[Closed] New Yeti SB5.5c

The bearings on my US designed Transition have been fantastically resistant to Scottish year round riding, I've just had mine changed after a solid year's riding though they weren't too bad.

Transition have always made a point of building frames that don't collect mud, have sturdy bearings, are easy to work on and so on. Not sure I'd say the same about Yeti?

Enduro...

I'm pretty sure for a mainstream maker, specialized have always had low BBs and been on the longer side of things. Some may consider them innovative. The Enduro 29er caused a stir when it appeared.

Describing a bike as being long, low and slack is another way of saying it has contemporary geometry. I'm not sure it is intended to suggest that the bike as at the forefront of developments. There will always be bikes available that take things further, as well as those that are more conservative, perhaps even some that find a formula that works and is somewhere between those three.

I mean look at these numbers

539
1942
2190
28

Perfect. Where do I buy one?

Describing a bike as being long, low and slack is another way of saying it has contemporary geometry.

I totally get this but do we really need top be told that a contemporary bike has contemporary geometry?

Transition have always made a point of building frames that don't collect mud, have sturdy bearings, are easy to work on and so on. Not sure I'd say the same about Yeti?

Having owned both I'd say mud clearance is is pretty similar, neither amazing, Transition has slightly better chainstay clearance than the ASR5 perhaps but on the Transition the tyre is very close/rubs the seatstay bridge depending on the tyre, so is very poor/non existant there.

I'm not sure what a sturdy bearing is, rolling element bearings are rolling element bearings, they both use very similar sizes of bearing as I'm sure the newer Yetis do too. Fairly sure Yetis come with Enduro Max bearings.

Its a Yeti, it will sell because its a Yeti - great branding irrespective of the actual product.

Plus Rudi will own the EWS again and all us Enduro wannabies will assume its the bike.

Still, its way too expensive.

I'm not sure what a sturdy bearing is, rolling element bearings are rolling element bearings, they both use very similar sizes of bearing as I'm sure the newer Yetis do too. Fairly sure Yetis come with Enduro Max bearings.

Hope they are better than [url= http://enduro-mtb.com/en/enduro-long-term-test-2015-yeti-sb6c-1000km-check-up/ ]this experience[/url], bearing change after 400km (1 winters riding).

*rolls eyes*

OK. You can still get bikes which are short and steep, believe it or not. The long, low, steep thing is a modern development I'm hugely keen on, it still works for the majority of people, but not everyone cleaves to it - or if they do they have different interpretations.

I totally get this but do we really need top be told that a contemporary bike has contemporary geometry?

I guess you'll just have to figure it out.

The replacement set has covered 600km so far and still feel smooth.

In contrast I don't think it's pretty at all, looks like it's been out in the Californian sun too long to me

Nearly 7 grand.....get a grip

This.

I was reading the glowing review of the Anthem advances the other day whereby the text stating it was perfect for "aspiring racers". The bike they were reviewing was £5999 rrp.

Apologies if we aspiring racers don't all rush out an buy one.

[img] [/img]

OK. You can still get bikes which are short and steep, believe it or not

Yes, but can you still get full suspension [b]Yetis[/b] that are 'short and steep' - and not weird XC racing 29ers?

My Yeti ASR5c is pretty much the best bike in the world eva (for me). And I'm a total Yeti fann boi (love that turquiose - it matches my Fakelys, natch). When, if(?), it dies, what will I ride???

Nada, zilch. It will simply all be over for me.. 😉

I'm interested in fast, flowy riding, not Gnar-Enduro-War-Mongery. Sad that this is simply not where the coal face is now - for premium brands like Yeti, as this bike evidences. Beautiful as it is to look at.. 😎

Well, I've got to write something

This should be the Singletrack mission statement.. 😉

(Apologies! - I'll get my coat)

Nice bike but I don't know why you were riding the girls version?

Also.

Going 1x lets Yeti take the chainstays down to 437mm, which isn’t too shabby at all.
Err, the Jeffsy is 435mm on the medium and small and still has space for a double chainset should you wish. Not sure how clearance compares but yeti were always typically tight.

I suspect what they really mean is that they cant fit the front mech, normal length chainstays and the complicated tubes for the bottom pivot in so have understandably ditched the ability to use a front mech

I do wish they'd go back to building alu bikes though (unless they have, and I missed it!) for those of us that don't covet carbon.
It is a stunning looking bike, aesthetically similar to the Evil Wreckoning, which is also lush, but dear as well.

chrismac - Member

Going 1x lets Yeti take the chainstays down to 437mm, which isn’t too shabby at all.
Err, the Jeffsy is 435mm on the medium and small and still has space for a double chainset should you wish. Not sure how clearance compares but yeti were always typically tight.

I suspect what they really mean is that they cant fit the front mech, normal length chainstays and the complicated tubes for the bottom pivot in so have understandably ditched the ability to use a front mech

Which is probably the sort of insightful and knowledgeable thing barney should have said given he was struggling to fill the space 😆

I suspect what they really mean is that they cant fit the front mech, normal length chainstays and the complicated tubes for the bottom pivot in so have understandably ditched the ability to use a front mech

The 650 SB bikes have a front mech mount I think. Wanting a front mech mount these days is like wanting a floppy disk drive on your computer though!

but can you still get full suspension Yetis that are 'short and steep' - and not weird XC racing 29ers?

My Yeti ASR5c is pretty much the best bike in the world eva (for me).

Since when did an ASR5 become short and steep?

It's short(er) and steep(er) than all this new Enduro-rollocks-650b-plus-29er-and-a-quarter-malarkey. I don't know all the numbers, but I'm pretty sure it is.

69 deg head angle for starters.

Unless I'm desperately mistaken.

In which case my older current steed would be bang on trend - still - woo! 😆

Be interesting to see how it stacks up long term. Funny the Hightower is being used as a bench mark given it's only just been released recently as well. Trek Remedy 9.9 29er is still the dark horse and proven in this category at the moment
plus some winning pedigree.

I think the Hightower is only being used as a benchmark as it's the most recently released comparable bike.

It's short(er) and steep(er) than all this new Enduro-rollocks-650b-plus-29er-and-a-quarter-malarkey. I don't know all the numbers, but I'm pretty sure it is.

69 deg head angle for starters.

Unless I'm desperately mistaken.

In which case my older current steed would be bang on trend - still - woo!

67 head angle at 140 fork length. Nothing 'wrong' with it, still have mine in a box 8)

Cracking swing arm.

I stand corrected then! My bike is still da awesumz.. 😎

STATO - Member

All the numbers are very very similar to the Jeffsy. Put a 140mm fork on the Yeti and they would probably be even closer.

Yup, it's almost like they both copied the same bikes from a couple of years ago. 😆

Gnar-Enduro-War-Mongery

Haven't got a clue what that is but can I have some to try please

I must be turning into a right curmudgeon. I like 29ers, especially in longish travel trail guise (I've a Stumpy Evo which is ace). However, reading down the list of potential bikes has thrown up a number of objections:

Jeffsy - That awful marketing campaign, so it's a no from me.
Yeti - Not for £4k, let alone £7k.
Nukeproof Mega - Looks nice, but the logos are a bit MBUK. The name is very MBUK, so I'm out.
Smuggler - I actually really like it. But "Smuggler" sounds cack.
Wreckoning - Don't Evil have an issue with warranties? First sniff of warranty knobbishness and I'm out.

I do quite like Specialized bikes though...

Smuggler - I actually really like it. But "Smuggler" sounds cack.

seems a strange selection criteria for bike selection. It only says smuggler on a tiny sticker inside the seat stay so even though it isn't very visible you could easily remove it if that makes things better

Told you I was being curmudgeonly!

In truth, I really really like the frame, especially in Safety Orange.

hopefully a carbon smuggler will come out soon to stop me trying to save up for the yeti...

I've just been googling, I take back my slur. It's a really stunning looking frame.

@PJM- remedy, five, trailfox, nicolai ion.

(recommending what I have!) I have the cheapest, all-alu Trailfox; it's a bit of a lump, the original parts on it were weird and I don't like all the antisquat much but the handling's otherwise superb and the sizing's great. And it was cheap! 😆 Draped in my carbons and CCDB and that it is really excellent.

And I've just picked up a Remedy, it's a bit wee but if you go up a size it's similiar dimensions to the Trailfox- steeper but a little longer. Testrode one of these a while back, dead keen to see what I can do with it. Never ridden an Ion. The Five impressed me too but I've never found one at the right price...

If you're under about 5'11 then here's what you can get instead of half a yeti...
https://www.evanscycles.com/bmc-trailfox-tf01-xx1-2015-mountain-bike-EV205314

And remember kids- 29ers are no fun and can't go round corners. Lew Buchanan at work:

[url=

Pyga stage max £2250 frame only looks quite good value nowadays

I think it's a pretty bike, but that's a lot of money but that seems to be the way these days. The companies get away with it because you see a fair few plastic Santa Cruz's around with Enve rims etc.

I don't have a problem with the price, I'd never pay it but I'm happy for other people to pay it if they want.

I really like the look of the frames, especially in the grey colour.

Lol at thepodge slagging off another bike he has not ridden. 😆

I like it but it's a shame they only offer full builds as I could possibly go for a frame with my own build but would never drop 7k on a push bike, especially when the gains over a significantly cheaper bike are so marginal.

With all this talk of longer travel 29ers has my 5 29 become fashionable again? 😐

Smuggler - I actually really like it. But "Smuggler" sounds cack.

I can be pretty shallow and perverse when it comes to choosing bikes, but I must admit the name never bothered me. As bigjim says it only actually appears on the inside of the seatstays and it's a sticker, so you can remove it.

Anyway, here's a picture to help you decide 🙂

[img] [/img]

Smuggler is a lovely bike. Bigjims is the wrong colour but it looks great from a distance and it really hangs together up close too. LT 29ers can look a bit gawky but it just looks... bikey.

chestrockwell - Member

With all this talk of longer travel 29ers has my 5 29 become fashionable again?

I'm afraid the Five 29 became obsolete and old hat when they changed the stickers. I mean, when they launched the Alpine Five.

chestrockwell - Lol at thepodge slagging off another bike he has not ridden.

Lol at chestrockwell being unable to read. I'll summarise it for the stupid amongst us...

journalists like fluffing out reviews, isn't different enough to interest me, lost of people argued, bike looks nice

There's a lot of arm-twisting going on in this thread. 🙂

There's a lot of arm-twisting going on in this thread.

Better check you can get one before you get too excited!

Northwind - Member
Smuggler is a lovely bike. Bigjims is the wrong colour

Northwind speaks the truth. 🙂

No doubt it will sell well, but it doesn't really offer anything new, just another addition to the growing selection of aggressive 29ers.

I do know it makes me miss my Enduro 29er though. Well, actually, the Yeti doesn't. It's more the sheer speed of the bloody thing I miss and its ability to thunder along rocky stuff without any bother.

No doubt it will sell well, but it doesn't really offer anything new, just another addition to the growing selection of aggressive 29ers.

Well it does - it's an aggressive 29er that Yeti's pro enduro team can ride without having to cover it in camouflage! 😉

Regarding the long/low/slack thing, I too am thinking that it's a sufficiently long established geometric approach that reviewers need to start differentiating more clearly and not falling into lazy writing (just because it isn't a steep old hardtail it isn't long/low/slack, it's not black and white). Look at this new Kinesis review:

http://singletrackworld.com/reviews/review-kinesis-phase/

35mm BB drop on a 27.5 bike isn't low. 418mm reach isn't long. 67 deg static head angle isn't slack.

In fact, it's pretty similar in all respects (bar the wheel size adjustment) to a Ragley Blue Pig from 2010. Compare that to an Orange Crush or P7, a Bird Zero AM or TR, a Ragley Blue Pig 27.5. Completely different world!

So in conclusion, the article is rubbish, the bike is rubbish, and no bikes are long or slack enough for the stw experts?

Smuggler is a lovely bike. Bigjims is the wrong colour

Northwind speaks the truth.

Hey, man, black was all I was going to get without waiting 8 months or something, and orange wasn't an option at that time anyway 😛 Anyway it's usually a brown colour most of the time so the underneath colour doesn't matter much!

67 deg static head angle isn't slack.

shut your hole