Transition Smuggler vs. YT Jeffsy

mrbunj
Posts
3
Joined
2/6/2017
Location
Washougal, WA, USA
6/12/2018 8:05am
Also something I keep seeing mentioned here is the drivetrain.... Maybe I'm in the minority here, but Eagle was one of the least important "evolutions" for...
Also something I keep seeing mentioned here is the drivetrain....

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but Eagle was one of the least important "evolutions" for me. The only time I find myself in the pie plate is on huge vertical days with crazy steep climbs.

If I was more of an "adventure" rider (always looking for 5-10K+ days) maybe I'd have more appreciation for it. But most of my rides are 1500-3000K and I rarely even find myself in the 42, let alone 50. I generally run a 32 or 34 up front. Out of the bikes I've had with Eagle, I've probably spent a combined 30 minutes in the 50 tooth out of hundreds of hours of riding.

11 speed worked awesome and was significantly lighter than Eagle. Just food for thought.

My point is, everyone rides different but a bike's drivetrain, at this point, is basically an afterthought to me. They all work pretty damn well. I'd ride/race all of them without any hesitation at this point.
I hear you Jeff...I ride a YT Capra with the Franken-train (Shimano shifting, RF cranks, e13 cassette). To me Eagle is for people that want a bigger front ring for racing/sprints. Otherwise not needed. I pointed that out on the Spectral comment because Eagle is the ONLY drivetrain they offer.
6/12/2018 8:11am
Here are some pictures of the bike and riding it at local trails







jeff.brines
Posts
1280
Joined
8/29/2010
Location
Grand Junction, CO, USA
6/12/2018 8:11am
Curious, what are you looking to get warrantied specifically?
bracken wrote:
I was trying to hunt down a creak and read on another Jeffsy thread that the pivots have been pretty dry upon receipt for some buyers...
I was trying to hunt down a creak and read on another Jeffsy thread that the pivots have been pretty dry upon receipt for some buyers. I was removing the bolt where the rear of the rocker link attaches to the seat stay, and it became more difficult as I was backing it out. Once out, I could see the first few threads on the insert were damaged. When I went to put it back together, it wouldn't thread back in properly.
So the bolt was cross threaded from the factory? Sure it wasn't just some form of thread locker messing up the threads? Wire brush? Or maybe just get a machine shop to clean up the threads and call it a day? Not saying YT shouldn't offer a replacement bolt, but yeah, I'm the guy who will go to great lengths to fix something just to stay on the bike! Hate downtime!

bracken
Posts
10
Joined
3/10/2016
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
6/12/2018 8:27am
Curious, what are you looking to get warrantied specifically?
bracken wrote:
I was trying to hunt down a creak and read on another Jeffsy thread that the pivots have been pretty dry upon receipt for some buyers...
I was trying to hunt down a creak and read on another Jeffsy thread that the pivots have been pretty dry upon receipt for some buyers. I was removing the bolt where the rear of the rocker link attaches to the seat stay, and it became more difficult as I was backing it out. Once out, I could see the first few threads on the insert were damaged. When I went to put it back together, it wouldn't thread back in properly.
So the bolt was cross threaded from the factory? Sure it wasn't just some form of thread locker messing up the threads? Wire brush? Or maybe...
So the bolt was cross threaded from the factory? Sure it wasn't just some form of thread locker messing up the threads? Wire brush? Or maybe just get a machine shop to clean up the threads and call it a day? Not saying YT shouldn't offer a replacement bolt, but yeah, I'm the guy who will go to great lengths to fix something just to stay on the bike! Hate downtime!

That's what I believe, as it's by far not the first time I've pulled linkages apart. It isn't the bolt that is damaged, it's the threads on the blind insert in the carbon frame. I have a friend who is a machinist at a bike fixture manufacturing company who looked at it (cleaned up the threads and hand threaded a tap in until it stopped and could see it wasn't straight in). He recommended not using mechanical force to drive the tap, since it would likely further damage the threads.

And to me, nearly four weeks since I first contacted YT, all of this is beside the point. Within a few days I should have known from YT if they would warranty it, offer crash replacement, say I have to buy new stays outright, or send the stays in for inspection. They haven't given me any course of action, and at this point I just want out of the direct-to-consumer world — at least given this experience with YT. I don't want to have a bike where an issue can result in weeks or months of downtime. I'm hoping they will honor their word, and let me return the bike for a refund. (https://us.yt-industries.com/campaign/index/emotionId/41)
6/12/2018 9:01am
@bracken that's super troubling. I was planning on a YT being my next bike but this is giving me pause. Feeling like dealing with a black hole would be the worst.
Matt Dogg
Posts
7
Joined
4/8/2014
Location
Sandy, UT, USA
6/12/2018 9:22am
@ryan_daugherty
@astrizzle
@manco
Ryan, your Jeffsy looks amazing in red! I like what manco said about the Pole. Astrizz - not to throw more at you but if you’re looking for an aggro outlier in that price range the new Stumpjumper EVO ( aka Specialized Sentinel) should be arriving end of month at select dealers and “only” runs $3600. The base level Stumpy could be a good option too at $3000. Too many cool bikes.
Joshua_Face
Posts
1
Joined
6/12/2018
Location
Knoxville, MD, USA
6/12/2018 10:03am
Purchase a bike that will support a local shop.
6/12/2018 10:44am
I looked for a long time at Transition bikes and they were my near choice. In the end, though, I went with the Jeffsy 27.5. Obviously this mine a 27.5, not a 29er, but the price points are similar between the two YTs. Price was a big consideration. The entry level Jeffsy Al Two that I bought was $1,950 on closeout in January. The build kit is pretty darn good with SRAM guide R brakes, GX 2x (converted to 1X), a Pike up front and Deluxe in back. All around, it was impossible to beat compared to just about anything out there. To get the same level of kit on a Transition would have been $4k or more. I'm not made of money, so….

On the 27.5 I don't feel any sluggishness in tight single track like mentioned above for the 29. It handles very well in tight, rooty single track, climbs well, and bombs on the fast stuff. As for suspension setup/travel. I set the rear at 25% and no, I never use all my travel. I consider that a good thing. If you are bottoming out your suspension all the time, then you don't have enough or are setting it up wrong. The Jeffsy is a known progressive bike, so there should be no surprises. At 25% mine is supple over the little stuff, provides tons of traction when climbing, and gives me probably 80-90% travel on hits. It's a really fun bike. And 6 months in and not one problem.

If weight is your thing, my Large aluminum without pedals is 30lbs.

I've heard that the 29 rides very similar to the 27.5, so take that for what it is worth. Also, there are a lot of Jeffsy owners in WA. Maybe poke your head on the PinkBike 29 thread here and see if you can get someone to let you throw a leg over one. And definitely take the Transition for a spin. Those guys are super cool, so it's worth a visit to the shop.

In the end, you will be thrilled with whichever one you get because new bike. Have fun!
6/12/2018 11:57am
Matt Dogg wrote:
@ryan_daugherty @astrizzle @manco Ryan, your Jeffsy looks amazing in red! I like what manco said about the Pole. Astrizz - not to throw more at you...
@ryan_daugherty
@astrizzle
@manco
Ryan, your Jeffsy looks amazing in red! I like what manco said about the Pole. Astrizz - not to throw more at you but if you’re looking for an aggro outlier in that price range the new Stumpjumper EVO ( aka Specialized Sentinel) should be arriving end of month at select dealers and “only” runs $3600. The base level Stumpy could be a good option too at $3000. Too many cool bikes.
Thanks dude, I was skeptical about getting red but I didn't want a white bike. I was pleasantly surprised with the red. Looks awesome in person. Now i'm considering getting the Tues in red.
bracken
Posts
10
Joined
3/10/2016
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
6/12/2018 3:03pm
@bracken that's super troubling. I was planning on a YT being my next bike but this is giving me pause. Feeling like dealing with a black...
@bracken that's super troubling. I was planning on a YT being my next bike but this is giving me pause. Feeling like dealing with a black hole would be the worst.
An update... I was able to reach YT by phone today. They've apologized for the lack of communication and are sending out new seatstays. Hopefully this whole support scenario was an anomaly.
astrizzle
Posts
363
Joined
4/11/2010
Location
Moscow, ID, USA
6/12/2018 8:12pm
Thanks for all the feedback guys, I think after trying the smuggler tomorrow I will make the decision. I'm leaning towards the smuggler though...
Dobba84
Posts
1
Joined
11/30/2017
Location
Grand Junction, CO, USA
6/12/2018 8:33pm Edited Date/Time 6/12/2018 8:33pm
No one has mentioned Guerrilla Gravity? I love my Trail Pistol!
kidwoo
Posts
234
Joined
8/3/2009
Location
Grass Hut, FM, USA
6/12/2018 8:41pm
Smuggler refers to grape smuggler which refers to testicles.

Therefore Smuggler.

Because testicles.
1
astrizzle
Posts
363
Joined
4/11/2010
Location
Moscow, ID, USA
6/12/2018 9:57pm
kidwoo wrote:
Smuggler refers to grape smuggler which refers to testicles.

Therefore Smuggler.

Because testicles.
Well done sir...
6/13/2018 8:31am
I joined VitalMTB to weigh in on this. I am in this exact scenario right now.

I have owned a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 for roughly a year and a half. It is a great bike, and I truly love the way it rides and what it is capable of. Of course, being almost $2000 cheaper than similar options was a bonus. I ended up going with YT because I was frustrated with bike shops in my area who didn't stock XL frames for me to try for size. I was basically told that if they were going to bring one in, I would have to put down a deposit and buy it. I wasn't thrilled about the prospect of spending 5-6k for something I hadn't even seen in real life.

At the time, I lived pretty close to a YT headquarters in Squamish, BC (they have relocated to Kelowna, BC now) and I was able to demo a Jeffsy for 3 hours. Which no other shop could offer. So I ordered and purchased shortly after. After a month or so of delays, my bike was delivered. It was over the winter and there was still snow on the ground so it didn't bother me. However, some other riders I know waited 4-6 months for their bike. Well into riding season.

So fast forward to today, and I find myself pricing out Transition Smugglers. I demo'd an '18 this year in Sedona and it was a blast. Super fun bike both up and down. There is nothing wrong with my Jeffsy, but I like to keep a bike for around 2 years and sell it while it still has value. Which brings me to my next point....

YT customer service is in need of improvement. Their distribution model is different depending where you live. US customers have it way better off than Canada or other places in Europe. I've had to warranty my dropper post 3 times, my rear shock died after a few months of use, and my brakes had to be replaced. Each time, I waited weeks to get anybody from YT on the phone or through email. I lost months of riding due to not being able to even start a warranty claim, and ended up purchasing new brakes and parts to keep myself on my bike with the hope of being able to sell my warrantied parts when I got them back. The worst of which was a 7 month delay on getting my Sram Guide RSCs back from Sram after a communication breakdown with YT (I bought a set of shimanos online to keep riding). I tried to outright pay my local bike shops to fix or mail things in for warranty and they wouldn't do it. Unfortunately they forced me to deal with YT directly. They're busy enough with their own in-house brands that I guess they feel there's no point in taking on warranty mail-outs from direct-to-consumer brands.

I put in complaints to head office in Germany, all of them ignored or forwarded to my local rep (who also ignored them). YT needs more boots on the ground to help them with their very popular product. I won't be a repeat customer until they have that sorted out.

So yeah, there's some headaches involved with direct-to-consumer. Your experience probably won't be the same as mine, but it is something to think about.

Edit: I should point out that the local rep was very apologetic each time there was a problem by the time I got a hold of someone. And even sent me some swag and YT apparel a few times as a way of saying sorry. Which was great that they're recognizing there is a problem. Still doesn't help out potential customers or when there are issues.
1
bracken
Posts
10
Joined
3/10/2016
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
6/13/2018 8:48am Edited Date/Time 6/13/2018 8:50am
@kwapik
I did, and they're sending out new seatstays. With this overall support experience, I just *really* hope nothing else goes wrong with this bike. If it does, I'll know to get on the phone early and often (if necessary), rather than rely on their support ticket system.
6/13/2018 9:18am
I joined VitalMTB to weigh in on this. I am in this exact scenario right now. I have owned a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 for roughly...
I joined VitalMTB to weigh in on this. I am in this exact scenario right now.

I have owned a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 for roughly a year and a half. It is a great bike, and I truly love the way it rides and what it is capable of. Of course, being almost $2000 cheaper than similar options was a bonus. I ended up going with YT because I was frustrated with bike shops in my area who didn't stock XL frames for me to try for size. I was basically told that if they were going to bring one in, I would have to put down a deposit and buy it. I wasn't thrilled about the prospect of spending 5-6k for something I hadn't even seen in real life.

At the time, I lived pretty close to a YT headquarters in Squamish, BC (they have relocated to Kelowna, BC now) and I was able to demo a Jeffsy for 3 hours. Which no other shop could offer. So I ordered and purchased shortly after. After a month or so of delays, my bike was delivered. It was over the winter and there was still snow on the ground so it didn't bother me. However, some other riders I know waited 4-6 months for their bike. Well into riding season.

So fast forward to today, and I find myself pricing out Transition Smugglers. I demo'd an '18 this year in Sedona and it was a blast. Super fun bike both up and down. There is nothing wrong with my Jeffsy, but I like to keep a bike for around 2 years and sell it while it still has value. Which brings me to my next point....

YT customer service is in need of improvement. Their distribution model is different depending where you live. US customers have it way better off than Canada or other places in Europe. I've had to warranty my dropper post 3 times, my rear shock died after a few months of use, and my brakes had to be replaced. Each time, I waited weeks to get anybody from YT on the phone or through email. I lost months of riding due to not being able to even start a warranty claim, and ended up purchasing new brakes and parts to keep myself on my bike with the hope of being able to sell my warrantied parts when I got them back. The worst of which was a 7 month delay on getting my Sram Guide RSCs back from Sram after a communication breakdown with YT (I bought a set of shimanos online to keep riding). I tried to outright pay my local bike shops to fix or mail things in for warranty and they wouldn't do it. Unfortunately they forced me to deal with YT directly. They're busy enough with their own in-house brands that I guess they feel there's no point in taking on warranty mail-outs from direct-to-consumer brands.

I put in complaints to head office in Germany, all of them ignored or forwarded to my local rep (who also ignored them). YT needs more boots on the ground to help them with their very popular product. I won't be a repeat customer until they have that sorted out.

So yeah, there's some headaches involved with direct-to-consumer. Your experience probably won't be the same as mine, but it is something to think about.

Edit: I should point out that the local rep was very apologetic each time there was a problem by the time I got a hold of someone. And even sent me some swag and YT apparel a few times as a way of saying sorry. Which was great that they're recognizing there is a problem. Still doesn't help out potential customers or when there are issues.
That's a bummer and really good insight. As someone thinking about this, food for thought: given how much cheaper the YT vs a comparable bike, you probably still came out ahead buying brakes, dropper etc (and definitely if you were eventually able to sell your warranty replacements). That being said, I hope with how well they seem to be doing in North America, YT is able to invest in more customer service investment soon.
6/13/2018 11:41am
I joined VitalMTB to weigh in on this. I am in this exact scenario right now. I have owned a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 for roughly...
I joined VitalMTB to weigh in on this. I am in this exact scenario right now.

I have owned a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 for roughly a year and a half. It is a great bike, and I truly love the way it rides and what it is capable of. Of course, being almost $2000 cheaper than similar options was a bonus. I ended up going with YT because I was frustrated with bike shops in my area who didn't stock XL frames for me to try for size. I was basically told that if they were going to bring one in, I would have to put down a deposit and buy it. I wasn't thrilled about the prospect of spending 5-6k for something I hadn't even seen in real life.

At the time, I lived pretty close to a YT headquarters in Squamish, BC (they have relocated to Kelowna, BC now) and I was able to demo a Jeffsy for 3 hours. Which no other shop could offer. So I ordered and purchased shortly after. After a month or so of delays, my bike was delivered. It was over the winter and there was still snow on the ground so it didn't bother me. However, some other riders I know waited 4-6 months for their bike. Well into riding season.

So fast forward to today, and I find myself pricing out Transition Smugglers. I demo'd an '18 this year in Sedona and it was a blast. Super fun bike both up and down. There is nothing wrong with my Jeffsy, but I like to keep a bike for around 2 years and sell it while it still has value. Which brings me to my next point....

YT customer service is in need of improvement. Their distribution model is different depending where you live. US customers have it way better off than Canada or other places in Europe. I've had to warranty my dropper post 3 times, my rear shock died after a few months of use, and my brakes had to be replaced. Each time, I waited weeks to get anybody from YT on the phone or through email. I lost months of riding due to not being able to even start a warranty claim, and ended up purchasing new brakes and parts to keep myself on my bike with the hope of being able to sell my warrantied parts when I got them back. The worst of which was a 7 month delay on getting my Sram Guide RSCs back from Sram after a communication breakdown with YT (I bought a set of shimanos online to keep riding). I tried to outright pay my local bike shops to fix or mail things in for warranty and they wouldn't do it. Unfortunately they forced me to deal with YT directly. They're busy enough with their own in-house brands that I guess they feel there's no point in taking on warranty mail-outs from direct-to-consumer brands.

I put in complaints to head office in Germany, all of them ignored or forwarded to my local rep (who also ignored them). YT needs more boots on the ground to help them with their very popular product. I won't be a repeat customer until they have that sorted out.

So yeah, there's some headaches involved with direct-to-consumer. Your experience probably won't be the same as mine, but it is something to think about.

Edit: I should point out that the local rep was very apologetic each time there was a problem by the time I got a hold of someone. And even sent me some swag and YT apparel a few times as a way of saying sorry. Which was great that they're recognizing there is a problem. Still doesn't help out potential customers or when there are issues.
That's a bummer and really good insight. As someone thinking about this, food for thought: given how much cheaper the YT vs a comparable bike, you...
That's a bummer and really good insight. As someone thinking about this, food for thought: given how much cheaper the YT vs a comparable bike, you probably still came out ahead buying brakes, dropper etc (and definitely if you were eventually able to sell your warranty replacements). That being said, I hope with how well they seem to be doing in North America, YT is able to invest in more customer service investment soon.
Yes that is true. And really, $150 CAD for some decent Shimano xt brakes isn't a big expense. I also sold the stock wheels right away and replaced them with a set of Stan's flow on dt Swiss hubs. And added carbon bars and luftkappe. Even with all that, way cheaper than other options. That's what I kept telling myself when yt was jamming me with delays. But..had I had bought something from a shop straight away, maybe I wouldn't have had to deal with any of that and just been happy with everything the whole time.
1
astrizzle
Posts
363
Joined
4/11/2010
Location
Moscow, ID, USA
6/14/2018 12:04am
I joined VitalMTB to weigh in on this. I am in this exact scenario right now. I have owned a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 for roughly...
I joined VitalMTB to weigh in on this. I am in this exact scenario right now.

I have owned a Jeffsy 29 CF 1 for roughly a year and a half. It is a great bike, and I truly love the way it rides and what it is capable of. Of course, being almost $2000 cheaper than similar options was a bonus. I ended up going with YT because I was frustrated with bike shops in my area who didn't stock XL frames for me to try for size. I was basically told that if they were going to bring one in, I would have to put down a deposit and buy it. I wasn't thrilled about the prospect of spending 5-6k for something I hadn't even seen in real life.

At the time, I lived pretty close to a YT headquarters in Squamish, BC (they have relocated to Kelowna, BC now) and I was able to demo a Jeffsy for 3 hours. Which no other shop could offer. So I ordered and purchased shortly after. After a month or so of delays, my bike was delivered. It was over the winter and there was still snow on the ground so it didn't bother me. However, some other riders I know waited 4-6 months for their bike. Well into riding season.

So fast forward to today, and I find myself pricing out Transition Smugglers. I demo'd an '18 this year in Sedona and it was a blast. Super fun bike both up and down. There is nothing wrong with my Jeffsy, but I like to keep a bike for around 2 years and sell it while it still has value. Which brings me to my next point....

YT customer service is in need of improvement. Their distribution model is different depending where you live. US customers have it way better off than Canada or other places in Europe. I've had to warranty my dropper post 3 times, my rear shock died after a few months of use, and my brakes had to be replaced. Each time, I waited weeks to get anybody from YT on the phone or through email. I lost months of riding due to not being able to even start a warranty claim, and ended up purchasing new brakes and parts to keep myself on my bike with the hope of being able to sell my warrantied parts when I got them back. The worst of which was a 7 month delay on getting my Sram Guide RSCs back from Sram after a communication breakdown with YT (I bought a set of shimanos online to keep riding). I tried to outright pay my local bike shops to fix or mail things in for warranty and they wouldn't do it. Unfortunately they forced me to deal with YT directly. They're busy enough with their own in-house brands that I guess they feel there's no point in taking on warranty mail-outs from direct-to-consumer brands.

I put in complaints to head office in Germany, all of them ignored or forwarded to my local rep (who also ignored them). YT needs more boots on the ground to help them with their very popular product. I won't be a repeat customer until they have that sorted out.

So yeah, there's some headaches involved with direct-to-consumer. Your experience probably won't be the same as mine, but it is something to think about.

Edit: I should point out that the local rep was very apologetic each time there was a problem by the time I got a hold of someone. And even sent me some swag and YT apparel a few times as a way of saying sorry. Which was great that they're recognizing there is a problem. Still doesn't help out potential customers or when there are issues.
very good point, and thank you for the insight! I believe customer service is the cornerstone of any good business and I will stand behind a company that takes care of their customers, even if it cost's a few hundred $$ more because I know it's an investment. Cheaping out on things isn't always the best route just because it's the easiest.

On a side note, i got to demo a carbon smuggler today straight from the factory and it was a dream ride. The geo fits like a glove and this is compared to the Yeti 4.5 I demo'd the day earlier. I feel like the Smuggler is twice the bike for half the price and that is why I am going with the Tranny baby!
1
mrbunj
Posts
3
Joined
2/6/2017
Location
Washougal, WA, USA
6/14/2018 7:24am
Well, enjoy your Tranny!

Yeti geo is kind of the opposite of SBG (Transition). Even the new SB100 has longer geo than SB4.5 and SB5.5. I came off of a 5.5 to the Capra 29. All for the geo (and the cost of the YT mad it easier to part with my Yeti investment).
1

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