I’ve been thinking of getting a yeti SB66 for a while now and read some contrasting reviews, mostly around the rear shock feel, and issues.

I’m not that clued up on the technical explanations given by some, but can anyone summarise what needs doing to the fox rp23 to get the best out of it as see people have sent to mojo and tf for different reasons.

Or does it just take time to get dialled?.

I weigh 11 stone kitted out if that makes any difference.

Also, out of interest anyone run an sb66 with a ccdb air?

It 100% depends on your style and expectations of the bike.

You being a mere 11 stone will make a difference too.

I think the issues arise from the fact that with the SB, the faster you go, the more active the suspension is. So people attempt a setup where they want “plush” and “small compliance” because people have the assumptions that these characteristics are the bestest, when in fact all they mean is that the suspension feels like it is doing something when you’re bouncing about in the car park. Going for the “plush” setup means that it will use all the travel a bit easy. So the SB may not have those revered traits in the car park test, but when you go fast on rough terrain, it eats it up.

My shock setup at 13 stone comprises of ~20% sag (190psi) and a large air can spacer. The large air can spacer is there for bottom out prevention and mid stroke support. I use the bike for anything from xc poddles to uplift days and hucking, i just about use all the travel on ~5ft vertical drop on to flat ground with rough landing at high speed. The mid stroke support is there because im a BMXer, im looking for every opportunity to leave the ground, i need support.

My shock only ever feels harsh if im going too slow, so it acts as a physical prompt that im going too slow, just speed up and it’ll take care of me.

The yeti recommended shock setup of 25% sag with no air can spacers resulted in a softer ride that did just about use all the travel on an average trail ride where i’d still be attempting any gaps or jumps i could find on the way. It however got bogged down a little at times and lost its pop/pump, it sort or became a bit of a monster truck slump.

Also, if you’re looking at an SB, there is a lot of conflicting opinions for exactly what the bikes intent is, some see it as a burly trail bike, some see it, including myself as a scaled back mini DH bike. I feel that the confusion is there because it pedals so well, making it seem like a burly trail bike, but to myself, the weight/geo/stiffness/capability and composure in use says otherwise. The fact you can buy it off the shelf and tested with a coil shock says something too.

Are you planning on buying a new or used one? As the new frames come with a Float CTD now rather than an RP23.

It’s probably best to ride it first and make an opinion then about what or not you like about the suspension/shock.

The CCDB Air doesn’t work very well with the SB66’s suspension curve, all the reports I’ve read have suggest even with 40% sag people aren’t getting full travel on the bike, as the shock is too progressive. They are however bringing out a new, bigger air can to make it work on more bikes that suffer a similar issue (most VPP style linkages).

The later reviews of the bike seem to be more in tune with my opinion, in that it feels like a ‘race bike’. The suspension feels quite harsh, unless you are riding it flat out, at which point you don’t really notice that, just how fast you are going. It’s not a relaxing ride at all.

It’s a very fast riding bike.

Yea, spoke to cane creek about the DBair, apparently it’s fine and they’re fans of it on the SB, it’s just that the forum reports of requiring 40% sag to get full travel, could well be people just being overbiked, as it were. But yea, the new HV can would help in achieving full travel.

with regards to the CCDB air, it seems just about everyone seems to complain that they cant get full travel out of it, I do wonder whether they’re just not riding fast enough/big enough terrain for it. Its a common complaint on the Ibis forums that i frequent.

I have no complaints about the ccdb air on my mojo hD. IN general terms you can either have a shock that uses all travel on smoother or slower stuff, but bottoms harshly when the going gets rougher, or you can have a shock that doesnt use all its travel until the going gets rough, but feels harsher on smooth stuff. You have to choose one or the other.

Having said that i think the ccdb air does actually do a pretty reasonble job of smoothing out the small stuff, and not harshly bottoming on the big stuff. No doubt I could get it to feel smoother on the small stuff, but that would be at the expense of performance on the rough/fast stuff.

Thanks for the useful feedback guys.

I’m looking at new 2012 frame with rp23, and the intended use will be mini DH/gravity enduro/alps holidays/uplift days, I have an asr5c for trail riding and longer days out, so am used to a spirited non plush ride!!

So would like to build up with 36 floats, reverb, 1×10, pro2/stans flow wheels off my orange alpine 160.

I have a test ride booked for saturday (albeit with a 32 fork) so will hopefully understand the suspension characteristics more then. And now I know what to look out for.

deanfbm, how much cost is involved in modifying the shock?

all of £20 to get the fox air can spacer kit. £0 if you pack out the XV can with a plastic strip.

Ok so I tested the sb66 alu today and must say I am impressed by it, but… It felt a very light and nimble ride to me and as I am looking at it as an orange alpine 160 replacement for alpine holidays/UK enduro and the odd uplift day I’m wondering is it too similar to my asr5c?

I found the sb66 climbed amazingly for 6″ bike, and quite liked the zippy feel it gives along trails, i can understand how people say it comes alive when pushed hard as also found that.

But when pushing hard into corners it did feel a bit flexy and skitty up front. I believe the issue could be the build kit it had, fox 32 150mm forks with dt x1600 wheels and nobby nic tyres.

I’d plan to build with 36 floats and hope/flow rims, so can anyone tell me if this bike can handle more gravity focused riding? As don’t want to feel totally under biked in the alps or on uplift days.

Any feed back from sb66 owners welcomed.

My sb66 is built 1×10, lyriks and used on uplift days and jolly days out with the dirt jumper buddies finding hucks to send.

The flexiness youre feeling is just the build.

Thanks deanfbm! I thought as much with that fork. Can’t believe how it climbed, wasn’t far off my asr5 pace!

Anyone else with sb66 gravity based builds out there? Or how you finding them on uplifts or in the alps?

also found a fair bit of pedal strike, could this again be down the 32 150mm fork giving a really low BB?

anyone got the sb running with 36’s find pedal strike an issue?

I’ve got 160mm Fox 36s on mine. Don’t have any pedal strike issues but I do have this slightly nagging thought that I might have had some the first couple of rides out, so maybe I just adjusted my riding to suit a low BB? I’ve had it for nearly 18 months though so that’s a while ago.

As far as gravity-focused riding goes, I’ve only done a couple of uplift days (FoD and Antur Stiniog) so I’m not sure I can competently answer that part of your question, but I never feel like the bike is limiting me, certainly it’s the other way round.

I’m running a 2012 alu frame with rp23 at about 20% sag, 160mm lyriks, flows, 50mm stem, etc.

I found i had pedal strike issues when i first ran it with more sag, but i’ve either modified my riding, or running more air in the can has sorted that out.

I’ve found that it really does ride much better when pushed hard, and it is more than capable on DH runs. When i first rode it on anything downwards, i was a bit taken aback how fast i would be going, and how immediate the acceleration would be! I’ve ridden it at Stile Cop, Aston Hill, Rogate and FoD. It has soaked up bigger hits than i’ve done in the past, such as the jumps and drops on Surface to Air, or the drop at the end of the Black run at AH.

In Molini last summer it was fantastic. Great descending and amazingly efficient for all day riding. It’s a bit long in tight switchbacks, but thats pretty common on long-wheelbased AM bikes?

I run mine with a 160mm 36, no real pedal strike issues, but then I’m used to a bike with a low BB anyway, so view it as a small downside to the bigger benefit of a low BB

The bike is awesome with a 36 on it. I use mine for everything, and would even pick it over my DH bike for the smaller, local DH races.

Very impressive with the right build.

I’ll be racing the Mega, Mountain of Hell, Super Enduro & some of the UK Gravity Enduros on it, as well as the local DH races.

Did you go Carbon or Alu, Hob Nob?

Carbon, the inner bling wouldn’t allow for alloy 🙁

Thanks guys, this feedback has quashed my fears of being left under biked. certianly doesnt seem to be the case with 36’s.

FoD and Cwmcarn are my local uplift haunts so they should be fine.

I’ve also got trip to Finale palnned this spring so good to hear it held up in Molini.

Hope to do the mega again next year so again it sounds like the SB66 will do the job 🙂