I’m mm away from clicking the buy button on a 2010 yeti asr5 carbon frame. I currently have a 2011 zesty 214 alloy frame.

Will I notice much difference?

What size should I get? Zesty is a large and feels ok, but not ridden a medium. I’m dead on 6ft, have a long torso and short legs if that makes a difference.

Riding wise it’s surrey hills, local bridalways, and trips to welsh trail centres. Looking to do some longer distances this year including the South Downs way.

Cheers … Rich

I have a large, I’m 6ft on the button and it fits a treat. The ASR5s do come up a bit on the smaller side. I run mine with a 60mm stem and wideish bars.

Funnily enough, mines for sale if you’re interested 🙂 2012 frame with kashima shock. Barely used too.
£750

You should. Get chojin sale quick

6ft with a long torso, I’d say a large too. You sound exactly the same sort of build as me, I rode a large. They don’t really come up small though, I guess it depends what you compare them to. Compared to my Large Blur LTc, the ASR5 is much longer in the TT.

Much as they get rave reviews and I enjoyed my test ride enough to buy one, long term I never really got on that well with it. Can’t really put my finger on it, but one thing I didn’t like was no matter what I did with the shock settings I found the pedal bob too intrusive. Ultimately I think it just didn’t suit me and my riding.

i had one too for a while and never really bonded with it.

i ran it with both 120mm and 140mm forks. with 140mm forks, it didn’t go up hills fantastically well, but went down them brilliantly.

loads of pedal-bob.

don’t really miss it tbh.

Interesting, not seen the peddle bob mentioned before. Only seem to get it on the zesty when I stand up on the pedals.

chojin, is yours a the alloy version or carbon? And what price are you looking for?

I had the ASR5 alloy, with a 140fork.
Using a fox volume spacer in the rp23 can it rode brilliantly. I had a small spacer to ramp up the shock and ran the low speed compression on the 1 (low) setting to tune out the bob that the single pivot design otherwise throws into the mix.
Its a perfect surrey hills bike, nice and light, good for all day riding, decent length top tube (I had a medium and am 5ft 11). I took it off some big drops and the carbon swingarm never caused me any worry.
I upgraded the drop outs from Qr to a bolt through back end – which helps prevent flex and is a must.
I swapped it for a SC blur TRc which is a better bike, albeit largely the same, due to its vpp suspension design resisting bob.
I would have another yeti in a blink of an eye – lovely bike – highly recommend from a serial bike swapper.

oh, and beware of earlier frames such as the 2010 example. some of them had problems with the carbon rear triangle which led to numerous warranty replacements. check it very very carefully around the dropout area (disc brake side iirc). if it is okay, then there is nothing to worry about, as any issue should have manifested itself long before now.

as for sizing… they do come up ‘long’. i had a large which was spot on for me (6ft with 34″ inseam). running with a 70mm stem, i wouldn’t have wanted to go much longer.

they are a bit of a cult bike (despite being made in huge numbers) and one of those ‘must own at some stage’ bikes.

i may step back into yeti ownership when and if they do a sb75 carbon.

loads of pedal-bob

Blimey, I haven’t heard pedal-bob mentioned since the early 2000s MTB mags! I thought people knew how to ride full-sus bikes by now.

Anyway, I was close to buying one, but put off by too many broken carbon rear triangles – with no warranty cover a purchase could be a bit of a gamble.

I bought mine off campfreddie – shock was borked which is what I put the huge amount of pedal-bob down to. Had an old shock that I replaced it with, but still had the bob, so now awaiting the arrival of a Monarch XX which hopefully will sort that.

Otherwise, it’s a brilliant bike; does everything I ask of it 🙂

Love mine. 5’11 and a bit on a medium with 70mm stem, 120mm fork. Light, sprightly yes able to been charged down mountains at a higher rate of knots than I’m comfortable with.

You always get a bit of pedal bob with single pivot. I was happy with mine but non the less asked TFT to tune it out for racing. Now at 200psi / pro pedal 3 it barely bobs but uses 75% travel. At 180psi I get the full asr5 experience.

Dez I rode a Titus El Guapo prior to the ASR5, and a Blur LTc after, and they both provide a far more stable pedalling platform on long climbs without having to ramp up the shock settings, or lock out the suspension. No problem with pedal bob. Must have forgotten how to ride when I had the ASR5 then 😀

5’11” and I had a medium. Never worried about ‘bob’; it will move when you pedal it, there’s a hinge in the middle. Propedal cuts it down, though.

Sold mine to get an SB66C; which rides like the ASR, only more so.

campfreddie – Member

i may step back into yeti ownership when and if they do a sb75 carbon.

SB75 strikes me as a bit of a bodge job. Heavier than an Alu Bronson, less travel than a Solo. Dunno what it’s aimed at, really. Who needs a massively overbuilt 650 Enduro bike with short travel?

I just have! just building it up

I had an ASR5-C, the most fun bike I’ve owned. It was a medium with 140mm fox Vanillas. Fit me perfectly at 5’8″. Never noticed much pedal bob, it was nice and stiff despite only being a qr back end, climbed brilliantly. Then I killed it on a Lakeland rock, smashing the downtube. It’s replacement a Liteville 301, isn’t as much fun (yet) but feels capable

I have a large, I’m 6ft on the button and it fits a treat…. I run mine with a 60mm stem and wideish bars.

Same here. Well, 720mm bars, so not that wide.

Did a welsh MTB coast to coast on it and it was faultless. It’s a really good fun bike IMO. A friend rode it (and i rode his Mojo HD). The Yeti has more pedal feedback, and a little bit of bob if you’re hamfisted with the pedals (hamfooted?) but I don’t mind that. The Mojo felt less connected in comparison. My mate said that the Yeti feels like a hardtail, but with a bit of suspension. Whereas the Mojo felt much squishier. You might like that, you might not. I do, it feels pert and lively, it’s not a ‘magic carpet’ ride but that’s not what I wanted.

Thanks for the replies, very useful stuff.

So I guess the moral is don’t sell the zesty until I’ve given it a good go.

Anyone tried a zesty as well? Much difference in peddle bob?

jonny rocky mountain – Member
I just have! just building it up

Genuinely curious – why the 75 over the competition?

Blur LTc after, and they both provide a far more stable pedalling platform on long climbs without having to ramp up the shock settings

Indeed, VPP is not as active as Yetis linkage, but I prefer the Yeti config. (then again Bail’s mate thinks the opposite!)
Pedal-bob is really not something to worry about, you can negate it with your riding technique quite easily.

So I guess the moral is don’t sell the zesty until I’ve given it a good go.

Definitely. For a while my heart really wanted an ASR5, but I just didn’t warm to it at all on the demo. I even demo’d it on the kind of terrain I thought it would excel on. One to try before you buy no doubt.

So I guess the moral is don’t sell the zesty until I’ve given it a good go.

Definitely.

+1.

I love mine, but I’d demoed one a couple of times before I bought. Same for any bike, especially an expensive FS. They all feel different and while none/few are truly ‘bad’, some will suit different people. E.g. I wouldn’t buy a Mojo,or a quad link Whyte as I don’t like the feel of the suspension, but I love how Yetis ride.

Do it! They aren’t being made any more so you might not get many more chances. I’d try and get a more recent model though, should be some deals coming up.

The ASR5s do come up a bit on the smaller side

I dunno I’d say they are pretty big compared to most, eg way longer than santa cruz. I’m a bit under 6’5″ and on large ASR5. Tried an XL SB66 and it felt too big.

Pedal bob, I did think this at first too coming from a Trance which has a really ‘unbobby’ rear end, but if you are careful with the shock pressure it makes a huge difference. being 5-10psi too low can change it quite a bit, I think the rule of thumb from mtbr is your weight in lbs -5 as a starting point.

Climbing wise I think they are fantastic, super light and stiff rear end, front end does get a bit light if you stay seated on real granny grinding steep climbs though.

it’s not a ‘magic carpet’ ride

yeah I think you have the nail on the head there.

Back to the OP, yeah do it. I really rate the ASR5, especially in carbon guise. Although I would, I own one 🙂 Definitely an upgrade from your alloy Zesty.

6’1″ on a good day, large frame, 50mm stem, 750mm bars. Great fit.

I run 140mm 32 Float CTDs and the optional 142×12 rear. Light, stiff, aggressive trail bike well suited to the UK. I do wish for burlier forks though. The frame is very capable of being quick everywhere and I feel the Fox Floats let it down a little. Would love to try some new Revs or more so Pikes at 140mm.

I like the suspension design, a simple link actuated single pivot and have not noticed ‘pedal bob’ apart from when my RP23 gave way last year.

Mine has been ridden up, down and across the Peaks, West Yorkshire, Lakes, Scotland and a dabble in the Alps.

Think I’m going to do it. Planning to buy an engagement ring next month as well, but big rocks are vulgar right?

Recently went from an ASR SL to the ASR5. It’s pretty much as quick/lively as the older short travel one but much better when pointing downwards.

Just been to Afan on it for the first time & PB’d several climbs as well as descents (despite some biblical weather at times).

It puts a smile on my face.

I’ve got an ASR-5 alloy in medium (I’m 5’10”) with 60mm stem and 760mm bar. I ride in the Peak, although taken it to Gisburn and Whinlatter too. It’s ace.

Never struggled with pedal bob, and mine has RP2 shock whick is less tuneable (I think) than the RP23. It’s the only FS I’ve owned so I can’t compare it to anything else, other than to say I can’t possibly imagine how any other bike could be more fun.

Oh bum, I want one again now..

Going cheap(ish) on CRC Dez

Riiich, you’re welcome to take mine for a spin if you’re local to southampton

Thanks Chojin, that’s very kind of you. I’m in Epsom so not too far, but I think I’ve already made my mind up 🙂

Probably going to go for the carbon version otherwise would have taken you up on your offer.

riiich – Member
Think I’m going to do it. Planning to buy an engagement ring next month as well, but big rocks are vulgar right?

Big rocks are for riding your bike over, not for putting on fingers.

Yes yes HG, and I do believe that specifically requires an asr5

chojin – Member
I have a large, I’m 6ft on the button and it fits a treat. The ASR5s do come up a bit on the smaller side. I run mine with a 60mm stem and wideish bars.

Funnily enough, mines for sale if you’re interested 2012 frame with kashima shock. Barely used too.
£750

If the frame is still available drop me email pls Dan

Paul.djp@btinternet.com

Cheers

DO IT!

Definitely demo one.
I have a 2012 medium ASR5c with 120mm Reba 20mm fork and Kashima CTD shock. I demo’d an alloy ASR5 in Glentress (along with an alloy SC Blur) before I bought mine. Personally, I didn’t get on with the SC. For me, this was replacing my HT so I wanted something stiff but with some cushion.

I’ve also demo’d in the past an alloy Zesty, elsewhere in Scotland, and I found that to be a good bike.
I’d say that the Zesty and ASR5c are not poles apart from each other in feel; the Zesty is definitely more plush though.

I agree with bigjim above about 5-10psi making a noticeable difference to pedal bob. Get it wrong and it’ll feel crap but get it right and it’s very good IMO.

Best of luck. I hope this helps.

I’d recommend the asr5c any day, I went from a carbon zesty to an asr5c. If found the yeti quicker both up and down and more fun. Ran mine with 140mm floats. As said previously not as plush as the zesty but more engaging.

Get the 142×12 rear axle that also makes a big difference if you are doing more technical descents.

Size wise they are not small! I’m 5’8″ and medium was almost to big for me with 50mm stem.

Amazing bike, I do miss it for trail centre bashing, there not a much quicker bike to have for the job. I tried using it for gravity enduro and it was out of its league and didn’t want to break it.

Cwmcarn by dan45a, on Flickr