Invisible Suspension Smooths Gravel, Saves Speed: Moots Routt YBB Review

Of the four Routt models Moots offers, the RSL is its race-oriented gravel bike — lean, fast, nimble, and durable. The Routt YBB (Why Be Beat) revives a vintage bike part first introduced back when David Lee Roth left Van Halen.

Simple, durable, effective, the YBB suspension system marks the hallmark of Moots engineering — first introduced in 1987, it predates the brand’s front suspension. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The YBB micro-suspension is super simple: a steel spring and elastomer damper.

Housed in the wishbone-shaped mono-stay connecting the seatstays to the seat collar, the micro-suspension allows the chainstay to flex vertically, yielding roughly 20 mm of travel on the rear axle. It has no pivots, no oil, requires virtually no maintenance, and is lightweight and bomber enough to last for decades. 

With very little weight penalty (about 4 ounces), the benefits include more comfort on gravel, better traction (through more contact with the ground), and overall durability. It helped launch what many riders have come to understand as modern mountain bike suspension. Incorporated into the Routt, it takes an already fantastic all-road bike further into the void with more comfort. 

In short: The Routt YBB ($6,200 for the frameset only, to $13,000 fully extra) is the evolution of Moots’ signature soft-tail suspension. Moots’ legendary titanium houses a threaded bottom bracket and is paired with its in-house carbon fork, ENVE bars, and Zipp wheels with geometry that can suck in a 50mm tire. As a package, it threads the sweet spot for comfort, power transfer, and speed with a bias for B-roads. It’s a winner, but it comes with a champion breed price.

Moots Routt YBB Overview

With aggressive geometry, 50mm tire clearance, and double-butted titanium tubing for lightweight stiffness, the Routt RSL is touted as an all-rounder (from road to trail).

For pavement, you want power directed directly from pedal to pavement; it makes you faster. The Routt has giddyup to spare.

On gravel or trail, you want a little forgiveness, some cushion. Be it through tire, frame materials, or suspension, you need something to take the edge off long, rough roads. And the YBB abides. In addition to the YBB micro-suspension, it has a more relaxed geometry that favors rougher gravel and ultra rides. 

Unlike the RSL with double butting, the YBB uses a seamless straight-gauge 3/2.5 cold-worked, stress-relieved titanium (titanium with a 3% aluminum/2.5% vanadium blend that creates a stiffer, more robust metal).

The dropouts are 3D-printed titanium and have a flat disc mount. This aligns the thru-axle, wheel, and brake caliper as one. Building and dismantling the bike took just a few minutes, and there was zero play at the connection points.

Two bottle mounts sit inside the bike’s triangle. A third rides under the down tube. Hidden fender mounts allow you to add a rack or add protection while riding in wet shoulder seasons.

There are three builds to choose from within the Routt YBB line — the entry line, with SRAM RIVAL and DT Swiss wheels, up to the top shelf with carbon everything and electronic shifting. The price difference ($7,850-13,000+) only reflects the choice of drivetrain. Moots offers several upgrades, like custom paint and carbon wheel upgrades, which can tip the price point even higher.

Geometry

Longer reach and high stack push the YBB geometry into a more relaxed and comfortable riding position — even more so than the RSL. 

The wheelbase on my size 55 frame measures roughly 1,050 mm, which is moderate for a gravel bike. The length contributes to the stability and comfort, which is appreciated on long, straight rides. The YBB helps with this, too.

The chainstays are longer (437 mm), adding to the flex under the saddle. While the micro-suspension does suck in some bumps, it simultaneously allows the chainstay to vertically flex, keeping the rubber on the road. More contact means more control. 

The lower the bottom bracket drop on a bike, the more “planted” you feel on the bike. At 6.9 cm, the drop is conservative (many gravel bikes have a 7-8cm drop), striking a balanced and powerful position while providing ample clearance.

Moots Routt YBB Review

This wasn’t my first rodeo on a Moots. Beyond the looks and questions from others about the bike, the ride felt familiar but more comfortable. I attribute a lot of this to the relaxed geometry and YBB.

As part of my testing, my son and I tackled the Smoke ‘n’ Fire 400, a 440-mile mostly gravel ride that starts and ends nearly at my front door. For a second opinion, I put him on the Moots (lucky kid). He immediately commented on how familiar it rides to his mountain bikes.

Approaching my height (but 40 pounds lighter), he spun up the hills hardly breaking a sweat. After patiently waiting for me at the summit, he noticeably dropped off behind me on the descent. Could be skill, could be comfort range, or it could be the bike. 

Everything about the Routt YBB is tight: no creaks, no dull transfer of power. It’s so tight — so one with the body — it feels like it almost reads your mind in the turns. It can be hyper-responsive, treading into highly intuitive bike territory, with an uncanny ability to anticipate turns and initiate them much earlier than other bikes I’ve ridden.

For the inexperienced rider, this can make the bike feel twitchy. Though he didn’t voice it, perhaps that’s what he was experiencing. It takes a while to adapt to this kind of responsiveness.

The YBB feels buttery smooth when pedaling uphill. The suspension doesn’t compromise power, which transmits from the pedal right to the ground. And the chatter of gravel, while there, feels muted under the saddle. But it rides better when you are relaxed in the saddle. Tense up, and you are fighting the bike.

In my opinion, this makes the YBB a bike for the experienced rider. Given the price, I wouldn’t expect many riders to walk into the sport green and into a titanium Moots. This is your third or fourth gravel bike, with thousands of miles spent in another saddle. 

Against the Competition

While the first to market, Moots isn’t the only micro-suspension out there. I’ve experienced something similar on the Specialized Diverge Carbon Pro, which has a similar 20 mm of float through its “Future shock 2.0” system in the headset.

The Diverge is a dreamy ride, unlike any other bike I’ve ridden. So it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but the suspension is welcome in both cases. And in this case, in the mono-stay between the seatstays and seat post, it takes the pressure off the backside and puts more control out front.

With 50 mm of space between the seatstays, the 700 wheelset rivals any 650b. There’s plenty of room to wrap the wheels with knobby tires, but I appreciated how the 45c ZIPP/Goodyear paired squarely with the ZIPP 303 XPLR wheels. I had no issues with flats, pinches, or tire rub on the shoes. And it was ideal traction on my dry, dusty Idaho backroads.

The electronic shifting is smooth and seamless as expected. If you are looking at a bike like this, you’ll likely open the wallet for the upgrade. And you should!

While I’ve been hesitant about electronic shifting on backcountry rides, it completes the bike with a velvety-smooth riding experience, locking you one with the bike and the ground with fluid shifting. And I had no problems with the charge or glitches in shifting.

Not really part of the bike, I feel it’s worth mentioning the dreamy pairing of the WTB Gravelier saddle with the YBB. I immediately recognized the benefits. It suspends the body like a hammock, adding a few millimeters of forgiveness. And it’s the perfect saddle to pair with the YBB.

My only ding is really the ding I put on the bike. Even though the bags were strapped to the frame with rubber padded straps, they took their pound of patina. The bead-blasted surface started to wear down at the touch points, and I would recommend taping the contact points on the tubing or leveraging the mounts on the bike. For $900, Moots offers a refurbishing service that can rebrush the frame back to new.

Parting Thoughts: Who’s It For?

I was recently at a medical conference chatting up a back surgeon about a 3D-printed screw he was bringing to market. While titanium is widely used in medical instruments, I shared my only real experience with Ti was through bikes.

He lowered his hands, holding the screw, and raised his gaze. “What are you riding?” he asked. When I shared I was testing the Moots, he could hardly contain himself and effused, “The best of the best!”

That’s the thing with Moots. It has a special appeal to those in the know. This doc at the conference had won several Masters Division mountain bike races and was well-versed in the gator. But you don’t buy a Moots to get noticed. Other than the badging, it hardly has any identifiers. It’s in the geometry, engineering, materials, and ultimately the ride. 

Of the Routt lineup, the YBB is for gravel riders who venture out more into rough territory. If you are looking for a bike that transitions from pavement to gravel with racing in mind, I’d recommend the RSL. But if you are a more casual rider and like to go off the beaten path, I’d choose the YBB. Of the two, I prefer the YBB. I don’t race and the YBB matches my style of riding.

It’s the highest level of engineering in a hand-built bike. And in a time of conspicuous consumption, the YBB will outride you under the radar long beyond your cycling years.