Just like how final week’s SB150 EWS bike was changed by the lengthier SB160, this week Yeti’s SB115 XC bike is being changed by the marginally longer SB120. Though an extra 5mm of rear wheel journey is just not that a lot of an improve, Yeti guarantees us that the brand new XC bike will outperform different short-travel bikes in its class. The SB120, Yeti’s shortest-travel mountain bike, widens out with a bit of extra rear-wheel journey however a number of enduro inspiration.
What’s Modified?
The suspension design is far the identical as earlier than, with a one-piece rear finish, a movable Change primary pivot, and a linkage-driven shock underneath the highest tube. So what makes the brand new Yeti SB120 look so drastically totally different from the earlier SB115 mannequin?
The primary distinction is that Yeti has given the SB120 all the identical purposeful upgrades because the latest SB160. For an extra 25mm of rock clearance, this necessitates a extra streamlined, angular body design with considerably longer chainstays and a body that climbs noticeably steeper in entrance of the underside bracket.
Carbon Body
To be able to accomplish a trifecta of lowered weight, improved stiffness, and longer lifespan, Yeti claims that the extra compact chassis design makes higher use of carbon. The linkage meeting receives fully revised pivot designs that press all the standard-sized Enduro Max bearings into it.
In consequence, the carbon primary body and swingarm solely join with a floating collet axle design, which ensures extra exact alignment and subsequently smoother suspension motion.
Design
The brand new SB120 now has full-length inside cable tunnels, locking modular {hardware} to maintain the whole lot silent, multi-part built-in dual-density downtube and chainstay safety, a UDH dropout for the best stage of the replaceable hanger and future-derailleur compatibility, shorter seat tubes to allow longer journey droppers on all sizes, and a pleasant nod to a traditional co-molded aluminum BSA threaded backside bracket with built-in ISCG tabs.
Primary Pivot
The primary pivot of the Change Infinity V2 nonetheless strikes and interprets and maintains a stability of consolation and assist all through the bike’s journey, but it surely has been upgraded with higher seals, bearings, and {hardware}. Moreover, the brand new SB120 has a leverage ratio that’s primarily linear and solely progresses by 11%, permitting you to run 30% sag for smooth traction, with enough mid-level assist and sufficient end-stroke ramp-up to deal with the occasional surprising heavy hit.
Geometrical and Technical Particulars
Lately, a mountain bike revamp isn’t actually accomplished with no longer, decrease, slacker replace, which Yeti believes ends in a better-balanced bike. That is why the brand-new Yeti SB120 doesn’t allow you to down.
The larger bikes have a decrease stack, a 66.5° head angle that’s one diploma lazier, and a 76.5° efficient seat angle that’s two and a half levels steeper. The body attain is 20 to 30 mm longer.
One other notable geographical improve is the brand new SB120’s expanded 6-size vary, which incorporates each a smaller and bigger bike for an XS-XXL possibility. For everybody to expertise the identical trip high quality, the bikes all acquired size-specific geometry, together with longer chainstays, entrance facilities, and steeper actual seat angles for the larger bikes.
The relative entrance suspension additionally experiences an attention-grabbing change on account of this lax entrance finish. The brand new SB120 receives a 130mm fork, very like the 115. Nonetheless, with the top angle now greater than a level slacker, the efficient vertical entrance wheel journey decreases by a millimeter to 119mm from 120mm within the again.
This additionally serves as a reminder that whereas many new XC bikes appear to be getting out of hand and blurring the borders with light-weight path bikes, Yeti considers this a “brilliantly balanced trip.” Nonetheless, Yeti desires to make use of this as a race-ready rocket ship.
Pricing
Solely the dearer Turq model, which prices $4300 and has a Fox Manufacturing unit shock for a claimed weight of 3021g, is obtainable as a carbon frameset. A complete bike with Shimano SLX/XT or SRAM GX Eagle begins at $6300 for the C1 and $6600 for the C2, respectively.
Beginning at $8200 for the top-of-the-line carbon Turq full bikes with Fox Manufacturing unit suspension and $9600 for the T3 with XX1 AXS. The Yeti SB120 T4 with XX1 AXS, Stage Final brakes, and DT Swiss EXC 1501 carbon wheels has a ridiculous price ticket of $12,100.
Yeti SB120, 2023, Last Verdict
The carbon SB120 is out there in 4 shade choices—Turquoise, Mud Tan, Uncooked Carbon, and Loch Inexperienced—and two carbon layup specs—the extra economical however nonetheless premium C/Sequence and the extremely costly Turq collection.
We will thus think about what Yeti has in retailer for his or her path 130 because the enduro 150 and the XC 115 have grown exponentially.
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Featured Picture By way of Instagram/yeticycles
