Yeti Cycles Releases Entirely New Trail Bike - The SB-66

By now, you may have heard of the recently released SB-66 from Yeti Cycles.  It's a hot new trail rig that offers a full 6" of travel and a unique suspension design that's like none other.  

The bike uses a completely new design that differentiates itself from other bikes the industry by employing an eccentric main pivot.  If you look closely, you'll notice one pivot within an eccentric shell (the blue anodized bit in the photos) which effectively creates a multi-pivot design and addresses the issue of chain growth.  The result is a bike that rides like nothing else.  Think "long-legged cross country bike."

A few days before the SB-66 was officially released, Camran and I had a chance to head down to Golden and ride the new bike with the crew from Yeti Cycles at Apex Park.  Here's what I found.

Climbing - The SB-66 had gas (not the bad kind.)  Under load, the pedals maintained an incredibly responsive feel.  I never felt bogged down by a full 6" of rear travel.  Instead, the bike felt lively and nimble through technical sections while climbing.  In and out of the saddle, the bike was sharp and efficient.  

In fact, it wasn't long before I realized that the SB-66 didn't ride like anything I was used to and I needed to adjust my riding style accordingly.  When approaching larger steps and square edged bumps on climbs, I was expecting the rear suspension to compress and stall, then I'd lift the rear end up and over the object, just like every other 6" bike I've ridden.  But instead, as the rear wheel made contact with an object, the stall that I was waiting for never came.  The SB-66's Switch suspension remained firm and the bike just rolled up and over rocks and steps as long as I continued to pedal.  Before I knew it, I was at the top of the hill feeling pretty good about myself.  

I guess you could say that my mind was blown by how well the bike ascended, even with my lousy motor on top of it.  

Descending - Riding the SB-66 got even more fun as we ripped over roots and rocks through Apex's Enchanted Forest.  Again though, the bike had a bit of XC side.  I noticed that I was feeling much more of the trail through the SB-66 than other 6" bikes and I was OK with that.  The bike was plush, but not quite as plush as a 575.  Instead, I felt like the SB-66 was a bit more flickable and I was having fun selecting different lines.  The 6" suspension design and trail geometry inspired loads of confidence without muting the feel of the trail, creating a playful ride experience.  All in all, the best way I can describe the bike is fun and high spirited.  

The SB-66 is for riders who want a totally capable trail bike and want to feel the pulse of the singletrack through the wheels beneath them, up down and side to side.

But don't just listen to me, you should check it out for yourself.  We just got our demo SB-66s in and we've got for-sale bikes on the way.

Give Sports Garage a shout with questions about Yeti's new SB-66 or any other bike!  

As always - Enjoy the Ride. 

-Luke