After 14 years of producing modern MTB classics such as the Capra and the Jeffsy, YT has turned its attention to the gravel market and applied its gravity knowledge to a completely different breed of bike.

But this wasn’t a knee-jerk decision, intending to ride the coat-tails of a growing market. Born out of several years of refinement, including a heady cocktail of design ideas and applications, the Szepter is finally born. Pitched at existing customers looking for a different riding experience, the latest YT offering is very much a mountain biker’s gravel bike, providing you don’t fancy one of the best XC race bikes instead.

YT is stepping out of its comfort zone with the new Szepter. How it will be received by dyed-in-the-wool mountain bikers is to be seen, but YT obviously believes it’s a market worth tapping into.

Need to know

• 40mm RockShox fork
• 50mm Reverb dropper
• Clearance for 45mm tires
• Wireless SRAM Force gears
• Frame certified for jumps
• Trail-capable ride

Key components

YT’s design team has gone all out to make the Szepter as fun to ride and trail capable as possible. Yes, this is still a gravel bike of course, but it’s one of the most accomplished performers around.

The top Core 4 model comes with a Reverb AXS dropper post.

The Szepter is available in two builds – the Core 4 and Core 3. A key component on both models is the 40mm RockShox Rudy Ultimate fork. 40mm travel may not sound like much, but on the smaller hits typically taken on a drop bar gravel bike, even this relatively small level of suspension makes a world of difference.

Electronic shifting and hydraulic disc brakes on the Core 4 model. Bars are 460mm wide, a far cry from the 760-780mm typically used on most mountain bikes, even hardtail XC race bikes.

Both models also run wireless SRAM Rival AXS gearing, SRAM Force brakes and a host of quality finishing kit such as a wide Zipp Service Course bar – widths get bigger with the frame size and come as 420mm (S), 440mm (M-L) or 460mm (XL-XXL) with a short (for a gravel bike) 70mm stem.

70mm stem is ‘short’ for a gravel bike.

One crucial difference between the builds is that the Core 4 gets a wireless Reverb AXS dropper (50mm drop sizes S-L, 75mm XL-XXL), but the Core 3 has a standard seatpost. Both bikes run WTB i23 wheels and 42mm WTB Resolute tyres, though while the Core 4 gets a Proterra Lite wheelset, the Core 3 runs the slightly lower spec Speedterra version.

A gravel frame for the trails

YT is keen to stress that the Szepter is built for trail performance, and as well as capable component choices, the full carbon frame has also been designed with this purpose in mind.

1×12 SRAM Force drivetrain.

A relatively slack (for a gravel bike) 69.4º head angle helps give confidence on the steeper stuff, as does the tall stack (587mm on our medium size test model) which allows a more upright riding position and a relatively long wheelbase (1,076mm on the medium). The short 70mm stem allows for easy piloting compared to the longer stems found on many rivals too.

YT Szepter gravel bike

Happily, the frame design also considers that trails go up as well as down and aims to improve pedalling efficiency and climbing performance with a 74.3º seat tube angle that’s steeper than most rival bikes.

40mm travel RockShox Ruby suspension fork paired with 42c tyres offers some comfort and control.

The Szepter’s frame is ASTM Class 3 certified, meaning it’s suitable for small jumps and rough trails so long as it’s paired with similarly capable components. While the kit on the Core 4 makes the grade, certain aspects of the Core 3 mean it doesn’t quite measure up to the same classification.

The gravel bike in its natural habitat. Looks enticing, doesn’t it?

First ride impressions

I spent some time on the Szepter Core 4 over a couple of days in scorching heat on bone dry Californian XC trails and dirt roads. On dusty trails with the occasional non-threatening rock section thrown in the Szepter was proper fun to ride. The bike handled really well through sweeping turns and undulating climbs and descents and is definitely the most fun I’ve had on a gravel bike.

Dropper post has added ‘bounce’, which takes the sting out of the trail when seated.

The super short travel fork made a huge difference and enabled me to hold my line and better carry speed through more technical terrain where a rigid gravel fork would see the front end pinging off rocks and roots. The dropper was a massive plus too, not only for giving me more room to manoeuvre when descending, but it also works as a suspension seatpost if you drop it 10mm or so. This facility was massively appreciated on long pedals on rock solid dirt roads.

Yep, that certainly looks gravelly.

The rest of the kit was faultless too. The tyres gave plenty of grip, the wide bars provided enough steering leverage, the wireless gearing gave instant shifts and the brakes gave tons of power and control. I’m looking forward to seeing how the Szepter fares on home soil/mud.

YT Szepter price and availability

The Core 3 model costs £3,199 / $3,299, while the fancier Core 4 version comes in at £4,399 / $4,499. Both bikes are now available to order from YT-Industries.com.

YT Szepter Core 4 gravel bike

YT Szepter Core 4 full spec (£4,399)

• Frame: Ultra modulus carbon
• Fork: 40mm RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR
• Reach: 398mm (size medium)
• Head angle: 69.4 degrees
• Seat tube angle: 74.4 degrees
• BB 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 42 x 700
• 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)

YT Szepter Core 3 gravel bike

YT Szepter Core 3 full spec (£3,199)

• 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)