Up to now 4 years, quite a lot of manufacturers have made distinctive enduro bikes. Throughout the trade, a rethinking of geometry made bikes of all journey extra enjoyable on descents, and new geometry norms made greater journey bikes climb higher.
Yeti’s SB150 was on the high of its class for its steady, assured, plush descending and its potential to climb with out the suspension bobbing round. Right now, Yeti’s SB160 improves on the 150 and replaces it in Yeti’s line. The SB160 is the fruits of a laundry record of refinements. It’s probably the most advanced bike Yeti has ever made, and a motorcycle that can pleasantly shock you with its intuitive dealing with (it is aware of what you’re pondering), its silky suspension, and its complete functionality in chunky, quick terrain, no matter pace you’re rolling. When the path is unpredictable, that is the bike you wish to be on.
A possibility
In designing the SB160, Yeti’s Director of Engineering, Peter “Stretch” Zawistowski, says his engineering crew and Yeti’s race crew put collectively a laundry record of each potential component of the SB150 that they needed to alter or hold.
“Since we knew the core of the bike and the way the suspension works, as a substitute of getting to determine that out once more, we have been in a position to concentrate on the nuances,” mentioned Stretch. “We have been pleased with the geometry of the SB150, however we knew we may enhance it.”
The pandemic paused bike manufacturing because of a scarcity of components, which gave bike designers and engineers an opportunity to decelerate and fine-tune. So did adjustments at Yeti, which grew its engineering crew to 11 individuals, added an assistant product supervisor for bikes, and outfitted its suspension grasp, former World Cup racer Dave “DZ” Ziegman, with a state-of-the-art suspension lab.
“We launched the SB130 and SB150 in 2018, and 4 years later, they’re nonetheless related,” mentioned Stretch. “It put us ready we’ve by no means been in, the place we may take all the things nice about these bikes and concentrate on the right way to make it even higher. “
Quite a lot of small adjustments equal an enormous distinction within the journey
Beginning with the SB130 and SB150 as their base, Yeti fine-tuned the Sb160’s flex with knowledge from its take a look at lab and many years of aggregated qualitative and quantitative race suggestions and demo rider knowledge on bike really feel. They lowered the friction within the suspension and gave the bike a motocross-inspired tune that delivers compliance in addition to bottom-out resistance.
Yeti stiffened the body the place they might and trimmed it down too. Spherical tubes took on a barely ovalized form in some areas. They refined the principle body and swingarm silhouettes, packaged the Swap Infinity and shock linkage in a tighter, extra environment friendly unit, and added affect clearance by altering the slope of the downtube and elevating it 35mm, whereas making the chainstays larger too.
Each dimension of the SB160 was individually engineered to be stiffer with out being harsh. Yeti spec’d new lighter {hardware}, not lighter rubber to attain their weight and sturdiness objectives, which embrace spec’ing a motorcycle {that a} rider can pedal out of the store with out swapping components.
With the SB160, Yeti additionally introduces a recalculated Swap Infinity that’s extra sturdy with much less friction. A brand new heart hub with twin mud caps captures the bearings. The tremendous robust central core has improved corrosion resistance and makes use of black oxide steel-backed Fox bearings and steel-backed bushing with an enhanced glide floor. The customized bearings are gone, making it simpler for any supplier to service. And if you happen to’re not fairly prepared to purchase a brand new bike, don’t stress. The brand new Swap Infinity is backward-compatible with current frames, and it’ll even be offered individually.
Customary components simplify service
The entire 160’s pivot factors now use 100% standard-sized bearings pressed into precision-machined floating collet axles within the linkage meeting, not the entrance triangle or swingarm. The floating {hardware} system is fastened on the drive aspect. Spacers on the non-drive aspect are supported on the pivot factors. Bearings are all moved into an aluminum hyperlink for simpler entry. The brand new design will increase serviceability and insanely reduces friction on all pivots for good alignment and clean suspension movement.
Yeti now makes use of a two-piece wishbone shock extender for optimum clamping, compatibility, and simple shock swapping for riders who determine so as to add a coil shock. The shock extender optimizes leverage charges and it pushes the shock ahead within the body. That additionally decreases standover peak, reduces shock tab sizes, will increase water bottle compatibility, and will increase downtube clearance.
One purpose with the brand new bike was to make it quieter, whereas additionally decreasing cable put on. Yeti makes use of the ribbed chainstay protector it developed for the Arc, and added cable port safety for wi-fi droppers and drivetrains. These components include each bike. With some builds, a purchaser will get the spare components in a bag.
The bike can also be higher shielded from downtube injury. A two-piece dual-density downtube protector offers edge-to-edge protection. The layer closest to the body cushions the carbon. A tough nylon cap covers the cushion. It may be eliminated for dropper submit cable entry. And in case of affect, the downtube protector is simple and reasonably priced to switch.
The 160 has a threaded co-molded backside bracket that’s straightforward to tug aside and repair. ISCG tabs are built-in into the threaded backside bracket in order that they’re structurally stronger
“We’ve waited for carbon development to meet up with how we wish to do it,” mentioned Stretch. “Co-molded into carbon is an excellent sturdy, robust interface.”
The Experience
Modifications on paper are solely important in the event that they translate to the journey. And with the SB160, they do.
If you wish to benefit from the climb and nail the descents, in my view, that is one of the best enduro bike you should purchase. I see quite a lot of riders on the path who’re over-biked. But when your two-wheeled wanderings take you down steep and rugged trails, into unpredictable terrain, and to bike parks with massive terrain, this bike is for you.
I’ve about 30 days pedaling the 29″ wheel SB160 to date, from Breckenridge, Colorado, to Vermont, and throughout the “pond” in Italy and France. I rode the SB160 for six days of the Stone King Rally journey. On daily basis on that journey, I climbed 4500-6500 ft, and I descended 10,000-14,000 ft. Even on the largest climbs, I by no means hated my bike. I can’t all the time say I felt that method concerning the SB150. It was a stable climber, however despite the fact that this one has a body that’s round a half-pound heavier, it climbs simpler.
On flats and descents, it felt stable and reliable beneath me, acquainted and higher than I assumed a motorcycle may really feel. The 170mm journey Fox Fox Manufacturing unit 38 and the 160mm Fox Float X2 Shock labored seamlessly in tandem to suck up chunder, drops, rooty mats, and extra easily than I may have hoped for. On daily basis of the Stone King Rally, I rode this bike down technical terrain I might need walked if I used to be on one other bike. I felt planted, in management, and clean. The bike saved me from a few poor line decisions. It made me really feel like a superhero with out making the terrain boring. On treacherous fall-and-get-really-hurt sidehills I pedaled with confidence and by no means struck a pedal.
The SB160 is half a level slacker than the SB150 with a 5mm longer attain for more room within the cockpit and extra stability total. The leverage fee on the SB160 is 17%, and the curve has quite a lot of flatness within the center, with loads of backside out. Regardless of how deep I pushed this bike’s suspension, hammering stair steps descents, “alternate traces,” and negotiating boulder gardens, I felt just like the captain of my very own ship, calling the photographs.
The seat tube angle and chainstay size improve with body dimension. This made the transition from seated to standing simpler, which was significantly noticeable on massive climbing days and in rolling terrain. The extra impartial place saved my weight on each wheels extra evenly whereas sustaining a playful and spry really feel to the journey. Perhaps that’s why the SB160 felt lighter than the SB150…it felt energetic beneath me.
Yeti didn’t cave to developments and mullet this bike. They constructed one of the best bike they knew the right way to construct, and it has two 29″ wheels, which additionally makes packing a spare tube simpler.
As a result of I used to be in a position to run a 175mm dropper, not the usual 150mm dropper that’s the max for lots of dimension M bikes, I didn’t really feel like I’d pitch over the handlebars, or like my bike bought in the way in which once I was attempting to barter tight terrain. Yeti says that almost all riders will be capable of use a 150mm dropper posts on small frames, 175mm on medium frames, and 200mm+ dropper posts on L-XXL frames, relying in your precise seat peak.
At dwelling in Vermont, the bike’s exact dealing with shined in tight bushes and slippery, rocky gullies. I didn’t get jounced and bounced off my line. The bike held agency, and matched my tempo and my steering.
As a largely east coast rider, I haven’t all the time been a fan of Yeti’s tire alternative. However on the SB160 I didn’t want to alter the rubber. To maintain weight down, Yeti handed on grams-saving waify tires that might get shredded within the terrain this bike is supposed to deal with, and saved weight with lighter {hardware} as a substitute. The SB 160 is spec’d with sturdy, grippy Maxxis Assegai and Maxxis Minion II DHR, each with EXO+ casing. 4-piston Code brakes let me modulate pace with a dinnerplate 220mm entrance rotor and 200mm rear rotor for very good stopping energy.
Drawbacks
There’s just one, and it’s the value. Yeti has been known as the dentist’s model of alternative, and pricing on the brand new bikes gained’t do something to dispel that status. Sadly, all the things on the planet simply bought a hell of much more costly, Yeti’s bikes included.
Purchase it, race it, or simply journey it
The SB150 was the winningest male EWS bike ever. With the brand new SB160, Yeti hopes of continuous to assert the rostrum. However this isn’t only a bike for racers. In case you’re a rider in search of an enormous journey bike that you would be able to pedal anyplace, for a motorcycle that’s as adept at climbing as descending, or for a motorcycle that can enable you to be the rider you wish to be, the SB160 is my best choice. In case you journey quite a lot of sorts of trails and select this as your trusty steed will you be overbiked? Perhaps. However if you need a motorcycle you possibly can take anyplace and journey something, that is it.
Sizes S-XXL
Beginning at $6100 for the C-Collection construct, and $9100 for Turq.
