Yeti's Prototype DH Bike - Sea Otter 2023

Apr 21, 2023 at 11:04
by Dario DiGiulio  
photo

We've seen the teasers, the video, and the rumors, but at this year's Sea Otter Yeti finally pulled back the curtain on their prototype downhill bike. Made specifically for their long-time athlete Richie Rude, this one-off frame falls under their Special Projects designation, which is reserved for unique experiments carried out by their R&D team. The story goes that Rude floated the idea for the bike in the Fall of 2022, giving the team a 6-week turnaround to get a frame made in time to start testing for preseason.

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High pivot 6 bar.
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The guts of the machine.

They were able to repurpose the linkage design formulated for their e-bike, which was their first departure from their Switch Infinity system since unveiling it. By adding a higher pivot and an idler, they were able to tweak the wheel path to be more rearward, while retaining a balanced and predictable feel.

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Flip chip for progression.
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And one in the rear for +/- 5mm chainstay adjustment.


All of the metal components were made in-house, allowing them to tweak the kinematics within the constraints of the carbon frame, tuning the ride to better suit Richie's preferences. There's a good amount of adjustment baked into the frame, with a dropout flipchip to change the chainstay length, a shock chip to change progression, and a Chris King Buzzworks headset to change reach and/or headtube angle.

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Made for the man himself.
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It's been a while since this head badge was featured on the world DH stage.


The frame was developed as a mixed-wheel setup from the get-go, as per feedback from Richie and some other team members like Mick Hannah. Geometry was loosely based on some other benchmark bikes, as well as their own SB160, with enough adjustment to adapt to just about any course on the calendar. With 205mm of rear wheel travel, this is the biggest Yeti we've seen in a long time, and given their recent success on the world stage, I have high hopes for the performance of this new venture.

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Lots of pivots, lots of idlers.

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One last glimpse, but check out the full gallery here.



Author Info:
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Member since Dec 25, 2016
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172 Comments
  • 196 1
 Passes the Cable Tourism test.
  • 43 0
 Thank god for no Cable Tourism
  • 3 2
 @nickfranko: it's trying times for the locals, we need more tourism!
  • 8 25
flag LemonadeMoney (Apr 21, 2023 at 13:51) (Below Threshold)
 Passes the high profits test.
  • 9 0
 God I'm so glad this is a thing
  • 7 0
 @LemonadeMoney: unlikely, this looks like full F1 style one off, iterating through the season. It could end up in a production bike, but there probably aren’t many companies who make real bank off the low volume of DH rigs sold compared to any other category.
  • 5 16
flag LemonadeMoney (Apr 21, 2023 at 15:31) (Below Threshold)
 @heinous: high pivot=high profits
  • 5 0
 The tourists always come to see our jagwires.
  • 4 0
 @heinous: especially if you consider that it's a Yeti=unbelievably high prices. In addition, the demographic of people who ride DH bikes probably doesn't overlap with the demo that can afford Yetis.
  • 4 0
 @ctang008: their kids do
  • 73 6
 Over/under $7000 on the frame-only price?
  • 199 3
 Definitely over. It was designed specifically for the Rich.
  • 13 3
 They will want to be less than the new Specialized XC frame so it will be $6499.99
  • 3 1
 I would say they make a carbon one for $8500 w/ frame and fork. And an alloy version for $5500 w/ frame and fork.
  • 23 1
 6K. The price is per pivot.
  • 24 1
 ...which is why you need to worry about infinity links. $$$
  • 3 0
 I think it'll be cheaper, since it doesn't use the switch infinity rails
  • 3 0
 They said they would spare no cost so I'm in for over.
  • 6 5
 @mariomtblt: Yeti pricing isn't correlated to materials or features.
  • 7 0
 Over..that's a $2k head badge alone.
  • 37 1
 Really like the look of that, kinda blends the refined Yeti aesthetic with a more industrial vibe One thing it does do is highlight how old the current Saint group is, gotta be 8 years since that stuff came out!
  • 31 0
 Pretty sure Yeti still sold the 303 when Shiamno last did a Saint update!
  • 16 0
 The first model year for the current Saint groupset was 2013 and was shown off on Pinkbike in June 2012. To give a sense of how long the current-gen Saint has been around, the Saint brakes still use i-spec A/B while all other Shimano brakes have gone through i-spec II and now i-spec EV since then. Not sure about the rest of it, but the brakes are still the bee's knees.
  • 9 0
 can't beat it on beastmode level durability
  • 13 0
 @big-red: no need to fix what isn't broken right?!
  • 12 0
 @big-red: Yep, Happy Tenth Birthday to Saint! Nice to see in this age of incremental "improvements".
  • 2 0
 It was less than 10 years ago that Yeti's aesthetic was pretty industrial.
  • 1 0
 I just thought its like a beautiful bike that looks fantastic with the Saint group set. Industrial all the way please!
  • 2 1
 @jlauteam1: Naw let's take 0.01mm off the diameter and call in revoluDUBinary and file a million patents instead lol
  • 31 2
 Ew gross, the fork isn't even inverted
  • 5 45
flag hellanorcal (Apr 21, 2023 at 12:00) (Below Threshold)
 I am SOOO sick of orange forks. It's like Fox says "You're dead to me" if you don't run an orange fork.

I'm going to be even more sick of it by the time we are done being force fed Otter food.
  • 33 1
 @hellanorcal: dude, no one is forcing you to read Sea Otter articles.
  • 34 3
 @hellanorcal: Yeah. Poverty, war, democracies imploding and the rise of the oceans all suck... But orange forks? That's what we really need to rail against.

I like 'em.
  • 6 0
 @hellanorcal: Different strokes for different folks. I don't love them, but don't mind them either. However, I can see us all looking back at them in 5-7 years and saying "that is so early 2020's".
  • 7 0
 @hellanorcal: Good thing that 1. Fox sells their forks in black 2. as others have noted, you are 100% free to NOT click on this article or any other Sea Otter (or actually any other article on the entire internet) if you feel you won't enjoy it. Have fun in your misery
  • 8 0
 I wouldn't hate a Dorado on that beauty!
  • 1 5
flag jrocksdh (Apr 21, 2023 at 15:25) (Below Threshold)
 And painted with a 2 year olds throw up.
  • 20 0
 oh god i hope this means richie gonna drop-in on a WC DH in 2023.
  • 5 0
 that's the plan
  • 4 0
 Yup, he is
  • 5 0
 Sam Hill too. Maybe some Athetons? Exciting times
  • 1 1
 *Athertons
  • 11 0
 6 bar linkages are so hot right now
  • 1 0
 they are really dope when it comes time
  • 6 0
 time to service all the moving parts*
  • 3 1
 I'm in the market for a link to a diagram.
  • 1 0
 My daily-driver 2017 Knolly approves of this comment
  • 8 0
 I wonder when Shimano will release an updated version of Saint? Not that there's anything really wrong with it, apart from the heel rub on the cranks.
  • 7 2
 Its a bit much to wrap your head around, but its the same design as the latest Commencal Supreme, except the connecting vertical bar pivots higher up on the main rocker, so that it "switches" from going up to going down at some point in the travel.
  • 5 0
 Which interestingly is exactly what the switch infinity did (that is, main swing arm pivot first moves up, then moves down). Also, although not as dramatic, DW Link bikes do this as well. Common theme on a lot of suspension platforms that get high praise.
  • 2 7
flag Bahh (Apr 21, 2023 at 14:11) (Below Threshold)
 @ShreddinThePig: literally the only reason for the 6 bar is to not infringe on DWs patent.

The infinity link was you say was actually quite a clever way of having a moving single pivot.
  • 1 3
 @Bahh: I don't think Yeti is worried about DW's patent. I think they legitimately want to do something different. Weagle has shown willingness to allow multiple brands to run his link. Switch infinity and the new 6 bar likely each costed them more between r&d, partnering with fox (on the S.I.) and a more complex system than licensing DW link. Yeti's biggest competitor is Pivot and if they suddenly switched to the same design Pivot runs that wouldn't be a good look.
  • 3 3
 @grldm3: well if you run a 4 bar with an IC that runs foward of the bb and then goes rear, with an increasing followed by decreasing antisquat (a rising then falling single pivot like the infinity), you infringe on his patent.

Essentially the 6 bar does this, but with extra links for shock control for a lazy designer so it differentiates it from pivot as you say.

Lol at the downvotes, Yeti fans be butt hurt.
  • 9 0
 Would be Rude not to love this rig.
  • 13 6
 No bottle holder, so there might be some dangerous bottle sharing
  • 9 1
 After years of copy of copy of a Session... this made me.. boner. Wooooooowww great bike
  • 9 5
 Almost a year ago I mentioned on pinkbike that I'd seen the Yeti crew testing bikes with a vertical shock position on my local trails, hence I was surprised when the "new" SB160 was released as a recycle of the current suspension layout.

But this explains it Smile
  • 6 0
 No headset routing, I’m out.
  • 6 0
 Frothin to see Richie ride this hog in some WC's.
  • 3 1
 Looks awesome! It’s about time yeti makes a DH bike again. That carbon layup looks like it’s ready for production. Paint the CNC parts black and offer it to the customer. I wouldn’t doubt this makes it to the market for next year with this my hype around it
  • 5 0
 Hmmm....I wonder what I can complain about with this bike?
  • 6 1
 Looks like a Fury...
  • 3 0
 Surprised to see it’s a mixed wheel setup. I just didn’t think that yeti was into that. Will the sb165 successor be MX?
  • 8 0
 Most DH races last year on the WC were won by MX bikes. Alot of enduro races were still won by 29. Hence the DH bike being MX and the enduro being 29er. The 165 is just a play bike so who knows what they will do there. Considering the sb135 is 27.5 i bet the 165 stays 27.5 too
  • 2 0
 @MauiMax: Or just include some sort of headset spacer or flip chip thing so you can run full 275 or mullet!
  • 3 0
 @hamncheez: That would be cool too. Im really tempted to get a lower headset cup extender for my stumpy evo and try running it full 27.5
  • 1 0
 @MauiMax: once you get the speed the smaller wheel doesn't matter... 29er at the back brings momentum at lower speeds avoiding to go more inside the holes...
  • 2 0
 @PauRexs: Makes sense. Its already mullet though. Im thinking about full 27.5 because on Maui the most serious trail here is a blue flow jump trail that would be really fun on full 27.5. Maybe just a bit easier to toss around?
  • 1 0
 @PauRexs: Im not riding anything thats too aggressive and probably could have gone with a 140mm travel trail bike instead of a stumpy evo but its ok.
  • 4 1
 no switch infinity, nice.
  • 2 1
 I'm kind of surprised by this. Switch infinity is Yeti's "thing". I feel this is like them saying switch infinity isn't the best for gnarly terrain.
  • 1 0
 @Aleven: It's a high pivot, you have to use what works best for the link.
  • 3 0
 Nice! Another Otter Clam. Keep ‘em coming.
  • 2 0
 Keen to see this and Richie compete, fingers crossed that the results are excellent.
  • 1 0
 f*cking finally!!
Yeti makes bikes that just want to go fast. Absolute tragedy it's taken this long. Make it happen, bois #sb203
  • 4 2
 Can we get a dentist joke counter for the comments?
  • 9 1
 Dental Damm
  • 3 1
 This probably ortho territory.
  • 5 1
 You anti-dentite bastards!
  • 3 2
 @andelinc: bunch of rabid antidentites!!
  • 3 1
 @initforthedonuts: Brace yourself, there are more dentist jokes coming...
  • 2 0
 It’s going to be twenty grand
  • 1 0
 even better, it'll never be for ssle
  • 3 1
 Looks like a overnight build at the Motel8
  • 1 0
 Love to see the SB200 in such detail! Excited to see Richie take on some WCs this year!
  • 2 0
 Doping should be a lifetime ban from all cycling sports.
  • 1 0
 Seems like from the nice touches and adaptability here and there that it is super close to production.
  • 1 0
 Nice bike and good story. Cool to see Yeti staying true to their racing roots here!
  • 2 1
 Rear linkage looks like the new Forbidden.
  • 1 0
 I would argue its othing like a Forbidden at all, I think the only similarities they share is that they are high pivots. It's closer to a Supreme V5.
  • 1 0
 Will it win the speed trap contest?
  • 2 4
 Baby, this is what you came for Lightning strikes every time she moves And everybody's watchin' her But she's lookin' at you, ooh, ooh You, ooh, ooh, you, ooh, ooh You, ooh, ooh, you, ooh, ooh You, ooh, ooh Ooh
  • 1 0
 Huh?
  • 3 2
 I just felt a great disturbance in the dentist force.
  • 1 4
 Looks cool and disgusting at the same time. Too many idlers and pivots which makes for a longer chain. Why all of this on a DH rig. Simple 7 speed in rear and single cassette up front. How much does that thing weigh? Most likely 50 pounds.
OH,and for you keyboard riders/mecaniks (so to speak)..no one has said anything about the COOL DT-FR 541'S......
  • 2 1
 Maybe we could get a dedicated xc bike from Yeti if they add the dh bike?
  • 1 0
 Limited run of carbon commencal
  • 1 0
 Bring back the Lawwill suspension!!
  • 1 0
 Does it have super boost?
  • 1 0
 thatll be 12 thousand dollars
  • 1 0
 So Ryan Palmer is a marketing manager at Yeti now, huh. What a shame.
  • 3 3
 Not interested if the cable routing isn’t through the headset.
  • 4 5
 So it's a Felt Equilink 6-bar layout, like the new Commencal DH bike. Amazing.
  • 4 0
 Except both those bikes have the pivot on the chain stay instead of the seat stay.
  • 4 4
 @mammal: You're correct that the Commencal and Yeti have the rear pivot in a different location. That might be an important distinction in the eyes of a patent office, but seeing as they're all virtual pivot bikes with the seatstays and chainstays floating in space on all three models, I'm not sure moving the rear pivot location 20mm onto the seatstay is a significant design feature. It might alter braking, but not axle path or leverage rate. The three designs are each different, but they're very similar, and I can't think of any other bikes in the history of mountain biking with a 6-bar layout like this.
  • 2 0
 @TEAM-ROBOT: it's OK that designers are circling back to the 6-bar. You can let it go, it's not an Equilink.
  • 4 1
 @mammal: I'm not saying it's OK or not OK, I'm saying it's interesting. It's interesting that a weird trail bike design from a weird road bike brand from 15 years ago has been repurposed by two important MTB companies into a successful downhill platform. Is that not interesting? I think it's interesting.
  • 3 0
 @TEAM-ROBOT: I've just read the same thing from you a few times before, and it's never mentioning how interesting it is that they're similar. Just you saying it's a Felt design.
  • 5 0
 @mammal: I Felt that was interesting
  • 1 0
 @gnarnaimo: zing
  • 1 2
 Another Yeti without some linear motion contrivance... I like it, honestly.
  • 1 0
 Balfa called....
  • 1 0
 I'll have two please.
  • 2 4
 No comment on how Richie put down a faster time on that rig than a bunch of WC DH racers?
  • 4 1
 I mean its a DH bike and he is a WC level racer. I dont see the difference. Basically racer on a DH bike vs racer on a DH bike
  • 1 0
 you have my attention. where and when
  • 3 1
 @two-plank: www.pinkbike.com/news/results-oceania-continental-championships-2023.html
  • 6 1
 @pisgahgnar: No one there that finished in top 30 overall last year. Regardless, I wouldn't be surprised if Richie was riding for top 10s in DH if he put his mind to it..
  • 3 1
 @jayacheess: Beating Sam Hill by 4 seconds is still a feat
  • 5 0
 @wburnes: I like Sam Hill as much as the next guy, but I think we have to be realistic about where he's been at for the last couple years. He hasn't really been vying for top spots in Enduro, let alone DH.
  • 1 1
 @jayacheess: 100% agree with this. But, if Richie puts in the time he will be right up there in the mix at some races this season.
  • 1 0
 @pisgahgnar: Yeah, I think Richie has what it takes to be near the top in either discipline. It's really just a matter of what he focuses his time on.
  • 2 3
 Suspension sponsor: Caltrans
  • 1 2
 It as two 303’s should call it the 606
  • 1 4
 High pivots. So 1996/1997. You would think we would evolve past this but with most things retro is in. I am not sure the high idler wheel is any help but........
  • 5 6
 Looks like a Norce Shore
  • 2 1
 It really does share a silhouette. I'm not sure why you got so many downvotes
  • 1 0
 @AndrewHornor: reminds me of the Hope bike too
  • 1 4
 Looks like you can fit a dropper post! All DH bikes should be able to fit a dropper post
  • 1 0
 Definitely not, with that linkage going through the seat tube.
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