Field Test: 2020 Yeti SB165 - A Pedalable Park Bike

Dec 23, 2019
by Mike Kazimer  


PINKBIKE FIELD TEST

Yeti SB165


Words by Mike Kazimer, photography by Trevor Lyden



The SB165 showed up this season to stake its claim as the longest travel bike in Yeti's lineup, with 165mm of rear squish that's paired with a 180mm fork. It's rolling on 27.5” wheels, and according to Yeti was built for “hucking, sending, and enduro-ing.”

The SB165's geometry numbers follow the trend that was started with the SB130 and 150, and in fact, the reach numbers and seat tube angles are nearly identical for that trio of super bikes. Reach numbers range from 430mm on a size small all the way up to 505mm on an XL, with our size large test bike checking in at 480mm. It's built for the descents, but there's a relatively steep 77-degree seat tube angle to help create a comfortable climbing position. The chainstay length remains the same for all sizes, a fairly short 433mm.

Yeti SB165 Details

• Travel: 165mm rear / 180mm fork
• Carbon frame
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Head Angle: 63.5° (geometry)
• Seat Tube Angle: 77°
• Reach: 480mm (L)
• Chainstay length: 433mm
• Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL
• Weight: 33.3 lbs (as tested)
• Price: $7,699 USD
• www.yeticycles.com

Yeti stuck with the Switch Infinity suspension layout for the SB165, a design that uses a translating pivot comprised of two short Kashima-coated rods in order to alter the amount of chain growth as the bike goes through its travel. Yeti wanted the SB165 to work well with coil-sprung shocks, so they adjusted the kinematics to give it a 27.5% leverage ratio progression; compare that to the SB150, which sits at 15%.

We tested the T2 version, which is equipped with a Fox Factory 36 fork, Factory DHX2 coil shock, SRAM X01 drivetrain, Code RSC brakes, and a DT Swiss EX1700 wheelset. Total price? $7,699 USD.


Yeti SB165 review
FIELD NOTES

Yeti SB165 review
Yeti SB165 review

Climbing

The SB165 has a gravity-oriented focus, but it possesses geometry numbers that make it possible to earn those descents without too much struggle. The slack head tube angle is noticeable on slower speed sections of trail, but it’s still manageable; it just takes a little bit more effort to navigate around tight switchbacks. It definitely feels like the type of bike that you’d use to search out gnarly descents rather than cruising through rolling terrain. Luckily, that's a fitting description of the terrain that's available around Pemberton – there are plenty of long climbs followed by long, steep and loose downhills.

When it comes to suspension efficiency, the Yeti does an excellent job, especially considering the amount of travel and the fact that it’s spec’d with a coil shock. It’s not a wallowy mess, and it’s totally feasible to leave it wide open for more technical climbs. The climb switch is pretty much just there for fire roads.


Yeti SB165 review

Yeti SB165 review
Yeti SB165 review

Descending

The SB165's short chainstays make it really easy to whip around, and it feels great in the steeps and when jumping. A longer back end would likely give it even more outright stability, but that’d come at the cost of the ‘park bike’ feel. As it is, it's a quick bike that's easy and enjoyable to hop, pop, and manual whenever possible.

In the high-speed rough chunder it was a little easier to knock off line compared to the big-wheeled Specialized Enduro, but it still handle the chunky stuff very well. Bigger hits didn't pose any problems, and even when all of the travel was used there wasn't any harshness as the shock reached the end of its stroke.

The parts spec is very well matched to the bike's intended use, as it should be for the price. That being said, there's often at least one component on a bike that could be swapped out for something better, but from the suspension to the grips there's really nothing we'd change on this build kit.

Timed Testing


Our timed lap for the enduro bikes took place on Schleyer, a Whistler Bike Park classic that includes a variety of features, including drops, chunky rock gardens, longer rock faces, plus a few jumps and stepdowns added into the mix. A few timed runs isn't the final say on whether one bike is faster than another, but it did give us a way to compare our perceived vs. actual speed.

Mike Kazimer: Although conditions varied between the two days I used for timed testing, my lap time on the SB165 was my fastest between all the bikes in this category.

Jason Lucas: The Yeti was the third quickest bike for me, with a time that was 2% slower than my fastest lap. I tested in very similar conditions, although it was hard to resist the urge to manual through sections and get sideways on the jumps in timed runs.




Yeti SB165 review


Pros

+ Very fun freeride/park bike that you can also pedal to the top of the hill
+ Excellent parts spec
+ Dual crown compatibility means it can be built into a mini-DH bike

Cons

- If you’re looking for outright speed then you may want to look at the SB150 or elsewhere
- Expensive, even compared to other high end carbon frames






The 2020 Pinkbike Field Test was made possible by support from
Race Face apparel & pads, Giro helmets, & Sierra Nevada beer.


Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Field Test Enduro Bikes Yeti Yeti Sb165 Jason Lucas Mike Kazimer


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321 Comments
  • 240 4
 I’m a big fan of their coolers
  • 108 8
 These coolers and bikes go well with my Ford Raptor I must say.
  • 28 10
 @NotNamed: Goes great with Patagucci as well.
  • 28 1
 I have their thermos. The stack is just right so the reach is perfect. Other than the price, my only gripe is that the magnetic slider/stopper/keep the coffee from leaking thingy. . .leaks. But hey, it's a Yeti.
  • 117 2
 My cooler latch broke, it it turns out it was a pre-production cooler.
  • 12 1
 Its amazing the coolers cost as much as their bikes!
  • 9 0
 I got chased by one up in the hills in the middle of winter. Got a photo off it but the quality was no good. But I did see one, you do believe me right?
  • 4 1
 I own nice stuff that say yeti on it
  • 14 0
 @T-Bot: you got chased by a cooler?
  • 3 1
 @NotNamed: Toyota Tacoma or Subaru
  • 7 0
 @captainspaulding: even better with Arcteryx.
  • 12 4
 The coolers and the bikes have one thing in common. They are both overpriced. Yet people buy them.
  • 5 0
 Got some exciting new for you then.... Have you seen their $50 dog bowls yet? Give it a google...
  • 19 4
 @captainspaulding: YOU KEEP PATAGONIA OUT OF THIS.
  • 6 1
 @ReformedRoadie:
Probably was an XC cooler prototype and not intended to be hucked to flat.
  • 4 1
 Yeti coolers and bikes both have dentist status. Lol.
  • 16 0
 I have a 500 dollar dog bowl. It is made by Kohler. It can flush too. Not sure why we need a deluxe bowl when they lick each other’s nether regions. @CaptainPinner:
  • 13 0
 I just booked 3 Root Canal's so I can pick one of these up this week.
  • 2 0
 @dookiehill: more!!! And the coolers are no better than a Coleman Extreme which costs 1/4 the price.
  • 5 0
 @T-Bot: it's not the photo yetis are just blurry in general.
  • 3 1
 @dldewar: That must be a nice one piece toilet. I worked in construction and most toilets I installed were in the 200-300 range. Toto being the most expensive I have installed.
  • 2 0
 @Tormy: Did they need them is the big question? Haha.
  • 5 6
 I'm not a fan of yeti
  • 2 0
 @woofer2609: Had wheels probably 26"
  • 2 0
 Man. There are two things I do not take short cuts on. Bikes and crappers. That price was Canadian. 500 is about 350 at today’s exchange. @tacklingdummy:
  • 1 0
 @dldewar: this was by far the funniest thing I’ve seen all month. Bravo mate!
  • 1 9
flag gladstone-s-mtb (Dec 24, 2019 at 19:58) (Below Threshold)
 with this bike i reckon they should run 29ers because they can shred along the ground at higher rolling speeds.. this bike could then prove itself in downhill racing, eg beating all the downhill bikes.. once jono jones hops on this bike it will be unbeatable, the time that would come in would be outrageous. also my next point is i think instead of testing this bike at whistler they should test it at waitangi moutain bike park as this is more ur everyday trails and you will get more accurate testing results. another thing is i also dont think you guys know how much presure bikes are put under when they hit a gap jump... gravity+mass ov human=bike break in half... just imagine a heavyweight person getting on this bike? do you even think about the fatties in this world? no u dont... take eddie masters for example, he will shred on a fat bike because no brands are decent enough to make a beast that can handle the jandel. in conclusion i reckon this bike is abit sht and the only reason people season on it is becauz its cheap.
with this bike i reckon they should run 29ers because they can shred along the ground at higher rolling speeds.. this bike could then prove itself in downhill racing, eg beating all the downhill bikes.. once jono jones hops on this bike it will be unbeatable, the time that would come in would be outrageous. also my next point is i think instead of testing this bike at whistler they should test it at waitangi moutain bike park as this is more ur everyday trails and you will get more accurate testing results. another thing is i also dont think you guys know how much presure bikes are put under when they hit a gap jump... gravity+mass ov human=bike break in half... just imagine a heavyweight person getting on this bike? do you even think about the fatties in this world? no u dont... take eddie masters for example, he will shred on a fat bike because no brands are decent enough to make a beast that can handle the jandel. in conclusion i reckon this bike is abit sht and the only reason people season on it is becauz its cheap.
with this bike i reckon they should run 29ers because they can shred along the ground at higher rolling speeds.. this bike could then prove itself in downhill racing, eg beating all the downhill bikes.. once jono jones hops on this bike it will be unbeatable, the time that would come in would be outrageous. also my next point is i think instead of testing this bike at whistler they should test it at waitangi moutain bike park as this is more ur everyday trails and you will get more accurate testing results. another thing is i also dont think you guys know how much presure bikes are put under when they hit a gap jump... gravity+mass ov human=bike break in half... just imagine a heavyweight person getting on this bike? do you even think about the fatties in this world? no u dont... take eddie masters for example, he will shred on a fat bike because no brands are decent enough to make a beast that can handle the jandel. in conclusion i reckon this bike is abit sht and the only reason people season on it is becauz its cheap.
with this bike i reckon they should run 29ers because they can shred along the ground at higher rolling speeds.. this bike could then prove itself in downhill racing, eg beating all the downhill bikes.. once jono jones hops on this bike it will be unbeatable, the time that would come in would be outrageous. also my next point is i think instead of testing this bike at whistler they should test it at waitangi moutain bike park as this is more ur everyday trails and you will get more accurate testing results. another thing is i also dont think you guys know how much presure bikes are put under when they hit a gap jump... gravity+mass ov human=bike break in half... just imagine a heavyweight person getting on this bike? do you even think about the fatties in this world? no u dont... take eddie masters for example, he will shred on a fat bike because no brands are decent enough to make a beast that can handle the jandel. in conclusion i reckon this bike is abit sht and the only reason people season on it is becauz its cheap.
with this bike i reckon they should run 29ers because they can shred along the ground at higher rolling speeds.. this bike could then prove itself in downhill racing, eg beating all the downhill bikes.. once jono jones hops on this bike it will be unbeatable, the time that would come in would be outrageous. also my next point is i think instead of testing this bike at whistler they should test it at waitangi moutain bike park as this is more ur everyday trails and you will get more accurate testing results. another thing is i also dont think you guys know how much presure bikes are put under when they hit a gap jump... gravity+mass ov human=bike break in half... just imagine a heavyweight person getting on this bike? do you even think about the fatties in this world? no u dont... take eddie masters for example, he will shred on a fat bike because no brands are decent enough to make a beast that can handle the jandel. in conclusion i reckon this bike is abit sht and the only reason people season on it is becauz its cheap.
with this bike i reckon they should run 29ers because they can shred along the ground at higher rolling speeds.. this bike could then prove itself in downhill racing, eg beating all the downhill bikes.. once jono jones hops on this bike it will be unbeatable, the time that would come in would be outrageous. also my next point is i think instead of testing this bike at whistler they should test it at waitangi moutain bike park as this is more ur everyday trails and you will get more accurate testing results. another thing is i also dont think you guys know how much presure bikes are put under when they hit a gap jump... gravity+mass ov human=bike break in half... just imagine a heavyweight person getting on this bike? do you even think about the fatties in this world? no u dont... take eddie masters for example, he will shred on a fat bike because no brands are decent enough to make a beast that can handle the jandel. in conclusion i reckon this bike is abit sht and the only reason people season on it is becauz its cheap.
  • 7 0
 @GladstoneS: I didn't read this, but man why would you spend the time writing something so long. My god
  • 3 2
 @Liam1McKernan: incase u didnt notice i copyed and pasted the same thing
  • 1 0
 I care about my toilets. @Corvcycleguy:
  • 198 7
 “27.5’s aren’t as fast as 29ers. I had my fastest time on this bike though.” - Kazimer
  • 78 8
 Why have would you want to have fun on a bike when a 29er might be slightly faster in a straight line? Stupid 27.5 guys are living in 2016!
  • 50 8
 Yeah but he was only 1% behind this time in the wet on a 29er
  • 38 11
 Pinkbike still serving up that kool-aid.
  • 26 2
 Riding conditions count
  • 61 2
 @Colson217: Salty 27.5 bros have been waiting for this opportunity!
  • 20 0
 @BamaBiscuits: yeah but they both only had more fun on the 27.5
  • 10 2
 @BamaBiscuits: And statistically, only 1% of people in this comment section like 29ers, preferably while wet
  • 23 5
 @Colson217: Everyone knows 27.5 = fun/cool and 29 = fast/not fun/not cool. I just want to have fun but not be cool, or maybe it’s fast and cool. I’m getting a Reactor with a 24” front and a 29” rear. That’ll be the best of all worlds.
  • 10 0
 @Lando406: We need to sit down and have a beer sometime.
  • 12 1
 If you base your bike purchases on the timed laps of anyone but yourself...
  • 21 0
 @Swervsroundsquirrels: if you base your bike purchases off timed laps...
  • 21 2
 Yeah, but Jason has his fastest time on a 29er. Two lessons here: 1) different strokes for different folks; and 2) the timed laps are fun, but not really an accurate measurement of a bike’s performance.

Also, the biggest lie the devil ever perpetrated among the Pinkbike commentariat is that 29ers aren’t fun.
  • 29 3
 @TheR: it’s not that 29ers aren’t fun, all bikes are fun but why do people who aren’t racing choose to not maximize their fun with a more playful bike. Also pinkbike is pretty notorious for pointing out that a 27.5 bike is “easier to knock off line compared to the big-wheeled...” in every review. But they never say that the 29er “was less playful or more clumsy when compared to the smaller wheeled...”
  • 5 15
flag Golden-G (Dec 23, 2019 at 8:22) (Below Threshold)
 @chriskneeland: trolling again? Still stuck in the stone ages bro. Failure to adapt and accept technological improvements is a sure fire sign of a closed mind. This bike is a weapon of which no 26” bike can equal.
  • 18 12
 @Colson217: I’ve not found 29ers the least bit clumsy or less playful. It’s all a myth.
  • 22 1
 @BamaBiscuits: Faster by 1% means absolutely nothing ... 1% of what and with what variability among runs?

They finally admit that conditions vary from day to day, which is unavoidable with just two people "testing" bikes. And this add to the obvious elephant in the room: that there is for more variability between runs than there is between bikes. They are just tossing dices and reporting the "results" as indicative of something.

It is almost impossible to "measure" the "speed" of a bike, maybe in much more controlled environment, with many more people involved, swapping all components etc ... but as they are conducted and reported these "test runs" are completely unreliable.

Very much fun that according to their random results this bike happens to be among the fastest but "If you’re looking for outright speed then you may want to look elsewhere"
  • 4 1
 @chriskneeland: and it sure tastes good.
  • 13 0
 @TheR: When compared to 27.5 they most certainly are. People compare 27.5 to 29ers all the time but 29ers are never compared to 27.5. If they weren’t more clumsy or less playful than 27.5 they would be at events like redbull rampage.
  • 28 3
 The “pick a wheel size and be a dick about it” meme is alive and well.
  • 9 1
 29ers are great in their own way, but people far too often dismiss 27.5 as people who have never ridden a 29er. That’s just not the case. Each bike has its place.
  • 12 1
 @TheR: some call it myth, some call it physics.
  • 9 6
 Problem is assuming 29ers aren't fun.
  • 88 10
 Like the article says, "A few timed runs isn't the final say on whether one bike is faster than another, but it did give us a way to compare our perceived vs. actual speed." I know if I was going to be racing DH or enduro I'd pick a 29er, but that doesn't mean it's the answer for everyone. Pick the wheel size you like and please try not to be a dick about it.
  • 28 2
 @reverend27: problem is more companies turning their back on 27.5 because publications only focus on “downcounty” and how 27.5 “doesn’t roll as well so my Strava time was 1% slower”
  • 7 5
 @TheR: this. My 29er is way more fun then my last bike a 27.5.

I find the stability in the air causes me to take more chances.
  • 5 0
 @Lando406: I wanted the ultimate in slacked out chopper look so I rock a 29er front with a 200mm dual crown fork and a BMX 20" rear, hardtail. I like to call myself "Easy Rider" because of how it looks...and I can't jump
  • 8 17
flag sanchofula (Dec 23, 2019 at 8:55) (Below Threshold)
 @mikekazimer: Mike, I love you dearly, but we both know that 29ers are not faster ....

Thanks for admitting it in a round about way Wink
  • 8 9
 @Colson217: that's what I consider fun.
I do chase strava I do try to find the fastest line and link corners together perfectly and work on my braking and cornering all the time.

That's fun to me.

To some people fun is seeing how far around they can whip their rear end.
Personally I don't see the point.

But to each their own.
  • 21 0
 having more fun on 27.5 than on 29. Just imagine the fun on even smaller wheels Big Grin
  • 7 6
 @Colson217: In what way are they more clumsy? I find that 29ers don't get tripped up in rock fields and obstacles as much. Turning is not an issue -- I can rail corners and pop and jump and everything else. I feel little to no difference besides 29ers being much smoother.
  • 5 3
 @Mondbiker: Some call it physics, others call it riding ability. Big Grin
  • 10 23
flag chriskneeland (Dec 23, 2019 at 9:18) (Below Threshold)
 @reverend27: I'm sure 29ers are still fun. It's still a bike. But much less fun. The centrifugal inertia makes them so clunky and on tight or winding trails I doubt they're actually faster.
  • 9 5
 @chriskneeland: yeah for sure a nightmare on tight trails...... lol m.pinkbike.com/video/500232
  • 19 2
 @reverend27: I find both of those things fun, and I do them both on the daily, all while passing 29ers chasing that 1% because no one told them that the rider is what makes the bike fast, not the bike. Turns out bike handling skills aren’t limited to holding on for dear life as you roll through the chunder with wagon wheels while those darn stone age 27.5 riders are gapping them past you while also seeing how far they can whip their rear end.

But to each their own.
  • 8 8
 @EnduroG: my own personal records refute those words.

I've smashed all my personal records from last year when I was on my 27.5.

All while being in much worse shape physically.

But ya pick a size and be a dick about it.
  • 1 3
 @chriskneeland: tight and twisty trails.

The only kind I ride.
  • 21 1
 29 is actually too fast for me, I prefer the slower 27.5 so that I have some time to think, take the odd photograph and take an occasional sip from my water bottle
  • 12 0
 @reverend27: when you’re the one commenting on a 27.5 post saying 29er is better I think that makes you the “wheel size dick”
  • 4 5
 @Colson217: but yet I said nothing dickish.

I'm truly sorry you can't force me to agree with you over the internet and it's setting you off.

Truly sorry.
  • 1 0
 @reverend27: you seem more set off since you’re the calling people names lol.
  • 4 7
 @Colson217: I've ridden both. I chose to maximize my fun and go with the more playful setup... 29 inch wheels.
  • 14 0
 @reverend27: I too have smashed all my personal records switching from a 2019 27.5 bike to a 2020 27.5, it seems as though one year of experience makes a difference in how fast you are! Congrats on your progress.
  • 2 5
 @Colson217: Aggy was riding a 29" bike at Rampage this year and multiple guys were running 26" wheels (including Semenuk who won). I would not use Rampage as an indicator for what "normal" people would enjoy riding though.
  • 19 0
 My concern around the wheel size argument isn't about proving someone wrong; it's around the "27.5 is dead" movement I've seen and even an article or two online proclaiming it (stating industry contacts are confirming this). I personally have one of each, FS 29 and 27.5 and I'd be upset if bike companies stopped producing and pushing the 27.5 option, updating models, geometry, etc. It doesn't have to be BETTER and I'm not trying to convince anyone. I'd just like the option in a few years when I'm choosing a new bike to still have either 27.5 or 29 with new, updated models.
  • 3 8
flag reverend27 (Dec 23, 2019 at 10:30) (Below Threshold)
 @EnduroG: the first time on the trail with my 29er I was on a segment I had been trying to kom.

It's .7 mile and tight twisty fast with a couple punchy decent and climbs.

I had rode it the day before on my recluse and had managed to beat my PR by 5sec and put myself in 3rd place.

The next day I rode my 29er and smashed it by 12sec. That's the end of the story.
  • 9 0
 @sudbury-rider-9: Aggy rode a 29er frame modded running 27.5 wheels.
  • 6 4
 @reverend27: Bahaha...must have been a dirt road.
  • 11 1
 I was on a 5.5 for a long time now a 165, albeit with a 170 fork (to give it a bit more trail-ability): it’s different for sure, and it’s probably slower too, but I’m having more fun then I ever did on the 29er, now I’ll grant you I’m short maybe 5’9 on a good day, with short arms and legs (32 sleeve arms and 28” inseam). I find I’m able to personally carry more (Apparent?) speed into corners because the smaller wheels make it easier for me to finesse the bike and make quick corrections. Add to that the just crazy playful feeling while barely losing much of the trucking ability and it’s a good fit for ME. Having said that I do notice the lack of big wheels when I’m climbing/crossing slow speed obstacles, there it takes more muscle and force to clean, where as the 29ers just roll over even when being lazy. For me I really love the small wheels in this my longer travel bike, but could see swapping to 29” wheels on my XC/trail hardtail where I think I’m more often out for speedy flow rides trying to cover distance. YMMV, I agree with one point, it’s nice to have choice when you go to buy a new bike and hope Pinkbike (as I mostly think they do ) continues to play up both sizes.
  • 9 0
 @sudbury-rider-9: Aggie’s bike was modded to be a 27.5 so that I would be more playful and better for tricks. So thank you for confirming what I was saying with that comment. But I am not saying that 29ers aren’t fun, the 29er hoe up top said that 29ers have no downside when compared to 27.5 and that is false and rampage is a fine example of why it is false. Also pointing out that 26 is still relevant also confirms that smaller wheels are in fact better for many activities.
  • 3 0
 @yupstate: this is the correct take.
  • 19 1
 @yupstate: that could be my fault.. My bike is 26" so it's not really capable of trails anymore, and i lost my job because it was too slow to commute. so I spend my days standing outside mcdonalds to use their WiFi, convincing people on here that 27.5 is on the way out too. Then I use my countless fake accounts to upvote myself or to construct arguments with myself that result in my point sounding the most logical
  • 11 5
 165mm of travel on 27,5" and a pedallable park bike? Come on Yeti... Make it 180-190 or there's no point bothering buying that over SB150. I bet SB150 is faster down the hill. Dual crown compatible... really? Who would put a dual crown 200mm fork on this thing? Possibly some sort of a lunatic who would put a 170 fork on Optic. All the balls in the front and no arse in the back, you'll break your wee wee. Banshee Darkside is a DC compatible pedallable park bike. this here is a mid travel full susser. Yeti needs a DH bike to sort their heads out on that front. It's literally cheaper to keep your 150 bike and get a used decent DH bike since they depreciate like hell.
  • 3 0
 @Colson217: Dually noted about Aggy's bike. Rampage provides an interesting example for wheel size...you want something that has lots of traction and stability...29, you also want something that you can do slopestyle tricks with...26, and you also want something that will give you peace of mind your wheels will not explode...26. 27.5 is where most of the riders ended up and for the very specific event that it is...it makes sense.
  • 21 5
 @sudbury-rider-9: the bigger the wheel, the bigger the gyroscopic effect. The bigger the gyroscopic effect the harder it is to lay her sideways. And heavier tires you use, the worse it gets. Some scientists and engineers can correct me but I am pretty sure the gyroscopic effect grows with square of the radius. Also I really want to see all these "stylish" people show the pics of them having "fun". Jason Lucas in the vid defo has some basics of style and speed that I'd be happy to confidently claim to match, but look at last years Field Test and watch Paul Aston "The Carbon Destroyer", then realize how far he is from the giants of the sport like Bruni (speed) or Lacondeguy (style). It's quite funny to see people talk about speed as if they were a protege of Gwinny or style&fun as if they were hammering laps with Remy Metallier. If you can't put a 29er flat or sideways, you won't do it on 27,5 either, and defo not on a 26" DH bike. Drop it boys... it's all bikes, fun, we are having fun. We are trying to be better at whatever we find meaningful.
  • 7 0
 But the industry says 27.5" is dead... and I'm faster on 29ers..

.. speaking to myself as I build up my new 27.5" bike...
  • 1 0
 @nordland071285: That's odd, you sound very employable. Or at least could make a good criminal?
  • 2 0
 If 29 is faster and I'm slow does that mean 27.5 is better for me?
  • 3 0
 @duzzi: #makeANOVAgreatagain
  • 2 0
 @Colson217:
Ha! But on the 27.5 conditions were wet, on the 29er dry. I prefer fair weather riding. I'll ride a 29er!
  • 6 2
 i realise i'm late to the party, but might as well stick my oar in. this goes out to the 9ers and 7ers alike. if you're claiming an incremental difference over the other wheel size (fun/speed), has it ever occurred that said increment is the same for both? or in other words, you can't really say '29ers are hardly any faster but they're loads less fun', or '27.5s are loads more fun and barely any slower'.

the universe will not allow this. the bigger wheels are exactly the same amount faster as they are 'more boring' and the smaller wheels are exactly the same amount 'more fun' as they are slower.

pick a wheel size and be objective about it.
  • 4 0
 @tobiusmaximum: So if someone goes faster on a 27.5 does the universe cease to exist? Big Grin
  • 6 0
 @reverend27: so you've reduced your time going down, personally I like to maximise the going downhill time haha
  • 2 0
 @friendlyfoe: mandela effect.
  • 1 0
 @sethius: there is no down really it more rolling terrain. You have to pedal to go fast. So carrying speed is important.
  • 6 3
 @friendlyfoe: when you ride a fatbike you appear slower to others than you really are. The increased mass of these tires affect time space...
  • 1 3
 @TheR: it is a myth. Main difference I noticed with long travel 29 vs same bike with 275 wheels is the 29 is easier to whip on big jumps, whereas the 275 whips slightly easier on sub 30’ jumps. But in no way is either wheel size less fun.
  • 3 0
 @tfriesenftr: I'm going to call buuuuullshit on this one. The first thing you notice with whips on big jumps is the wheelsize/centrifugal force.
  • 2 3
 @tfriesenftr: heh, not really, it depends on your skill and technique. Big wheels need a nice good shape on the lip to go sideways in the air, then you sail them back. Your lean/ bar turn coordination must be spot on.
  • 2 3
 @tfriesenftr: if you take a DJ you can take off scratch your arse and still throw a 90 degree whip and land perfectly straigth
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: Hi Mike, does this bike have a shock flip chip of some sort, to change BB height? Looking for my next mullet friendly frame.
  • 2 0
 @reverend27: yawn.....
  • 1 0
 28" wheel will be coming, wait for it..
  • 4 1
 @tobiusmaximum: that’s not true. Imagine if wheels weighed zero. 29 inch wheels would have crazy rollover and would be stupid easy to turn. 10 inch wheels would have shit rollover and would be exactly as easy to turn.

The amount that a bike “turns quickly” is based on the amount of gyroscopic effect (weight of wheel) while the amount of rollover is based on the diameter of the wheel.

Now of course wheel diameter and the amount of gyroscopic effect are correlated, but it’s not like 10% faster turning means 10% more rollover. One is based on weight and location of that weight, the other is based on diameter.
  • 1 0
 @zyoungson: 30.5"
  • 2 2
 @Lando406: 29 is way better most of the time, ok ????
  • 1 0
 It's a freeride bike..
  • 2 4
 @mikekazimer: Why did you test the SB165 in the Enduro category when it's not Yeti's race bike? The SB150 is the race platform... this makes the field test feel arbitrary.
  • 6 0
 @mikekazimer: you’re reviewing this bike with the guy who literally told us to be a dick about wheel size.
  • 2 1
 @sdurant12: the topics of faster and rollover are only relative to the terrain being ridden. So a course without much to rollover isn’t going to hold as much benefit for a 29. I was just making an amusing (albeit slightly incomplete) synopsis of the situation, which I think stands to some degree. You are right though, there are a bunch of nuances in the topic and mostly it comes down to rider size and weight and terrain ridden. But really I was just poking fun at the people who get all tribal about their wheel size. Smile
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I think you’re right about this bike not making much sense whatever wheel size it has. It’s not enough for the park/lifts - review says they bottomed it out regularly - plus it’s made of carbon and costs 4k for the frame alone...
  • 1 1
 @Altron5000: I see it as a 27,5” version of 150, but not a park bike. I think the description is off, bike is ok.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: My Canfield One still makes me Happy :-)
  • 1 0
 @duzzi: thank you to bring back some method and science in this pseudo-believe-its-math 1% that means nothing but what you want it to say.
  • 2 1
 Ah, keyboard warriors talking bro-science. Got to love that. You mind if I chime in?

First of all this gyroscopic effect (assuming people talk about the stability element) doesn't just depend on the angular moment of inertia, but on the angular velocity too. And for people riding the same speed, the angular velocity of the bigger wheel is inversely proportional with the diameter. So that makes the product of angular momentum and angular velocity increase proportionally with the larger wheel, not squared. Then again of course the mass is going to increase too with the larger wheel (bigger tire, bigger rim, longer spoke, bigger brake rotor probably) but I haven't looked into the proportionality. Back in the days the bigger wheels were typically narrower. When 2.4" wide was kind of the norm for 26", the big wheels were limited to 2.2" wide. Things may have caught up now but yeah, haven't looked into that.

Then as far as how flickable heavier wheels are, I feel that the gyroscopic precession actually works in your advantage. Bank the bike and it points in the right direction. And as bkes have gotten longer (so increased their inertia too) the increased inertia of the wheels is actually welcome to balance that. If your talking "gyroscopic effect" it is odd to not include the inertia of the bike in the equation. Now I don't run particularly big wheels but I moved to a longer bike at the same time that I shifted from running regular latex tubes in my tires to running the heavier ProCore system. Even though I scaled down from a 190mm front rotor down to 180mm I think the front wheel is much heavier than what I had and I appreciate that.

As this is a wheelsize discussion anyway, I'm actually curious how much a smaller wheel contributes to being allowed to pump the bike. My perception was that smaller wheels are better and I also feel much better riding my BMX with 20" wheels on the pumptrack than going with the full size MTB with 26" wheels. But the recent pumptrack world championship didn't necessarily support that. So yeah, would be interesting to see one skilled rider do a back to back test.
  • 2 0
 It's like Internet Explorer finally loading and telling you that Gary Fisher 29ers are great and you should all buy one.
  • 1 0
 Theres a up in down in both wheelsizes so dont say stupid.
  • 4 0
 @up-left-down-right: we just got hold of the 'official' mullet geo from Yeti:
geometrygeeks.bike/bike/yeti-sb165-mullet-2020

BB height is 9mm higher than stock, but less than 6mm more than an SB150... could just run a bit more sag?
geometrygeeks.bike/compare/yeti-sb165-mullet-2020-m,yeti-sb165-2020-md,yeti-sb150-2019-m-1
  • 1 0
 @reverend27: Go blow your bigwheels !
  • 86 2
 This bicycle appears to be turquoise in color.
  • 6 10
flag vjunior21 (Dec 23, 2019 at 8:07) (Below Threshold)
 "was built for hucking, sending, and enduro-ing.” Doesn't sound like a prototype XC rear end on this bike. And the passive aggressive hits keep on coming to Pole.
  • 3 11
flag tcmtnbikr (Dec 23, 2019 at 8:58) (Below Threshold)
 Thank you Captain Obvious
  • 44 3
 The dentist bike comments are sure to come, so I’ll throw this out here:

Lawyers make good money, too. Why is this not a lawyer bike? Is it because lawyers don’t ride, but play golf? If that’s the case, doesn’t that make dentists much cooler than lawyers? Cut them some slack!
  • 60 0
 It's due to the proliferation of anti-dentite views.
  • 35 0
 Finance bros in the corner, kicking cocaine crusted rocks.
  • 5 0
 some attorneys earn big dollars. i know of a few who ain't making sh*t. big income divide in that profession-corporate atty's rake it in, ambulance chasers struggle.
  • 5 0
 My dentist still rides a 2016 Bronson
  • 21 1
 Don’t forget about tech-bros. They love kashima coatings.
  • 1 2
 as an example-my wife and i own a rental property. one of our first tenants was an attorney. he moved because he couldn't afford the rent...
  • 8 0
 because lawyers never got past the cases to ride bikes
  • 4 0
 @granite: Yeah, the only dentist I know who rides, rides a 2012 or 2013 Santa Cruz Tallboy XC. Perhaps we’ve got the wrong brand as dentist bikes.
  • 3 0
 @flipoffthemonkeys: It’s not known among the Pinkbike commentariat, but it’s the same for dentists. Some do well, others make a fairly modest income.
  • 15 1
 I saw you post this exact same comment on another page. HE'S A DENTIST.
  • 2 0
 @sriracha: after seeing AvE's through smackdown on the molybdenum disulf- I mean, Fox Genuine Kashima Coat™, I suspect some of the less apprentice-handed will appreciate a good old fashioned squishy stick [aor in factory black and the additional Canadian pesos in their Patagucci fanny packs
  • 5 5
 Dentists aren’t riding too much because people keep coming and whining about their teeth hurting.
  • 2 1
 @man-wolf: Yep. Recycling material. I'll see you again at the next venue!

In all seriousness, I'm not a dentist. Just silly trolling. In recent posts, I've also defended Specialized, but I don't ride Specialized (anymore); and 29ers, but my personal bike is 27.5 (but I'd ride a 29er in a second). It just fascinates me how the myths ans dogma develop.
  • 16 0
 I'm a lawyer. We have a lot of big cases, so prefer bikes with air shocks packed full of spacers.
  • 3 0
 I thought the general idea is that dentists make a large amount of money without working crazy hours like surgeons, CEOs or lawyers do. So they can actually ride a bike in the weekend.
I guess the real reason is that there's not a well-sounding acronym for: people with a lot of money and very limited riding talent who can afford a bike that I can only drool over.
  • 1 0
 @TheR : All in good fun.
@ak-77: That makes sense to me.
  • 1 0
 @ak-77: Thats true. As a lawyer you wont have much freetime. On the other hand lot of tech people or private dentist (or doctors) have a part time job while still making big money.
  • 4 0
 Lawyers don't have time to ride. They work 100hrs a week (at least the ones I know). I believe the hours of a dentist are less than regular office hours, so plenty of time to ride (while having a good pay).
  • 13 0
 @roma258: yeah, we dentist/doctor/surgeon types are still suckers who try to earn money with actual work. The finance guys know what’s up—to get really rich you need to start with a ton of money and push it around on a computer.
  • 16 1
 I’m a dentist, and I buy two bikes no matter the cost, whatever I want, no brand loyalty. Lawyers these days work too many hours and don’t have time to ride. Hate on the dentists as much as you want folks, but someone has to pay msrp, otherwise these companies would cease to exist.
  • 1 0
 My dentist rides a hightower
  • 2 0
 Cycling is the new golf, excellent excuse to not respond to emails for a few hours
  • 3 5
 @mnorris122: except all big shots you do business will respect golf and won't respect MTB. They will laugh behind your back for doing MTB and get angry for doing something silly instead of responding to them. And when you crash and walk around with broken collar bone or snapped ACL? Oh man, they will hold it against you, sooner or later "maybe it's time to grow up" will pop up.
  • 7 0
 @WAKIdesigns: it’s funny-I hurt myself in a crash and got the lecture. That winter my colleague was shoveling snow on his deck and smashed his wrist. Was out of the OR 4x longer than I was. Totally lectured him about high-risk activities at every opportunity Smile

But you’re right. Guys with $20k a year golf habits LOVE to talk about how silly and expensive MTB is.
  • 11 4
 @DrPete: I never got a lecture for my daughters broken arm which happend in the bike park. But it was hanging in the air. I was relieved to hear my wife supporting me, saying it's nothing could have happened anywhere. But my little sweatheart was happy, because she too broke her arm, like a couple of her friends, except they did it, falling off the bed, getting hit by a sibling, being kicked by a horse... oh you see? kicked by a horse - so noble. the most noble way to get your jaw and your teeth smashed so they are pushed 2/3rds of the way into your neck, suffer concussion and lifetime worth of looking like a truck hit you, Except as we were saying it was a horse. A gracious animal, an expensive animal, purchase and maintenance costs considered more expensive than a decent sized boat or a mountain cabin. People not only pity you more when a horse fks you up, they genuinely respect you. - broke a tooth riding bikes? what kind of a butcher are you to expose your kids to such stuff? One more time and I am calling social service! Put yourself on 1000 pound beast capable of eating your face off and stomping you 1ft into ground? - oh no it would never do it. Horses are vegans! By the way how good that you teach your kids responsibility by taking care of an animal!
  • 8 0
 @DrPete: How dare you spend most of your twenties in highly specialized technical training only to go on to make money doing something useful to society (ok lawyers are debatable). And then to have the gall to go out and buy expensive bikes, then sell them to us stupid plebes on the second hand market for steep discount after light use. You monster!
  • 3 0
 @roma258: I didn’t become a true monster until I bought a Yeti and had the audacity to say on PB that I like it.
  • 1 0
 @granite: clearly need a new dentist.
  • 4 0
 YOU HAVE A DENTIST NAMED CRENTIST?
  • 2 2
 It's mostly based on the assumption that dentists tend to ride timidly because they can't afford to get injured, meanwhile they have the financial means to afford overpriced bikes.
A lawyer can show up in court with two broken arms, a dentist loses his lively hood.
So the funny thing about the meme is that dentist bikes are for people who overcompensate their lack of ability through expensive bikes. They also offer some sort of (unnecessary) feature that sets them apart from the mass of other bikes in order to show off their price tag.
  • 8 1
 @Loki87, those are some pretty big assumptions. I’m an ok rider but many of my colleagues can rip, and do it on nice bikes. Probably better to just accept the reality that having the money to buy a nice bike and riding ability have nothing to do with each other. Though it’s an equally common meme for people to rationalize about how the guy/gal on the bike you’re jealous of can’t possibly be as good a rider...
  • 2 3
 @Loki87: they don’t overcompensate, they have cash to spend and highly possibly the ratio of salary/ bike expenditure looks better for “dentists” than for average Joes on average bikes. While your logic makes sense, many of my quite fast buddies use pretty sweet bikes, the devil is in the details. In most cases they use solid frames with top of the line suspension, always fresh tires but you won’t see them run Enves, hubs with 100POE, XTR, AXS, carbon bars or other jewelry. And most of them are bike mechanics, they could get all that at nice prices too.
  • 1 0
 @Loki87: I understand your comment, but as a dentist I ride bike park, crazy lines, etc. luckily I've never been hurt, but I do have a very nice disability policy just in case.
  • 1 0
 @MTB-Colada: some of us work 40 hours on patients and then another 10-20 on the business itself. My wife and I did 12-16 hr days at the office for the first 4 years. I used to work in construction and did a lot of long days/years in the cold then. I think the anti-dentite thing on PB is funny.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: and you can just laugh because you are having more fun than them. People with that attitude don’t get to kill my fun.
  • 2 0
 @Loki87: I wouldn’t be so sure. I’ve broken both wrists and a thumb biking. And an elbow rock climbing. I just don’t ride as hard because I spent 20 years in school not playing and so now I’m not as good as I would have been if I could have kept riding since high school.
  • 11 0
 @Loki87: I’m not a dentist, but I do have a job that pays me well. I pay my bills, send my kids to a private school, put food on the table, etc. I ride when I can. It’s my thing. I can handle a bike, but I’m not the best guy out there. If once every 5-10 years I want to spend my money on a nice bike, I will. It’s my prerogative. Flip, man, at this point In my life, I’ve earned it. I worked a long time to get where I am financially. I’ll buy what I want, and I don’t need to justify it to you or anyone else based on my ability. Don’t give a poop what you or anyone else thinks I’m compensating for. I want a bike, I’m gonna get it. No apologies to anyone.

And to be clear, I’m not coming down on you, personally. I just read comments like that all the time, and I just think what business is it of anyone else what someone else rides. Don’t hate, motivate. Let them be psyched about their bad ass toy. Be psyched for them. Then work hard and your day may come.
  • 2 0
 ^This.
  • 4 1
 Well done everyone on your achievements, it's really impressive
  • 1 0
 I am a lawyer and I ride a SB150. I cannot comment on the value of it as I bought it at a huge discount, but frankly speaking it is an amazing bike to ride. I am kind of a Yeti fan but I don't know why they make the SB165, as I can simply put an 180mm fork, a longer stroke shock (230*60 to 230*65) and 275 wheels on my SB150 to get a similar bike. For bike parks I would simply choose some relatively cheap but durable alloy bike such as Commencal, YT or Whyte (and actually I own a G170), instead of a fancy carbon bike the SB165.
  • 2 1
 @TheR: it is actually quite sad you needed to write that. For me “dentist bike” is just a joke. A kind of a friendly poke. Imrealize not for everyone though. I thoroughly deeply, consistently despise folks who judge others based on what they ride. When I started riding in Poland around 2003, very few had good bikes (good at the time offc), now it’s a totally different place. Back then when you stood in line to the loft you were thoroughly scanned from top to bottom and often got a condescending laugh or shaking head. Few years later I came back with a sweet Nomad, and folks were sucking my balls. I felt just as disgusted if not more. We also had this dude in our group, who was constantly bitchin on folks who had better bikes than him. All these people were not happy, minority complex was stealing lots of joy from their life. If someone feels worse for having less it’s their god damn problem.
  • 2 0
 The friends of mine who ride the most and have nice bikes are small business owners. One does rock work, another does lawn sprinklers, another tree trimming. They have their crews of employees. They drive around, look at a few jobs, oversee some jobs, then park their work truck at the trailhead and take their $10k bike out for a 1-3 hour lunch ride. Check a few more jobs, and home by 4:30 to see the family. It's a pretty good setup.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I’m with you, I think. The attitude that a guy isn’t good enough to ride a nice bike, or that if you’re really hardcore, you only ride maybe a mid-level only aluminum bike is silly. I don’t take offense to it, but yeah, the judgmental attitude bugs me a little.

When I see a guy on a trail with a sweet bike, I’m like, “Dude, cool bike! Can I see? How’s it ride? I like those bikes.” If I see a dude who shreds, I’m like, “Damn, that guy shreds!” What he rides doesn’t come into the equation. At no point while I’m riding does it occur to me a guy doesn’t deserve a bike because he doesn’t meet my standards of excellence. I assume we are all out there on pretty much the same thing anyway.
  • 1 1
 Loooool at you people. Here I am just explaining how the meme started and you guys get your panties in a bunch because I want to take your achievement away from you. Gotta love pinkbike comment section! Ahahaha haha XD
  • 1 0
 @Loki87: Fröhe Weihnachten, man!
  • 2 1
 @Loki87: I believe We all understand the Dentist joke... I even said once that Yeti should make frames in white with blueish glitter chips and call it “fluor white”
  • 32 0
 Yeti makes the best toothpaste colored bikes
  • 20 0
 Maybe that toothpaste color has something to do with the
"Dentist bike" reference?
  • 1 0
 I'm also pretty partial to my toothpaste colored P153CR
  • 8 0
 @RayDolor: 9 out of 10 dentists recommend toothpaste colored bikes
  • 1 0
 Well, they had some stiff competition from Bianchi before they went bankrupt.
  • 1 0
 Also yeti make their frames from toothpaste
  • 21 0
 I hope they make their own version of the Ripmo af, but based on this frame design. Would be a super fun park bike that still could pedal. A yeti at non dentists prices like that would sell really good
  • 3 0
 I'd be curious to see how they manufacture the lower pivot slider assembly in aluminum. Maybe do like Banshee and forge one piece for all the suspension connections then build the frame around it? I dunno.
  • 24 0
 I think their exclusiveness is a big selling point to people buying them
  • 23 0
 @Levin192: so exclusive that it feels like 80% of riders in Colorado have them ????
  • 12 0
 @srstudent: living in Colorado is exclusive from a mtb point of view
  • 2 0
 @srstudent: It does seem like there is a high rate of them here, which makes sense considering it's their home state. But it's kind of ridiculous what they will sell for used even.
  • 1 0
 @Davichin: Why do you think it's exclusive? Curious...
  • 4 0
 @man-wolf: available landscape etc... I may have to move for work to Virginia Beach, I checked the mtb options and started to cry... no mountains in around two and a half hours of driving...
  • 3 0
 @Davichin: Ooh yeah Virginia Beach would be hard. I live in CO myself, but am honestly not a huge fan of the trail riding here. It's very dry, rocky, exposed and loose most places I've been. I much prefer the riding in more humid climates with lots of trees. BUT, we also have several top notch bike parks/dirt jump spots, which I spend most of my time at.
  • 2 0
 @big-red: The shuttle (black sliding part) is forged, while the rods are machined, inserted through the shuttle, and then bolted to the frame. Did I understand your question?
  • 2 0
 @Davichin: you can't move then. Simple
  • 1 0
 It's a freeride bike
  • 3 0
 @Davichin: I live in Paris now, coming from Colombia and Ecuador as the last places.. You Could be worse....
  • 15 0
 Did anybody see Nate Hills SB165 with a RS Boxxer on the front? Freakin RAD!
  • 16 5
 Don’t care its not as fast as the enduro 29er. It will be WAY more fun.
Unless you’re racing, you’re going to have a lot more fun on this bike.

Gimmi gimmi gimmi
  • 4 4
 But it was Kazimer’s fastest run. So it can be fun and fast. By the same token, I’m not sure why the Enduro couldn’t be just as fun.
  • 7 1
 My 27 enduro bike is adequate for surviving double blacks, and is easy to jump and manual. That is a fun bike. My 29er DH bike smashes through impossible-looking lines at terrifying speed. That is a VERY fun bike. If I had to give up both and choose between these two bikes, I'd sacrifice manuals before monster-trucking for sure.
  • 4 0
 @bicibicivelo: going super fast over the sketch is lots of fun, and apparently underrated here on PB
  • 10 1
 The best thing about all of these "Enduro" bike tests is PB having a biggun like Jason Lucas as a tester and not just another stick figure.
  • 7 1
 Went backcountry skiing from an off grid cabin for 4 days. Wasn't able to read shitty pinkbiker dentist comments. Came back to civilization and the pinkbikers are still raging with their dentist comments. See ya fekkars next year
  • 7 1
 Added the SB165 to the Bikedigger.com site for comparison. Very rowdy with a bit more nimbleness than the Enduro. Looks like a killer bike if you're lucky enough to have the terrain and budget it for it.
  • 2 0
 Heh, there's sb6 ranked with 0 for climbing, I would disagree
  • 1 0
 @bok-CZ: Sorry, that's lack of weight data contributing to the 0 score. Still working on filling in some data. Weight info. can be tough to find.
  • 1 0
 @bronco5: ah yeah that's right
  • 8 0
 When bikes are to the point of splitting categories by 10-15mm of travel you know the industry is completely sold out.
  • 1 0
 Sucks right?? Too many choices!
  • 1 0
 Wait until we’re down to 5mm. Every possible bike from 5mm-220mm!!!
  • 9 0
 Aren't all bikes park bikes?
  • 7 0
 “These bikes are too expensive and elitist,” says the angry rider as he fires up his $90k custom sprinter van and drives off.
  • 5 0
 Over forked enduro bikes are the new “pedalable park bikes”. 180mm = Park Bike to me but I know that’s not a big market right now. Commencal clash, giant reign sx, now this, all doing the overforked 160mm Bike thing
  • 1 0
 The Clash is essentially a single crown Furious. Not at all the same as the Meta. I don't know how much different the other ones you mentioned are but the Commencal at least is coming from the other direction.
  • 1 2
 Pick a shock with 5mm longer stroke, buy two offset bushings, enjoy...
  • 1 0
 180 to me is freeride bike. Less racer than dh
  • 3 0
 with this bike i reckon they should run 29ers because they can shred along the ground at higher rolling speeds.. this bike could then prove itself in downhill racing, eg beating all the downhill bikes.. once jono jones hops on this bike it will be unbeatable, the time that would come in would be outrageous. also my next point is i think instead of testing this bike at whistler they should test it at waitangi moutain bike park as this is more ur everyday trails and you will get more accurate testing results. another thing is i also dont think you guys know how much presure bikes are put under when they hit a gap jump... gravity+mass ov human=bike break in half... just imagine a heavyweight person getting on this bike? do you even think about the fatties in this world? no u dont... take eddie masters for example, he will shred on a fat bike because no brands are decent enough to make a beast that can handle the jandel. in conclusion i reckon this bike is abit sht and the only reason people season on it is becauz its cheap.
  • 7 0
 Damn, didn't know Jason sends it this big!
  • 5 0
 Always when field testers talk about steep or not steep enough seat tube angles they show pictures of riders standing up while riding... hmmm
  • 3 0
 Hello, may I ask why the travel of the front wheel is allowed to be larger than that of the rear wheel? Is the travel of the rear wheel really not so important in the face of impact?I prefer symmetrical forward and backward travel.
  • 1 0
 Bike travel is quoted as a vertical wheel travel in the rear, but as fork travel in the front. Since your fork is at an angle it is proper to have more travel in front.

And it’s more important anyway for steering control.
  • 9 3
 Yeti please make a full on DH rig. Preee
  • 3 5
 Just put in a dualcrown fork. Done.
  • 3 6
 That's just what Nate Hills did.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG6Vw9mI5LU
  • 10 0
 He said full on, not an over forked park or Enduro bike
  • 1 1
 @rkstar: 'Good boy. You bought a gripshifter.'
  • 1 0
 @ceecee: What are you talking about?
  • 1 0
 @Mntneer: What's the real difference?
  • 6 0
 Even fits a water bottle. Downcountry AF.
  • 4 1
 im pretty sure a park bike is considered 180mm travel. so this is still an enduro at 160mm going by everything pink bike has told me the class of a bike is based off travel. lol
  • 5 2
 No two bikes trigger the Pinkbike comments more than Specialized and Yeti, but after comparing the two from the most recent field tests, it seems Specialized wins in the irrational hate department.
  • 2 0
 Guilty. I'm a hater of the switch 3mm system (usually), but I could see myself owning this bike just to ride a couple times a year on big terrain. I'd have to put a nicer set of wheels on it first.
  • 8 2
 7500$ and aluminium wheels... Fckn joke
  • 2 0
 Everyone is losing it over the wheel size debate. I ride both all the time and their different but still rad. Neither is better or worse just different. It’s just mind boggling bad these comment sections are. if you wanna jib snag the yeti if you wanna plow get the enduro. It’s a style thing.
  • 13 8
 Looks good, YetI'm not a dentist
  • 3 2
 I'm surprised that it wasn't tested as a mullet version! Even Yeti says this can be run with a 29" front, I'm surprised they aren't selling a mullet build kit.

I'd be curious how this built with 29 front and 170mm fork would ride and how it would compare to the Enduro.


No comments on the chintzy downtube protector and it's big gaps on where rocks are likely to strike it? Does Yeti require that pictures be taken with the crank arm covering the bottom bracket downtube junction?
  • 1 1
 Well considering the negative reviews that intense has received on their mulleted primer, while the 650b and 29er are being loved on. I’d say yeti is lucky they didn’t mess with a mullet on it.
  • 2 0
 @Colson217: that’s because the BB is way too low on that version, not because of some weird 27.5/29 imbalance
  • 1 0
 @Colson217: i think that 27,5+ rear wasn't helping the intense primer.
  • 3 0
 Bike Mag did
www.bikemag.com/gear/mountain-bikes/video-mullets-and-man-buns
  • 5 0
 What makes a bike "dual crown compatible"?
  • 3 0
 Reinforced headtube area to handle the increased loads, and afaik the impacts of a dual crown on the sides when you fully steer in.
  • 1 2
 @Upduro: But what makes a dual crown fork produce an increased load on the headtube area?
  • 3 0
 @sino428: the bigger leverage you get, mostly because the stanchions are stiffer than a normal steerer... and also because dualcrown forks mostly have more travel wich also increases the leverage
  • 1 2
 @edfw: Ok so its not really the dual crown itself, its that a dual crown, because stronger and stiffer could end up putting more stress on the it?
  • 2 0
 @sino428: from what I hear, those side forces of steering too hard are the most important part of “dual crown compatibility”, especially with a big hollow carbon headtube area
  • 1 0
 @edfw: leverage from 180 single crown is the same as 200mm dual crown, axle to crown height, somebody told me.. Dont quote me
  • 1 0
 @Lagr1980: I don’t know exactly the relationship between leverage and axle to crown height, but it is almost the same on a 180mm single and a dual crown.
  • 1 0
 @sino428 The impact of fork bumpers into the side of the headtube area would punch a hole in a
non-dual crown compatible frame in a crash.
  • 1 0
 @leon-forfar: interesting, I never realized there was a difference in how a DH frame was built in that area.
  • 1 0
 I got surprised the other day by a friend who was testing a SB150 how much it flexed from the rear swingram... I could not believe Rude with his style was riding with this lateral flex, and I wonder why I´ve never read anything about in any review yet...
  • 2 1
 Same reason you don't hear people bring it up with the Evil Bikes either. They ride well, they track well so its not a problem. Keep in mind too a poorly tensioned wheel will flex a shit ton too.
  • 1 0
 I have owned and enjoyed bikes made by Yeti, Turner, KHS, Felt, Pronhorn, Rocky mountain and now Kingdom. When I've fallen from these fine bikes as you do, I pick myself up and prepare myself for the cost of the damage done. With bikes now heading towards 8k I feel the cost to repair after the fall would hurt more than the fall.
  • 1 0
 Geez... If I was flush with cash a decision between this, a specialized enduro, and a megatower would be a tough one. All so over the top badass. Frankly yeti says lightweight climber, Who bombs downs, but a little weak on big hits and rough lines. Santa cruz says heavy hitting lifetime warranty and dependable but a little twitchy (high tower talk), and Specialized says guaranteed satisfaction even if generic. Actually the new Scott gambler looks like the most perfect expression of mountain biking i've ever seen. Just steepen that seat angle a bit and fit a dropper and now your talking ALL TIME BIKE WET DREAM. Just my 2 cents...its close to 34lbs. Just give me a dropper and its a done deal. I guess I will just go ride my dumpy aluminum capra, but WOW modern bikes kick so much ass. Any of these are light years ahead of everything I have ridden for years.
  • 1 0
 I'm always a bit surprised by the tyre pressures some people run. I'm only 60kg but I run 21 front and 26 rear. Generally find that without at least 26 PSI in the rear my back wheel tends to implode after a few months... And with less than 21 PSI front I roll too slowly.
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer Hi I am 5'11'' as well. Just wondering is the size large of the SB165 too big for me? Do you think I should size down to Medium? or Large is perfect for you in the test. Thank you so much Mike!
  • 1 0
 A size large was a great fit for me. I have a +1 ape index, so fairly typical. If anything, I’m more legs than upper body.
  • 2 1
 It's a good thing Yeti redesigned their frames to satisfy all the under the frame bottle cage haters. That bottle looks really easy to get out- as long as you stop and get off your bike.
  • 3 0
 I would love to see a comparison to a more affordable park bike like the Kona Process 165
  • 5 1
 Who pedals up these days? Haven’t you heard of e-bikes?
  • 3 0
 Crazy question, what's the song used for the intro?
  • 2 0
 Dark Daze- Mike Geiger
  • 1 0
 Vocals by Jessie Villa, not some dude doing autotuned falsetto.
  • 2 0
 @styson: thank you!
  • 3 0
 Single crown for working days, dual crown for bikepark weekends
  • 3 0
 cheaping out on the wheels
  • 2 0
 ridiculous 10k CDN doesn't even get you carbon wheels. Not that you even want them on a park bike.
  • 1 0
 @Dlakusta: Just buy frame only and choose your own parts. You'll be better served at same or even lower price if you know where/when to buy.
  • 1 0
 Maybe. These work quite well and for those who want to customize, they'll be ditching the stock wheels anyway so might as well not raise the price of the bike too much by improving them.
  • 2 0
 I believe these are a "custom" OE set made by DT for Yeti, with 350 hubs and a rim that is welded, not just pinned like the normal 1700 wheelset. Yeti has them on most of their bikes in their MY20 lineup. Certainly not as nice as the 1501's they spec'd on some of their higher end build kits in MY19, But pretty good wheels...
  • 4 2
 Jibby playful park bike. Let’s get more of these please. I’m no racist, just trying to steez out my stoke.
  • 2 0
 why wasn't there mention of a dual crown for the Enduro 29? Seems like a better candidate for a 180mm fox 49
  • 4 0
 Gah it’s almost like they’ve made a bike with a dual crown, what’s it called? Oh yeah, the demo.
  • 3 0
 @styson: just checked, the demo has a steep(ish) STA of 76 degrees, so it could work!
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: all it needs is a dropper and eagle and it’s basically an enduro but better
  • 2 1
 @styson: but muh carbon
  • 3 1
 Cool to see Yeti back in the game with some heavy duty bikes and a compression curve that works with coil.
  • 3 0
 how does it compare to the sb150 for trail and enduro riding?
  • 2 0
 So... it's a park bike with a tissue paper Yeti rear carbon triangle? That makes sense how?
  • 2 0
 SB165 vs SB150 geometry:
geometrygeeks.bike/compare/yeti-sb165-2020-lg,yeti-sb150-2019-l-1
  • 1 0
 LoL so it's the exact same bike with smaller wheels on it?
  • 1 1
 They go trough the hassle of using „control tyres“ but they use assegai‘s on the Enduro front and rear and DHF‘s front and rear on the Yeti???? Where TF is the point???
  • 3 0
 how the f*ck do you guys run 23 in the rear? come on.
  • 2 0
 Wow, another long travel bike capable of pedaling review!
  • 5 3
 It is a fun bike. I do not care where it is made.
  • 2 0
 This bike in aluminum would be dope AF
  • 3 2
 Somehow this year's field tests seem uninspired. You can clearly do better guys.
  • 1 0
 Agree, the intro looks so fun, but in the reviews it's pure serious. Seemed a bit more laid back last year. Meh
  • 1 0
 Cool review and I'm glad you are doing reviews like this. Rubber side down!!!!
  • 2 1
 Shouldn't they have gotten dentists to do the Field Test for this one. Lol.
  • 1 1
 It's a "pedalable park bike" - so, that's why there's no breakage on the frame, yet? Guess we'll see on the long-term report for this "pedalable park bike".
  • 1 0
 Oh! Maybe they will give away all the test bikes for the last advent calendar day!!!
  • 1 0
 What happened with 26“ some years ago happens now with 27.5“...thats sad, still love my 26“ canyon from 2012????????
  • 1 0
 My Ortho guy is faster than my dentist, and they both ride high end bikes.
  • 1 0
 I’d love to see a comparo of this and The Wreckoning, but Pinkbike sees no Evil, speaks no Evil, and tests no Evil.
  • 1 0
 The wreckoning is almost 4 years old.
  • 1 0
 The rider determines the level of fun, not the wheel size. Boo birds only spoil their own parties.
  • 1 0
 L.o.l. too many mugs in this sport. Paying that much for two wheeled transport without an engine. Ridiculous!
  • 1 0
 Did you notice any rear wheel side flex while riding?
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer and could you please tell me your arm span?
  • 1 0
 Should have been tested with a 40 on it
  • 1 0
 Closing soundtrack pure gold
  • 6 5
 Dentists everywhere rejoice.
  • 9 2
 Most people riding Yetis (including myself) are NOT dentists and do NOT make a lot of money. Just passionate people who enjoy amazing bikes that look incredibly good and ride incredibly well.
  • 3 0
 @cool3: RE: aesthetics - I think they look too sculpty
  • 1 0
 @endlessblockades: Yeah, liked the previous generation better, but they still look better than 90% of the bikes out there, IMO.
  • 2 0
 Dentists will highly approve of this bike brand since it may cost you a few teeth when the frame breaks.
  • 1 2
 What? No Traction Tune? How did you stay on the trail? You have to admit the HD5 should have punched just as high as this Yeti.
  • 2 0
 HI JASON That's all
  • 1 0
 JayLu gettin' steezy!!! Love it or hate it, 165 is a beast of a bike
  • 1 0
 Finally the yeti ASX managed to have a son.
  • 1 0
 The 2002 Santa Cruz V10 was also pedallable!
  • 1 0
 The bike industry makes something for everyone
  • 1 0
 I don't even care about these bikes... But that intro is the best.
  • 1 0
 I would absolutely buy this bike.
  • 1 0
 Thank you for best pinkbike comments of all time.
  • 1 0
 And the winner is... GT! Razz
  • 1 0
 Here is something better.
youtu.be/ZOwqrfsS67M
  • 1 0
 Wow! On the cusp of 2020 the dentist joke still lives!
  • 2 1
 Kashima=Moist
  • 2 1
 Slower than the GT, eh?!
  • 3 0
 Slower than a mostly cheap GT. I was about to give up on new GTs and get a new Mega 290, as my Sanction's geo seems to be a little old now(especially in STH and reach 'areas')...but, this alu Force 29er really looks like a tough proposition. I do really like the Sanction name though(vs Force) and the ideea behind I-drive vs Horst link.
  • 2 3
 f*ck you Pinkbike for making say "pedalable" in my head for 10 min straight.
  • 6 9
 You people obviously don't know the dentists very well. They have all switched over to eBikes now. BTW 2016 called and wants its bike back now.
  • 2 1
 2016 with steeper HA and longer reach but, yeah, you're on point!
  • 1 3
 275 is way more fun? that's like saying my Ford raptor is way more fun with smaller wheels hahahaha
  • 1 3
 some would say any bike is "dual crown compatible".
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