Seriously tempted to go 29er and think I want a change from usual brand

I’ve always longed for a yeti and always been put off by various horror stroies

But the sb130 looks just the perfect bike for me on paper

Has anyone got one and used it for a long time without issue?

Bearings wear quickly? Press fit bb garbage? Anything else to be wary of?

Anything else to be wary of?

TBH. the horror stories I’ve heard would put me off. Catastrophic frame failure followed by a refusal to honour warranty.

Shame, because they’re about the only high-end brand with that kind of sorted geometry, there’s a lot to like about their bikes.

Tbh I’ve not heard of terrible warranty issues In the last few years, yeti of 5 to 10 years ago yes, but just recently I’ve not heard of many failures at all on the new breed, I’ve trawled mtbr threads and surprisingly not found many reports at all and if I have the warrantys been sorted

However that’s in the US so maybe a different kettle of fish here

I have one, I’m not what I would call your typical Yeti owner though…

Actually on my second now, only because I am fortunately get a new bike each year and couldn’t think of anything else I wanted to replace it with (maybe the new Hightower if the colours weren’t vile). So I replaced it with the same 🙂

Mine gets used and abused, it’s my only bike now so race it, uplift it, generally pedal it everywhere. I won’t waffle on about how good it is, as to be fair every review you can read does that, to me the important bit is the word reliability. Which is not a word you would usually associate with Yeti.

My past experience (SB66C) was literally embarrassing. The frame was a joke & the support, which at the time given my position was so bad, all I could do was laugh about it. If I was a proper customer, I’d probably have used it to go on a killing spree at Silverish & Yeti by means of beating people to death. So far, I’ve had zero issues. Rear wheel clearance is a bit tight with a 2.4 Maxxis, but you can dish the wheel a turn on a spoke and it’s a lot better.

No issues with bearings or the SI Link – I do grease it every month as it’s a 5 minute job anyway. PF BB I’ve had on my last 4 bikes had no issues with them at all.

I’ve been riding one since last summer (a 2019 Turq frame, custom build). It’s astounding. Love it. Best Yeti and indeed best bike I’ve ever had (quite a few since ’89). I sized up to a Large and it’s changed my riding for the better (I need all the help I can get).

You know all the good stuff, but it’s not perfect:

It’s long and you will have to concentrate a bit more in fast flat or tight corners. But only for a while. (And I know I could have stayed on a M, but the overall improvements in fit were worth it.)

It’s not as light as you expect. My L with 12-speed XT, DT Swiss XM1500 wheels, DHF 2.5/DHR II 2.35 EXO, Vault pedals = 31.2lbs. A SRAM XO1 build with carbon handlebars could lop 1lb off that, though. But I’m a heavy bloke and I don’t really the notice the additional 2+ lbs of weight over my old SB5C.

The main pivot bearings on the Switch Infinity link seized after 6 months. I’m a bit of a mud dodger and never jet wash when it does need cleaning. Really crappy grease inside. Managed to flush them out and re-pack with decent grease to get them moving. They’ll do till the end of the summer. I hope.

It’s got fully guided internal cable/hose routing, thankfully. But the one for the dropper is still a bit of a pain as you have to open the little cover near the BB to get the cable outer round the Switch Infinity link. But I am really nit-picking now.

However you cut it, they’re not cheap. If you CAN find a deal on one (or the money’s not a worry) go for it.

cheers for the info –

hobnob – thats impressive as im sure you give it a good raggin! thats very positive indeed, thats the only thing in the back of my mind, im coming from SC, which are stupidly reliable frames, easy to work on and maintain and warranty back up seems incredible! but i do feel like a change, theres a few other mid travel 29ers on the list too but the yeti on paper for me looks the best geo wise

SI has always looked to be a touch dodgy reliability wise too but i believe they now have a lifetime warranty also

i usually get around 6 months out of my SC bearngs, but obviously get free replacements, albeit have to pay to have them fitted around £40 if i could get 6-12 months out of the yeti ones im not to fussed, but no wanting to be swapping out every 3 months or so, so seems like this is a non issue

is there any rattles? noisy internal routing?

the only other option ive got is to stay 27.5 and then get a sb140 – as then everything moves across, but i really want a mid travel 29er for all day riding, and this is the top of the pile

Me again.

I’ve never had an issue with the actual slidey-uppy-downy bits (technical term) on either of my bikes with a Switch Infinity link. Fox’s guidelines for maintenance are pretty simple. Clean them with disc brake cleaner and lube them in the zerk fittings every now and again. It’s slightly more complicated on the 130, 150, 140 and 165 as you have to remove the main bearing bolt and collet to access one zerk fitting. But if you have a torque wrench, it’s a 10 minute job.

Full bearing kits from Silverfish or Yetifan ar £60-odd. Not cheap. I tend to re-grease mine once or twice to make them last a year to 18 months. But then as I mentioned before, I ride less in crappy weather. If you’re hardier than me, you may need to give them more attention. Pulling the bearings on the swingarm requires a special too which you can buy (again from Silverfish or Yetifan) but personally, I’d leave it to my LBS.

Now I’ve ditched the finned pads from my XT four-pot brakes, the bike it pretty much silent. The internal cable routing doesn’t rattle. Fit and finish is pretty exquisite on the frame.

I ride a 2016 SB5c, covered over 5500km. It gets used more in the winter than summer, so gets regularly covered in all types of filth. No problems with the Switch Infinity link so far, probably been pumped with XHP-222 grease about 4 times in total. Bearings last about 1500-2000km for me, though they are exposed to the elements, i.e there are no covers over them (this may not be the case on the SB130). As such I check them regularly. Personally I think the Switch Infinity system is great, kinematics on my SB5c are brilliant IMO, I expect the later models are even better. I have a mate with a SB130, I’ve only had a 5 minute car park ride on it and he’s only done about 100km on it, so can’t give anymore model specific feedback.

With regards to service and support, I can only report positive things. I had the rear swing-arm replaced free of charge after a bearing seized in it, after 18 months use through 2 winters (see above re bearing checks!). Took 4 weeks from reporting to shop where purchased, to frame being returned with new swing-arm.

Hi
If you’re after a Large the Dales Centre in Reeth has an ex demo on offer a little while ago if that’s if any use?
Cheers
Steve

SI has always looked to be a touch dodgy reliability wise too but i believe they now have a lifetime warranty also

i usually get around 6 months out of my SC bearngs, but obviously get free replacements, albeit have to pay to have them fitted around £40 if i could get 6-12 months out of the yeti ones im not to fussed, but no wanting to be swapping out every 3 months or so, so seems like this is a non issue

is there any rattles? noisy internal routing?

i haven’t seen any reports of SI link wear recently, I’m sure there will always be the odd on that slips through the net as usual though.

I’d have thought you will get 6-12 months out of a set of bearings in the frame, mine on my old frame at a year were a bit grumpy but nothing I didn’t expect, I think the SI link ones would probably need doing first as they are a bit more exposed and it does collect the mud a bit around there – haven’t done it myself but they look fairly easy to replace?

In terms of noise, no, really quiet actually. A lot quieter since I swapped my rear mech to Shimano and left the rest of the SRAM kit on there. I have sugru’d the chainstay so it’s like the new Specializeds with raised sections to really quieten it down, as I hate a noisy bike, but all good.

You can whip the spacer out in the shock to increase the travel up to 137mm as standard which you can’t notice on the pedals, which is essentially a LR frame then. I have done this, with the 160mm fork, an offset bush means a Slightly slacker HA which suits me (64.3 now).

I’ve got one.

First things first there is no way i would have paid the RRP for the frame originally, I picked it up in a sale just before this years models were released so it was a good price.

It climbs and pedals like nothing i’ve ridden in the past. It climbs really well, so well ill be selling my hardtail as it never gets used anymore. Previously i had a sentinel which going downhill is seriously good but only at 10 tenths and everywhere else it was a bit of a chore. The 130 honestly gives up nothing at all to the sentinel which has been surprise. Its super stable but quite playful, i wouldn’t describe it as a plough bike like the sentinel was.

Weight wise i guess you could build it up to be super light but ive gone with the more reliable option of stuff that just works and its coiled but its still certainly not heavy.

I was worried about storys of yetis past and this was probably a factor of not wanting to spend full price on one, second ride i had a massive rock buck the rear of the bike and has taken a decent chunk of carbon and paint from the rear triangle but almost a year later there hasnt been anything else come of it, i had intended to have a repair done on it but ive just ended up riding it.

The infinity link does need greasing and ive had to re grease the bearings in it as they were starting to seize but they’ve been ok since and are still going, ill probably replace them if the rain ever stops!

I would say i am relatively hard on bikes, broken a few bikes over the years and tend to replace them every 18-24 months but i honestly cant think of a bike at the moment that could replace the SB130 its just the perfect bike for the UK and now having owned it i would stump up the money for a new one.

Hope that helps

Dave.

thanks for the responses – as i thought the newer versions are far less problematic than the yetis (which has put people off for life it seems like me!) of old!

i dont mind bearings every 6 months if it keeps it smooth, ive had various frames over the years and all have needed replacing around the 6 month mark especially after a uk winter

dave – exactly why i think i want the yeti, it looks on paper to be a perfect do it all bike, and something i want – i want to try a 29er but i dont want to go full on 160mm beast mode – i want something pedal friendly all day and still relatively nimble and fun

hobnob – yep would lunch ride it im sure, for the sake of just cutting that spacer out i cant see if it having much performance detriment with it being only 7mm more travel, paired with 160mm fork up front it should be more than capable of anything i can throw at it

sounds pretty promising, one thing ive sort of read is the 2.4 dhr2 WT trails tyres are close fitting, as per hobnob, but some folk saying the 2020 model has slightly more clearance out back? but it seems a bit of a rumour type thing rather than facts, i would defo want to run a 2.4 dhr2 out back and dont want to be fretting of rub and wear every jump/mud ride

it really does get amazing glowing reviews, and the pedal efficiency of it appeals massively!

Regarding the tyre clearance I’ve got a 2.4 onza Aquila out back currently with zero problems and prior to that a wild enduro 2.4, You can dish the rear wheel so it sits more central in the frame but I haven’t had a problem yet so haven’t bothered personally.

As above, a normally dished wheel gives you ~5mm of clearance with a 2.4 DHR2 on the drive side chain stay, but double that on the non drive side. I’ve just stuck a full turn of the disk side spokes to dish the wheel centrally & it’s now fine. Also ran a 2.4 Michelin in there which was fine. Don’t often run a 2.4 anyway as I can’t get the DHR in DD casing so tend to run the 2.3 instead which is even better. It’s a fairly stiff frame so even slapping corners I don’t really get any tyre buzz.

cool about the tyres – interesting that they now actually supply the 2.4 dhr2 exo+ as standard on the t1 model sb130, so you’d think that it would have ample space as it is

did you say yours is a 2020 frame hobnob? seems odd if you had to redish it for that exact same tyre if thats how they come now fitted

im so tempted give the sb140 a go first, as then i wouldnt have to splurge out on the wheels and forks (which ive just had relatively new for my current bike)

dont suppose any one has tried the 140 as well?

Like I said it’s not the end of the world for clearance, it’s better than the Sentinel I tried for example!

But, there is the opportunity to improve it for 5 mins work on a wheel, so I figured why not, especially given the beautiful conditions we get to enjoy in the UK…

Yeah this one is a 2020 frame. I’d be amazed if they actually changed the mould a year into production, given it seemed to be a hit & miss issue for people complaining about tight clearance.

Not tried a 140, as everything I’ve ridden or been on for years has been a 29er – riding a 650b bike feels weird to me now.

cool so its still doable – its only on the LR version it seems to come with a 2.4 dhr2 looking at it

id get the shop to look at dishing it then, if i was to go down that route, i agree which is why i was skeptical about the 2020 being different, some folk have said it on the sb130 thread mtbr, but no actual proof

i really do want to go 29er so im just putting off the inevitable, that said it would be very cheap for me sell my SC v3 bronson frame and get a sb140, as literally everything transfers across bar the BB

which bb did you go for that seems to not creak/fall apart?

Standard Shimano press fit BB (BB-MT800-P) which are about £16 after market. No problems so far. Bike shop seemed to do a good job when they built the bike up.

Hope bb for 30mm cranks here, its the one that is just 2 bearings. I was expecting issues but it hasn’t been a problem. (i did use locktite)

Standard GXP BB here.

Cool sounds good and no issues with them then that’s good to hear

Do wish It was threaded though!

no problem with mine but in truth is hasnt been ridden all winter, ive stuck to the hardtail and gone through one headset, 3 bottom brackets and a set of wheels but the winter has been crap.

so far no issues with they yeti. i view it as buying a KTM instead of a yamaha, higher maintenance but you are getting a higher performing machine. greasing the link is very straight forward though, but it is one more thing to worry about.

the good news though is that Yeti now provide a lifetime warranty for frame including switch link so there is really little to worry about.

i was torn between this and the evil, the pressfit BB was the near deal breaker. however i fitted a wheels MF to the hardtail and it has been problem free so when it does go on the yeti i can replace it with a high spec one which should last. the one on my Norco is 4 years old, been ridden in all weathers and still turns like new.

i doubt you will be disappointed with it assuming you prefer fast to playful.

If you stick with 24mm cranks then you can use the Hope PF41 thread-together PF BB. I have one fitted to my 2016 Yeti SB6 and still going strong (with no creaks).

This has to be better value than paying more than three grand for a frame

https://www.bike-components.de/en/Yeti-Cycles/SB130-Carbon-GX-29-Bike-2019-Model-p67447/