Hi All,

I am looking into getting a new bike and narrowed it down to Bronson V2 or Yeti SB6C – both in large. I am unable to get to demo either of these so it was to see if anyone can offer any first hand advice on the two bikes. I’ve sat on both and swaying towards the Yeti – such a nice bike. The geometry on paper appears to be very similar – is this really the case? I’d be placing a 160 fork on. Wary of reading too much into all these ‘expert’ US forums who seem to micro analyse every mm and cast doubts on everything. In the real world if I buy the Yeti or Bronson is it going to be fun on the kind of riding the UK has to offer?

Is there anyone who has the Yeti and feels it is too much bike and sucks the fun out of each ride where a lot of pedalling is required? Coming from 5 inch trail bike I want something a little bigger than the 127 travel of the SB5C as this will be my only bike. Riding wise, I would be using it in Trail Centres throughout the country but I prefer getting beyond these wherever possible. I also travel regularly to the Alps and Canada for backcountry valley/singletrack rides. On average I’ll spend about 4-6 hours on the saddle. At this stage I’m just wary about spending so much on a big travel bike and regretting the decision with it being too much of a big ‘enduro’ bike.

Any help would be greatly appreciated and many thanks in advance.

I ride a nomad so not a direct comparison to the bronson but as they are so light and pedal so well you can pretty much use it to ride everything without a major drawback, bar making some stuff too easy… sb6c a couple of friends have on. It blows travel a bit easy is the only criticism i hear but i bet replacing those kashmina tube things would be ££££

Santa cruz do demos all the time (how i got my yesmad) if you are anywhere near glasgow mugdock cycles are doing a demo on the 1st october.

I’m having similar thoughts. I’m concerned about the infinity link on yeti as more to go wrong and they haven’t been around long enough to show long term reliability

I have had a Yeti SB6c for two years (and is for sale in the classified….) so here’s my take;

It is an amazing bike. I ride a lot, test the odd bike – by far the best ride has been the Switch Infinity equipped Yeti’s. Before that I had an SB66. Yes it needs care, I grease the Infinity link far more than suggested but that’s because I live and ride in wet, gritty, muddy Scotland and not dry, dusty Colorado. Like any bearing, they don’t like water so if you wash it regularly the bearings (as exposed and only the seals protecting them) will start to fail. The reason the ride is so good is because of the Switch Infinity. If any part of that system isn’t working well (seized bearing, ungreased infinity rails) then the whole ride is affected. So, it just needs TLC and not just lobbed in the garage after a ride. Bit like a Porsche I imagine.

I am on my second Infinity link because I didn’t look after it well enough. Silverfish have been awesome whenever there has been an issue. A new link unit is about £270.

To balance it out, I also ride a Santa Cruz 5010 and my colleague rides a Bronson. The VPP system is brilliant, Santa Cruz have a lifetime bearing warranty programme for the original owner and the bearings are pretty well hidden.

Either bike is damn good, so you would hope for that money. The performance of the SB6 however, for me, makes it a better ride. It has also won the EWS, albeit the rider will play a part! Just check out some of the reviews of the Switch Infinity bikes:
SB5.5c
SB6c

if you are wondering why I am selling then, purely because what I really enjoy in riding has changed and the SB6 is just ‘too much bike’.

Thanks for the feedback – really useful.

Interesting to hear about the infinity link. I thought this was just one of those things that was used by non Yeti dealers. Each time i’v spoken to someone they highlight the weak link that is the infinity system and its longetivity. Good to hear from first hand experience that is actually a problem.

Any other views on the two bikes welcome.

As Tom mentions, I think the Yeti Infinity switch link was never meant to be caked in that truly nasty, grimy paste that is UK mud.

dynastar – Member
Thanks for the feedback – really useful.

Good to hear from first hand experience that is actually a problem.

It’s only a problem if you don’t look after it. All I was trying to put across was that it needs looking after more than any other system that I have used. But, the reward for doing so is the most incredible ride, as written in many a review. Whether it’s the bike for you depends on whether you are prepared / have the time / inclination to keep it running smoothly.

Bargain to be had here 😆

I would also say that the SB6 and Bronson are not quite the same; SB6 is more like a Nomad, the Bronson more like a SB5. Both can charge down “enduro” tracks no worries though.

I also own a green sb6c, and can confirm it is a massively capable bike. It’s my only bike and gets ridden everywhere. Big pedal days, local bimbles about, enduro races, uplift days and big mountain trips.
It’s seen my right on some stupidly steep and crazy shit out in Canada and never felt out of place.

The switch system has never been a problem, just give it a quick clean and keep it greased up for a super smooth experience. Can be a but try cry if you want to get it totally spotless, but not too demanding really.

However it is expensive and you really need to ride both before even considering spending that amount of money on it!

I’ve been on a yeti SB6c for 3 months and I can honestly say it’s hands down the best bike I’ve ever ridden – It’s taken on everything I’ve thrown at it from trail Center to Ft William DH with out missing a beat.

However this said it does take the fun out of some of the tamer trials as it just sucks up all the smaller bumps. I couldn’t think of anything worse than taking it to somewhere like cannock – bleourgh…

The one thing that astounds me is how well it Pedals -It’s better on the ups than my old 5″ trail bike and a riot on the downs – it just wants to go fast and the rowdier the better.

I’ve not had any issues with the link so far – bung in some grease every 100 hours or so of riding & even if I have to replace the switch link eventually, I don’t care, it’s more than repaid the money in smiles!

I would also say that the SB6 and Bronson are not quite the same; SB6 is more like a Nomad, the Bronson more like a SB5. Both can charge down “enduro” tracks no worries though.

Thanks – re the above. The geometry and travel of the SB6C are pretty much on par with each other so why would the SB6C be more like the Nomad? I keep being told that the Bronson and the SB5C are more apples v apples.

Tom: Stunning bike btw. What you moving too?

Also Jim25 – what did you move from to get on the Yeti?

I am looking at a 29er Hightower dynastar; but, if it doesn’t sell then I’ll still be one happy bloke on my SB6 😀

Previously was riding a2013 trek remedy and used to have a commencal dhv3 for full on dh duties. When I went to Canada I didn’t bother with the commencal,just took the yeti. It’s that good.

However, to get its best from it it does need to be riden fast, this bike likes speed, can definitely be too much bike in some places

Santa Cruz, for that sort of money you want reliability. Lifetime warranty and free bearings.

Yeti, for that sort of money you want coolness, turquoise and Kashima. Lifetime of free kudos points. 8)

I know someone who was lucky enough to have a nomad and a SB6c at the same time and he said the nomad was the much better climber and better on certain trails. The yeti was a bit harder to get to the top but a complete animal on the way down.

He sold the nomad and kept the yeti…

So im guessing the difference would be even more pronounced compared to a Bronson.

Thanks for all the comments. Great to hear the comparison between the larger Nomad and Yeti. The Nomad seems way too much for me as my one bike with 165 travel.

If the Yeti pedals better than peoples old 5 inch trail bikes then I cant seem to go wrong.

Santa Cruz, for that sort of money you want reliability.

My experience of SC’s plastic bikes is the opposite.

How much does it cost to replace the Switch Kashima bits? Yetifan has every last washer listed as a spare for every Yeti; but not these bits.

Does anyone know? Or has it always been warrantied?

I had a crossed threaded bolt in my SC Bronson – got a complete new frame in 3 weeks and free bearings – what can I say, I think SC is reliable and sustainable and meet their warranty without quibble. The LBS hadn’t even send my old frame back before I had the new frame they replaced just on emails from LBS.

Lot going on in that Yeti link that will wear

ScottChegg – Member
How much does it cost to replace the Switch Kashima bits? Yetifan has every last washer listed as a spare for every Yeti; but not these bits.

Does anyone know? Or has it always been warrantied?

£279 from Silverfish: Infinity Link

Mine has been replaced under warranty, no question, but the Infinity Link is only a two year warranty period and, as far as I can glean, from purchase date, not from replacement date.

2 year warranty hmmm guess they don’t expect it to last

£280?

Hmm, the bearings for the switch pivot in my 66C are £15 a pair.

I can’t get my head around trading up just yet.

I’ve ridden an SB6 for 18 months and on the right trails it is a truly amazing bike, the rougher and more vertical the trails get and the faster you ride the more it seems to come alive, I know I will never find its limits within my riding ability. Yes you could ride it on anything including long xc / or trail centre rides but it would be a bit numb and as mentioned dulls the trails down. I still have a FS 140 trail bike and this is much more fun for general riding, so maybe the SB6 is an expensive toy for big climbing descending days and steep riding. The SB6 is definetly closer to the nomad. And the SB5 closer to the bronson. Don’t get hung up on numbers. Both the bronson and SB5 with 150 set up and a piggy back shock would be a better ride everything bikes, except for the DH stuff, unless your skills a pretty silky, but the nomad and Sb6 would have a crack at it.
Would I buy a Santa Cruz over a yeti, you get better customer service with SC, free bearings, no switch infinity ( it’s amazing) but they do wear if not greased more regularly than desert dry Colorado yeti state and an exceptionally well built bike. With Yeti you get an amazing bike but you will need to replace bearings most likely twice a year, a constant worry out the switch wearing ( I’m on my 2nd). I’d still buy a yeti, they are pretty magic.

I had an SC Blur that didn’t get through it’s maiden voyage before giving up. It had a great warranty, so it’s replacement was easy to sell.

The Yeti that I got in it’s place is still rocking, though. I can’t speak for the warranty, as I didn’t need it.

I can’t speak specifically about the SB6c, but I can comment on the ‘problems’ with the Switch Infinity link on my SB5c.

I haven’t had any.*

I’ve ridden through a fair amount of Surrey slurry (which is admittedly not as destructive as Lake District grit) since January 2015 and the Kashima stanchions look just fine. The link is actually quite well tucked away. A quick squirt with some disc brake cleaner (isopropyl alcohol) after washing to get rid of the water that tends to sit on the assembly and pump in some grease through the zerk fittings every now and again. No hoses or degreaser. Sorted.

*The zerk fittings can get blocked with muck, but they unscrew so they’re easy to clean out with some GT85 or something.

Lake District has destructive grit

Really!!

Lot going on in that Yeti link that will wear

There’s really not. A pair of bushings, a pair of seals, and a bit of grease to keep it all moving nicely 🙂

I’d love a yeti, but the failure rates tell me it’s a big no-no. They are one of the only nice brands I have never owned and whilst I feel like I should, why take the risk when there is so much good stuff out there?