The new SB-95 from Yeti Cycles?  Yes please.

What?  An opportunity to ride the new SB-95 from Yeti Cycles?  Yes please.

We had our first look at this bike last month at Interbike in Las Vegas, but sorting our way through all the flash and hype of the industry show can be tough and getting an opportunity to really focus on a rig like this can be challenging in such a short time.  So when our good old friend Phil down at Yeti HQ called and offered to send over a couple SB-95s for a few days, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity.  And I couldn’t be any more glad that he did.

Let me start by saying that this is one of the coolest bikes I’ve ever ridden.   With 29 inch wheels and 5 inches of travel, I admit, I was expecting the bike to be a bit of a slug.  What I found instead was a seriously fun trail bike that felt capable of tackling any trail. 

Yeti’s new Switch Technology suspension design provided a firm response under acceleration and felt active through technical sections.  On sustained climbs, the bike pedaled efficiently and rolled up eroded waterbars and steep rock sections with out any hang-ups.  Descending?  Ohhhhh descending.  The new 34mm stanchioned Fox Float 29 fork, 68.5 degree head tube angle, and tapered steerer on the SB-95 made for a stiff, sure-footed front end that tracked like it was on rails.  In the rear, the same design that offered such efficiency on the climb felt smooth and linear throughout the entire stroke.   I never noticed the typical ramp up as I approached the end of the travel as with some other air-sprung designs.  Instead, the Switch Technology allowed the RP23 rear shock to feel more like a coil sprung shock, without the added weight or lack of tunability of one.   It was smooth as silk and I loved it.

It should be noted however that you shouldn’t place the SB-95 in the same categories as many other full suspension 29ers.  Unlike the minimal travel, more XC oriented big-wheeled bikes, this rig begs for punishment and looks for the rocky line.  It wants to use all of its 5 inches of travel over and over again, all day long.  Of course, this kind of burly, bad to the core attitude comes at a cost.  In this case, its weight.  The SB-95’s robust frame construction, larger fork, and overall built in toughness lead to a 29er that’s heavier than some.  The XL that I rode (built with the full XT/DT Swiss Race kit) weighed in at just over 30lbs.  Which is reasonable when compared to other trail bikes, but may seem heavy if compared to the shorter travel XC bikes that are currently filling the 29er market.  And even despite the number on the scale, the bike felt light on its feet.  I never thought about it once on board.

Overall, the SB-95 begs to be your weekend sidekick, no matter where the trail may take you.  Kenosha Pass? Yes.  Monarch Crest?  Even better.  Fruita for a few days?  Of course.

All in all, I think everyone should have one of these.

You can read all about Yeti as a company by visiting their website at - http://www.yeticycles.com.  

PS – On a personal note, this was one of those rides that dreams are made of.  Cold, wet, foggy, dreary, spooky, awesome.   Man, I wish you were there.

Sports Garage Cycling - Your Boulder bike shop for Specialized, Orbea, Wilier, Serotta, Yeti, Santa Cruz, & Pivot Cycles.