Zack Henderson (6’, 165 lb / 183 cm, 74.8 kg): Whistler’s lifts aren’t turning just yet, but I’ve been able to get some shakedown shuttle laps on RAAW’s latest Yalla V2. My time with the Yalla V2 is off to a promising start.
Our initial First Look digs into details like suspension kinematics and geometry, but the short version is that RAAW didn’t change either from the Yalla! V1. The Yalla V2’s big updates include newfound mixed wheel compatibility via an interchangeable lower shock mount, adjustable chainstay length via swappable dropouts, and a host of other refinements to things like pivot hardware, downtube design, adoption of 148 mm hub spacing, chainstay protection, etc. Of those, mixed wheel compatibility and the Boost 148 mm rear hub spacing were the more exciting additions that allowed me to run my preferred setup for Downhill (mixed wheels) while using a nice pair of wheels with Boost spacing that I already had in the garage.
RAAW just recently announced availability of complete bikes, which start with a standard base build but have options for customization of suspension package, drivetrain, wheel size, and bar height. In my case, I ended up going with a frame-only and piecing things together from there. Some of the highlights include the mixed wheel setup I hinted at above, plus a 2025 Fox 40 Grip X2 fork, Cane Creek Kitsuma Coil G2 shock, and SRAM Maven Silver A1 brakes with the new B1 Lever Tuning kit. Thanks to RAAW’s well-executed external cable routing and pre-installed headset, building up the Yalla V2 was a very quick job without any surprises. RAAW recommends 24.2% sag on the Yalla V2, which is a bit less than a number of other bikes on the market, but I was pretty much bang-on that number with a 450 lb spring on the Kitsuma Coil G2.
The Yalla V2’s stack number doesn’t change across sizes, but I found myself quite happy from the start with a 30 mm rise handlebar and about 10 mm of spacers under the upper fork crown. I may add some spacers under the stem as I sort out my setup on some steeper tracks, but I found the Yalla V2’s fit to be comfortably upright, while still allowing me to easily weight the front wheel through flatter corners.
My initial laps on the Yalla V2 were on a not-that-steep, but fairly rough local track that can run fairly fast, but requires disciplined braking and cornering to keep average speeds up. Even by DH bike standards, the Yalla V2 feels especially composed at high speeds. The tall front end and stout-feeling frame lend confidence to keep the brakes open, and the low-ish bottom bracket and slack head tube angle keep the steering and chassis feeling very calm and stable. While the 345 mm bottom bracket height (stated with 29’’ wheels in mid adjustment settings; the MX link supposedly preserves this geometry) is decently low, it doesn’t feel wildly so. I suspect that’s largely due to the recommended 24.2% sag being a bit less than average.
As speeds come down a bit and the trail flattens out, the Yalla V2 can start to feel a little sluggish and harder to coax back to a rapid pace. The prior generation Canyon Sender feels like an example of a bike that can easily pump for speed — so far, the Yalla V2 feels like it’s more stable and planted rather than especially responsive to rider inputs, but some shock tuning and other setup adjustments may offer gains there. My hunch is that a good bit of the Yalla V2’s hunkered-down character comes from its rather upright and “between-the-wheels” body positioning, which creates a safe but more grounded feel. The smaller 27.5’’ rear wheel on my setup feels easy to place yet adequately stable with the stock 450 mm chainstay, and I’ll be curious to see what the stability vs. maneuverability tradeoff is when I eventually bolt on a 29’’ rear wheel. I may also try to track down the “Long” dropout option to bump chainstay length to the maximum 455 mm for my size Large.
That’s not to say that the Yalla V2’s suspension feels dead, though — it feels quite supportive overall, and still can generate some speed when loaded up. It’s been a while since I rode the Commencal Supreme V5, and my time on that bike was somewhat limited, but I’m generally finding the Yalla V2 to feel a bit more balanced between the front and rear without too much tinkering with settings (yet), and it feels a bit more supportive and direct when snapping through corners. The Supreme’s suspension did an especially effective job of ironing out bumps, and the Yalla V2 doesn’t seem to isolate the rider from impacts quite like the Supreme could, but I’d still very, very early in testing to be making any definitive statements. I’ll be seeing how the Yalla V2 feels with a Rimpact Chain Damper mounted up soon enough, which could change some things in terms of perceived pedal feedback and chatter.
My setup on the Yalla V2 is feeling pretty damn good right out of the gate, but there’s plenty of optimization to be done. I have plenty of weekends earmarked for trips to the Whistler Bike Park through the early part of summer, so stay tuned for a Full Review in the coming months.
