Bike Launch | The New Yeti SB165 Is A 27.5 Trail Monster

Today, Yeti is announcing the new Yeti SB165 bike and frame. Slightly confusingly (though we’re sure it’ll make sense eventually) on the back of last year’s SB130 and SB150 bikes (which were 29ers and had 130mm and 150mm rear travel respectively) this new bike has 165mm of travel, but with 27.5in wheels.

Still with us? Because this is a bike that needs some closer looking at. In brief, it’s a 180mm/165mm trail, all mountain (is that still a thing?) and enduro race bike with a super steep seat angle and a super slack head angle.

The Yeti SB165 is set up to pair with a 180mm fork (in this case a Fox 36) and runs a coil Fox rear shock for its 165mm of travel. The whole bike bears little similarity to any current Yeti and even with the 150mm travel SB6LR, the nearest previous machine in the range, with the shock now allowing room for a bottle cage and a whole new set of numbers. To say that the SB165 is longer and slacker than before is also an understatement. The head angle is now a downhill bike-like 63.5° while the seat tube is a triathlon bike-like 77°. The reach has been extended to 430mm on a small, 460mm on a medium, 480mm on a large and 505mm on an XL.

The suspension is set up for either a high volume air shock, or a coil-over rear shock. The Fox 36 up front is a shorter 37mm rake. As Yeti puts it ‘It’s the slackest sled in the line’. And Yeti goes on to say:

“The Switch Infinity platform provides us the ability to manipulate the bike’s kinematics and tune leverage rates within a wide range, while maintaining the same proven anti-squat properties. At 27.5%, the SB165 leverage rate is the most progressive in the line, optimized for the linear spring rates of a coil or high-volume air shock.” said Yeti Director of Engineering, Peter Zawistowski. In layman’s terms, it climbs great (even for a big bike) and crushes the downhills.

The SB165 T2, Yeti’s most popular kit, is spec’d for steep descents and technical, big consequence riding — 200mm rotors and SRAM Code RSC brakes, custom DT Swiss EX 1700 wheels are stiff and durable, and the OneUp Bash Guide keeps it all together in rough terrain. It has water bottle brackets in the main frame, internal routing and an optional shuttle protector. Optional, because some people might just leave the truck at home from now on.

You know that a new Yeti is not going to be a cheap bike, but even Yeti die-hards are going to have a bit of a sharp intake to hear that a T-series frame will be £3,799. However, full builds (with the cheaper C-series carbon) will start at £5399.

Here’s the full SB165 Pricing

SB165 C1 C-Series Bike – SRP £5,399 / €6,090euro

SB165 T1 T-Series Bike – SRP £7,399 / €8,290euro

SB165 T2 T-Series Bike – SRP £7,799 / €8,690euro

SB165 T-Series Frame – SRP £3,799 / €4,190euro

The Yeti SB165 will be available almost immediately, through Silverfish Dealers and the whole range can be found here.