YT Decoy Electric Mountain Bike Review

The Decoy was YT's first electric bike, launched in 2019. It became the brand's best-selling model, helped along by YT's direct-to-consumer pricing. The original version stayed largely unchanged for around six years, a long run in e-MTB terms, before YT expanded the name into a full lineup covering mid-power and full-power versions.

You may want to take note that YT entered a self-administration restructuring process under German law in July 2025, in an attempt to stabilize the company's finances. That doesn't mean the brand's stopped selling bikes. But who knows what this means for long-term parts availability or warranty?

Same name, three different bikes:

You'll run into the original most on the used market, and the Shimano motor has earned a solid reputation over the years.

The SN is the odd one out. It's lighter, less powerful, and comes only in a mixed-wheel configuration, with no full 29-inch option. It's for riders who want some assistance without the bike feeling like an e-Bike first and a mountain bike second.

Then there's the new one with more torque, a bigger battery, and a more up-to-date Bosch motor swapped in for the old Shimano unit entirely. Heavier than both the original and the SN, on purpose, for riders who want more power.

The frame and motor don't change between trims. You're paying for suspension, drivetrain, wheels, and finishing kit. The SN follows a similar Core 2 through 4 structure, and the original Shimano-powered Decoy went as high as a Core 5 in some markets, loaded with full carbon wheels and SRAM XO Transmission at the top.

IThe YT Decoy feels playful, not planted. Even on the longer-travel versions, it doesn't ride like a pure enduro plow, which is the reason I didn't buy one, due to my local terrain (not that it is a bad bike). It's more of a long-legged trail bike with suspension held in reserve than something built purely for smashing through rock gardens.

When you choose a Decoy with an MX wheel arrangement, rollover ability drops slightly, but the bike feels noticeably easier to throw around than a full 29er. If you're used to 29" wheels front and back, you'll notice the change right away, though it's hard to call it a straight upgrade or downgrade either way. Personally, I like the mixed wheel style, but others can't get on with it.

Suspension is where the different versions separate most significantly. The Core 1 runs Marzocchi, the Core 2 runs RockShox, and neither quite reaches the level of the Core 3's Öhlins or the Core 4's Fox Factory, which is where a lot of the price difference goes.

This is the biggest difference across the whole lineup. Don't assume any two Decoys ride the same just because they share a name, and if the Class 1 power limits matter to your local trail access, it's worth checking which motor your specific bike has before buying.

Shimano's EP801 is tried and tested with 85Nm and a 720Wh battery. Fazua's Ride 60 doesn't have as much torque, at 60Nm, to save weight, which is the entire point of the SN. The new Bosch Performance Line CX tops both of them outright with 100Nm, up to 750W of peak power, an 800Wh battery, all managed through Bosch's E-Tube app and a wireless remote.

Range follows the pattern you'd guess: bigger battery, bigger range, on the Bosch bike. The Fazua system trades some of that away for the SN's lighter overall weight. 

Keep YT's financial restructuring in mind. It doesn't mean parts or support have stopped. It just means there's an uncertainty here that didn't exist a couple of years ago.

Bottom bracket height has dropped on newer YT frames compared to older ones. Some riders have found it sits pretty low, which can mean more pedal strikes on technical terrain. Staying on top of maintenance helps catch wear before it becomes a bigger issue.

The Canyon Torque:ON is another direct-to-consumer full-power e-MTB to cross-shop, going head-to-head with the Decoy on both price and spec.

Brands with traditional dealer networks usually cost more for a comparable build. But you get easier access to in-person service and support, which might be worth more to you than squeezing the most spec out of your budget.

A direct-to-consumer e-MTB like the Decoy holds strong value on the pre-owned market. That's held up well, considering how much the lineup has shifted between motor systems. Every e-Bike on Upway goes through a 50-point inspection covering the motor, battery, and electrical system before it's listed. On a bike with this many documented reliability questions, that inspection means more than it would on most.

Browse the current YT selection or the sale collection to compare current options.