Review: Yeti SB140 - Little Wheels & Lots of Fun
With their new SB140 bike, Yeti banked on the fact that there are still plenty of people out there who don't want to ride a 29er but still want a new bike with modern geometry. Catering to those diehard 27.5" fans, the Yeti SB140 has 140mm of rear travel, coupled with a 160mm fork up front.
Along with the SB130 and SB165, the new SB140 is part of what Yeti calls the Rip category – bikes best suited to having fun and exploring outside the race tape. Bigger wheels have proven themselves on the race course, but since racing isn't for everyone, it makes sense that not all bikes should be designed purely around flat out speed. That being said, the SB140 is no slouch when it comes to going fast (more on that later).
Along with the SB130 and SB165, the new SB140 is part of what Yeti calls the Rip category – bikes best suited to having fun and exploring outside the race tape. Bigger wheels have proven themselves on the race course, but since racing isn't for everyone, it makes sense that not all bikes should be designed purely around flat out speed. That being said, the SB140 is no slouch when it comes to going fast (more on that later).
Yeti SB140 T2 Details
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Travel: 140mm / 160mm fork
• Carbon frame
• 65° headtube angle
• 433mm chainstays
• Weight: 29.05 lbs
• Price: $7,399 USD
• Colours: Inferno, Grey, Turquoise
• Lifetime frame warranty
• www.yeticycles.com
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Travel: 140mm / 160mm fork
• Carbon frame
• 65° headtube angle
• 433mm chainstays
• Weight: 29.05 lbs
• Price: $7,399 USD
• Colours: Inferno, Grey, Turquoise
• Lifetime frame warranty
• www.yeticycles.com
There are three complete models of the SB140 available in Yeti's highest quality 'Turq' carbon fiber, with prices ranging from $6,899 up to $8,299 USD. All of the Turq bikes come with the same suspension, a Fox Factory Grip 2 36 fork and a Fox Factory DPX2 rear shock, and DT Swiss M1700 wheels. The drivetrain and brakes are the only things that change as the price goes up. All three models can be upgraded with DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheels and there's also a SRAM AXS upgrade option on the T2 and T3 models.
All of the Turq bikes come with the same suspension and wheels.
Drivetrain and brakes change on the Turq models as the price goes up.
Yeti also offers two models of the SB140 in their C series, which use a 220 gram heavier frame that's said to deliver the same strength and stiffness as the higher-end carbon. The C series bikes are both equipped with a Fox Performance 36 fork and a Fox Performance DPX2 rear shock. The difference between the two models, which are priced at $5,399 and $5,999, comes from the upgraded wheels, brakes, crank and derailleur on the C2. Both C series models can be upgraded with SRAM AXS and/or DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheels.
Partial to the bike's geometry but would rather pick and choose your own components? Your build will start at $3,499 with the SB140 Turq frame and Fox Factory DPX2 rear shock.
 | The Yeti SB140 is light and poppy, but still super stable at speed. It's most in its element on trails with wide-open sight lines where you can let the brakes off and get playful on well-sculpted berms and jumps. |
All SB140 frames have a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects for the original purchaser.
Don't think orange really is the new black? You can also get the SB140 in this smoke colour.
Or in the traditional Yeti turquoise.
Construction and Features
The SB140 frame looks very similar to the 29" wheeled SB130, and other than the shock position, closely resembles the SB150 and SB165 as well. All bikes have identical frame protectors on the seat stay, chainstay and down tube, and have enough room in the front triangle for a water bottle. In fact, you can even squeeze a large water bottle in the frame on a size medium I rode despite the piggyback shock.
The seat tube heights are low enough that the size medium I'm riding can accommodate a Fox Transfer post with 150mm of drop, the size L and XL frames come with a 175mm post, and there's 125mm of drop on the small and extra-small sizes.
While the SB140 does away with the front derailleur mount and is a 1x drive specific frame, there are ISCG 05 chain guide mounts in case you want to go for some extra drivetrain security.
As you would imagine, the SB140 features internal routing for all cables. The molded sleeves in the frame help make the bike quiet and clean looking and reduce cable rub on the paint.
As of 2019, all Yeti frames, including the Switch Infinity, are covered for life against damage due to manufacturing defects for the original purchaser. Paint and finish are covered for one year.
The SB140 frame looks very similar to the 29" wheeled SB130, and other than the shock position, closely resembles the SB150 and SB165 as well. All bikes have identical frame protectors on the seat stay, chainstay and down tube, and have enough room in the front triangle for a water bottle. In fact, you can even squeeze a large water bottle in the frame on a size medium I rode despite the piggyback shock.
The seat tube heights are low enough that the size medium I'm riding can accommodate a Fox Transfer post with 150mm of drop, the size L and XL frames come with a 175mm post, and there's 125mm of drop on the small and extra-small sizes.
While the SB140 does away with the front derailleur mount and is a 1x drive specific frame, there are ISCG 05 chain guide mounts in case you want to go for some extra drivetrain security.
As you would imagine, the SB140 features internal routing for all cables. The molded sleeves in the frame help make the bike quiet and clean looking and reduce cable rub on the paint.
As of 2019, all Yeti frames, including the Switch Infinity, are covered for life against damage due to manufacturing defects for the original purchaser. Paint and finish are covered for one year.
The SB140 is designed to run its 140mm of rear travel with a 160mm travel fork.
Yeti and development partner Fox recommend lubing the Switch Infinity suspension every 40 hours of riding.
The Yeti SB140 comes with a 2.6" tire and that's the maximum width the brand recommends riding.
Geometry
The SB140's reach numbers are nearly identical to those of the SB130, 150 and 165, ranging from 430mm on a size small all the way up to 505mm on an XL. The medium that I've been on for the past several months has a 460mm reach. All five models in the Yeti lineup come in small through XL, but the SB140 is the only model that has an additional XS size, with a 405mm reach.
To balance out those long reach numbers and make the climbing position more efficient and comfortable, the SB140 has a 77-degree seat tube angle. That is coupled with a 65-degree headtube angle, half a degree slacker than the SB130.
Compared to the SB5 which was last updated in 2016, this is an entirely different bike. For starters, it has 10mm more travel front and rear. In addition, the headtube on the SB140 is a degree and a half slacker than the SB5 was, the seat tube is 3.4 degrees steeper, and it has a 37mm offset fork instead of a 44mm offset fork. On the size medium, the reach has grown by 37mm and the wheelbase is 40mm longer.
The SB140's reach numbers are nearly identical to those of the SB130, 150 and 165, ranging from 430mm on a size small all the way up to 505mm on an XL. The medium that I've been on for the past several months has a 460mm reach. All five models in the Yeti lineup come in small through XL, but the SB140 is the only model that has an additional XS size, with a 405mm reach.
To balance out those long reach numbers and make the climbing position more efficient and comfortable, the SB140 has a 77-degree seat tube angle. That is coupled with a 65-degree headtube angle, half a degree slacker than the SB130.
Compared to the SB5 which was last updated in 2016, this is an entirely different bike. For starters, it has 10mm more travel front and rear. In addition, the headtube on the SB140 is a degree and a half slacker than the SB5 was, the seat tube is 3.4 degrees steeper, and it has a 37mm offset fork instead of a 44mm offset fork. On the size medium, the reach has grown by 37mm and the wheelbase is 40mm longer.
You'll find the Kashima-coated suspension on all of the carbon models of the SB140.
Suspension Design
Like all of Yeti's other bikes, the SB140 uses the Switch Infinity suspension design. This has a translating pivot that switches directions as the bike moves through its travel – moving upwards in the beginning of the travel, and then downwards deeper in the travel. That change in position is intended to give the bike enough anti-squat for supportive pedaling, while reducing the amount of feedback delivered by bigger hits.
The unique Kashima coated rails and the sliding mechanism that make up the Switch Infinity design are the same size on the SB130, 140, 150, and 165 – it's the location in the frame and the amount that the carrier moves that's different. Like the SB130 and SB150, the SB140 was designed with an air shock in mind, but it can accommodate a coil shock as well, although it doesn't have as much progression as the SB165. The kinematics give it a 13% leverage ratio progression; the SB130 is 12%, the SB150 15%, and the SB165 is 27.5%.
The squish video. What you really look at Pinkbike reviews for.
Specifications
| Specifications | ||
| Release Date | Jul 29, 2019 | |
| Price | $7399 | |
| Travel | 140 | |
| Rear Shock | FOX FACTORY DPX2, 210 X 55MM | |
| Fork | FOX FACTORY GRIP 2 36/160MM | |
| Headset | CANE CREEK 40 INTEGRATED | |
| Cassette | SRAM X01 EAGLE 1295 10-50 | |
| Crankarms | SRAM X1 EAGLE 30T 170MM | |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB BB92 | |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 EAGLE | |
| Chain | SRAM GX EAGLE | |
| Shifter Pods | SRAM X01 EAGLE | |
| Handlebar | YETI CARBON 35X780MM | |
| Stem | RACE FACE TURBINE BASIC 35X50MM | |
| Grips | ODI ELITE PRO | |
| Brakes | SRAM G2 RSC | |
| Wheelset | DT SWISS M1700 30MM | |
| Tires | MAXXIS MINION DHF 2.6 EXO (front) + MAXXIS REKON 2.6 EXO (rear) | |
| Seat | WTB VOLT CUSTOM | |
| Seatpost | FOX TRANSFER 31.6MM / XS-SM: 125MM, MD: 150MM, LG-XL: 175MM | |
Testing took place on my local trails in Squamish, as well as some days in the Whistler Bike Park and two weeks vacation in Moab, Utah.
Test Bike Setup
For my 155 pounds, I ran the Fox Factory DPX2 shock at 185 psi, which is close to the 33% sag range that Yeti recommends as a starting point on their excellent shock setup page. I settled on 6 clicks of Low Speed Compression and 10 clicks of Low Speed Rebound and ran the bike with no spacers in the rear shock, as it comes from the factory.
For the Fox 36 fork, I ran 65 psi and the one stock volume spacer with the following clicks of rebound and compression from closed: HSC: 16, LSC: 9, HSR: 8, LSR: 12. This is slightly higher pressure than what Yeti recommends in their shock setup guide for someone my weight, but I liked the additional support it provided up front.
I rode the stem in the lowest position, swapped out the saddle for a slightly wider one, and ran slightly narrower tires than the stock 2.6" ones.
For my 155 pounds, I ran the Fox Factory DPX2 shock at 185 psi, which is close to the 33% sag range that Yeti recommends as a starting point on their excellent shock setup page. I settled on 6 clicks of Low Speed Compression and 10 clicks of Low Speed Rebound and ran the bike with no spacers in the rear shock, as it comes from the factory.
For the Fox 36 fork, I ran 65 psi and the one stock volume spacer with the following clicks of rebound and compression from closed: HSC: 16, LSC: 9, HSR: 8, LSR: 12. This is slightly higher pressure than what Yeti recommends in their shock setup guide for someone my weight, but I liked the additional support it provided up front.
I rode the stem in the lowest position, swapped out the saddle for a slightly wider one, and ran slightly narrower tires than the stock 2.6" ones.
Sarah Moore
Location: Squamish, BC, Canada
Age: 29
Height: 5'7"
Inseam: 30"
Weight: 155 lbs
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @smooresmoore
Location: Squamish, BC, Canada
Age: 29
Height: 5'7"
Inseam: 30"
Weight: 155 lbs
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @smooresmoore
Testing took place between July and December on my local trails in Squamish, as well as some days in the Whistler Bike Park and two weeks vacation in Moab, Utah.
The SB140 is an incredibly dependable climber.
Climbing
The SB140 has a nice upright position for climbing with the 77-degree seat tube angle and 460mm reach on the size medium. The firm pedaling platform means that I didn't feel the need to lock out the rear shock on anything but the most onerous of paved climbs. Despite that efficient pedaling platform, there's good traction on climbing trails scattered with rock obstacles and slippery roots and when fire roads get steep with loose gravel.
While the front end feels like it's a long way in front of you on the SB140, it tracks well. Although I did find the length of the bike noticeable when making my way around tight switchbacks. I also found that it took a bit of an effort to maneuver the SB140 up big square-edged steps. This was especially noticeable during my time in Moab, Utah. While there's enough standover height for shorter riders and Yeti's size range for the medium is 5'5" - 5'11", it definitely feels bigger than mediums from some other brands, and from Yeti's previous generation, so I would keep that in mind if you're between sizes.
All in all, while you're not going to win any climbing segments on the SB140, it's an incredibly dependable climber and it will get you to the top of the climb with plenty of energy left for the fun part.
Descending
Despite riding it for months, every time I took the Yeti SB140 out, I was shocked by how fast it could go when you pointed it down a straight section of trail or a rock slab. Yet even when I felt like I was going Mach 10, I felt in control and the bike felt stable and composed.
Some of the most fun I had on the SB140 was when I took it to the Whistler Bike Park. Normally, I prefer tech trails to A-Line laps, but on the SB140 I felt so comfortable at speed, in bermed corners, and in the air, that I wanted to keep lapping jump trails all day and whipping the back end quickly around turns. The orange speed demon was forgiving with mistakes and didn't blow through its travel easily, despite having much less travel than most bikes in the line-up for the chair lift.
Back home in Squamish, I found that the one place that the SB140 struggled a bit more was on steep technical descents with tight trees and lots of cornering, where even the strongest of riders have to grab fistfuls of brakes to slow down. The bike didn't feel as composed and stable under braking, and the smaller wheels didn't make their way through chunky holes and over roots the same way that a 29er would.
While you could race the SB140, a better option for a racer is Yeti's SB150 with slightly more travel and bigger wheels, and the SB130 is a better all-rounder for big days in the mountains. My favourite laps on the SB140 had lots of alternate line options, wider bermed corners, and good lines of sight so that I could hoot and holler without my fingers on the brake levers. Dream rides on it are party laps in the Whistler Bike Park and riding in the middle of a pack of friends in a social race.
The SB140 has a nice upright position for climbing with the 77-degree seat tube angle and 460mm reach on the size medium. The firm pedaling platform means that I didn't feel the need to lock out the rear shock on anything but the most onerous of paved climbs. Despite that efficient pedaling platform, there's good traction on climbing trails scattered with rock obstacles and slippery roots and when fire roads get steep with loose gravel.
While the front end feels like it's a long way in front of you on the SB140, it tracks well. Although I did find the length of the bike noticeable when making my way around tight switchbacks. I also found that it took a bit of an effort to maneuver the SB140 up big square-edged steps. This was especially noticeable during my time in Moab, Utah. While there's enough standover height for shorter riders and Yeti's size range for the medium is 5'5" - 5'11", it definitely feels bigger than mediums from some other brands, and from Yeti's previous generation, so I would keep that in mind if you're between sizes.
All in all, while you're not going to win any climbing segments on the SB140, it's an incredibly dependable climber and it will get you to the top of the climb with plenty of energy left for the fun part.
Looking for alternate line options and wide-open trails descending on the Yeti SB140.
Descending
Despite riding it for months, every time I took the Yeti SB140 out, I was shocked by how fast it could go when you pointed it down a straight section of trail or a rock slab. Yet even when I felt like I was going Mach 10, I felt in control and the bike felt stable and composed.
Some of the most fun I had on the SB140 was when I took it to the Whistler Bike Park. Normally, I prefer tech trails to A-Line laps, but on the SB140 I felt so comfortable at speed, in bermed corners, and in the air, that I wanted to keep lapping jump trails all day and whipping the back end quickly around turns. The orange speed demon was forgiving with mistakes and didn't blow through its travel easily, despite having much less travel than most bikes in the line-up for the chair lift.
Back home in Squamish, I found that the one place that the SB140 struggled a bit more was on steep technical descents with tight trees and lots of cornering, where even the strongest of riders have to grab fistfuls of brakes to slow down. The bike didn't feel as composed and stable under braking, and the smaller wheels didn't make their way through chunky holes and over roots the same way that a 29er would.
While you could race the SB140, a better option for a racer is Yeti's SB150 with slightly more travel and bigger wheels, and the SB130 is a better all-rounder for big days in the mountains. My favourite laps on the SB140 had lots of alternate line options, wider bermed corners, and good lines of sight so that I could hoot and holler without my fingers on the brake levers. Dream rides on it are party laps in the Whistler Bike Park and riding in the middle of a pack of friends in a social race.
Yeti's SB140
Santa Cruz's Bronson
How does it compare? Yeti SB140 vs. Santa Cruz Bronson / Juliana Roubion
I spent a lot of time on the Santa Cruz Bronson's sister bike, the Juliana Roubion last year, and while it and the SB140 both have 27.5" wheels, 65-degree headtube angles, and 160mm of travel up front, they're very different bikes.
The Yeti SB140 is a much longer bike, with a 460mm reach on the size medium compared to the Bronson's 429mm in the Low setting. However, the effective top tube length is almost the same on both bikes due to the difference in seat angles - the Yeti's sits at 77-degrees, while the Bronson's is 2 degrees slacker at 75 degrees. The wheelbase on the Yeti is also a fair bit longer at 1208mm compared to the Bronson's 1191mm.
The Yeti SB140 feels like a bigger bike that's more gravity focused, despite having 10mm less travel in the rear, while the Bronson feels like a more balanced and nimble bike.
Riding steep terrain and technical climbs, the Bronson would be my preference, while the Yeti wins on all-out speed, flow trails and bike park days.
The frame protectors on the seat stay, chainstay and down tube are solid and well though out.
Despite my less-than-optimal maintenance of the Switch Infinity, it stayed smooth and silent.
Technical Report
Overall, the parts spec on the Yeti T2 leaves little to be desired. Fox's top-level fork and shock didn't miss a beat, and SRAM's G2 brakes and drivetrain were smooth throughout the abuse of the test period.
Tire combo: I found the climbing slightly sluggish with the wider 2.6" 2.6" Minion and Rekon tires, so I swapped them out for a slightly narrower 2.5" Maxxis Minion DHF front tire and a 2.4" DHR II rear tire. These both had my preferred EXO+ casing instead of the EXO casing that the bike came with. I find the regular EXO casing a bit too easy to roll and burp in high-speed corners, and I like the added support of the EXO+ casing on the descents so I can run less air pressure.
Switch Infinity: I'm not proud to say that I grossly mistreated the Infinity link and did not lube it every 40 hours as Yeti recommends. Despite that, it stayed smooth and silent through wet PNW winter riding and Moab's infamous red dust.
G2 RSC Brakes: I thought that the G2 brakes had ample power for the SB140 and they worked consistently for months with just one pad change. And I know I've said this before, but I also love the adjustability of the RSC brakes so that I could easily run the levers close to the bars.
Paint Job: I was impressed with how resistant the paint job was to the abuse it should have suffered on tailgate pads, lifts, and tumbles down the trail. Not one chip after months of thrashing and the pearly orange shine is still going strong.
Overall, the parts spec on the Yeti T2 leaves little to be desired. Fox's top-level fork and shock didn't miss a beat, and SRAM's G2 brakes and drivetrain were smooth throughout the abuse of the test period.
Tire combo: I found the climbing slightly sluggish with the wider 2.6" 2.6" Minion and Rekon tires, so I swapped them out for a slightly narrower 2.5" Maxxis Minion DHF front tire and a 2.4" DHR II rear tire. These both had my preferred EXO+ casing instead of the EXO casing that the bike came with. I find the regular EXO casing a bit too easy to roll and burp in high-speed corners, and I like the added support of the EXO+ casing on the descents so I can run less air pressure.
Switch Infinity: I'm not proud to say that I grossly mistreated the Infinity link and did not lube it every 40 hours as Yeti recommends. Despite that, it stayed smooth and silent through wet PNW winter riding and Moab's infamous red dust.
G2 RSC Brakes: I thought that the G2 brakes had ample power for the SB140 and they worked consistently for months with just one pad change. And I know I've said this before, but I also love the adjustability of the RSC brakes so that I could easily run the levers close to the bars.
Paint Job: I was impressed with how resistant the paint job was to the abuse it should have suffered on tailgate pads, lifts, and tumbles down the trail. Not one chip after months of thrashing and the pearly orange shine is still going strong.
You'll need to be a strong rider to keep up with the speed this orange monster likes to carry.
Pros
+ Stable at highs speed and on jump trails
+ Dependable climber
+ Comes in size XS
Cons
- Not as composed on steep descents
- 2.6" tire combo with EXO casing won't be for everyone
- Riders on that are in between sizes may want to size down
Pinkbike's Take
| The SB140 is eager to climb to the top of the hill and then make its way back down while finding all the alternate lines on the side of the trail. The orange monster is incredibly stable at speed and thrives on long sightlines and wide-open trails. That being said, you need to be a strong rider to keep up with the SB140 and one who isn't afraid to let off the brakes. |
347 Comments
“So Campbell, 1h ride, zero watts, 27ft vert and 0.3mile ridden? We are worried about you! We just hammered a super hardcore fireroad run on our SB130s, 34miles and 2500 verts, you better step it up or we won’t accept you to come with us on the Fellowship 100miler in Utah in September. We are there to get into all time top 1000 and we won’t allow you to mess it up for us! Remember Richard? He started dirt jumping, his Vo2max got screwed, we no longer tell him about rides and Finnley charges him more for implants. He is about to lose his wife and she’ll take his Corvette. Oh BTW! Henry saw you rolling on alu rims to a skatepark. I am writing this because I am a friend of yours, still a friend: Get a grip! We won’t be giving you kudos until you start real mountain biking. I’ll setup a few Gravel challenges on Strava later during the day and expect you to accept them and complete them.
Sincerely yours
Dr Carl Jeffrey Ford
Waiting for this to happen: - Dad? How big are your wheels? - erm... 27.5. - What does that mean? - inch is a awkward measure for countries who went to the moon, their citizens got guns but can't get milimiteres, the only Americans using milimiters program Mars landers and microdose mushrooms... milimeters, the mm go for microdose mushrooms. They make you smarter. Where was I going with this... ekhem, your brothers are 20" Yours are 24", moms 26", mine a 27,5" - Are there bigger ones? Like 28" or 29"? - yes off course but they... - so why don't you get bigger ones you'll be faster. - awkward silence. Did you do your homework?! Did you prepare your clothes for tomorrow?! Did you made the bed?! Brushed your teeth?! What is your problem?! I didn't raise you like that!!!
Great review though, my comment is not intended to PB but more to this narrative the industry is increasingly pushing up.
1) there's the type that uses the bike that is available to them to go gravel/mixed-surface/adventure riding because that's what they wanted to do. Back then that probably meant an xc hardtail or a cyclocross bike.
2) the second type is the guy that rides gravel because he needs somewhere to ride the new trendy bike that he just bought.
It's a chicken or the egg thing? Which came first, the gravel biker or the gravel bike?
I guess, with the new 32 inch wheels coming out soon.
Nice looking bike, doesn't sound like it knows what it wants to be, comparable to a Bronson but not as composed and not as good for climbing, less travel than a Bronson but better for a bike park, sounds like Yeti missed the mark.
Odd, short travel and long, should be long travel and long, but oh well.
All bikes have a beginning, there was a time when 26" bikes sucked balz.
A wheel is a wheel, any bike can be made to ride well with any size wheel, it's the industry BS that sells bikes, not actual performance.
I have the choice of any bike and any wheel size, but even my Pistola is rolling on 27.5 most of the time.
totally ain’t dead.
Let me go over this again, slowly.
The joke was that 26" is slow, I clarified that when someone commented people couldn't take sarcasm, and in another comment, stated I couldn't tell the difference in speed. So get down off your high horse, realise that there's nothing to get butt hurt over because I'm having a laugh, and maybe just do a bit more reading before you start jumping on your keyboard.
... any bike can be stretched out for stability, but that doesn’t make it playful and poppy. Actually, quite the opposite.
Are you sure you ride BMX? I can think of way more fun bikes that are actually short and poppy.
And yes, I was on flow team for Fit and fbm and Vans, have shots in ride mag...
You can consider buying a 29er mountain bike if:
You have a height of at least 180cm
You find passing over obstacles a challenging task (the larger wheel will help you overcome them easier)
You’re looking to achieve a higher rolling speed
I don't meet criteria 1 but I like a challenge and prefer to pump, jump and pick my lines! Just pulled the trigger on a new bike and it wasn't a 29!
It is nice to see a reviewer who isn't 6ft+ for a change.
1. 27.5 aren't fast
2. And 29ers arent't fun.
Pinkbike Commenters on each one: Thank you for finally reviewing a 27.5 I thought you never would!
Either way, I think that it makes sense to review more 29ers, as for most people, they make more sense. Yes you can get more playful on a 27.5 bike, but a large portion of riders are xc dads and trail warriors, not bros auditioning for Tom Caldwell's next rut blasting edit. Yes Rowdiness has its place and many benefit from smaller wheels but I would say the majority of people are served by the pedaling advantages of 29ers. Now for my personal opinion this makes sense, as In my experience I have found that 29ers are more playful than 27.5 is fast, especially on flatter, more pedally trails.
Soooo, the Ripmo is 29”, not 27.5”
Also, pedaling advantages of 29” bikes are great for fire roads but not tight single track, switchbacks, etc...
And on your point aboyt single track, 29ers are so much better at climbing over obstacles than 27.5 bikes are.
Fun wins.
If you have to use different types of bikes to prove your point, you don’t really have one...
People didnt invent racing to make a living people started racing because it's FUN.
The ideal that tail whipping over and over is more fun then ripping down a dangerous trail at high speed on the edge of control doesn't compute.
You’re confused, racing has never been about fun, it’s about being the best at something. Which usually requires hard work, again hard work is not fun.
Fun on the other hand, is about relaxing with your friends, stopping mid ride to check out a drop or a jump, not worrying about if you took the fastest line or what ever...
Not all the time but seeing the fruits of my labor is definitely fun.
It's like there's more then one kind of person 8n this world or something ...
A 27.5 is fast. I can ride mine like lightning. Aaron Gwin or Richie Rude can ride one and make it look like your 29er is sitting still by comparison. Is it the best choice to win World Cup races? Maybe not. If that's the case maybe 29ers are faster, but that doesn't mean a 27.5 can't be fast.
True story
but with those gaps on the sides it ain't exactly "solid". Clearly a bit of "form over function".
Nitpicking. The bike looks sick.
It does look sick though
Yeti accused me of lying when I emailed them to clarify. Said I must have dropped my frame on a rock for that damage.
Yeti is a joke and is more marketing company than bike company.
Yes, I'm a bit bitter.
I'm on a Banshee Titan now and am much happier. Burlier bike and much more balanced with a CS length commensurate to longer reach.
Why are you complicating this with your fancy number speak?
when I went from 26 to 27.5 I really thought the world had changed (like square edges and hits no longer existed), but when I went from 27.5 to 29 I just thought I was swimming in wheels.
Honest question here....
What is the "b" in 650b. And also the "c" in 700c?
Im too lazy for google and reading. I just want answers fed to me, (Because I want to be a Millenial)
Also, last time I checked all my motos, my left hand operated a clutch, not a brake.
Lucky...Id take a ride over coffee any day.
Thats what she said
She spends almost no time talking about the suspension performance, and a lot of time talking about how long the bike felt on the climbs and the descents. Perhaps you were pushed toward bermy jump trails because you were on a bike that was too large? It also seemed to be your chief complaint when comparing to the Santa Cruz, which had a 31mm shorter reach and proportionally shorter wheelbase. Wouldn't both of these issues be solved by comparing to a small SB140?
Wheelbase: 1176 (Yeti) vs 1191 (SC),
Reach: 430 (Yeti) vs 436 (SC),
Chainstay 433 (Yeti) vs 430 (SC),
Stack 594 (Yeti) vs 602 (SC).
These bikes are nearly identical at these sizes. Wouldn't the size Small Yeti offer you the shorter wheelbase you prefer for technical descents, a slacker head angle, and steeper seat angle, while otherwise providing nearly identical fit?
Maybe Im wrong, but difference in fork offset? Yeti has shorter
Hi Sarah, do you not think that maybe why you found it not as confident on steep tight off piste type trails is because the bike was a little big / long for you? And had you sized down would have been ok?
Or do you think its down to the wheels / what you are used to riding?
Or is it a particular fault / trait with this bike?
Yea, i tried a much longer bike recently on my local trails. Flat out down semi-steep trails was mega fun, but very steep twisty chutes with trees on corners was much worse - not only were my arms completely stretched out in front of me to be able to get my ar5e far back enough, but the length of the big was harder to corners too.
"...not only were my arms completely stretched out in front of me to be able to get my ar5e far back enough..."
Just when I was starting to question your credibility, you let this gem slip out and erased any doubt.
Maybe I didn’t explain that very well.
Normal I’m center (with weight behind front axle)
But on a really long bike, my arms are too stretched out and it makes me feel like I’m fighting the bike.
Probably just a lack of confidence riding a bike too big for me.
Based on my measurements, published wheelbase of a Medium Bronson.3 is correct.
Thabks buddy, I’m fine on my bike - i was talking about a demo bike too long for me.
They might not be "diehard fans", but maybe just don't give a shit about race results or being the absolute fastest.
"part of what Yeti calls the Rip category – bikes best suited to having fun and exploring outside the race tap"
I mean, you paraphrased Yeti themselves right there: this is not a race bike. And guess what? Most riders _are not racers_... So it's not so much anyone wants 27.5 specifically, they just don't want to make sacrifices simply for the sake of pure speed.
(Yes, everyone says "you get used to the big wheels", but some people would rather spend that "getting used to" credit towards throwing even more shapes and flicking through even tighter trails.)
Or maybe the rider just struggles with these sections?
Bike reviews that imply the bike can do more than the rider are crazily stupid but you read shit like this all the time. Its bollocks
I have changed from 26 to 29 a year ago, so I still remember.
If you're going to make shit up, make it plausible. Anyone can simply scroll up and see for themselves that you're talking out of your hole.
Another thing that she actually says is that she prefers the Roubion or Bronson (27.5 bikes) for tight tech. That doesn't fit your bullshit anti-29er narrative very well either does it?
I'm just a bit annoyed at the keyboard warriors who claim to know more about this bike and how it rides than the reviewer, a Squamish local who literally does this for a living. There's more than a whiff of sexist bullshit in the air.
A bike really boils down to suspension kinematics and geometry (assuming similar build kit). The fact is, the geometry on the Bronson and a size small Yeti is very similar (reach, HA, wheelbase, chain stay).
In comparing the 429 reach Bronson to the 460 reach Yeti Sarah spent the whole comparison discussing the difference as a function of wheelbase length. The fact is, the size Small Yeti would fit her identically to the Bronson, and the wheel base would be identical as well. So just pick a different size so we can compare based on the kinematics.
How would a medium Bronson fit the same as a small SB140? The Bronson has a 598mm TT vs. 567mm on the SB140. That is quite short for a 5’7” rider, esp. one with an XC background.
This is why the industry is moving towards using reach (distance from BB center to steer tube center). Regardless of seat tube angle, you are always going to adjust your seat tube and saddle position so that your hips are in a similar position relative to the BB - you have to do this in order to pedal efficiently, which is the same position regardless of bike.
If I take a bike that has the same reach, same stack heigh, similar chain stay length, and same HT angle, those bikes will ride the same (from a geometry perspective), regardless of how long and what angle you connected a TT from the HT to the ST.
I understand reach and stack and where you were going with your original comment.
What I was trying to point out that it isn't always as simple when comparing two bikes with the same reach. While the two bikes will feel the same while descending, a bike with a 77 deg. STA is going to feel much shorter while climbing and pedaling with the seat up compared to a 74/75 STA.
This is often an issue when you are between sizes. Sizing down to get closer to an ideal reach can often result in a very cramped position/too small (and hitting knees on the bars) while climbing/pedaling on bikes with steep STA’s like the Yeti.
high anti-rise (greater than 100%) = rear end of bike compressing while using rear brake
low anti-rise (less than 100%) = rear end of bike extending while using rear brake
does this imply that the extension of suspension during braking equates to better suspension performance while the compression of the rear suspension during braking degrades suspension performance (as you put it 'rear suspension stops working')?
Ideal pedaling position is about the location of your hips relative to the BB. The seat post can be moved up or down (y axis) and your saddle can be moved forwards or backwards (x axis) to accomplish the same position of hips relative to BB.
Effective top tube doesn't matter as much as reach, so long as you are within the margin of adjustment for the saddle height and fore/aft positioning. That is why every time we hear about a bike with a "too slack" seat tube angle, the reviewer quickly mentions that this was adjusted for by sliding the saddle forward a couple of cms.
personally, i had a spec phenom saddle that i liked (ti rails) so i bought the sworks version to lose some weight. turned out that the rail position was totally different - it was shifted forward by probably 2cm vs the ti-rail version. this meant that i actually had to go back to my ti-rail saddle because i wanted to push the saddle a bit farther forward.
thankfully the road bike fit works well with the expensive saddle or i would have been really annoyed (not to mention out $270 for nothing)!
Obviously you wouldn't ride a medium Bronson if you were looking for 460ish mm of reach, you size up to the large. That's not a good comparison at all.
Struggled compared to what? Other "fun" 140/160 bikes? 160/170 enduro race bikes? A DH race bike? An old skool freeride bike?
Because my 140/150 27.5 fun bike is just at home in straight jump lines as ripping tight corners through the trees. So it would be nice to know if there is something about this bike's rear suspension kinematics under braking that makes it act up under hard braking, or if you're for some weird reason comparing to another category of bike all-together. Maybe it's the geo: too long of a front-center (because that reach is f*cking long) compared to rear-center and it's harder to weight the front wheel and it can feel sketchy driving hard into steep corners. Does the Bronson "struggle" in the same conditions? No to mention that steep corners are always going to be more work than no-braking straights and berms.
Dudes, you already have a larger percentage of MTB being sold and most of the reviews and articles. Why can you just be happy with that. You win, there you go. You are much faster and rollover easier, so go ahead and celebrate your victory. I, for one, am happy for you.
We the losers, will just lick our wounds and wipe our tears riding into the sunset. We'll be joined by other know nothing, skill-less, losers that prefer small wheels like Semenuk, Lacundeguy, Zink, Lopes, Gwin, Bruni, Aggazis, Bryceland, Wilmer, MacAskill, Brosman or the McCauls. I am sure we are all wrong, and have no valid reasons to like smaller wheels. We are all such idiots.
I'll take that over Yeti's previous design every day (if i was going to consider one of thir frame), even if, to me, it was slightly more appealing.
I acknowledge someone might think otherwise.
Personally I don't use a mudguard for my fork as my forks have a rearward facing arch too and for me that's sufficient. I wipe them of after the ride and I'm good. If I need to clean them wet, I do so upside down, wipe them dry upside down again and they've always been fine for every lower leg service.
Yes.
Nico Vink had a leftover Ransom frame for me so I’m riding that now and I sold the SB140. But don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but good words about that Yeti...
Yeti's prices are right in line with most of the major players in this industry for comparable build kit (Santa Cruz, Specialized, Ibis, etc.) If we are talking about a premium of a couple hundred bucks on a complete build, and you like the way it rides, looks, the brand, etc...you probably don't care.
Also - Switch Infinity started as a sealed, counter rotating bearing idea way back when it was first introduced. They later got rid of this for the simpler version you see here today. A car riding on 2 rails is pretty simple.
I initially laughed at the little wheels heading but I can't think of any current 26" bikes. I think we've officially hit the point where 27.5" really is the little wheel option.
I think which one is faster is very dependent on the trail. Lots of tight turns, without many high speed sections? 27.5 may very well be faster.
Would I go back to 27.5? No, but I like to smash and hop straight through and into rough stuff, not dance around it. I think if I went back, I would most miss the larger wheels on technical ups. You just don't get hung up on the roots and rocks that give you trouble on 27.5 wheels as much.
Can't help but think for medium sized riders this would hit a sweet spot.
27.5 bikes were the answer to engineers inability to truly make 29 work and when they dropped to that wheels size everything just fit perfect and all the geos they had developed for 29er made a 27.5 butter.
So now engineers have updated 29ers but why drop that technology down to 27.5? I don't get this industry at all.
Tell us!
You know what would be fun on this bike? Technical lines. Instead of focusing on going from A to B in the fastest way possible use the agile wheel size to get creative with lines.
I do agree with her that the longer trend has it's drawbacks. There's a point where a bike is just too long for you to be able to maneuver it naturally and comfortably.