Bike Check: Jack Moir's Steering Damper Equipped YT Capra - Finale Ligure EDR World Cup 2024

May 10, 2024 at 7:28
by Ed Spratt  

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BIKE CHECK
Jack Moir's
YT Capra
Photography by YT

With the 2024 EDR World Cup season kicking off in Finale Ligure this weekend, plenty of fresh race bikes are ready to get between the tape. While Jack Moir has been riding the YT Capra since the start of 2023 his new race machine has a few interesting additions for 2024.

As riders prepare for a full day of racing, here are the details on Jack Moir's latest enduro World Cup race rig.

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Bike Details:
Frame: YT Capra 29" / Size: XL (Custom 4mm offset shock link)
Fork: RockShox Zeb FA 180mm (78psi / 1 Tokens / LSC 3 / LSR 6 )
Shock: RockShox Vivid Air FA (193psi / 2 Tokens / LSC 1 / LSR 5 )
Wheels: DT Swiss 240 hubs with DT Swiss ex511 rims
Tires: Continental Kryptotal Front/Rear - 24/27psi
Brakes: SRAM Maven (220mm rotors)
Drivetrain: SRAM XX Transmission with OChain (6 degrees)
Bars: Renthal FatBar 31.8 (40mm Rise / 750mm Width)
Stem: Renthal Apex 31.8 (50mm Length)
Grips: ODI Elite
Saddle: Ergon SM Enduro Ti

Shock settings are from closed


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The biggest change we spotted on Jack Moir's Capra is the addition of a Pademelon steering damper designed to reduce any unwanted movements or vibrations from the front wheel. Richie Rude has also been spotted running the same device.

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Pademelon says that with its device a "bike is more settled and calm, reduced hand force for bike control, off-camber lines become more predictable, fewer deflections off your intended line, and your arms are less fatigued at the top of climbs."

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Electronic suspension continues to be a big thing for racing in 2024 as Jack Moir is running Flight Attendant front and rear on his RockShox Zeb and Vivid.

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Red Zebs are looking to be on quite a few race bikes this year.

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Jack is running an OChain in the 6-degree setting for the opening round of the series.

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The spirit of enduro is still alive as Jack's bike is kitted out with plenty of tools and spares to get through a full day of racing.

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A splash of red to brighten up a mostly stealthy build for Jack's race bike.


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Author Info:
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Member since Mar 16, 2017
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109 Comments
  • 328 3
 This kinda looks like one of those "one man band" things with all the extra bits hanging off it.
  • 11 1
 Haha good visual.
  • 4 1
 Front triangle is almost solid
  • 5 3
 Comment Gold!
  • 14 7
 yea, that's really just not a good looking bike...? BUT, function over form when performance is the thing your after!!
  • 6 3
 For real. It’s all very functional for EWS but it sure doesn’t look pretty.
  • 4 0
 Doesn't he just need "a rock and elbow grease" to fix everything?
  • 8 1
 Bagladyshoppingcartendurbro.
  • 7 26
flag stiingya (May 10, 2024 at 11:02) (Below Threshold)
 I'm going to comment here even though it has nothing to do with this. BUT, @Pinkbike. You need to set up comment pages here on PB for all your articles on other sites that you post on your main page.

Cause I don't want to go join Outside to comment on the new Wireless Shimano 13 speed road drivetrain over on Outside. I want to be lazy and just click a comments link and go to a page that doesn't even have the article. (just a little screen grab, etc. of what you post on the main page?) So I can make some stupid comment about how...

13 speeds aren't enough for my roadbike skilz, I need a minimum of 15 speeds... Come on Shimano, you're not even trying.

Or something like that... and then everyone can meme post, argue, talk about how the 13 speed derailleur looks like a Session and that Specialized is gonna sue them for patent infringement...

Otherwise the world is missing out on that goodness...
  • 7 0
 @stiingya: the majority of Outside readers are not ready for the PB commenters. Robin prolly despises it's existence, but allows it for fear of losing clicks. There is no comment section on Velo. Velonews (RIP) shut that down years ago when it was 1% as ruthless as this can be at times.
  • 1 0
 It’s called busking I believe. Here’s some Lewis Floyd Henry bringing the Wutallica.
  • 3 0
 youtu.be/qDC6SNQ1n3g?si=okoqk79pyChd1BEu
  • 2 0
 @vw4ever: That Wutallica slaps Smile
  • 1 0
 Yea, especially those weird things on the handlebars!
  • 1 0
 Yeah! Bert from Mary Poppins
  • 1 0
 @vw4ever: Dammmmmnnn, cheers bro! That was sick! Have you heard dark side of the Wu?
  • 1 0
 comment of the day, thanks!
  • 1 2
 Looks like an over accessorized Walmart build upgraded to Rockshox suspension. He might get beat up in the wrong neighborhood for riding such an ugly bike.
  • 1 0
 @Lurch420: no but I’ll look for it now!
  • 88 0
 Needs Moir accessories
  • 59 2
 With all the farks hanging off of it, it sort of looks like any one of the commuter bikes that come into our shop. He's just missing a Mirrycle mirror and some funky home brewed solution made from bar tape and an old broom handle.
  • 22 0
 It does kinda look like a new rider's bike who went iwho bought it at a shop and they sold him every accessory they could think of because they had a sucker on the line.
  • 2 0
 @suspended-flesh: genuinely just made me realize why so many dinosaur age ebikers are rocking handguards, full length mudguards, saddle bag and an axs mech/nx cassette combo on their focus jam2 / giant reign-e / base spec levo. No moral complaints there
  • 12 0
 he's got ALL the widgets. curious what the weight as pictured would be.
  • 4 0
 40-lbs i bet
  • 8 2
 We have officially gone too far... that bike looks sick, but I ain't trying to ride inspector gadget around in my backcountry woods... I'm going back to a hard tail single speed... Sincerely, Grumpy Old Man.
  • 6 0
 2020: Canyon Strive size L
2022: Canyon Strive size S
2024: YT Capra size XL

(ignoring all the spacers, giant forks, and riser bars that have been installed on his bike over the years)
  • 2 0
 Yeah please explain
  • 4 0
 Yeah it is crazy!

Reach goes from
461
450
487

He runs a longer fork which reduces reach as do spacers so those numbers would shrink. Does show how adaptable we can be though.

I wonder if he is trying to get a front center to rear center balance and just arriving at it in a odd way?
  • 9 0
 Poor bastard still has to use a 170 mm seatpost with his XL frame
  • 1 0
 For real.
  • 3 0
 @lperezco: he’s living uncaged he could pick a different dropper
  • 2 0
 @succulentsausage: one would assume given hes a SRAM/Blackbox (is blackbox even a thing anymore/is he still on blackbox) athlete hes tied in to using their AXS dropper?
  • 6 0
 the Cane Creek Viscoset headset is a great option for steering dampers. I use one on my bikepacking bike and I bet it would work equally well on a DH/Enduro bike.
  • 2 1
 Does the Viscoset naturally return to center like a moto steering damper though? If I were a betting man, the reason this one is getting some attention is because it does return to center.
  • 3 0
 @j-t-g: I think the viscoset only slows movement by increasing friction. So both moving away from center and returning is slowed down.
  • 3 0
 @j-t-g: yeah it doesnt return to center but is adjustable for more/less damping. I bet a light damping tune would add some benefit on the DH/Enduro track. And Viscoset installs like a regular headset so much easier to install. This Pademelon one looks alot like the old Hopey damper.
  • 2 0
 I've been running a Viscoset for years. It's a simpler device with symmetrical damping and I've been really happy with it. Felt odd - but not bad - for the first ride when I installed it, then it disappeared; now, bikes without a damper feel annoyingly busy.

Haven't tried a damper with asymmetrical damping. Don't think I would want damping away from centre and completely undamped return to centre - maybe a slight asymmetry could be advantageous, but the symmetrical approach has worked well for me.
  • 10 0
 @justwan-naride: got the same effect tigntening my headset too much
  • 2 0
 @JudyYellow: I thought the same thing regarding the similarity to the Hopey's. Apparently there is a connection. Hopey retired and stopped production in the recent past, and Jeremiah Boobar (formerly of SRAM and Cannondale) has picked up the torch with Hopey's blessing under the Pademelon name. This new design is based on the Hopey but has some refinements/enhancements, although I don't know the specifics of what has been changed. It is interesting to see these coming back around, as I recall them being a thing in DH in the late 90s/early 2000s, but then they kind of died off. Intuitively it seems like they'd be less helpful now that head angles are so slack, but maybe I'm not fully appreciating the functionality.
  • 2 0
 @thekaiser: My experience with the Viscoset has been that it reduces hand fatigue, especially in fast, rough sections. In an enduro context, I can ride at (my) maximum intensity for longer before my flimsy hands start to fatigue. In the context of a shorter DH run, the reduced hand fatigue means I can set up my fork with more compression damping, which improves chassis stability and control.
  • 4 0
 I have been using a Hopey steering damper for years as I have a prosthetic arm. It works great on the DH bike with triple clamps. There is a fatal flaw in the design with a single crown fork. If you rotate the bars too far, they strike that post behindthe stem, and cause it to rotate off center. Maybe this newer version clamps in the steerer better to prevent rotation, but then you are slamming your bar into a fixed component which is a bit sketchy.
  • 1 0
 @j-t-g: Are you sure the Pademelon returns to centre?
  • 1 0
 @boozed: my understanding is that they bought the tech from Hopey (or at least are heavily inspired by them). Hopeys returned to centre.
  • 2 0
 @R-M-R: Thanks for the input. I have been thinking about getting one to calm down my 27.5 front wheel, do you think it would help?
  • 1 0
 @j-t-g: Fair enough. I couldn't find any statements from Pademelon themselves about centering, but I suppose we'll find out sooner or later.
  • 2 0
 @justwan-naride: Yes, but whether it's the best solution depends on exactly what you want to achieve.

If you feel the front end is too "busy" - I sometimes say "like trying to ride a caffeinated weasel" - then yes, a steering damper is perfect. You might also consider a longer stem and/or a front tire with more damping (burlier casing, stickier rubber).

If you feel the front end wants to jackknife, "tuck under", or throw you over the bars, you might have more success with an off-axis headset. Also look at the set-up of your fork.

You're on a Privateer, right? One of the fastest riders I know has a Viscoset on his Privateer and loves it. Not that anything about this is specific to the Privateer, it would just be quite a coincidence to have helped create two similar, uncommon bikes!
  • 1 0
 @R-M-R: which tune do you use? been thinking about this for a bit...you're close to sell me.
  • 1 0
 @ReformedRoadie: Started with the stock configuration (half the plates engaged), then tried all plates and have stuck with that. Making the change is fussy as you separate and rearrange the wafer-thin plates, but it's not technically difficult. Feels a bit firm in temperatures near freezing, but works great for me in warm weather; could reduce it in cold weather if it bothered me that much.
  • 2 0
 @R-M-R: Cheers for your reply! I suspect having a 44mm offset fork instead of 37mm is the source of my front end nervousness. I've moved to a 45mm stem from 40mm and softer rubber and both have indeed helped.
  • 2 0
 @justwan-naride: Glad to hear you're moving things in the right direction. Yes, the longer offset will make the steering less stable. You can increase the trail via reduced offset or an off-axis headset; the former will shorten the front-centre while the latter will increase it. Unfortunately, there's no cheap way to try both increased trail and a Viscoset.

We're all familiar with the sensation of a change in head-tube angle, but steering damping is new to most people - especially in the context of mountain bikes - so I suggest trying the Viscoset to incorporate a new tool into your bike set-up toolkit.
  • 2 0
 @R-M-R: Your input is always appreciated, thanks!
  • 4 0
 Can someone explain the handguards for me? I come from a moto background and those types of handguards (which don't wrap around to the bar end like barkbusters) are only good for protecting against roost and do squat for protecting your fingers from getting crushed if you smack a tree. The other riders I've seen that run the bar ends with the little protective bar that gives your pinky some protection from grazing a tree make a lot of sense to me, but not these
  • 3 0
 In this context I think he would be running them just to deflect some brush or vegetation along the sides of trail which I think Finale probably has a decent amount. I've run similar and they do help a bit in that context. Agree in the Moto world these would only be for the MX track to deflect roost. One surprising benefit is they kept my hands warmer on cold days but not relevant to Finale.
  • 3 0
 The steering damper provides and adjustable resistance moving away from center and no resistance back to center. The tech comes from aerospace. Tim Hopey applied it to the bike industry www.hopey.org But Tim has closed his doors and now
www.pademelon.cc has stepped in. Back in the early and mid 2000's there were bike brands that actually had the post mount built in/welded to the top tube so the base plate would not have to be installed under the headset.
  • 6 0
 All the criticism of his bike hurt his feelings, and now he's gonna sit the race out. See what you guys did!
  • 4 2
 Big Boy Bike. I think he should slam the stem and run a 75mmriser bar like Daknort. YT sure has refined the Capra. I am still riding a clapped-out 2015 Capra CF1. Thing won't die. Same tires as Shark Attack but that's about it.
  • 6 0
 What's up with that rear tyre!?
  • 7 0
 you mean how the logo is off centered ?
  • 1 0
 I was just about to ask the same thing. Are they unlabeled tires that they added labels to in post maybe? Something fishy for sure.
  • 1 0
 My Hydrotals are a little bit like that - not to that extreme, but the label on one side is more offset than the other. The tires are otherwise perfectly round and centered. Conti is just a little sloppy with the label.

Like, have you ever thought about how much of a pain it must be for hub manufacturers to line up the logo between spokes so you can line it up with the valve stem? ... yeah no one does that, wheelbuilders just line it up to the closest set of holes. Some manufacturers are nice enough to make the logo bigger so it is less noticeable.
  • 1 0
 Yeah I noticed that on the beach photos, thought it looked a bit weird... Or fake.
  • 1 0
 its sending my very minor OCD into majore overdrive.
  • 2 0
 I have the same with 1 of 2 Krypto's I just received via warranty, the Kryptotal is offset about 20deg off center. I'm not an aesthetics guy, so I'm nonplussed
  • 5 0
 What does the custom 4mm shock mount do? Change travel? More or less progression? Change geo?
  • 1 0
 drops the frame deeper into the travel to get lower BB, as I recall and slackens angles because of the of course
  • 4 0
 The stones on this guy rocking so many tools. For this slate of stages I would figure the trailside boulders would be enough...
  • 4 0
 all the gadgets, bells, whistles, gizmos
  • 3 0
 I’m waiting for WRP to release the mounts and I want to try the moto WP stabilizer on the big rig
  • 1 0
 Have you tried a precision parabolic stabilizer on the moto? No going back
  • 1 0
 @Struggleteam: I have not yet. I’ll check it out!
Honestly, I’ve never even messed with any stabilizer on the moto yet but wanting to try soon
  • 1 0
 Been there done that. Avoid the hpsd type. Ineffective. Get a rotary damper.
  • 1 0
 @englertracing: agreed unless you ride sand whoops all day, get a precision or a Scott’s.
  • 1 0
 Honestly I’ve been saved from some possibly major crashes. But was saved from my front wheel and bars going hard and twitching out . I think this damper making my wheel strait would have made me crash.
  • 2 0
 All it needs is a front and back LED light, iPhone holder and two more bottle cages on the front of the bottom tube. Then it will look like all the tourist bikes around me.
  • 4 2
 Another slim bar? After Joe Barnes' bike the other day I'm starting to wonder how these pros manage to ride Big Grin
  • 4 0
 Add some panniers
  • 3 0
 Breaking News: Jack Moir switching careers to bike touring
  • 2 0
 Nice to see the Hopey steering dampener on a come back! Ran one in the early 2000s on my DH bike.
  • 1 0
 Dampers doing heavy work with those settings. I presume they are 'smooth pedally' base settings and the electronics open the flow when the rough stuff starts?
  • 2 0
 What does the custom offset shock link do?
  • 3 0
 In his videos, he's said it drops the BB. I assume to compensate for running the 180 fork.
  • 2 0
 Hopey produces a good result with it!
  • 2 0
 Looks like a modern bike at a late 90s party
  • 2 0
 "We like dat sheiiiiiit!!!!" - Jack Moi Moi
  • 1 0
 I wanna see him reach down, grab that bottle and take a drink while hummin' down a trail.
  • 1 0
 I think the YT looks ok. Why do people not like the look of this bike? I say this as someone who has never owned a YT...
  • 3 0
 Clutter.
  • 1 0
 Rudolfph the red nose reindeer
  • 1 0
 No right handed bottle access I guess.
  • 7 0
 Good thing he has two hands.
  • 2 1
 Is this YT’s marketing answer to the knock block? The cock knocker!
  • 1 0
 More red forks is more better.
  • 1 0
 I wish O-chain's weren't so expensive
  • 2 0
 220mm Maven...!
  • 1 0
 Bottle looks like it’s rubbing against shock. Is this ok?
  • 1 1
 @wslee: as the shock compresses it rotates up and away from the bottle. If it actually does hit you can buy an offset bracket that goes between the cage and the frame and you can slide the bottle cage down a bit away from the shock.
  • 2 0
 Go go gadget everything.
  • 1 0
 Anyone know who makes that Garmin bike computer mount?
  • 1 0
 Mini boxxer
  • 2 0
 remember when the Totem and the Boxxer used the same springs?
  • 2 0
 @rad8: Pepperidge farms remembers
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