I do have a bit of a craving for a Yeti 4x,

Anyone use one as a trail bike?

Ok only 3.25″ travel but Geometry similar to that of a heckler both 69deg Head angle – but thats with a 100mm fork on the 4x and a 515mm A2C on the Heckler (suspect that that is 130mm fork?) Thinking the 100/130/160 talas would go on nice, and slacken the head angle and raise the BB for DH. While still being reasonable tight for single track / climbing . Only down side is only being able to run 1×9 gearing.

Should I buy a real XC bike really…

I have one in small.

It is great going down but climbing is a different matter altogether.

I took my mate Yeti 4x up to the local woods and never wanted to give him it back. It rode like a mini downhill bike with a 140mm pike on the front. His gearing was a bit hard for me on the climb, it was a 36 at the front with a 12-25 road cassette. If you geared it right and had an adjustable fork for the climbs it would be superb, I want one!!!!

Meant to be a pain to climb but as above, good on the descents. Think its a similar story with most full sus 4X frames. My Blur 4X is awesome, maybe a bit more of an all rounder than the Yeti. The Commencal is meant to be decent too… The Blur has the advantage of being a slightly larger frame (which is why it wasn’t brilliant as a 4X frame)…

I had one.. in long, rode amazing dh, wouldn t want a fork longer than 140mm on it otherwise to vague, felt best when run at 100-120 super snappy. If your over 5ft9 I wouldnt bother tho, Im 6,1 and the kink in the seattube means its a nightmare to get a post the right height and to get it low enough for dh stuff, ASR 5 I reckon 😉

I’ve always fancied a Yeti 4X , but the kink in the seat tube and being 6’4″ made it a non starter really, so I bought one of these.

Damn im 6’2″ so it might be a no-no then! Could you fit an adjustable seatpost do you think? How much seat tube insertion is there in to the seat tube before you hit the kink?

Really fancy the idea of a Yeti 4x but I need something I can put the miles in on too – albeit it just gentle Wyre forest and trail center type stuff.

I’ve owned a couple of the special project 4x’s on and off for the last 5 years and they are mint bikes, really really mint. I sold one and then instantly regretted it and so bought another.

As a messing about in the woods bike or hooning down smoothish decents they can’t be bettered, I’ve even raced DH on it and it was me that was crap, not the bike. I’ve had a blur 4x and although it had more of an alround appeal and made more sense with it’s extra travel and room for a front mech and longer seat-post, it just didn’t do it for me in the fun department compared to the yeti.

I do have the advantage of only being 5’6 and so taking the yeti to the trail centre or on an xc loop for a couple of hours is possible, when i’m fit that is. However, with a young family and competing interets, “messing about in the woods” never happens and instead what i really ride nowerdays is xc with mates. I have therefore just bought myself an xc bike which gets most use.

I reckon at 6’1 if you can get a 4x in the long size, run it with a 70mm stem and put up with climbing out of the saddle you’ll be fine. Just be mindful that if what you ride most of the time is xc orientated, with long seated climbs then you might be better off with the ASR5.

just my 2p worth

The intense one is nice too

Take a look at the Intense Tazer VP, maybe worth serious consideration. The Yeti 4X is nice but my preference would be the Commencal 4X or the Tazer VP. All quite similar but as mentioned above, a straight seat tube is a huge plus for anyone around the 6ft mark.

Tempted for Commencal 4x. Reviews I’ve read of them is they meant to be alright at climbing.

They reviewed 4x full sus bikes in Dirt a couple of months back. Basically they reckoned they were for people who are too cool for school.
Trail bikes are so good these days that unless you are racing 4x there is a better bike out there for what you want. And to be honest, if you are racing 4x there is probably a better (hardtail) bike out there for that too.
They did say they were quite fun though.

that Transition looks sexual

A mate of mine has a Yeti 4x as a trail bike.
Great fun blasting round the local woods, but riding any distance on it becomes a bit of a pain in the arse. I think he regrets buying it..

They did say they were quite fun though.

Nail. On. Head.

Very few of my rides are +2 hours these days so its mainly hacking around on the most fun trails I can find. For that, my Blur 4X is brilliant.

I’ve ridden a Morewood Ndiza (4″ travel 4X frame) as my trail bike for a couple of years now.

I’m just a tad under 6′ but have long legs, but with a long post it was great to pedal. I had adjustable forks to tighten it up for climbing.

A 4X bike is so much more fun than a trail bike. Especially for having a play in your local woods. It’s so much snappier and quicker reacting.

However, I’ve just sold it to my mate to get some readies together. Thinking about it makes me sad…why have I sold it!