrees
- Seat tube angle: 74.4 degrees
- Bottom bracket drop: 61mm
- Drivetrain: SRAM Force Wide DUB, 33T chainring, 10-44 12-speed cassette, SRAM Force XPLR ETAP AXS derailleur
- Gears/brakes: SRAM Force ETAP AXS HRD, rotors 180mm/160mm
- Wheelset: WTB Proterra Lite i23
- Tires: WTB Resolute
- Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR, 50mm drop sizes S-L, 75mm XL-XXL
- Saddle: SDG BelAir V3
- Bar and stem: Zipp Service Course, bar width 440mm (M-L), stem length 70mm
- Sizes available: S-XXL
- Weight: 9.9kg (size small, claimed)
- Price: $4,499 / £4,399 / €4,499
YT Szepter Core 3
- Frame: Ultra modulus carbon Assault Green and Machine Light Grey
- Fork: 40mm RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR
- Reach: 398mm (size medium)
- Head angle: 69.4 degrees
- Seat tube angle: 74.4 degrees
- Bottom bracket drop: 61mm
- Drivetrain: SRAM Rival1 Wide DUB, 33T chainring, 10-44 12-speed cassette, SRAM Rival XPLR ETAP AXS derailleur
- Gears/brakes: SRAM Rival XPLR ETAP AXS HRD, rotors 180mm/160mm
- Wheelset: WTB Speedterra i23
- Tires: WTB Resolute
- Seatpost: Zipp Service Course
- Saddle: SDG BelAir V3
- Bar and stem: Zipp Service Course, bar width 440mm (M-L), stem length 70mm
- Sizes available: S-XXL
- Weight: 9.8kg (size small, claimed)
- Price: $3,299 / £3,199 / €3,299
