303 First Ride Impressions, The extended version.
Moving on now. After seeing how patient I was being, Chris Conroy at Yeti hooked me up with the first available 303. He took some time dialing in the suspension to how I like it and sent the most sunburnt canadian at the show back out into the sun to see if I could last one more run without losing a large amount of skin out on the hill.
Between the tent and the roll in at the top of the hill anyone who saw my ride either asked me questions or pointed at the inner workings and whispered to whoever they were with. Calling this bike an attention getter would be an understatement. Yeti have gone a completely different route with the 303 and used a combination of pivots, I-beams and "bearing sliders" to achieve something they claim is better then the average DH bike. Go to www.yeticycles.com to get fully geeked out or read on to find out how it rode.
There are not a whole lot of bikes that sag under their own weight, the V10 comes to mind but that bike was just a bit too monster truckish for my liking. With no rider on board, the Yeti sits just slightly into its stroke, thats how smooth it is. If you even look at it funny it will activate the suspension. A super active bike is great but what you do not want is a bike that feels like you are riding an atv with flat tires down the trail. Most every bike company out there has some sort of patented design (or pays to use one) that is supposed to work better then your buddies bike, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Yeti is no different with their "ZeroLoss Technology". Yeti's version of the holy grail is claimed to eliminate the bad juju caused by me pedaling squares and keep the brake jacking to a minimum. Like I said above, everyone is claiming to have the best design on the market and while it might do something different, most times its not doing anything better.
![photo]()
I wouldn't say the 303 is going to shave 30 seconds off your local run but it is doing something different, and for the short time I had it I think it was doing a thing or two better. The first thing I did was give it a hoist. It looks like an absolute beast of a bike, even by DH bike standards, but the heft wasn't all that hefty. Surpise, surprise, I would have to guess I was holding about 43lbs of metal and rubber in my hands. Thats about par for the course when talking about 'big bikes'. I've spent time on 37lb gravity machines and it does make things a little easier but 43lbs is still funner then 53lbs. Yeti says 12.5lbs for a frame so you will have to plan good and drop some cash money to hit the 40 pound mark, but that's half the fun I guess.
![photo]()
So, did it work? Of course. Did it work good? It worked different. It seems like half of the people I talk to about the 303 are convinced that riding this bike would be like cheating. The other half (the realists or the pessimists?) are not so hot to trot about whether its worth while to have things sliding around back there. I rode it and I still don't know which camp I'm camping in. (ed note:or what team he's hitting for!)
There are some pretty smooth rear ends out there these days but nothing like this. That poor DHX 5.0 bolted between the rails gets worked more then any other dampner on any other design. It responded to absolutely everything I happend to run over. It did not matter, straight into a foot high rock ledge fast enough to dent the weaker of rims out there or working the bike on a rare smooth section. Coming from a single pivot DH bike that runs alot of low speed comp. (read: stiff and NOT active) it all felt a little funny to me. Thats not to say that it wasn't doing its job, its just doing its job alot.
What it all adds up to is traction. The big Yeti was a ground sticking machine no matter if I was off trail on some way-past off camber section or a flat gravel corner. Granted, none of the other bikes I rode over those two days had as much mojo going for them, but the 303 made the others feel like they had slicks mounted. While traction can be the name of the game, it all felt a little wishy washy to me. I know the bike is stiff and precise but having such an active setup almost made the bike feel anything but precise. I would have liked more time, a shock pump and Darren from Push out there with me to tell me which way to turn the dials. The bike had the correct amount of sag dialed in but it almost felt like I was sitting in 60% of the stroke instead of 30%. I would have loved to team this frame with a Cane Creek Double Barrel shock and head out for the afternoon to play and tinker, a lot more low speed comp. and high speed rebound and this monster might be unstopable.
What really surpised me was how the bike managed to put the power to the ground. It wasn't that long ago that something this responsive would have been almost unpedalable, VPP, DW links and shock technology have moved things to the next level and I think Yeti's 'ZeroLoss' works atleast as well as anything out there. Maybe better.
I am of the opinion that that is the real story here. We all knew that the rear end would go up and down, Yeti wouldn't sell it if it didn't. But it pedals too, and really good to boot. Sure, the rails let them pick the 'perfect' axle path but they also let this beast be unleashed relatively fast with our meager 1/4 hp engines. I might go so far as to say that this is one of the best pedaling bikes I've been on. That's quite the statement considering how plush it was.
![photo]()
As the 303 sits right now, I have a hard time recommending it for a certain type of terrain. It carries speed over rough ground amazingly well and is more sensitive then anything out there so I'd like to tell you it would work great on a big, fast rough course, but at the same time that 'vauge' feeling from the back of the bike put me off a little. Because it pedals so well, it might work great on something flatter and slower but you'd really have to watch what your body is doing to keep it from flopping around like a fish out of water. I know that Fox worked with Yeti on getting the right valving but the rear end ever felt 100% dialed to me, but what do I know.
Maybe the DHX 5.0 mounted just isn't enough for this bike, it might need a little more/different valving inside to get the most from the 303. I wouldn't say it felt bad but it felt different. Not to sell this bike short, it was a very good, fast bike and the boys at Yeti are onto something with rails and 'ZeroLoss'. I remember when the V10 debuted, people had no idea what to make of it and now it's seen a lot of success and is one of the 'it' bikes. Much like the big 10 a few years ago, the 303 has a bright future ahead of it, just keep an open mind.
Please visit www.yeticycles.com to learn more about the 303 and their whole line up of bikes.
Between the tent and the roll in at the top of the hill anyone who saw my ride either asked me questions or pointed at the inner workings and whispered to whoever they were with. Calling this bike an attention getter would be an understatement. Yeti have gone a completely different route with the 303 and used a combination of pivots, I-beams and "bearing sliders" to achieve something they claim is better then the average DH bike. Go to www.yeticycles.com to get fully geeked out or read on to find out how it rode.
If you even look at it funny it will activate the suspension.
There are not a whole lot of bikes that sag under their own weight, the V10 comes to mind but that bike was just a bit too monster truckish for my liking. With no rider on board, the Yeti sits just slightly into its stroke, thats how smooth it is. If you even look at it funny it will activate the suspension. A super active bike is great but what you do not want is a bike that feels like you are riding an atv with flat tires down the trail. Most every bike company out there has some sort of patented design (or pays to use one) that is supposed to work better then your buddies bike, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Yeti is no different with their "ZeroLoss Technology". Yeti's version of the holy grail is claimed to eliminate the bad juju caused by me pedaling squares and keep the brake jacking to a minimum. Like I said above, everyone is claiming to have the best design on the market and while it might do something different, most times its not doing anything better.
The 303 screams "get out of my way"
I wouldn't say the 303 is going to shave 30 seconds off your local run but it is doing something different, and for the short time I had it I think it was doing a thing or two better. The first thing I did was give it a hoist. It looks like an absolute beast of a bike, even by DH bike standards, but the heft wasn't all that hefty. Surpise, surprise, I would have to guess I was holding about 43lbs of metal and rubber in my hands. Thats about par for the course when talking about 'big bikes'. I've spent time on 37lb gravity machines and it does make things a little easier but 43lbs is still funner then 53lbs. Yeti says 12.5lbs for a frame so you will have to plan good and drop some cash money to hit the 40 pound mark, but that's half the fun I guess.
The mini link helps to keep things stiff. Don't get your fingers caught
So, did it work? Of course. Did it work good? It worked different. It seems like half of the people I talk to about the 303 are convinced that riding this bike would be like cheating. The other half (the realists or the pessimists?) are not so hot to trot about whether its worth while to have things sliding around back there. I rode it and I still don't know which camp I'm camping in. (ed note:or what team he's hitting for!)
There are some pretty smooth rear ends out there these days but nothing like this. That poor DHX 5.0 bolted between the rails gets worked more then any other dampner on any other design. It responded to absolutely everything I happend to run over. It did not matter, straight into a foot high rock ledge fast enough to dent the weaker of rims out there or working the bike on a rare smooth section. Coming from a single pivot DH bike that runs alot of low speed comp. (read: stiff and NOT active) it all felt a little funny to me. Thats not to say that it wasn't doing its job, its just doing its job alot.
What it all adds up to is traction. The big Yeti was a ground sticking machine no matter if I was off trail on some way-past off camber section or a flat gravel corner. Granted, none of the other bikes I rode over those two days had as much mojo going for them, but the 303 made the others feel like they had slicks mounted. While traction can be the name of the game, it all felt a little wishy washy to me. I know the bike is stiff and precise but having such an active setup almost made the bike feel anything but precise. I would have liked more time, a shock pump and Darren from Push out there with me to tell me which way to turn the dials. The bike had the correct amount of sag dialed in but it almost felt like I was sitting in 60% of the stroke instead of 30%. I would have loved to team this frame with a Cane Creek Double Barrel shock and head out for the afternoon to play and tinker, a lot more low speed comp. and high speed rebound and this monster might be unstopable.
What really surpised me was how the bike managed to put the power to the ground. It wasn't that long ago that something this responsive would have been almost unpedalable, VPP, DW links and shock technology have moved things to the next level and I think Yeti's 'ZeroLoss' works atleast as well as anything out there. Maybe better.
I am of the opinion that that is the real story here. We all knew that the rear end would go up and down, Yeti wouldn't sell it if it didn't. But it pedals too, and really good to boot. Sure, the rails let them pick the 'perfect' axle path but they also let this beast be unleashed relatively fast with our meager 1/4 hp engines. I might go so far as to say that this is one of the best pedaling bikes I've been on. That's quite the statement considering how plush it was.
It rolls and slides
As the 303 sits right now, I have a hard time recommending it for a certain type of terrain. It carries speed over rough ground amazingly well and is more sensitive then anything out there so I'd like to tell you it would work great on a big, fast rough course, but at the same time that 'vauge' feeling from the back of the bike put me off a little. Because it pedals so well, it might work great on something flatter and slower but you'd really have to watch what your body is doing to keep it from flopping around like a fish out of water. I know that Fox worked with Yeti on getting the right valving but the rear end ever felt 100% dialed to me, but what do I know.
Maybe the DHX 5.0 mounted just isn't enough for this bike, it might need a little more/different valving inside to get the most from the 303. I wouldn't say it felt bad but it felt different. Not to sell this bike short, it was a very good, fast bike and the boys at Yeti are onto something with rails and 'ZeroLoss'. I remember when the V10 debuted, people had no idea what to make of it and now it's seen a lot of success and is one of the 'it' bikes. Much like the big 10 a few years ago, the 303 has a bright future ahead of it, just keep an open mind.
Please visit www.yeticycles.com to learn more about the 303 and their whole line up of bikes.
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Give it the benifit of the doubt if you dont own one, if you ever ride one youll be pleasently surprised. i wont go on and on even though i have as i have said this all before in the review i submitted on the other site.
Will someone please nail thier thoughts on the wall and quit umming and ahhhing?
The frame only is 3500 USD
Try and remember that a "First Ride Impression" is alot different then a long term test. I managed to ride the 303 for about 2 hours, in 30c heat with a notepad and pen. You read exactly how I felt about this bike. If you read the review then you know that I was not exactly stoked on certain aspects of the 303 and I let you know BUT.....I can not tell you that the bike is "bad" or good" after only riding it for two hours on terrian that is about as familiar to me as the moon would be. That woudldn't be to fair now would it? I did mention that it is one of, if not the best, pedaling dh bikes I've been on. That is pretty commital Penktrails2. I love to get tech but at a certain point it means nothing to alot of riders, they are not interested in it. Look back in the archives and read my Prophet 4x review, tech enough for you? Alot of people told me how stoked they were on the depth of it but alot more people told me how they got half way through and lost interest. If I had my own 303 then it might take you half a day to read what I would post, and it would tell you exactly what I liked and what I hated, bought with my own money just like the C'dale. Sorry for wasting the time you would have spent sitting in front of your computor anyway though.
sick bike but the flaw with it is its about 9 grand i checked!!