Review: 2023 Yeti SB160 - The Revised Racer

Nov 10, 2022
by Matt Beer  
Despite a close resemblance to the SB150 that has been in Yeti's lineup since 2018, the all new SB160 has critical refinements once you take a deepr dive into the bike we first spotted at the seventh round of Enduro World Series.

As the name suggests, the SB160 sees a jump in rear wheel travel by 10mm using the patented Switch Infinity link that defines the toothpaste-colored bike's suspension platform, while the fork remains at a 170mm length and the head angle relaxes a smidge to 64 degrees. The sizing has now been spread across five frame sizes with chainstays and seat tube angles tailored for each rider height bracket.

Yeti SB160 Details

• Wheel size: 29"
• Turq and standard carbon frames
• Switch Infinity suspension
• Travel: 160mm, 170mm fork
• Head tube angle: 64º
• Effective seat tube angle: 77.5°
• Reach: 435, 465, 485, 510, 525mm
• Chainstays: 435, 437, 439, 441, 443
• Weight: 16.1 kg / 35.5 lb (as tested)
• Price: $10,500 USD (T3 model)
yeticycles.com

Further refinements include improved chainslap protection, increased downtube clearance, and a rethink of the articulating components of the suspension for greater longevity. Surprisingly though, there’s no storage compartment in the frame hiding under the bolt-on, dual-compound downtube guard.


bigquotesThe SB160 isn't the slackest, burliest bike on paper, but that doesn't mean it can't go fast. Between the suspension kinematics and frame shapes, there are plenty of reasons why this new Yeti would make a solid choice for enduro-style riding and racing. Matt Beer





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Sleek housing clamps bolt into the frame at the pivot on the revised Switch Infinity link.

Frame Details

Between lunch rides, the design team in Golden, Colorado, have been busy simplifying the packaging on the SB160, although the looks still make it unmistakably a Yeti. In fact, most of the changes to the bike are hiding in plain sight, like the simplified suspension linkage, second generation Switch Infinity link, universal derailleur hanger, and cable management.

Underneath the paint, there’s concrete reasoning why the shape of the frame hasn’t changed drastically. Yeti sculpted the round top tube differently than the smooth square shape of the downtube to retain certain stiffness characteristics throughout the bike. That downtube now tucks the bottom bracket junction further out of harm's way for clearance over more objects, while still providing room for a full-size water bottle inside the front triangle. As for the weight, a medium size Turq frame comes in at a claimed 3806 grams with a Fox Float X2 attached.

Should you really get off line, there is a replaceable dual-density protector that unbolts without peeling off any paint and allows access to guide the dropper post housing into place, as opposed to revealing a tool storage zone. All of the cable ports clamp down on the housings to keep them securely in place too, including the ones that follow along with the Switch Infinity pivot’s motion.

Those aren’t the only rubberized bits that Yeti stuck on the SB160 either. The ramped fins on the topside of the chainstay run all the way to the chainguide and you'll find additional pieces on the underside of both stays as well.

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The upper bearing now press into the aluminum links instead of the carbon triangles.
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No, that's not a storage area. The downtube is guarded by a dual-density protector that bolts into the frame.

Longevity was an area that Yeti looked to improve upon with the SB160, and that started with improved seals, hardware and bearings throughout the Switch Infinity link, but only on the fancier Turq series frames. The service interval for those two mini Kashima-coated stanchions is every forty hours of riding and is as straightforward as plugging in a grease gun to the ports on the link. Owners of previous generation Yetis will be pleased to know that the second generation Switch Infinity link is backwards compatible and available shortly after the launch as an aftermarket upgrade through their dealer.

To combat the complications of servicing larger hardware, Yeti has moved the bearing location from the seats in the carbon triangles to the aluminum linkages. Not only do the floating collet pivot axles provide a perfect alignment on the Enduro Max bearings, but that makes the replacement process a smaller chore, physically, too. Like all Yeti frames that are 2019 or newer, the warranty policy covers the original owner against manufacturing defects for the lifetime of the bike, including the Switch Infinity link.

Behind that link, the bottom of the split seat tube protects the link, but that doesn’t leave a lot of room for debris to pass through the chainstay yoke. This wasn’t an initial concern of mine when the dry, summer conditions extended into autumn, but a rock did manage to jam its way in there on a descent. The cacophony and carnage that ensued was enough for me to quickly slam on the brakes and pull over. Luckily, only the ride flow was broken and some paint was lost. The clearance is tight in this area. A fender covering this gap might have been practical here.

To cap off the finish, quite literally, our test bike came with clear vinyl cut outs that cover some of the high friction sections of the frame which will be available as another aftermarket purchase. Personally, I’d prefer all or nothing for coverage. A half-way wrap attempt usually leads to a mis-match in paint brightness down the road.



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Geometry & Sizing

I know what you’re thinking, “The SB160 gets the longer, lower, slacker treatment, right?” Well, that’s only partially true. Yes, the size-specific chainstays have grown slightly and the head angle lies at 64-degrees, but the BB height has risen due to the increased amount of sag.

The big news here is that Yeti has added a fifth size to the large end of the scale. Now, the smallest size starts out with a 435mm reach, jumping to a 465 on the medium, 485 on the large that we tested, built for riders between 178 and 191cm, which includes myself at the short end of that height range. Moving to 510mm, the XL and gargantuan 525mm XXL frames are built to fit riders who are 185 to 201cm in height, and then between 195 and 210cm tall.

Those frames may feel even longer due to the low stack heights in comparison to other brands, such as Santa Cruz that sway in the other direction when it comes to head tube lengths.

Like all of Yeti’s other current bikes, there are no geometry adjustments, mixed wheel configurations, and the integrated headset in the SB160 doesn’t allow for alternating many options to alter the angles.

However, Yeti has given the SB160 chainstay lengths and seat tube angles that vary depending on the frame size. Rear center measurements start at 435mm on the smallest frame and grow by 2mm as you jump up the size chart. As for the seat angle, that physically gets steeper per size to yield an effective 77.5 degrees across the board.

Another point worth mentioning is that the seat tube height has been lowered by 10mm on the size medium and large, while the small and XL frames are 15mm shorter, which will allow more descending clearance. Magically, this doesn’t compromise the amount of drop from the seat post itself. A 150mm dropper post will fit the small, whereas the medium and large will accommodate a 175, and the two largest sizes can use a 200mm option.



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The SB160 uses Yeti's Switch Infinity link, unlike their eMTB, the E160, which features a 6-bar suspension design.

Suspension Design

I’m sure Yeti fans were anticipating the next turquoise-colored enduro bike to incorporate a 6-bar suspension layout, like the E160, but that was a specific use case to tune the parameters of their eMTB’s kinematics. Instead, the pivot on the one-piece rear triangle slides up the Switch Infinity link for the first half of the travel before reversing the direction and sliding back down as the suspension moves through the full 160mm.

Based around a 230x65mm Fox Float X2, Yeti’s suspension calculator tool recommends 19.5mm of sag. The SB160 leverage rate changes by 17% as it goes through its travel, with a little extra ramp up towards the end of the travel. With that said, Yeti did confirm that the SB160 is coil-shock compatible too.
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Specifications
Release Date 2022
Price $10500
Travel 160
Rear Shock Fox Float Factory X2
Fork Fox Float Factory 38 Grip 2
Headset Cane Creek 40 Series
Cassette SRAM XX1 Eagle 10-52T
Crankarms SRAM X1 Eagle
Chainguide OneUp Bash Guide
Bottom Bracket SRAM DUB BSA
Rear Derailleur SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS
Chain SRAM GX Eagle
Shifter Pods SRAM AXS
Handlebar Yeti carbon 20x800mm
Stem Burgtec Enduro MK3 35x50mm
Grips ODI Elite Pro
Brakes SRAM Code RSC 220/220 rotors
Wheelset DT Swiss Custom EX1700
Tires Maxxis EXO+ Assegai/ DHR II, MaxxTerra
Seat WTB Silverado Custom
Seatpost Fox Transfer 31.6x175mm



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To stay up to date with new standards, one that consumers can appreciate, Yeti included SRAM's UDH.


Specifications

It’s been more than a half-dozen years since Yeti made an alloy frame, meaning that the SB160 is only available in carbon and isn’t inexpensive. There are five build options ranging between $6,700 and $12,000, but suspension and wheel upgrades can raise those numbers further.

The lower C1 and C2 price points use standard frame construction whereas the three more expensive builds use the lighter “Turq Series” carbon layup, which will save you about 150 grams (size medium) on the frame.

C-level SB160 builds use Fox Performance 38 forks and Float X shocks, alloy Burgtec bars, DT Swiss E1900, and a Maxxis EXO+ Assegai/DHR II MaxxTerra tire combo. The OneUp dropper post and chain guide are color-matched to the WTB Silverado saddle with turquoise accents.

Shimano covers the C1 build with nearly a full SLX build, except for the XT shifter for $6,700, but if you’re a SRAM fan, the $7,000 C2 kit features a GX Eagle drivetrain and Code R brakes. You can upgrade the suspension on either C-level build to the Fox Factory level series for $800 more.

All of the Turq builds use those Kashima-coated Fox suspension components, including the introduction of the Float X2 shock, SRAM Code RSC brakes, DT Swiss EX1700 wheels, custom built with J-bend 350 hubs, and a Yeti carbon handlebar. The $9,100 T1 build runs on a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, which is basically the only component that varies as you move up the price list. At $10,500 you see the introduction of SRAM’s electronic XX1 Eagle AXS shifting on the T3 (tested) kit, with minor details changing on the top-tier T4 build. DT Swiss EXC 1501 30mm-wide carbon rims can be added on for an extra $1,000.

If none of those component choices pique your interest, then you can purchase a standalone Turq frame that comes with a Fox Factory Float X2 shock for $5,000. Three color choices with subdued graphics exist in the frame-only option like the classic Yeti turquoise, a deep Cobalt blue, and a minty Radium green.






Test Bike Setup

Five frame sizes give you the option to move up or down on the fit scale. I managed to stretch onto a large, and kept in mind the wheelbase at 1270mm, which correlates with other brands’ equal size large frames. Slamming the seat forward in the rails and installing a narrower, high-rise bar with a 35mmm length stem helped compensate for the long standing position.

If I was specifically racing enduros, I might opt for the medium size frame to whip around corners quicker and pull my weight further back for steeper riding zones. That way, I’d have more range with my limbs to absorb impacts and not have to weight the front wheel as considerably through flat turns.

Referencing Yeti’s handy suspension calculator, I arrived at exactly 19.5mm of sag in the Fox air shock and didn’t stray too far from their suggested compression and rebound adjustments. Some minor tweaks were made when the weather drastically flipped from desert storm to ice fog, but their online tool should guide you to a happy place quickly
photo
Matt Beer
Location: Squamish, BC, Canada
Age: 36
Height: 5'10" / 178 cm
Weight: 170 lb / 77 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mattb33r




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Climbing

Even with the heavier tires that I installed for the majority of the test, there’s no debating that the SB160 is a fantastic pedaller. For a long-travel enduro bike, the suspension stays put when you’re pointed uphill. The main reason that I got along so well with this Yeti is how the suspension goes through the motions, which sounds like a descending talking point, but the calm ride makes for a predictable climber too. Because the suspension was easy to read and doesn’t articulate rapidly through the first third of the travel, that allowed for predictable pedal placement through technical climbs without striking the cranks.

Another reason that adds to the nature of the climbing position is the 77.5-degree seat tube angle and low stack. Other enduro bikes with similar seat tube angles can have their top tube lengths chopped off by slack head angles and tall stack heights. That can lead to the cockpit feeling much shorter than the span of the wheel underneath you and bring a twitchy sense to the steering. The SB160 isn’t one of those bikes.

That short headtube also plays a part in the climbing ability by pushing your weight forwards on the bike. Basically, there is less weight over the back half of the bike to bob up and down with each pedal stroke. Your position remains centered and calm, which adds to the stillness of the rear suspension. And that’s with the climb switch open, which is within arms reach - there’s no need to drop the saddle height to toggle between open and closed on the Float X2.

Further adding to the climbing capabilities, the SB160 is spec’d with a tiny 30-tooth chainring and the wider range Eagle 10-52-tooth cassette, which makes winching up arduous climbs less sweaty. We’re not all Richie Rude, but for matching down enduro stages, I imagine some racers would want a higher top-end gear and likely swap to a 32-tooth ring.

All in all, this machine doesn’t mind uphill journeys and has no problem tackling flatter terrain or long days in the saddle. The combination of the supportive suspension platform and forward-weighted position reminded me of a long-legged trail bike at times.




photo


Descending


If the SB160 is such an impressive climber, then surely Yeti had to sacrifice some aspects of the descending, right? Just look back at some of the achievements that the turquoise bikes have claimed in the last decade. Yeti, and their athletes, have multiple championships under their belts and medals hanging on the walls. In other words, they know what they’re doing.

The SB160 doesn’t feature any radical geometry numbers, which is one of the reasons why it performs so well in all scenarios - that’s key for enduro racing where you’ll cover all types of corners, grades and terrain. You do have to tune in and turn it on to get the most out of the SB160, though. It can be a rewarding ride as you truck through dusty braking bumps and whoops, but the suspension setup is particular. A few PSIs too many and the ride can seem unwilling to absorb stutter bumps on flatter and slower speed trails.

That feeling of being "on", opposed to "in" the bike is what makes the SB160 so agile on flatter trails. Even with a higher rise bar, there's a hint of venerability when you dive into the steeps though. The 64-degree head tube angle and low stack height aren't wrong, it just requires a little more poise and control from the pilot. When you embrace a lower body position to push the front wheel through objects, you can really punish corners and simply let the suspension eat up any square edge hits.

At the heart of the Switch Infinity, the linear progression curve allows you to interpret how the rear wheel will compress compared to very progressive bikes that can otherwise unexpectedly kick back at you on steep or rough terrain. When you’re pulling on the stoppers, the balance stays very composed, avoiding any cause for concern with weight shifts that make the fork compress. I'd say that's one reason why Yeti didn't feel the need to go slacker at the head tube. There’s plenty of bottom out control gained from the Float X2, and with more time, I’d toy with a coil shock to ease the compliance off the top of the travel. I wouldn’t say the rear suspension is too firm - supportive is the best word. Basically, the faster you go, the better the SB160 performs.

It’s not a total brute that only rewards EWS racers. There is a window to work with on the shock settings that can ease the compliance and the frame itself doesn’t want to fight back. Even through chunky sections of trail, no loud or reverberating sounds were noticed. I’d put that down to the rubber protection throughout the rear triangle and safely say that Yeti did their homework to reduce any unwanted frame feedback.

I don't have enough time on the SB160 to comment on long-term durability, but over the course of this review, I followed the Switch Infinity service intervals and never experienced any complications; no noises, creaks, or loose hardware.

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photo
Yeti has their own label on the 20mm rise carbon handlebar.
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The rolling goods are staples in the wheel department; DT Swiss alloy wheels and Maxxis tires.


Technical Report


DT Swiss EX1700 Wheels: These alloy wheels are a popular option on complete bikes, although there’s a twist, or more of a bend, with the ones that Yeti specs. Typically, they’re built with straight pull spokes, where these ones use J-bend spokes, which could make finding a replacement an easier task. Those spokes combined with the bomber 511 rim create a quality set of alloy wheels that doesn’t weigh a ton.

Yeti carbon handlebar: Handlebar dimensions are a personal preference. The stock carbon stick on the SB160 came in at 800mm wide with 5x9º bends. I gave them a shot on the first couple rides and had no quibbles with the ride feel, but the low 20mm rise meant rearranging more spacers under the stem. Soon after, I swapped them out for an 8º backsweep and 35mm rise.

OneUp Bash Guide: More often than not, enduro bikes, or any bike worthy of mountain biking on, aren’t supplied with a chain guide or skid plate. That could be in an effort to lower the sticker price or weight, but it’s an essential component in my eyes. What costs more, a new chain or a piece of plastic? The OneUp Bash Guide is highly adjustable and has replacement parts readily available. And bonus points for the color-matching.

Maxxis EXO+ MaxxTerra Tires: There’s nothing wrong with these tires. They just don’t belong on an enduro race bike. At the least, the rear wheel heavier-duty DoubleDown casing and a softer MaxxGrip compound on the front should be spec’d here.

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Yeti SB160
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Santa Cruz Megatower

How Does It Compare?

No doubt, the SB160 is in direct competition with the Santa Cruz Megatower, a bike I really got along with, however, there are a few stark contrasts between the two. What I loved about both of these bikes were their aspirations to go faster.

The SB160 presents that feeling of being on top of the bike, so it tends to feel alive in flatter terrain, whereas you can relax a touch more with the Megatower in steep terrain with its taller and more aggressive head tube. Other geometry considerations are that both frames feature size specific chainstay lengths and seat tube angles, but the SB160 lacks a flip-chip (although the flip chip on the Megatower really only makes a subtle change).

As for the suspension, both come alive when you start charging hard. The Yeti held up a little more in the travel, had a more noticeable ramp in progression, and was noticeably quieter on the trail. Also, there was also a lot less feedback or jarring moments when you hit sharp objects compared to the Megatower with its boxy tube shapes and carbon wheels. Santa Cruz’s latest square downtubes open up to store tools and such under the water bottle cage. The Yeti lacks any lunch boxes or onboard mounts whatsoever.

Neither one of these heavy hitting bikes are cheap, since no aluminum options exist, but the entry-level Megatower does ring in at $1,000 USD less than the SB160 C1 trim.




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Pros

+ Doesn't get bogged down on flatter terrain
+ Shock and kinematics produce a calm, predictable ride in choppy terrain
+ Less feedback through the frame than some other carbon enduro bikes

Cons

- Riding "on top of the bike" requires more focus in steep terrain
- Specific geometry and 29er only configuration may deter some riders searching for alternative setups


Pinkbike's Take

bigquotesYeti didn't stray too far from the herd in terms of appearance, geometry or suspension design with the introduction of the SB160. The additional 10mm of rear wheel travel is welcomed and aligns the bike closer to its competitors in terms of front to rear wheel balance.

Between the calm kinematics and frame forgiveness, there's a special balance that make the SB160 ideal for tackling enduro race courses. The suspension and climbing position won't drag you down on climbs due to a low stack height and forward weight bias, but that does require the rider to engage into an attack position to really charge descents.
Matt Beer







Author Info:
mattbeer avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2001
360 articles

462 Comments
  • 664 9
 The real innovation here is how they managed to route the cables without going through the headset.
  • 128 40
 I swear. The dirt that acros has on these manufacturers has got to rival whatever Putin has on Donny T. Only logical explanation.
  • 20 0
 What were their engineers thinking?

This isn't a brand new iteration, it's a refresh of the SB150, which makes sense because those bikes are still winning at the highest levels.
  • 21 1
 Love this new routing. The cable housing used to saw through the routing tubes on the previous edition.
  • 1 0
 @rsheb79: agreed
  • 17 0
 @moefosho: while subtle it has improved on the 150 in several ways, more reliable links, cable routing ports that clamp down, threaded bb, more balanced geo across all sizes with the varying chainstay lengths, and considerably less harsh feeling suspension. Not sure what else needed improvement from the SB150
  • 7 0
 @brookscurran: More downtube clearance also
  • 6 0
 @Carmelo64: and improved integrated chainstay/ down tube protection. There’s a lot
  • 8 1
 @hamncheez: what’s this got to do with yetis???
  • 1 4
 Do you want some cheese with that wine ?
  • 9 20
flag hamncheez (Nov 10, 2022 at 14:33) (Below Threshold)
 @Franklyn3000: Looks like my comment got "moderated".

This has nothing to do with Yetis, yes, it was in response to @sspiff bringing politics into it.
  • 13 10
 @hamncheez: were you mentioning hunter bidens laptop or something?
  • 20 27
flag sspiff FL (Nov 10, 2022 at 17:15) (Below Threshold)
 @hamncheez: I didn't say anything about politics now, did I? Just making a joke there, snowflake.
  • 1 0
 @brookscurran: and....you can upgrade your old frame to the SI link..
  • 7 0
 How did they achieve this incredible feat? I'm sure the bike could have been at least 30g lighter if they went through the headset though?
  • 4 6
 @sspiff: nobody uses the term "snowflake" anymore do they?
  • 4 1
 Wait...wtf? Comments get deleted from PB now? Christ I've said some horrible things in my time and as far as I know never got anything deleted. I didn't know that was a thing here. Thats kinda disappointing to be honest. I don't want some moderator deciding what they think I should see or not...

What did you say @hamncheez ?
  • 7 11
flag hamncheez (Nov 12, 2022 at 5:50) (Below Threshold)
 @gabriel-mission9: A joke was made that Putin "has dirt" on Trump, and I pointed out that the Alfa Bank conspiracy theory was disinformation, meanwhile it has been confirmed that President Biden has finanical ties to the Russian government, Ukranian government, and Chinese government. It was a more detailed comment than that though haha. I guess this comment will be gone shorty too.
  • 6 1
 @hamncheez: How weird that that would be moderated. For the record, I'm about as left wing as it gets (actual left wing, not all this modern noise..) but I'd prefer all comments get the light of day. Not just the ones I agree with.
  • 4 1
 @gabriel-mission9: I draw the line at personal, specific attacks, but yes leave everything else up.
  • 2 1
 @hamncheez: Yeah thats fair. But even that I consider a grey area. If I called you a silly billy, I figure that can be left up. If I posted your address and suggested people go throw shit at your house then obvs that needs to be taken down. But I'm very much in favour of only moderating where strictly necessary. Anyway, this has become a bit of a tangent. And given all the up votes it sounds like people agree with us. Stop moderating harmless conversations PB. I think we're all big and tough enough to withstand a little disagreement every now and then.
  • 1 0
 @brookscurran: leverage curve is pretty flat compared to a lot of bikes in this category. Surprised that's not been called out here in the comments.
  • 162 6
 $5,500 for a frame. Nice.
  • 62 1
 When you can buy entirely competent *carbon* race bikes at the price of just a frame....
  • 20 3
 $5,000*
  • 26 2
 $13K for top spec + carbon wheels. Not nice.
  • 8 0
 Not that its much better.. but didnt it say its a flat 5k for the frame?
  • 14 0
 @Takaya94: Yeah, you're right.

$5k for a frame. Sorry, I glanced at the website.
  • 56 9
 Don’t forget to set aside ~800$ for when the Fox shock inevitably self destructs on you.
  • 45 17
 @conoat: STFU
  • 28 34
flag nickfranko (Nov 10, 2022 at 9:53) (Below Threshold)
 @conoat: Okay, Boomer. I think you need more Truth Media and less Pinkbike.
  • 23 31
flag onawalk (Nov 10, 2022 at 10:13) (Below Threshold)
 @nickfranko: not that I care about any of the comments really matter, the use of “Boomer” is pretty lame.
  • 32 53
flag wda1wustl (Nov 10, 2022 at 10:19) (Below Threshold)
 @conoat: The peanut gallery has been drinking too much of the media’s koolaid narrative and they can no longer think independently. Remember diversity of thought is only acceptable if you think the way you are told to think.
  • 35 22
 Venn of people who scream "BUY AMERICAN!" and who are actually "PAYING AMERICAN!" has zero overlap.
  • 40 3
 @singletrackslayer: Wait, when did Yeti start producing in America?
  • 18 1
 My Sentinel GX build cost that much....
  • 7 1
 @intensecp: that Sentinel with GX is a friggin cool bike!
  • 24 10
 @singletrackslayer: Yeti frames are made overseas, dipshit.
  • 44 178
flag conoat (Nov 10, 2022 at 10:30) (Below Threshold)
 @dresendsit: I only mentioned biden, because he is in the white house, and is on the record as saying inflation isn't happening and isn't a big deal.

its the 10's of TRILLION dollars of money printing via the FED that is the root cause. Secondarily, it's the politicians that shut down the economy and paid people to not work. Biden is a 400 year old career politician...the blame for most of our ills lie at his feet, as he has had a major role in crafting disastorous policy that led to this f*ckery.
  • 83 28
 @conoat: just another idiot who blames Biden at the gas pump while oil companies are PUBLICLY REPORTING their profiteering
  • 82 17
 @conoat: You mentioned Brandon, not Biden. First, his name is spelled Brendan and second, how you're blaming Brendan Fairclough for inflation is baffling.

Or you're just dog-whistling. Either way, you're an idiot.
  • 35 9
 @conoat: Bro, the oil companies literally reported record profits in their financials.
  • 27 8
 @conoat: if oil companies increased consumer prices only as much as their expenses grew, yes their REVENUE would grow but profits would be the same year over year. But sure, we’ll go with your mystery “Biden policy” instead
  • 2 14
flag singletrackslayer (Nov 10, 2022 at 10:53) (Below Threshold)
 @HB208: I didn't write "BUY AMERICAN MADE".
  • 6 19
flag singletrackslayer (Nov 10, 2022 at 10:54) (Below Threshold)
 @BobbyHillbomb: Where did you see me write AMERICAN MADE? smh Man, the PB comment section has yet to graduate to sixth grade.
  • 7 27
flag singletrackslayer (Nov 10, 2022 at 10:55) (Below Threshold)
 @BobbyHillbomb: PB comment section collective reading comprehension is barely above VitalMTB's.
  • 30 1
 @singletrackslayer: easy boss, maybe you’re a little hungry.
Can I get you a snickers or something?
  • 12 4
 @peterman1234: He's saying Oil is a commodity so the price isn't just set by the oil companies current costs; there's market speculation. Like if someone wanted to buy my mountain bike, but I was really worried there would never be another mountain bike ever made. They'd likely have to pay me $100k for it.
  • 3 2
 @onawalk: thanks for sharing.
  • 32 9
 If this inflation issue is a US guvmint/stimulus/Biden/whoever thing, why is it worldwide? Did we also give that money to all of Europe, China, S. America, etc? I mean it couldn't be an actual economic problem could it, because that wouldn't align with your kook news outlet of choice.
  • 6 25
flag onawalk (Nov 10, 2022 at 11:04) (Below Threshold)
 @nickfranko: you bet, anytime.

Friggin millennial
  • 10 0
 @singletrackslayer: so your point is that an American based company that produces its products overseas should command the same prices as boutique American made products? Or what exactly is your point?
  • 7 5
 @BobbyHillbomb: I mean,
There might very well be some truth to that.
Lots of other places in the world manufacture premium, and get this, even more betterer products than can be made in America @BobbyHillbomb.
Location if manufactured items certainly isn’t and of itself a mark of a quality product. Somehow there’s a belief that Made in the country you’re in” means it’s better than something produced elsewhere…
Where do you think the carbon that Allied is sourced?
Are Allied and Yeti using the carbon, with similar finish quality?
Has Yeti been making, racing and supporting mountain biking for decades? Is Allied?

There’s so many factors, that could point to the increased expense in the Yeti frame that re being overlooked (switch friggin infinity)
  • 2 0
 not surprised, a lot of brands overprice their frame only
  • 1 8
flag onawalk (Nov 10, 2022 at 11:30) (Below Threshold)
 @mrkkbb: is the frame overpriced, or are you seeing the brands discount on full bikes based on costs of components, assembly efficiencies, shipping, blah blah blah
  • 4 0
 Still trying to keep Covid pricing.
  • 6 1
 @yupstate: yet that speculation of estimated expenses has materialized into higher profits at the consumer’s expense. We’re not supposed to be little lab rats for the oil companies to say “oops our estimates were off to the tune of billions of dollars” while counting their cash and cutting fat bonuses — especially when the US is almost entirely car-dependent. The sheeple are the ones who bury their heads in the sand or even defend this nonsense
  • 10 3
 @number44: don’t let the others know you believe there anything worthwhile outside of the US.

Doesn’t the world end at your borders, like just drops off like the beliefs of flat earthers?
  • 8 1
 @LuvAZ: for 12.5k you can get a fully carbon XO1 pivot...with a battery and motor. Yeti's going bazoink with their pricing this time around.
  • 7 33
flag conoat (Nov 10, 2022 at 12:27) (Below Threshold)
 @peterman1234: does any f*cking company only increase prices the same amount as their expenses? NO....it goes up by a percentage.

economics dun missed ya, bud
  • 5 19
flag yupstate (Nov 10, 2022 at 12:35) (Below Threshold)
 @peterman1234: I don't like to defend the actions, my biggest concern is the unintended consequences of when someone (the guvment) "fixes" the situation and then none of us can get gas.
  • 12 2
 @onawalk: @onawalk: Dude, its a plastic toy, its not worth the same as an entry level motorycle. Not in tariff cost, shipping, outsourcing, nothing. In fact Yeti is owned by the same people as Trek and GT. Its all bs and its bad for ya -george carlin
  • 11 7
 @conoat: quite literally proved my point (that it’s not Biden’s fault) but ok
  • 5 13
flag ticoslayer (Nov 10, 2022 at 14:30) (Below Threshold)
 @peterman1234: Tremendous comment. I say to those people The hell with you. These are strong american companies making tremendous money because of the great work done in 4 years, more than any other weak left president. They call and say: sir, thank you for everything but the truth is, this is just strong patriotism for big gas, strong gas to keep the economy stronger than ever.
  • 27 1
 @onawalk: take your commenting over to Brietbart or whatever echo chamber will confirm your biases. Just leave politics out of Pinkbike. It’s literally where most of us go to escape that bullshit and just rant about bikes.
  • 8 0
 next year it will be 7000 and Pinkbikers will be like " uh ah... remember how in 2022 it was JUST 5000, that was the value" Big Grin
  • 2 1
 Add to that the "a lot of questions asked, Yes bull$..t , fine print " warranty on the top of that. Personally felt that on my back is nothing comparable like the Specialized or San Cruz excellent no questions warranty
  • 7 5
 @coltenbraden: playing devils advocate for a minute here, the pricing is a bit crazy, but it’s not like they’ve just pulled a number out of nowhere, and tbh I think they’re gonna sell most if not all of them at that price, which means they are priced “correctly”
  • 1 0
 @intensecp: and shes a beast, isnt she?!
  • 2 0
 @LuvAZ: Are we still ragging on dentists with Yetis?
  • 6 1
 @Almazing: @foxfactory do the right thing and recall your 2021 Trunion X2s. Apparently you won't "fix" mine with the new parts until I blow mine out...AGAIN.

Not really an acceptable response IMO. Do the right thing.
  • 1 0
 @intensecp: and probably weights the same ( like mine)
  • 1 2
 @Almazing: still waiting for that to happen on my 2019 frame...It's called maintenance
  • 4 2
 Yep, it’s expensive, and I’ll likely never own one. Kinda like a Ferrari. But can we all take a second to appreciate a really beautiful bike?
  • 3 6
 @peterman1234: oil companies get about 7 cents profit per gallon of gasoline. So, brainiac, spend a few hours calculating how much gas prices would come down if you eliminated the profiteering excess.
  • 12 0
 Its too cheap. As a surgeon, how will other riders know how much disposable income i have with a bike that only cost 10kusd. Increase it to 20 and then ill consider it.
  • 3 2
 @conoat: ok Fox News
  • 4 1
 @onawalk: idk if you watch NBA, but the world is flat
  • 1 2
 @brookscurran: I think they were adding sales tax in 9.5% in California
  • 1 0
 @LuvAZ: $18,000.00 CDN!
  • 1 0
 @singletrackslayer: I suspect it’s similar cuz they same folks read and post to both
  • 4 2
 @number44: because the Dems control the entire world just like the when they shut down the entire world because of the dem hoax covid to make Trump look bad. Didn’t you know the Dems control all other countries policies? Don’t believe me just watch Fox News. (Sarcasm just in case it isn’t obvious)
  • 3 4
 @peterman1234: you my friend are not paying attention. Gas prices are 100% caused by Joetato.
  • 1 2
 @HB208: bro.. they are in the business of making money. Always have.
  • 1 2
 @bertimusmaximus: is it now,
Do tell
  • 2 3
 @whambat: maybe you have me confused with someone else, I don’t believe I had made any political comments, maybe you could point them out to me.

I care very little for your countries political agenda, as I really have no influence on it.

From the outside, it looks a little fuc$ed up, but I’m not sure there are many that aren’t
  • 1 3
 @tprojosh: not for me to judge if it’s worth the same as an entry level motorcycle. Economies of scale and all that, super niche mountain bicycles are gonna be way more expensive than entry level motorcycles, not exactly an apples to apples comparison.

What I will reiterate is that just because something is American (or Canadian, or Australian or Scandinavian made) doesn’t mean that it’s better value, or better quality than a thing made in Asian countries. Not sure why that’s such a deal breaker for some people, lots of generalizations out there.
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: sorry somehow I fat finger replied to you when trying to reply to someone else.
  • 3 1
 @whambat: cool beans man,
That’s what I figured.

Prolly trying to reply to @conoat, they seem to have some political agenda going on.
  • 2 1
 Is this a status symbol or a bike?
  • 2 5
 @mtbmac1: all mountain bikes are a status symbol of some sort, unless you’re out riding some department store bike
  • 88 5
 More expensive frame then allied which is hand laid in Arkansas? I love yetis but they getting in the Santa Cruz territory of making zero sense with their pricing.
  • 42 1
 Incredible that companies actually think they will sell these at volume right now. The bike boom is very clearly turning into a glut of bikes. My local SC dealer is discounting current year models.
  • 56 1
 What blows me away is that there are so many "boutique", lower-volume manufacturers who are brining high-performance bikes to market for so much less.

The Deviate Claymore basically cleaned up the Field Test, and that frame will arrive at your door for $4.2k with shock.
  • 18 2
 You can even get an antidote for less too which are hand laid bikes!
  • 259 0
 Hand laid describes a lot of pinkbike
  • 5 4
 @HB208: yeah, it’s fall.
The bulk of the riding season is over, and new model year bikes are coming out
Discounting of current year bikes has been pretty common in the industry for decades.
One of the reasons that there might be current year bikes still on the floor is that it’s been around since 2018 or something, and all us fancy monkeys want new and shiny and updated.

There prolly is a downturn in the cycling boom happening, but selling discounted current model year inventory is not uncommon

Not sure what volumes Yeti needs to sell, but you can be rest assured they will have little issue shifting these bikes.
  • 7 3
 @stormracing: is this Yeti not also hair laid carbon?
  • 18 1
 @stormracing: Yetis are also hand laid (in Asia). Basically all carbon frames are hand laid.
  • 9 1
 @KJP1230: I picked up my deviate claymore for $3000 USD, pound crashed and made the price better. But IMO thats for an amazing boutique frame but its not the mint yeti color, which adds an additional $2K I guess.
  • 3 0
 In Poland* I believe
  • 7 0
 @onawalk: That hasn't happened the last few years. The fact that there is any discounting on bikes is telling.

The discounts were also on models that were JUST released. I have never seen that happen, even in the fall.
  • 5 2
 @HB208: it hasn’t happened in the last few years cause no one had stock, of friggin anything.
Shops choose to discount in-stock inventory in the fall, for decades. There’s always new colours, and spec changes year to year, and most shops want to get their money out so they can purchase the upcoming models, which is usually in the fall.

Maybe different to where you are, but our purchasing was done in the fall, with select models arriving in time for Christmas (usually the high end stuff) that needs to be paid for with the proceeds from the previous seasons profit. Having old model year bikes on the floor, taking up space, and money isn’t good practice.

Obviously the last couple years have been strange, but we are just getting back to what was the previous normal, not the new normal…
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: "Back to normal" can cripple a lot of businesses that were forced to order stock a year ahead of time and ordered too much.
  • 3 2
 The equivalent Santa cruz was cheaper......or did you not bother to actually read the article bro??
  • 3 2
 @HB208: maybe, but that certainly isn’t the issue of Yeti, or of increased bike pricing.

I’m not under any delusion that trying to navigate the market the last couple years hasn’t been incredibly challenging. It’s tough, and a conservative approach was prolly the right path, but not like.y the path taken by all. There was a tonne of money to be mad out there, and if you were able to absorb the risk, you might have done well (royal “you” not “you in particular)

Took a quick look on the the local SC website in Boise, the only discounted SC bike, is a previous model year 5010, which was full 275, and not the new mullet. If I was a shop, I’d be blowing out a 275 bike for cost right now too.
  • 1 0
 @allredbikes: I did notice shortly after the release that the prices were changing constantly on the Deviate website. At one point, I believe I had one in my cart for like $2,800.00. I wish I would've clicked buy!
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: They were running two day weekend sales a few weeks ago
  • 3 4
 You can get two Fezzari La Sal's for the price of the base Yeti right now with Fezzari's Black Friday sale. Or buy one La Sal, upgrade everything to the max, have the frame paint/logos stripped, and have a rad custom paint scheme, for probably less than the entry level Yeti.
  • 1 0
 @rickybobby18: and it gets you a ride with Moawsome and Hanna
  • 3 0
 @HB208: with Yeti it’s margin over volume. And I’m sure people will gobble these up. If you have the money for one of these I’m sure the state of the economy is less relevant.
  • 3 0
 @ratedgg13: I see what you did there, lol.
  • 8 0
 @thechunderdownunder: I have money for one of these, I am not going to support companies that price like this for a f*cking bicycle.
  • 2 0
 @HB208: Same boat - same thought on the matter.

Each and every time I get a new bike, I find that working with local shops and sometimes building from the frame up is the way to go. Often a local shop is willing to give you a flat and significant discount on all your parts if you build it through them. My current rig would've cost ~$11k as a complete bike from the OEM, I managed to put it together for about $7k. Bling build at a reasonable price.
  • 1 0
 @ratedgg13: savage burn!
  • 1 0
 @HB208: that’s more than fair. Personally I would love to see this brand and others find a way to lower prices, but judging by all of the SC and Yeti bikes that I see on the trails, yeti is probably doing fine without us.
  • 2 0
 @KJP1230: yah great price, I believe they’ve increased it a few hundred dollars now.
  • 1 0
 @rickybobby18: but then you have to ride a Fezzari! JK I actually like the La Sal, thing rips
  • 2 0
 @ratedgg13:

This is the winner. All the crybabies talking politics in a bike forum, please refer to @ratedgg13 for a current assessment of your love life.
  • 1 1
 The Santa Cruz mega tower frame is only $4250
  • 1 0
 @calispeedboi: What a steal
  • 2 1
 @KJP1230: But most of us reading about this bike know what else is out there.

Yeti is targeting the Yeti buyers, folks who already ride a Yeti.

… or maybe there’s a population of folks who like the color turquoise Wink
  • 1 0
 @stormracing: no it’s more still. If you factor import fee VAT, custom paint, life time bearing, and ohlins suspension, I spent $9850 for my Dark Matter MX that’ll arrive state side in December. That’s just the frame, shock, and fork.

If you get just the frame it’ll run you about $7800 out the door with custom paint/repaint and bearing replacement.

And for a frame and no suspension and no paint job / repaint service it’s $6000. Which is what I paid for my Dark Matter 27.5
  • 4 0
 You can also purchase a Finnish-machined beauty of an enduro bike for around the $5K mark right now. A CNC framed Pole Vikkelä could be shipped to you with a complete build for only a grand over what one of these Taiwanese SB160 frames would cost alone.
  • 58 1
 SC: Boom, $4300 frame. take that Yeti!
Yeti: hold my soy latte
  • 9 3
 Yeti strikes me as an exclusively IPA crowd
  • 20 1
 I can't even understand how the price is not a con on this bike... Seriously are people loosing their mind ?
  • 4 11
flag ticoslayer (Nov 10, 2022 at 14:42) (Below Threshold)
 @Aksel31: they are crazy, as Fox news would put it: as women going crazy (voting). Imagine that.
  • 4 1
 @Aksel31: Because, unfortunately this is priced in line with the market for a boutique brand with a unique suspension system. The $9,100 spec is what I'd really consider it a top spec and while it is expensive, it's a couple hundred cheaper than a comparable SC.
  • 13 0
 @Chippps: How can someone consider SC and Yeti boutique brands nowadays ? I'll give to Yeti the unique system for their suspension. Other than that, nothing more than the myriad of other far east made carbon frames...
  • 9 0
 Dude, that so 2008-late. It's Oat milk latte nowadays.
  • 2 0
 @conoat: so offended, it’s a oatmilk latte
  • 3 0
 And it weighs not much less than alloy and needs a grease gun every 40 hours. Come on...
  • 51 3
 I keep seeing reviews of large size bikes with the testers swapping out stock stems for shorter ones, slamming their seats forward, and getting higher rise bars. Is it just me or should they be on mediums? Is there a stigma against a slightly smaller bike that you can ride with the spec from the factory? Or is it an availability situation from the supplier?
  • 6 6
 Swapping stems, and moving seats is more about getting your body in the right spot, less about accommodating for frame sizing. A large frame might allow the testers more set-up freedom, while riding a bike that is more stable at speed. Also allows for some height differences between testers/riders.
  • 11 0
 I think it depends on where you ride. For me at 5'11" I go for mediums in the 460 range because I need my bikes to be more agile for most of the places I ride. I can imagine riding in the PNW you might want the stability of the larger size but who knows.
  • 16 2
 @MRP9, it depends on the situation. In this case, Matt could definitely ride either size. That said, the head tube length of 107mm is on the shorter side, which means some riders may find that higher rise bars improve the fit. Stems and seats are adjustable for a reason - we typically try to explain our reasoning in reviews, but it certainly doesn't hurt to ask for clarification.
  • 3 0
 @mikekazimer: thanks for the explanation. I don’t ride enough different bikes to really know the difference in fit. But that’s why you make the big bucks.
  • 5 0
 I think it’s a bummer to see Matt on a large in this review. In Matt’s “hello, can I get an extra medium frame please” article earlier this year he stated he spent time on a status 140 with a reach of 465 and it felt perfect. In the same article he later mentioned that his Goldilocks reach size is 465 to 470. 465 is exactly the reach of the medium sb160. The stack of the status 140 is 618, the stack of the yeti medium sb 160 is 620. Yes the head tube length of the s3 status is 115mm vs the medium sb 160 that is 101mm but the status has a 140 mm fork vs the 170 fork in the yeti. I feel confident Matt would have rather tested the medium yeti and that the results of this review would’ve been different if that was the case.
  • 3 0
 @Jlink11: I couldn’t agree more
  • 3 0
 @Jlink11: The geek is strong in you
  • 1 0
 @Jlink11: Wouldn't really help with the whole "sitting on top of the bike " going to a size down.
  • 51 1
 I'm a Dentist and i can't afford a Yeti anymore...
  • 9 0
 A Swiss dentist at that! The bike market crash is imminent (and welcome).
  • 86 0
 @jollyXroger: it was a joke! of course i can afford a Yeti...


...but i would have to sell one of my Porsches.
  • 6 0
 @kazwei: Gold comment, made my day thank you.
  • 3 0
 @kazwei: Lacking space in the garage?
  • 1 1
 @RonSauce: got to move to America and make those investor cavity quotas.
  • 41 3
 Frame is $5,500 and the T4 model is $12,000?! Yeti's are no longer dentist bikes, they are for orthodontists.
  • 45 7
 Say what you want about dentists, but this bike's aesthetics are fire.
  • 47 7
 Say what you want about Pinkbike commenters but they'll always repeat the same joke that ran out of legs in 2015.
  • 22 2
 @nzandyb: Thankfully manufacturers are continuing to blow us away with prices so the joke remains relevant.
  • 2 2
 @nzandyb: the ebike stuff suddenly makes so much more sense
  • 8 1
 @nzandyb: an ebikes a moped!
  • 6 3
 @pargolf8: motorized pedal bike...checks out.
No joke needed, its literally a fancy moped. They are categorized by my local DOT legally as mopeds.
  • 1 1
 @RonSauce: thanks for the clarity, ron!
  • 34 4
 It's a love/hate relationship with Yeti in my family, all 4 of us used to ride one. 5 cracked Yeti Turq frames in 6 years. I am the last one still riding one, the rest of the family have moved on. Warranty is so/so as well, a rock bounced up and cracked my frame, many other companies would provide a warranty for this. Yeti gave me 50% off a replacement, still expensive. Maybe I will pass on the 160.
  • 26 10
 Rock impacts aren’t a manufactures fault. So any manufacturer has the right to say no to a “warranty” claim in that instance. You don’t go to a car manufacturer after you crash it and ask for a warranty do you?
  • 6 0
 That would likely be a $2000 rock strike on this bike now.
  • 14 0
 @sim70n: I get it. That being said, another friend had a similar incident and the company helped him out a lot more than Yeti helped me.
  • 20 1
 Same thing happened to me. When I emailed Yeti to clarify warranty and to explain what happened they accused me of lying and saying the only way the damage could have happened was from a tip over and not a rock strike. Yeti lost me as a customer that day.
  • 21 2
 I think it's a reasonable expectation for your warranty on a $5k fame to cover rock spray. Many manufacturers will cover that since it's certainly not a user error. Similarly, your car insurance doesn't ding you if a piece of ice or rock cracks your windshield - that's just not a user error.
  • 13 1
 @sim70n: I agree and disagree. A manufacturer should design and build a product to stand up to intended use. In Yeti's case they needed to add more material on the downtube bend and create better protection. Yeti isn't the only one with issues here to be fair, however their whole race driven marketing and high prices mean my standards for them are higher.
  • 9 0
 @sim70n: It's less about how the manufacturer morally justifies their warranty decisions and more about "do they give me the best warranty service or not?" I don't care if there's a good explanation for refusing the claim, all I know is some manufacturers will do it and some won't.
  • 10 0
 @sim70n: on the other hand, rock strikes and crashes are a routine part of actually riding an mtb as intended. As such a certain amount of resilience should be engineered into the frame, and/or offer your frames in less sensitive aluminum.
  • 3 0
 @fentoncrackshell: I mean, they’ll ding you by increasing your premium without much thought. But correct, they likely won’t deny your claim altogether.
  • 2 0
 @jasbushey: or ‘Skwara it’ for $5 in duct tape and epoxy
  • 14 1
 @sim70n: Mountain bikes are ridden amongst rocks, if a mountain bike can't survive a rock hitting it it's an inadequate mountain bike.
  • 2 0
 This sounds like a hate, hate, hate, hate, hate relationship.
  • 3 0
 Can say 100% specialized does NOT warranty rock strikes.
  • 13 0
 My son snapped the down tube in half on his SB130TLR over the summer. He over jumped a big table and went 20’ high to flat. It also severed the top tube and pushed 3” of 1 side inside the other side. He thankfully “rode” away and was fine. He rolled 10’ out and then stopped. As the original purchaser Yeti sent me a new frame for free.

We were riding a new jump line blind at Anglefire so shame on us. However, when the rest of the line is well built and progressively getting bigger why would you end it with a 12’ tall table that is 10’ long?? Ran out of dirt?? Anyway, there’s my warranty story.
  • 6 0
 THANK YOU, 8 out of 10 yeti owners I know have broken their frame. In one instance one doctor (yeah) broke 2 frames in 2 years and he's not an aggressive rider!
  • 2 0
 @sim70n: you sound like the people defending teslas steering wheels falling apart. Bottom line most oem’s are gonna be more accommodating than that
  • 8 0
 @txcx166: Richard Rude Sr, I presume?
  • 2 1
 @sim70n: a frame that shatters from a rock kicked up by a front tire is defective in design if not construction. Yeah, some bike companies aren’t warrantying frames for this (Giant-looking at you) but-a properly designed mountain bike is built to withstand a fair bit of impact force.
  • 1 1
 @Grosey: Giant too.
  • 3 0
 @djyosh: haha not quite. Moto kid that loves mtb. Here it is.

m.pinkbike.com/photo/23720871
m.pinkbike.com/photo/23720873
  • 2 0
 I’m not sure that a manufacturer should cover a rock strike, but then again I have had some nasty rocks hit my specialized carbon frame and not brake. What I do know for sure that if I cracked 5 of the same brand bikes in 6 years I would swap brands haha. Yetis don’t ride all that amazing to me anyway. Definitely good climbers and fast defenders but I like jumps and shralps more than being pinned all the time.
  • 2 0
 @thechunderdownunder: The whole family of 4 had new Yeti's.so we started with 4 in 2016. 2 warranty replacement (just frame failures for no apparent reason) and 3 crash related which only one I actually went for the crash replacement, the rest were just tossed in the garbage as their crash replacement was not worth it. it seemed random on what they actually gave me as a discount. I feel it was based on their inventory and not merit.
  • 1 0
 @txcx166: Noice! Glad you and your son got solid service and a new frame.
  • 1 0
 @jasbushey: pretty accurate. I have a crash replacement warranty on a Santa Cruz and because it was a rock strike, I pay $1600 for the frame (no shock). However, to be fair, in the past I have had 2 completely “free” frames from Santa Cruz, one due to snapped chain stay right through the weld (they honored the 5 year defect warranty at the time, even though it was just over 5 years old). The second was due to a carbon defect I found while cleaning the bike thoroughly. New frame no questions asked. So I’m not too surprised that there is a charge when the frame failure is the owners fault, even though rock damage is a fact for most mountain bikers (I think). 7 Santa Cruz in, I just broke the habit and went for an Orbea rallon (also lifetime warranty). The bike was such a deal in comparison to SC prices.
  • 1 0
 @txcx166: I think he needs an SB165 w/ a dual crown fork!
  • 1 0
 @Staktup: probably so! He’s on a SB150 now. Yeti said that was beyond what the 130 was meant for. I agree.
  • 28 0
 Wow, $9k for GX and aluminum wheels…

The bike industry is in for a correction sooner than later…
  • 3 7
flag jcav5 (Nov 10, 2022 at 11:52) (Below Threshold)
 you can get a sick build YT for less, but your frame will crack and then you get to roll the dice if YT warranty dept is going to help you or not.
  • 7 0
 @jcav5: but you could also buy a spare raaw Madonna with the money you saved...
  • 27 1
 The sag ring is crooked. No thanks.
  • 24 4
 Please share this info:

DONT torque universal derailleur hanger to 25NM it will brake.

It is writen on it 25NM bit it can not stand that amount of force. 10-12NM max, or just with your hand by feeling.
Also if you destroy it with torque wrench (like I did), it is very difficult to take it out, so be carefull.
  • 35 4
 At least it doesn't break.
  • 9 0
 @nickfranko: having an extra brake is a feature
  • 4 0
 I have not had a problem with the udh. I have replaced 3 so far ( bent the crap out of them). Always torqued them to the 25nm spec with a good torque wrench. Maybe I don’t mess with the udh once it is on the bike.
  • 1 0
 @jwg191 @Brdjanin can you guys share what material your UDH's were made from?
  • 5 0
 @conoat: Your advice is flawed. You are coming from a sample of one broken UDH which could have been faulty or there was an issue with your assembly technique, torque wrench or even frame design. You have to compare your one bad experience with hundreds of thousands or maybe 1 million plus UDHs out there that have been torqued to spec and performed as required. In our family we have 4 bikes with UDH, all of which I have removed or installed at some point to spec. My sample is 4 times larger than yours without a single issue. So my advice is torque it to spec.
  • 2 0
 @DizzyNinja: Not sure what’s it’s made of. I am assuming cast aluminum. I just buy the sram one from my lbs. I just seem to smack my derailer on rocks or other things and it’s just easier to replace the try to straighten.
  • 3 0
 @DizzyNinja: My understanding is that all SRAM branded UDHs are plastic overmoulded aluminium. The ones I have certainly are.
  • 2 0
 @DizzyNinja: it is made of plastic and bolt that holds it, is made of aluminium. On the bolt is writen 25nm but plastic part can not stand that torque.

There is many cases where people experienced same issue like I did, when trying to torque it to recomended spec but its just snaped. Be carefull, friendly advice.
  • 2 0
 Mine failed like this too. Brand new Trek Slash, before I even had the first ride in. I literally wrench for Trek, followed all of the tech advice and used a properly calibrated, shop-quality torque wrench. The plastic part sheared off and I had to use a bearing press to remove the remaining part from the ABP bearing. Not the first time seeing this, on various brands, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
  • 1 0
 @jwg191: even a brand new one needs to be checked and often straightened. Unfortunately most frames aren't perfectly straight so even a brand new hanger needs to be fitted for perfect shifting.
  • 2 0
 No experience with that particular bike, but 25Nm sounds like a lot for a component like that. It is the number you need for a heavily loaded part like a crank. If the derailleur hanger needs this kind of torque to stay in place, they'd better review the design.
  • 29 6
 $5,000 frame? Get f*cked, Yeti!
  • 5 0
 Richie is not cheap . . . . . . .
  • 8 9
 @MX298: Richie has to buy his PEDs
  • 3 0
 @wburnes: Nah, he gets 'em direct from his coach.
  • 17 0
 I used to ride a Yeti 575 waaaaay back in the day, prior to the first SB lines. It was an amazing bike, best performer at the time bar none that I rode (around 2006). Today though? Their bikes are still awesome, but not better than any of the other good ones, at least not by any appreciable margin. I'd say that Yeti earns their boutique pricing a little bit more than some others in the category (*cough cough Santa Cruz cough*) by actually doing something different than their competitors, but the extra maintenance that the Switch system requires kind of negates it. Yes I know that it's supposed to be quick and easy, but it's still a bit unnecessary, and it's just one more thing to need to keep track of. Is the extra (admittedly minor) hassle worth the $6700 entry floor? You can spend that much on a Spesh or a Trek, or even a Pinkbike darling Transition and get a hell of a lot better parts package, with no discernible drop off in performance (actually probably an improvement given the better parts) and without any extra work to maintain.
  • 2 0
 I LOVED my 575. Such a great bike. Cracked that weird little carbon rear triangle piece and had no issues with the warranty replacement. I found my 2007 invoice for my 575 the other day and it was $2600 from Jenson. I rode it hard until 2018 and when it was time to replace it, I couldn't get another Yeti for a reasonable price, no matter how badly I wanted one, used or new. Scored my Pivot brand new for $2700 as an unsold previous year. As much as I love my Pivot, I miss the ride of the Yeti.
  • 22 2
 Who needs in frame storage when the frame's already filled with NFTs?
  • 7 0
 They actually make the bike lighter by having negative existence.
  • 18 0
 Holy shit $5K frame.
  • 2 0
 When I read that, I thought it must include a fork like Allied. Nope. But the better value is doing a C1 or C2 ($6700 complete) and maybe doing the Factory suspension upgrade for $800. Of course its Turq vs C, but at least it's a full bike.
  • 1 0
 The previous gen SB150 frame was already at $5000... same for the SB165. Yeti raised all frame prices $800-$1000 over the last two years.
  • 3 0
 @Baller7756: and the bike is 35.5lbs. Means cheaper builds at 40lbs? What customer is this for?
  • 1 0
 @usedbikestuff: The SB150 was a pretty sweet rig for its time and the frame only was $3600 in 2020. This bike is not much different. I would look to buy a previous gen for half price.
  • 2 0
 @Baller7756: I don’t ride carbon. It isn’t worth it.
  • 13 0
 I want to see a shootout including times laps between on of these with the top spec build kits and something a middle of the range YT Capra or an Ibis Ripmo AF. Seriously. How much more performance are you buying vs just bling factor? It’s expensive, yes, but is there a legit value proposition here? Is it really THAT much better?
  • 2 1
 Top Spec is only noticably faster on the way up IMO. Better shifting/ lighter frame helps mainly on the climb. Downhill time is mostly about technique, unless one of the bikes has weak brakes.
  • 4 0
 I think it's been pretty well established through the various field tests, reviews, etc at this point that you DON'T get a great marginal increase in performance over the middle of the road premium bikes. Didn't on a podcast a while back basically all the editors say they would pay max like 5000 USD for a bike these days or something like that?
  • 10 2
 I moved from a YT to a Yeti at the end of 2019. At the time the Yeti geo was better (YT was a pedal strike magnet even in High), the Yeti climbed worlds better (YT was garbage if you even thought about standing up), and the Yeti's suspension platform is in a different league to the YT's more simple design (to be fair YT has probably tuned progression, etc. since then).

Other than that I was also willing to pay more to be supported by a shop network rather than having to deal with YT's incredibly slow customer service - one month to ship an in-stock hanger 45 minutes down the road, etc.

Climbing is vastly superior on the Yeti and I'm probably definitely faster on the downs with way more confidence. Doesn't sound like much, but I'd say the Yeti performance is superior across the board. Bling had nothing to do with my decision (I waited to buy until Yeti got rid of all the loud frame stickers - my bike is totally incognito).

When I bought, I was going from a mid-spec $4k bike to a perfect spec $7.4k bike. Absolutely no regrets at that price, especially since a few brands were charging north of $10k for top specs then. At $10k today, though, I'd honestly be cross shopping a lightweight e-bike just because everyone's prices are so high but I'd definitely miss my Yeti's performance and excellent spec if I went that route...
  • 2 5
 Just looked at the pricing chart on the Yetis... actually I'd consider the $9.1k spec a top spec build - you don't NEED any more than that, but certainly can add it if you want. Definitely not cheap, but also not the $10k mark that I mentioned or a lot of other folks mentioned. Just saw the top spec Capra is actually $9.5k, which is crazy...
  • 4 0
 @Chippps: the 9k build is more like a one off specialty build that's full flight attendant with axs. The normal top spec is the core 4 that's 5k.
  • 1 0
 @FaahkEet: Yeah, understood, but still kind of crazy to see...
  • 2 0
 @Chippps: true, and probably part of the reason they're still available almost a year later.
  • 16 0
 The threaded BB went unnoticed.....
  • 9 1
 funny how threaded BB is the way again, never should have changed in the first place.
  • 16 0
 $10,500. The incoming bike market crash is going to be glorious.
  • 1 0
 You holding your breath for cheap bikes? Good luuuck
  • 15 0
 Still manufactured in Vietnam?
  • 14 0
 That's a 230x65 shock, not a 205x65 as noted in the review. 205 is a trunnion-only size.
  • 11 0
 Man In a world of super bikes and super cars, I’m driving a 22 year old van and a riding working man’s bike. I see these prices, and I fully understand the target market. It’s not me! I’ve been to issaquah, Kirkland, Bellevue, and Seattle…. 10,000 for a bike. I’m still confused. I don’t like spending $5000 for a truck that makes me money. Not a complaint, we all make our own decisions. How and what you spend your $10,000 on isn’t my business. But the trickle down of these obscene prices is. I got priced of Seattle. Maybe riding bikes is next. You ruined skiing already. Long live the dirtbag.
  • 12 1
 Crazy if its 35.5 lbs with maxxis exo+ tires. Richie Rude runs this with DH casing, cush cores, coil shock (sometimes), and tools on the bike. Means his bike is like 38+ lbs easy. Enduro bikes are big steeds these days.
  • 4 2
 It it surprisingly heavy, I mean you're getting into high pivot enduro bike weight territory which is kind of bad.
  • 4 0
 @rick26: My aluminum high pivot enduro bike with coil shock and no carbon parts is lighter than this Yeti. It seems like carbon enduro bikes are getting closer to DH bike weights every year.
  • 4 0
 35.5lbs for XX1 build is nuts. Same goes with the overbuilt Megatower this is compared too. Yeti and SC are just built to the heaviest common denominator - the 280lb rider. My GX/XT build Orbea Rallon tips the scales at 31.5lbs. So glad I went that route.
  • 1 0
 My ‘22 carbon XL Trek Slash with XT, Zeb and a full DT protector is 14.5/32 . Christ I wonder if it will just fly apart?!?
  • 2 0
 @smoothmoose: Exactly this. Shitty resin control and a crapton of low grade carbon fiber.
  • 1 1
 For me there isn't a reason to go more than 14,5Kg on an Enduro bike. I will go electric or down country beyond that... But my I aim is to have a sub 14kg Enduro do it all bike with burly tires.
  • 2 0
 @WalrusRider: mine isn't lighter, but my $5kish alloy spire frame build is close and that Spire frame is a known heavyweight.

Clearly I'm not a weight weenie, but even I winced at the weight on this thing.
  • 11 2
 Fool me once with my SB100 with infinity link coming loose every other ride then the only answer from yeti is “tighten it up”
Fool me twice with my sb140 shock link bearings seizing after 3 rides with the answer saying “that’s how it is, we can send you bearings”

Redesigned the switch bolts when they launched the sb115 with no relief for sb100 owners

Now you see they redesigned how the shock link mounts to the frame…

Man, I can’t be the only one here…

And for how much they cost you’d think yeti would just approving warranty claims and making people happy.
  • 14 5
 "...the SB160 is only available in carbon and isn’t inexpensive."

From the Effective Writing practices tutorial guide:
"A double negative is a statement containing two negative words. It is not part of standard English, and its use should be avoided."

I think a better way to say this would be to say it IS EXPENSIVE. Why are we tiptoeing around reality here?
  • 10 0
 @basic-ti-hardtail

The construct is known as "litotes", see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litotes

"In rhetoric, litotes (/laɪˈtoʊtiːz/, /ˈlaɪtətiːz/ or US: /ˈlɪtətiːz/),[1] also known classically as antenantiosis or moderatour, is a figure of speech and form of verbal irony in which understatement is used to emphasize a point by stating a negative to further affirm a positive, often incorporating double negatives for effect."
  • 14 2
 Would love to see a new Yeti DH bike
  • 24 12
 $10k? I wouldn't even pay that to ride your mum
  • 17 4
 Prices have skyrocketed whilst wages haven't. Crash coming.
  • 9 1
 @seatsniffer4 I’m amazed your mum still doesn’t charge me given the current climate
  • 1 0
 @jrocksdh: you gotta youtube we can follow??
  • 1 1
 @pargolf8: Ray Dalio; rich dad poor dad; check out many(pessimists&oppt)
Good luck!
  • 1 1
 @jrocksdh: oh bud, kiyosaki and i go wayyy back. Check out cash flow quadrant Smile
  • 2 1
 @pargolf8: very good thanks for that.
Wish mentorships were discussed more in grade schools.
5 hours a week of at least 'watering the garden' is huge..and so ez now with tech. Just no excuses these days.
(Aside from rural poor no library/school with internet access/hostile envrios)
I've heard 'ah my 401k is diving' so many times...well u gta tend your garden-mind your biz!
  • 1 1
 @jrocksdh: my sentiments exactly! Usually when people complain about there 401k tanking these days, i rebuttal that with how over inflated it’s really been for the last couple years
  • 10 0
 I’m still waiting for yeti to make alloy bikes again. I had a sb66, that was a great bike, just a little antiquated with 26” wheels.
  • 9 0
 You're wishing on something that will never happen. If it did though I'm guessing it would be at a nice discounted rate of $4,000 for an alum frame.
  • 9 0
 My extra large, alloy, coil sprung Reign 29 with Maxxis DD tyres, NX cassette and Giant's boat anchor wheels is 16.3kg. How is this "superbike" that costs 3x as much only 200g lighter?
  • 1 0
 Hardware mainly, that infinity link aint carbon. Still heavier than I would have expected though.
  • 4 0
 My bike has a 2.5kg wheelset. Those tiny little tubes can't add that much to the Yeti can they? My guess is that when you make carbon strong enough to be fit for purpose it's not actually light, it's just expensive.
  • 1 4
 When you crack your Reign and Giant won’t warranty it, you’ll know why. Sitting on a cracked frame my LBS is telling me to keep….in case Giant does something for me sometime. I’m all for supporting local businesses, but Giant has gotten stingy with their warranty AND their frames are breaking more often.
  • 4 0
 @wyorider: I can buy another two (complete bikes, not frames) and still come out ahead of anyone who bought this Yeti
  • 1 2
 @PhillipJ: "Entry Level" spec on the Yeti is around 6k USD. Current Reign Advanced is only available here with NX and crap suspension for a grand less or horrible Live Valve suspension and GX for 7k. That said, I'm on a Ripmo AF right now, which rides great-but is noticeably heavier than a carbon frame.
  • 1 0
 My Reign Adv 29 with XO, Flow wheels, DD tires, and Super Deluxe air is 29.5 lbs. No issues. However my next purchase in the 30+ lb enduro category, I will just get an alloy frame when the new Reign comes out. I am going to save my money for a light carbon 120-140ish "trail" bike
  • 1 1
 @wyorider: Reign Adv Pro 2, $5k, NX and Zebb is available
  • 3 1
 @OzarkBike: NX isn't just bad, it's straight up awful. Like, your rear derailleur will explode awful. Also, the wheels on that Reign are lousy, and the rear shock is a single can RockShox Deluxe with a truly awful tune. Had a Reign Advanced 29 with that shock-had to replace it to keep from clanging off the o-ring pretending to be a bottom-out bumper.

That's the problem with comparing other bikes at around 5-6k with Yeti builds-by the time you put on some DT wheels, a decent drivetrain, brakes and suspension bits you might as well have gotten the Yeti. Aside from beefier tires, I'd ride the Yeti out-of-box stock and be happy.
  • 1 2
 @OzarkBike: Broke 2 (!) Reign Advanced frames in a couple of years-not crash damage. Giant did a "Composite Confidence" replacement on one, won't do a thing for me on the second one. Flicked a small rock off my front wheel on a blue trail, shattered the downtube UNDER the rubber protector. Their bikes are lighter because the impact strength is crap-just about every person here who's bought a Reign Advanced 29 has cracked at least one frame.....
  • 2 0
 @wyorider: Did you miss the bit where my frame is alloy and still weighs about the same? Who cares what the Reign Advance costs, I can get a Reign SX, a Shimano 12 speed drivetrain and nice carbon wheels for about half what that Yeti costs and the only downside is that self-conscious posers will snub me for riding a Giant while they load their "superbike" into a Toyota.
  • 1 2
 @PhillipJ: Reign SX is $4500 USD. By the time you upgrade stuff it’ll be near or at the price of the better spec’d “entry level” Yeti. Comparing a basic alloy frame build against the top end build of a carbon bike doesn’t make sense.
  • 1 0
 @wyorider: Reign 29 alloy is $3600 with SLX 12spd and a Yari. Not too bad of a bike.
  • 9 1
 Resigned switch infinity link that promotes, among other things, "less play" according to Yeti's website. My chronically shifty 130 rear triangle is starting to make more & more sense now.
  • 9 0
 Checks notes: It costs $10 500 to buy a 35LB bike that is meant to be ridden hard and needs to be worried about incase a small rock cracks the frame... Yea no.
  • 1 0
 Welcome to the 2020s. With the possible exception of Santa Cruz, just about every bike company has gotten hatefully stingy with warranty frames.
  • 1 0
 @wyorider: I just don't see the reason to run carbon on a high end 35LB hard use bike. I can afford it, but it would be a dumb decision.
  • 2 0
 @ThreadedBB1day: I'm on a Ripmo AF, so you're preaching to the choir. But I've also liked every Switch Infinity suspension Yeti I've tried. And sadly, just about every company has gotten lousy on frame warranties. I'd also say the "entry level" version of this bike is pretty dialed out of the box, whereas bikes from the big 3 at 6k tend to need a bunch of stuff swapped out.
  • 6 0
 Those frames may feel even longer due to the low stack heights in comparison to other brands" Hum, no. Frames with short headtubes have less effective reach after the extra spacers are installed, than a frame with an equal reach on paper and a longer head tube, and consequently less spacers. So it's the other way around. If the headtube is short, the bike will feel shorter than the claimed reach would suggest.
  • 2 0
 Well, you could put a Whiskey Milhouse bar on there with a 70mm rise and maintain the reach.
  • 1 1
 @whambat: Or put lots of spacers and a longer stem. High rise bars are no "magical solution", you end up more forward in relation to the steering axis. It's fine if that's what you want.
  • 2 1
 @whambat: I also don't focus on just reach. If you add spacers you are reducing the reach but you are increasing the RAD (the distance from BB to grips). I focus more on having an ideal RAD.
  • 1 0
 @DavidGuerra: I was kinda joking. 70mm bars aren’t really my thing and a bad solution to a design problem.
  • 1 0
 @whambat: Or to what is thought to be a problem (reduction in reach by the addition of spacers) when it really isn't, because the RAD is actually increasing. Or maybe you just want a lower bar and a shorter head tube allows that.
  • 5 0
 There is not much wrong with the frame and geo. It's a minor update sure, but the SB150 rode great, I am sure this thing is excellent. The price though, it is just so goddamn dumb. Actually let me edit this. The stack is way too low.
  • 2 0
 Unreasonably low stack is now the rule, and is just a mechanism to cheat on reach numbers.
  • 3 1
 @half-man-half-scab: it would be great if people realized extra long reach is not the ideal. Oh well. I am happy with my bike and I’ll keep it for a while.
  • 3 0
 Meh-low stack gives the option of a taller front end with a riser bar. No great way to drop stack on a tall headtube.
  • 1 0
 I see expensive Enve and custom ti options, but there is nothing at the price point of a beautifully compliant Oneup bar in the 50mm+ rise bracket. Unless someone can suggest something I'm ignorant of, your options for a compliant hirise bar are pretty limited.
  • 5 0
 I understand and respect the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" method to releasing new bikes. Designs don't have to be refreshed every year. With such small incremental changes though, hard to see who will bite on these prices except the hardcore Yeti fans, or people leaning this way already. No in-frame storage??
  • 5 0
 “Longevity was an area that Yeti looked to improve upon with the SB160, and that started with improved seals, hardware and bearings throughout the Switch Infinity link, but only on the fancier Turq series frames.”

So durability is an option, not standard. Seems like they could have just not mentioned that and focused on the weight with the Turq premium.

Bold move considering the existing Switch Infinity reputation.
  • 8 0
 10k and you get alloy wheels, a gx chain, and x1 cranks. What kind of rational person buys a build like this?
  • 3 0
 The GX chain bugs me a lot. Really Yeti?
  • 8 1
 Pricing is truly shocking. When the Specialized Enduro S Works frame is a whopping $2000 less and offers competitive performance, better cable integration.....
  • 5 0
 @foxfactory should really do the right thing and recall all 2021 trunnion mounted X2s. I have a 2021 Transition Patrol XT, X2 already warrantied once. Now the word on the street is there is indeed a fix, but I have to "break it again" before I can get my shock warrantied...which means it might be out of warranty by then.

I already went with an Ohlins TTX2 air because I don't want to be out on a ride or a trip with a blown out X2, now I'm left carrying the bag with a $500+ Fox X2 shock that is essentially useless (I don't feel right selling it used). So I guess the solution is...throw the X2 on there while carrying a spare shock and hope that I break it?

Pretty unacceptable response IMO for a KNOWN issue with trunnion frames. Do the right thing @foxfactory.
  • 2 0
 Yeah-it’s like they made the shock bodies out of eggshells. And at 366 days from purchase the best Fox will do is a discounted new X2. Love the way that shock rides, but expensive (and not DIY) service and unwillingness to remedy known defective product kinda ruin it for me.
  • 1 0
 @wyorider: Yup I know a lot of riders that are swearing off @foxfactory. Do the right thing @foxfactory!
  • 1 0
 Also after this @foxfactory reached out to make it right. Nice, thank you!
  • 4 0
 "Just look back at some of the achievements that the turquoise bikes have claimed in the last decade. Yeti, and their athletes, have multiple championships under their belts and medals hanging on the walls. In other words, they know what they’re doing."

So does Nukeproof (by same account).
  • 8 1
 the new paint looks great
  • 6 0
 "a hint of venerability" belongs in a Steve Jones Dirt magazine free-form beat poetry bike review.
  • 7 0
 Buy a dirt bike . You’ll have more fun at that price point.
  • 1 0
 No kidding . . . . .
  • 7 0
 $5500?...Yeti 'nother reason to keep riding the bike I have.
  • 6 0
 5 different chainstay lengths to span a total of 8mm?? Are they for real? SMH
  • 6 0
 10k+ enduro bike with exo tyres on heavy wheels ... ooook bro
  • 5 0
 They should keep reviewing more bikes that im sure are amazing, but well never buy.
  • 2 0
 I love those Assegai MaxxTerra tires. I rode & raced on them this season, they're a fast rolling tire with predictable grip and cornering. Sure, the MaxxGrip is a little grippier, but not worth the extra effort to pedal them around.
  • 1 0
 I thought i was running maxgrip but turns out they were MT. Switched to a MG and holy shite. Ive been a maxxis hater for conti’s quite sometime but assguy/dhr DD MG is on another level
  • 4 2
 Unlike Santa Cruz, Yeti’s entry build is spendy but ready to rock out of the box. This is a dedicated enduro race bike-and would be awesome for that purpose. Looking forward to a revised 130 LR bumped up (145-150 travel) as a daily whip-current lineup is missing a replacement for the SB 5.5.
  • 2 0
 To me the 130LR was the perfect all-around spec... I honestly hope they keep that bike around 130-140. Ridden a lot of modern bikes and I keep coming back to that travel range as the right balance between fun and all-around capability if you don't need a full-on enduro rig...
  • 5 2
 Who the f*ck goes into a Yeti article and complains about the price. Where have you been and what do you expect, that all the sudden Yeti will have backpedaled their priced by 30%?

Get smarter.
  • 2 1
 Oh dude the Great Recession is coming. Soon new yetis will be 1,500 and lake front property will be 100k… clowns everywhere
  • 1 0
 Sick bike but one gripe, you still have to drop the main pivot in order to access the grease ports on the SI, big pain in the ass. First iteration of bikes with SI didn't have this issue. Also, would be nice if Yeti gave the option to install a cover for the SI to keep dirt and crap out.
  • 1 2
 Huh?? Access to the grease port is not hidden at all and there appears to be no need to do anything with any pivots to grease the SI. But I agree, it would be nice if you could cover the SI area (or at least the port)
  • 1 0
 @Chippps: there are two ports. One is hidden.
  • 1 0
 @Chippps: Obviously you've never serviced one. There are two ports, one per stanchion. One is visible, the other can only be accessed by dropping the main pivot.
  • 16 14
 While certainly there are some differences, the Fezzari la sal peak is very similar in a lot of way. I’ve got one and like it a lot. The SB150 (when functional) was one of my favorite bikes of all time.
  • 14 8
 You are drunk, go to bed.
  • 4 0
 Utah vs Colorado in the comment section today. I always love when Fezzari is brought up
  • 5 1
 I’ve got no dog in the fight, but for the price of a yeti frame you can have a full bike with high end sram spec and similar geo fro lmk the fezz. Can’t ignore that.
  • 1 0
 Haha for sure. I live in Bellingham but I feel you @chrisclifford:
  • 4 0
 Over/under for the amount of times “dentist” shows up in the comments? Is 1,000 too high?
  • 2 1
 You're better than stooping to their level.
  • 3 1
 Assegai maxxterra is an interesting front tire spec for sure. I haven't tried that combo but seems like it would work fine as a (slow) rear tire. Up front, maybe just a dysfunctional compromise?
  • 4 1
 Why is it bad, cause it's not maxxgrip? I run maxxterra as a front usually, works great.
  • 1 0
 @spottba: it's not bad, but not as good, at least in my wet climate. It's a front tire - give me the best, especially at this price point.

I owned up to not having tried that particular Assegai. Do you find it rolls faster than maxxgrip, or is it the longer life that appeals?
  • 5 2
 What, I'm tired of Yeti thinking they're Victoria's Secret of MTB, just splash a little sexy blue panty color and watch the men pay whatever for that b;'ch
  • 4 0
 @mattbeer how are you liking those Time pedals compared to your usual crankbros?
  • 7 0
 Hmm, there's lots to discuss here; smaller platform, stronger spring, less cleat adjustment, and only forward entry into the mechanism. Maybe it's time for a clipless pedal shootout?
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer: plz do because ive only ridden spd and being a creature of habit, im scared of pedal change
  • 4 1
 Yeah I don't get it isn't matt like 5'7..so he's on a large..and what's with the weight of all these new bikes..my aluminum slash is only 34 lbs
  • 10 0
 @beanes1963 $10.5k for a 35.5 lbs bike with exo+ is crazy.
  • 3 2
 I've seen other comments on the SB130 & 150 that reference needing to be completely focused to get the most out of the bike or so that it doesn't "bite." I am 5-11 with a long torso and Yeti geo has always been bang-on for me - super natural and fun to ride. After hundreds of hours on a 130 and 150, I've never found either to be a handful or a bike that I feel like I'm a passenger on. Glad I got mine when the top spec price started with a 7...
  • 1 0
 Ya know...I'm not a Yeti fan any more, but I enjoyed the 130 that I rode all of one time on the local trail. It was a bit soft for my weight but that kinda worked for me. I dunno... /shrug
  • 1 0
 Are you riding a large I'm guessing? I'm 5'11" also but I feel like I'd be in between a med and large.
  • 2 0
 @rum501: Yes riding a Large. My suggestion would be L if you have a longer torso, but definitely try both M & L if you're normally proportioned. If it feels like you're hanging onto the L rather than comfortably riding the bike, M is probably the way to go.
  • 3 1
 I do think it's a pretty nice upgrade, I like what they've done with the sizing and the small adjustments to the linkage. The new colors look sooo good. Really bummed out about no glove box, and no more XT builds though.
  • 1 0
 Nice thing. I like Yeti bikes, always have but I doubt I'd ever own one. As bikes get more expensive they seem to date faster, if I'm gonna get a new bike every 2 years or so it'll be alloy with good suspension , wheels and tyres and mid level everything else. It's a great time to be a riding though as we have choices, choices, choices. Yeti or Polygon, you're gonna have fun.
  • 3 0
 Do you still have to take the frame apart to access the second switch infinity grease port? Wasn’t the easiest thing to accomplish on my sb165.
  • 2 0
 I can service the switch infinity in 15 minutes from start to finish on my SB165.
I was doing weekly/bi-weekly service as I was riding quite a bit this year.

having an access hole to grease the rear fitting would be f*cking life changing tho!

the bike rides noticeably smoother immediately after service as well.
  • 3 0
 How about some choices for shocks on the frame-only? X2's are worth peanuts secondhand because their reliability is so questionable. Small builders seem to understand this.
  • 3 0
 Man this bike is a joke. 10.5k for a rig with aluminum wheels. I’ve got two bikes with EXT squish and carbonzo for less than that. Jeeebis
  • 1 0
 Wow! Exploded Picture view showing only an EXO front tire on not only a $10K+ bike. And here I thought for the price they’d at least put a max grip on the front. That aside, still sucks they didn’t update the SI to be able to grease the whole thing from one front accessible grease point or have a rear access point to get things done without having to disassemble it from the rear triangle. I’m sure I’ll get neg bombed, but I’d almost go as far to say it sucks more than servicing a head tube with cables thru it.
  • 1 0
 Bahahahahaha what a bunch of f*cking jokers. I hope these clowns aren’t going to be asking why every bike rider out there will be laughing when they’re the first and worst to feel the crash coming. What kind of mindless twits does Yeti take their customers for? Unbelievable lol
  • 2 0
 So wait, you’re a fan?
  • 1 0
 I’m fine with bikes being expensive but $5000 for a frame? If I’m dropping that kind of money I’d rather get the Atherton 150 where I can order it in basically any size I want. I get that the frames are assembled in the US but this is still just a production carbon frame that I can buy form the biggest online stores. Backcountry, competitive cyclist, and Jenson USA are basically the Walmart or Target of the bike world slowly killing off your mom and pop shops. I’d understand the price if it was special but nothing special is sold at big box stores.

I have an sb150 and was waiting to see what this bike would look like and I’m kinda disappointed with the lack of down tube storage and the price. Think I’m going to build up a Transition Spire.
  • 3 1
 Super expensive: check
Heavy for a carbon bike: check
Long seat tubes and low stack: check
Barely any difference in chainstay length between sizing: check
Yeti knocking it out of the park yet again!
  • 3 0
 Seriously who the Fck has the money for a new bike nowadays. $10k is slowly becoming the standard
  • 8 18
flag mknott9 (Nov 10, 2022 at 12:51) (Below Threshold)
 People with jobs, I know, not a popular thing to have anymore
  • 4 0
 Nice work on solid XXL sizing. This is way overdue.
  • 1 0
 But these big brands have been releasing terrible XXL bikes for years, if they recognized XXL riders at all. But hey, better late than never.
  • 4 0
 Only took four years to come out with a better downtube protector.
  • 6 3
 At least someone has something to look forward to in life. Dentists... Nate Hills... have fun.
  • 4 5
 At least give us some original humor to look forward to then.
  • 5 4
 @nzandyb: STFU, you peasant of Trudeau.
  • 3 0
 @AppleJack76: moderately better
  • 4 0
 I don't think venerability means what you think it means...
  • 1 0
 5k for a frame and almost 7k for a budget build? My wife is a doctor and we cant even afford these prices! Love me some Yeti but I'm going to have to start looking at Giant or Trek for my future bikes.
  • 1 0
 The dude shortens the bike up by putting a shorter stem on it, higher and narrower bars, and moving the seat forward. Then lists sitting up to high on the bike as a negative.... OK .
  • 3 0
 Fox factory Vitus sommet… current affordable
  • 2 0
 How good are the Vitus carbon bikes??
  • 1 0
 @defm06: I haven't noticed anyone complaining of any issues so far, two years since the current models were launched, but there also aren't many of them out there.

They're a reflection of current design trends, e.g. the Sommet is effectively what you'd get if you threw a Trek, a Norco and a Transition into a blender. It punches well above its weight but is a little on the heavy side - my XL CRX is 16.9 kg with a coil shock. Perhaps less optimisation in the frame design, but it cost half as much as an equivalently equipped SB150 so, y'know...

The review here noted that Vitus's geometry chart gets the head angle and wheelbase wrong, i.e. it's longer and slacker than specified.
  • 2 0
 @boozed: Wow thanks for the great response, I'm constantly checking Wiggle and CRC websites waiting for a Sommet CRX on S frame but so far no new inventory. The current CRX with XT drivetrain and brakes and Fox 38 factory for $4,800 looks like a good deal for me
  • 1 0
 @defm06: Vitus are designed by the same guy that designs Nukeproof, Privateer and Forbidden bikes. Their geo is on purpose a tiny bit more conservative compared to NP to cater for different riders. The latest generation of Vitus models looks very nice and competively priced (if you find them in stock).
  • 1 0
 Chain-stay length in the article is 2mm shorter across sizes than what's show in the Geochart - can someone please confirm which is correct?
  • 2 0
 Geo chart looks like the one found on Yeti’s website in the past. I would probably go with that stat. Either way 2mm isn’t gonna be a noticeable difference.
  • 8 9
 Wow Yeti, you changed the way the link bolts to the frame, I wonder why?.. After months and months of seized links bearings, a replacement front triangle, more seized link bearings the dog and pony show run around with Yeti I sold my 140. Then looky there they makes the change in how the link bolts to the frame! lifetime warranty covers defects in materials and manufacturing but does it cover defects in design??? F U Yeti.
  • 3 1
 I sold my SB150. I got tired of servicing the damn bearings and the switch infinity. Last service I had 3 bearings completely seized in 6 months. This is, as they say, a race bike, and therefore you need a mechanic to check it after every ride lol
  • 3 1
 in 2019 i spent more time without a Running bike than a running bike thanks to yeti and their frames...
  • 3 0
 Thank you for posting the frame weight !
  • 3 1
 the real innovation here is copying the Bianchi blue paint color, but just different enough that Yeti doesn't get sued.
  • 1 0
 Looks a little bit dull,those lines and colors made the frame looks old school. Never being a fan of Yeti´s bikes,that rear suspension is not for me.
  • 2 1
 If you listen veeeeery closely you can hear the wanting sighs of at least a dozen dentists and plastic surgeons as they fondle their credit cards in anticipation...
  • 2 0
 Is the frame particularly heavy on this bike? How it the full build so heavy with an air shock and Exo+ tires?!
  • 1 0
 I wonder if this bike was tested on the local green trails and dg bike paths, cause that’s where it’s most likely gonna spend most of its time.
  • 2 0
 I gotta ask: do folks ever just get tired of all the politics and stuff? It gets pretty booring ….
  • 1 0
 November 22 : Everybody saying it's too expensive
May 23: Everybody with a new Yeti at the bikepark
Aaaaaaa you're fun MTB rich community !
  • 4 2
 make ur ebike acoustic, yeti
  • 2 0
 I’d love to see a revamped SB100, for XC/Marathon

Hump
  • 10 1
 Sb120 is coming out tomorrow
  • 2 0
 @mariomtblt: waiting…………….. are you positive
  • 1 0
 @ace9: my source was wrong, don’t worry though it’s coming!
  • 1 0
 @mariomtblt: Yes, yes. can't wait to see how expensive my next bike will be... though i know it will be worth it
  • 3 1
 Good luck selling any of these at these prices. lol
  • 1 0
 I'll wait for the steel version, although knowing Yeti they'll charge $4999 for it.
  • 1 0
 Kinda exactly what I want geo-wise. If I had more money or no kids I'd probably join the yeti cult.
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer what would you say is too much progression as you allude to in the article?
  • 3 0
 @ashmtb85 No, definitely not. The SB160 does a great job of using the middle of the travel more effectively over mid to large-size bumps, but reserves the very end to save you from predictably harsh bottom outs on flat landings and heavy compressions.
  • 1 0
 for 9 billion dollars you have the option of picking a paint job that does not match an already hideous looking saddle.
  • 1 0
 Ummm yeah its not a 205x65 shock... Its not a Trunnion... COME ON PB!
#230x65
  • 1 0
 Still wonder how long that Switch Infinity link would last in UK (muddy) conditions?
  • 1 0
 Came here for the Dentist quips, WTF! step it up guys, this is garbage, I know you can do better. Love my 130LR though
  • 2 0
 The cost of this bike is definitely innovating higher prices
  • 1 0
 Not expensive enough for me. Can I get some gold lettering or something?
NEXT!
  • 2 0
 Can you run a dual crown fork? Website is silent on this.
  • 1 0
 I was loving the move towards minimal graphics. Trending back towards more is more is more again Frown
  • 1 0
 Was junk than and still is junk now…not even top tube mounts …lol yeti the most overrated piece of shit.
  • 3 2
 Even dentists will have to think twice at this price.
  • 2 1
 5K for a f****** frame???
  • 2 0
 Deleted photo>
  • 5 0
 Peleted Dhoto
  • 3 0
 @lehott: Melanated Potato
  • 1 0
 I can see this bike..in my mind.
  • 4 2
 Meh...
  • 1 0
 tool storage zone ? How to get inside ?
  • 3 3
 Those are some majorly effed up proportions on the bigger sizes(in my opinion). Goodness gracious that is far from balanced
  • 1 1
 The XL is a near clone of the XL Norco Sight. Aren’t they one of the main “balanced” proportion bikes?

If you push too much “balance” on the bigger bikes you’re gonna make it massive and probably boring.
  • 2 0
 No Matte Black?
  • 2 0
 No frame storage?
  • 1 0
 Yep, because then it’ll weight more than an Aluminum DH bike
  • 1 0
 Wonder what the frame alone will cost in Europe….. 6k?
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer the XL reach shows 510mm in the geo chart but article says 505mm
  • 1 0
 Thanks for the spot. Insert dizzy emoticon here.
  • 1 0
 I would be interested to see a comparison to the 150 and 165
  • 2 1
 175 dropper on a large isnt enough. i can run 220+ on my gt
  • 8 0
 Sounds like the only impressive thing about a GT
  • 1 0
 so in-frame storage is out now, great!
  • 2 2
 I'm thinking dentists are getting priced out of yetis. It's a cardiologist's bike?
  • 4 3
 2022
Santa Cruz: dentist bikes
Yeti: surgeon bikes
  • 2 0
 Neurosurgeon bikes
  • 2 1
 10K? GET IT WHILE YA CAN, HARD TIMES ON THE WAY!!!
  • 1 0
 Gladly no six link and small tweaks only, nice
  • 2 0
 BSA. THANK THE MAKER
  • 1 0
 Vanity, materialism and anti depressant...
  • 1 0
 Not a light weight bike considering the carbon frame and air shocks
  • 2 0
 Not a glowing review
  • 1 0
 175 max dropper on a size large? 210 or bust.
  • 1 0
 Damn that thing is heavy as shit and the tire spec sucks.
  • 1 0
 You can buy new Yamaha Tenere 700 for this price. Just makes no sense.
  • 1 0
 Make joke about dentist rescieve upvote
  • 1 0
 $5,000 for a frame they don’t call him Richie Rude for nothing.
  • 1 0
 Blue just like the trails that the dentist will ride it on
  • 1 0
 An alloy modernized version of the ASX would be nice
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer how does this compare to the we are one arrival 170?
  • 1 0
 @mtnranger I have yet to ride the Arrival in that configuration, so I can’t say exactly. The SB160 did share a similar riding position with the Arrival 150 though.
  • 1 0
 the shock is a 230x65 not 205x65...
  • 1 1
 Were all the deleted photos taken of a "prototype" Yeti frame?
  • 2 1
 LOL
  • 2 2
 Looks better than the SB150 but also less than a Yeti.
  • 2 3
 625mm stack on a large isn't a low stack height. Don't know what your talkin bout
  • 5 0
 In comparison to other bikes we've ridden, like the Orbea Rallon, Santa Cruz Megatower, and Norco Range, the SB160 stack is lower, ...not that there's anything wrong with that.
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer: How much rise did you end up using and how much spacers under? Higher rise also makes the handlebars come a bit closer on a frame size otherwise a bit big!?
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer: why is the lead so underexposed?
  • 1 0
 @LDG: You’re totally right there. The same goes for narrower handlebars. I felt comfortable with a 765x35mm bar and 25mm of spacers, including the headset cap, under a OneUp 35mm stem.
  • 1 1
 chainstays are too short IMO
  • 1 1
 Yetis lineup makes basically no sense at this point. So much overlap.
  • 1 0
 35.5 big chungus
  • 1 2
 At what price level do you get away from the GX chain?

What a crap place to downspec.
  • 1 1
 id say tires are worse
  • 1 1
 says exo+ but clearly that pic is an exo, i see no +
  • 1 1
 No photos?
  • 7 10
 Aside from the frame price this honestly isn't as bad as I was expecting. XX1 AXS Fox factory for 10kish is in line with most everyone else.
  • 4 2
 You expected more than 5k for a frame made in the same factory as other much cheaper frames in some Chinese workshop? Wow.
  • 6 0
 Or, you can get an X01 build Hugene AND Tyee from Propain for essentially the same price.
  • 1 0
 I agree
  • 11 7
 f*ck that bullshit. I will never support a brand that pulls this crap. The $10K XX1 AXS kit comes with a GX chain, X01 Cassette, "SRAM Eagle AXS" shifter (probably means GX). f*ck you Yeti, you need to save a few bucks on a $10K build??
  • 1 1
 @MillerReid: "Aside from the frame price"
  • 11 0
 ....? It's GX axis for $10.5k with aluminum wheels, and not even the factory transfer seat post. If you want XX1 you're looking at $12k and still aluminum wheels. The price point is insane.
  • 2 0
 with the same aluminum wheelset (a good one mind you) and Factory suspension as a $7000 Spire (Fox/XT build). Not sure how AXS (mix of X1/XX1 with a GX chain) justifies $3,000/42% more over the Spire?
  • 1 0
 @MillerReid: They are made in Vietnam, but good point
  • 3 4
 YEAH YOU KNOW A NEW SB130 IS COMING SOON!
  • 12 0
 I think it will be 120-140-160
  • 3 2
 @souknaysh: They have the sb140, you think they might just make that mullet and then sb120 for the downcountry folk.
  • 4 0
 @mrift04: 27.5 SB140 is Yeti's worst selling bike and rumor has it will be phased out. The new SB130 is rumored to be SB140. We shall soon find out.
  • 5 0
 @genericmk: it makes sense, they are going from odd numbers to even. I think they should just copy Apple's marketing strategy and call them Yeti, Yeti SE, Yeti Pro and Yeti Pro Max
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