Looking for a new bike. Rode a Yeti SB66A a Llandegla a couple of weeks back and thought it was a great bike, but fancy the carbon version. Also been looking at the new Cube Stereo 650b. My mate says I should go for the Stereo as “that’s where it’s at”. Stereo isn’t in the county yet so not had chance to demo one.

I’m a short burly rider who likes to keep if fairly close to the ground but do ride fairly hard (well compared to my mates). The Yeti seems to be the right bike for my style. But I don’t want to make the wrong choice.

Any Yeti Sb66C owners out there – good points/bad points? Obviously no-one has the Stereo as it hasn’t been imported yet – so any thoughts?

Yeti every time

Look at what you get for your money. Do you really think the Yeti will be worth the price difference?

The old style stereo was an incredible bike, really aggressive geometry so destroyed the downhills but also extremely good to pedal. I think it rode much better than the blur ltc I currently have.

As has already been said, the cube is also incredible value for money; I persoanally just couldn’t justify the extra £ for the yeti for very little if any improvement.

the 2013 stereo is a completely new design, so disregard any old reviews, because they will be about a different bike with the same name. You need to give the new one a good test ride.

The Bike Chain in Edinburgh had a 2012 18″ Stereo at some stupid giveaway price. It was an alloy one though. Dunno if they still have it.

The SB is awesome, i have the alu version. Where are you going to use the bike? You say you stick to pretty close to the ground, are you mainly trail riding then?

rhysw – Member

Yeti every time

that sums up my perspective as well.

If I wanted a carbon full sus AM bike I’d also be checking out the Spesh Enduro, Stumpy Evo and Trek Remedy complete bikes.

Seen a Yeti sb66 carbon all locked up outside the cafe at llandegla couple of saturdays ago.

Looks really good, possibly a future bike !

Yeti every time

Look at what you get for your money. Do you really think the Yeti will be worth the price difference?

I knew I’d get opposing views 😀

As has already been said, the cube is also incredible value for money; I persoanally just couldn’t justify the extra £ for the yeti for very little if any improvement.

The new Cube Stereo SL is £4,000 (Fox Kashima front and back, Sram X0 running gear). The Yeti frame, with Fox 34 forks, is £3,400. I’d use my old wheels and seat dropper, so I would just be looking at the remaining components, probably XT. I reckon with shopping round that I could do the full build for £4,300 – £4,500 so not that much of a price difference.

the 2013 stereo is a completely new design, so disregard any old reviews,

Yes – I realise the 2013 bike is a complete new model. I’ve been scouring for 2013 reviews but they are few and far between. Bike shop reckons that they’s have a demo bike in store at the begining of December.

Where are you going to use the bike? You say you stick to pretty close to the ground, are you mainly trail riding then?

I’ll ride anywhere. Mid week is in the peaks – natural trails. Weekends it will be Cannock (both natural and man made), Sherwood Pines (yes I know, hard tail is overkill), then once a month we get off for bigger rides – Coed-y-Brenin, Llandegla, Penmach, Macyllneth, Betsy-Coed, Long Mynd, Forest of Dean etc. So again a mix of natural and man made. When I said I stay close to the ground I mean I don’t do jumps. I’ll do smallish dropoffs (2-3 ft). But I do ride rocky (hence having pins removed from plate in collar bone next week).

If I wanted a carbon full sus AM bike I’d also be checking out the Spesh Enduro, Stumpy Evo and Trek Remedy complete bikes.

Been riding specialized now for the last 5 years and fancied something differnt. That being said the new Stumpy Evo does look the business – one problem – they won’t be doing a demo bike. I really don’t fancy droping £4k on a bike without throwing a leg over it (or at least it’s alloy brethern) first. Plus too much choice makes my head hurt.

Seen a Yeti sb66 carbon all locked up outside the cafe at llandegla couple of saturdays ago.

That’ll be the lasses inside the shop. She was sold on the carbon and did a pretty good job on convincing me. I rode the demo Alu one there.

http://linkagedesign.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Cube%20Bikes

If the 29er analysis is anything to go by, the cube pedals ok in granny, mediocre in middle sprocket, very little brake jack which is good, a linear leverage rate much like the yeti. Looks cube have gone for very, very neutral on the new bikes, very similar to a slightly older specialized. As in a squatty, neutral sofa. It’ll do the job and be predictable. Some people will really like it, some will feel its inefficient, only you know what you’re looking for.

The yeti in comparison has a lot more anti squat built in, it will pedal better. The yeti sprint outstandingly well out of the saddle. In terms of suspension feel, the yeti is a bit more progressive. On the yeti, for normal trail riding (peak gnar), running 25% sag, id get through the travel with no feeling of bottom out. Since i do freeride and DH on the SB aswell, i was using the travel a bit easily, install air can spacers, made the suspension progessive enough, now just bottoming on very bigs hits (~5ish ft drop to flat ground landing at full tilt).

The yeti is so so capable, with proper forks (160mm) is running a 65.7ish HA, it is a lot of bike. Not to be one of these people, but are you sure you’re not looking at too heavy duty bikes for what you’re wanting from it? Though an sb with 140mm forks, lightweight build is more than efficient enough for trail riding, you’ll be lugging around a bit more than you really need.

Maybe along the lines of a fuel ex, yeti 575, transition bandit, lapierre zesty, pivot mach 5.7 and meta am? They’re all heavy hitting bikes, efficient etc.

Also forgot to ask the most important qs, what do you have now? Where does it let you down? What is awesome about it.

Dean,
Had a quick look at the link – tis in a foreign tongue. I think even if it was in English it would still be in a foreign tongue!!!!

I currently ride two bikes. A 2007 Stumpjumer Elite and Cotic Soul. Now that I’m pushing 49 the Soul, whilst I love it, it just pounding my back too much. It’s excellent round Sherwood apart from the continual small bumps.

The stumpy is very capable just getting old in the tooth. Where it does suffer is on the bigger rock gardens (think the run down Curbar Edge if you know it and at places like Coed-y-Brenin – can’t recall the actual sections on the Beast where it felt under gunned). It seems to get out of it’s depth.

I’m looking for a bike that I can do most things on, from the likes of Sherwood to Coed-y-Brenin and everything in between.

I don’t think the Yeti will build into a heavy bike at all. I reckon on the region of 27lb even with the 34 160m forks. Which is lighter than my Stumpy.

A dude I know’s built his SB66c up to 26lbs- 34s, e13 wheels, loads of carbon bits. Not a cheap build, but mega light!

It’s come up best part of a pound lighter than my ASR 5, which I have to say is a little upsetting 😥