Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start Review
- Price: $3,999
- Frame: Carbon
- Tires: 27.5″Aluminum
- Gear: 1 × 12
What we like about it: This bike is the epitome of the perfect enduro bike. It combines all the features found in modern enduro mountain bikes with powerful performance.
What we don’t like about it: It doesn’t come with a chain stabilizer, and you need to install it yourself later.
Rating: (4.9/5)
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start climbs with ease and is always smooth on every descent. It rides like a nimble trail bike on flowing trails and shows great passing ability on rough downhill sections.
Below, we will analyze the riding experience, key features, components, and specifications as well as other versions of this bike.
Additionally, at the end of the review, we will also compare several best bike models. If you want to know more about bike reviews, don’t hesitate to follow us.
Riding Experience
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start is a full-suspension enduro bike with front and rear 160mm of damping travel.
The carbon frame and powerful components make it fearless on any rough surface. I couldn’t wait to try this bike out.
For this I took the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start to a mountain bike park near my home and booked a hotel on IHG. It was filled with lots of gravel loose descents, some big drop jumps and winding trails.
I thought it would be a good venue to test this bike.
Climbing
As I rode this bike towards the beginning of the mountain, the carbon frame had a light weight that made my climbs more energy efficient.
The excellent geometry kept my center of gravity stable and the weight was well distributed between the front and rear of the bike, making my climbing ride more efficient.
I was riding up the steeper climbs on the Truvativ Descendant Eagle, a 32t crankset coupled with a SRAM XG-1275 10-52T flywheel that made up an abundance of 1×12 speed.
To do this, I moved the rear derailleur to the largest couple of flywheels and instantly I felt lighter on the pedals, thus helping my climbing become easier and preserving more energy.
Lastly, the Schwalbe Magic Mary large grain outer tire had great grip and reduced my pedaling slippage. It could better turn the power of my pedaling into upward riding distance.
In no time, I was riding to the start point at the top of the mountain.
Decline
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start was excellent on the drop.
When I landed from a big drop, thanks to the RockShox Lyrik RC fork and the RockShox Deluxe Select R rear shock providing front and rear 160mm of shock travel, it absorbed the majority of the shock and made my landing smooth and safe.
Then I was on a long and rocky descent. The loose geometry of the frame smoothed out the descent and spurred me on to want to ride faster.
When I was about to enter the trail, the SRAM G2 R’s braking combined with the front and rear 200mm discs showed a powerful and violent braking feel that brought my speed down to a safe range in the shortest possible time.
Another thing I like was that the bike’s 27.5″ wheelset was very nimble when traversing the trails.
The excellent control, combined with great braking ability, gave me a fast riding experience.
Overall, it’s an all-round full-suspension enduro bike that benefits from good geometry adjusting in line with excellent components that allow it to perform well on both climbs and descents.
Specification
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start uses a lightweight carbon frame to reduce the weight of the bike.
A total of 3 frame sizes are available (S-L), suitable for riders of 5’2″-6’2″ in height.
Then the whole bike’s internal cable routing and silent cable design make the appearance lookmore neat and tidy while also reduce the noise generated when riding on bumpy roads.
The new version of Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start integrates the rear brake mount into the rear triangle. In addition to the slick aesthetic aspects, this achieves better braking force transfer to the frame.
The protective patch at the downtube protects the carbon frame by reducing the splash of stones during intense riding.
The chain protector on the rear fork reduces the noise generated by the chain slapping the rear fork during riding.
Finally, the design of the dropper seatpost ensures that the rider’s riding weight can be adjusted quickly between climbing and descending rides.
Video
Other versions
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start is a full-suspension enduro bike with an excellent carbon frame.
But the components that come with it don’t quite bring out the full potential of its excellent frame.
For this purpose we also offer a frame with the same carbon frame but with more advanced components, which can bring out the full strength of this frame.
It’s a great choice for the cyclist with sufficient budget.
Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Goldrush
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Goldrush and Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start feature the same carbon frame, but the former has more advanced components for the cyclist with sufficient budget.
First of all, the equipped Fox 36 Factory Kashima fork and Fox Float X Factory Kashima’s rear shock absorber with better support performance can support to carry out more intense riding and better cope with complex riding routes.
The SRAM XX Eagle’s gearing feels crisper and more efficient, while the electronic gearing is easier to adjust.
For the braking components, the Magura MT7 Performance brakes with 203 mm front and rear discs have a violent and direct braking feel. I also like the appearance of Magura’s brakes.
Below, we will list in detail the specific parameters of the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start and some other brands of full-suspension enduro bikes at similar prices for your reference.
What do we like about it?
- It is the epitome of the perfect enduro bike. It has all the features found in a modern enduro mountain bike.
- Both wheel size and components can be customized to create a personalized appearance paint job for your specific needs.
- Protective patch at the downtube to reduce the damage to the carbon frame from splashing stones hitting it during the ride, and protective patch at the rear lower fork to reduce the noise generated by the chain slapping.
- Carbon frame, coupled with the internal cable routing design makes the appearance look neater and the daily cleaning more convenient.
- Inner cable routing frame with silent cable tube design reduces noise generation during the ride.
- The lower tube has two mounting holes for water bottles and the upper tube has mounting holes for carrying riding tools to support long distance riding.
What don’t we like about it?
- It does not come with a chain stabilizer, you need to install it yourself later.
FAQs
- What is the maximum width of outer tire supported by this bike?
It supports up to: 2.5″ outside tires.
- How big a kettle can I fit on its frame?
Bottles up to 0.5 L are no problem. For larger frame sizes, 0.7 L bottles can also be stored.
- How to choose the right size?
Here we provide you with a size chart, but of course you do not have to follow this standard. The best way to find the most suitable size is to test ride.
| Rider height | SIZE |
| 5’2″ – 5’7″ | S |
| 5’6″ – 5’11” | M |
| 5’9″ – 6’2″ | L |
Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start Specs
Build
| Frame | Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start |
| Fork | RockShox Lyrik RC, 160 mm |
| Rear Shock | RockShox Deluxe Select R, 160 mm |
| Stem | SIXPACK Vertic 50 |
| Handlebar | SIXPACK Millenium 805 |
| Saddle | SIXPACK Kamikaze |
| Seatpost | PROPAIN Seatpost |
Groupset
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM GX Eagle (1×12) |
| Crank | Truvativ Descendant Eagle, 32t |
| Cassette | SRAM XG-1275 10-52, (1×12) |
| Brakes | SRAM G2 R, 200 mm / 200 mm |
Wheels
| Rims | NEWMEN Performance 30 |
| Tires | Schwalbe Magic Mary |
Comparison Table
| Bicycles | Click View | Damping stroke | Frame material | Brake Type | Driveline |
| Canyon Spectral 27.5 CF 7 | Click View | 150mm rear, 160mm front | Carbon | Hydraulic Disc | 1 × 12 |
| Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp Alloy | Click View | 150mm rear, 160mm front | Aluminum | Hydraulic Disc | 1 × 12 |
| YT Industries Capra CORE 3 29 | Click View | 165mm rear, 170mm front | Carbon | Hydraulic Disc | 1 × 12 Electronic |
| Trek Remedy 8 | Click View | 150mm rear, 160mm front | Carbon | Hydraulic Disc | 1 × 12 |
Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start VS Canyon Spectral 27.5 CF 7
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start and Canyon Spectral 27.5 CF 7 are both iconic full-suspension carbon bikes under their respective brands.
When it comes to the damping effect, the former’s RockShox Lyrik’s damping fork has better initial sensitivity and more active condition. The Fox Rhythm Float 36 fork of the latter has better support and is more suitable for big drop drops.
The SRAM GX drivetrain of the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start has a crisper, sharper feel, while the Shimano SLX drivetrain of the Canyon Spectral 27.5 CF 7 enjoys a smoother, denser feel.
In the end, between these two bikes, I would prefer the former because it has a more promising frame with more potential to be developed in terms of later upgrades.
Learn More: Is Canyon Spectral 29 CF 7 Worth Buying? [Canyon Spectral 29 CF 7 Review]
Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start VS Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp Alloy
Comparing the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start with the Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp Alloy, the former uses a carbon frame that is lighter than the latter’s aluminum frame.
On the choice of damping, the former’s RockShox damping system presents a softer damping experience, with a better ability on continuous fast bumps in the road. The Fox component of the latter will support better on big drop landings.
As for the drivetrain components, the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start uses higher grade SRAM GX drivetrain components than Specialized’s SRAM NX components. So the corresponding performance will be better.
Between these two full-suspension enduro bikes, I would recommend the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start more because it has a higher grade of frame and components.
Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start VS YT Industries Capra CORE 3 29
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start and YT Industries Capra CORE 3 29 are representative full-suspension enduro bikes under their respective brands.
On the damping system, the latter’s RockShox ZEB Ultimate damping fork has better support than the former’s RockShox Lyrik RC, but the former’s will be better for small bumps.
For the drivetrain, both bikes use SRAM GX drivetrain components, but the latter has an electronic version of the gearing, which is easier and more convenient when it comes to adjusting.
In terms of braking system, they both carry SRAM’s hydraulic disc brakes, and both have the same reliable braking performance. I think they are trustworthy brakes.
In short, both are excellent full-suspension enduro bikes.
But if your budget is sufficient, then go for the slightly better components of the YT Industries Capra CORE 3 29. Conversely, the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start offers better value for money.
Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start vs Trek Remedy 8
The Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start and Trek Remedy 8 are similar in price, but the former will have more high-end components and be a better choice.
Speaking of the suspension fork, although both are RockShox Lyrik level forks, the former is a high-end version one, so the overall performance will be a little better.
In terms of drivetrain components, Propain Tyee CF’s SRAM GX shifts will be crisper and sharper, while Trek Remedy’s Shimano XT shifts will feel silkier and gentler.
When it comes to the braking components, the SRAM G2 R brakes of the former have a more direct and violent braking feel. The latter Shimano M6120 shows a more linear and softer shifting feel.
Personally, I would recommend the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start with more advanced components.
Learn More: Is Trek Remedy 9.8 A Good Bike? [Trek Remedy 9.8 Review]
Summary
Above is my ride review of the Propain Tyee CF 27.5 Start. In our opinion, it’s a great performing full-suspension enduro bike with a lot of potential to be explored. That’s why we gave it a 4.9 rating.
Of course, if you’re interested in exploring other similar bikes, we have reviewed a variety of bikes at different price points that you might find interesting. Feel free to check out our other reviews as well.
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