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BIKE TEST YETI SB5C

DECEMBER 2014 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 85

YETISB5CARBON

T he SB5 Carbon is a replacement for the recently discontinued 5C bike, which was referred to internally as “the

cheater bike.” With 5 inches of travel, the original 5 packed enough travel to handle technical terrain in a light enough package to � oat to the top of hills with ease. The SB5C seeks to improve on an already fast design with a slick new proprietary suspension Yeti has dubbed Switch In� nity.

Yeti is the purest example of a bike company run by riders, for riders. It’s the antithesis of a corporation. And while it has been very successful, it’s not because it has a slick marketing department that spins fancy product jargon. Stop by the Yeti factory between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and you will � nd it empty. Yeti closes up shop every single day to test its creations on dirt during the daily lunch ride. It’s been said that while the lunch ride is not mandatory for employees, if you skip it often, you won’t last long at Yeti. That’s the kind of company we can appreciate. We couldn’t wait to hit the trails on one of these machines.

WHO IS IT MADE FOR?The SB5C is an incredibly versatile bike.

It’s not the meat cleaver, nor is it the paring knife in the drawer. Instead, the SB5C is like the well-sharpened chef’s knife that’s precise and capable of handling the toughest jobs in the hands of the right person. The SB5C is built for anyone looking for a lightweight trail bike that can also handle technical and rocky trails.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?The SB5C is the � rst bike from Yeti to use

Switch In� nity technology. The new system was co-developed with Fox Racing Shox to replace the previous generation Superbike suspension design.

The frame is carbon � ber front to back, with 5 inches of matched travel front and rear. The bike uses oversized Enduro Max bearings at all pivot points, a bolt-on ISCG mount, tapered head tube, 12x142mm axle, routing for both Stealth and non-Stealth dropper posts, and custom chain slap protectors on the chain and seatstays.

WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?Yeti’s engineers do an excellent job

building bikes with components they themselves would like to ride rather than just specing parts that hit a certain price point. Our bike came equipped with our perennial favorite SRAM X01 drivetrain, which provided razor-sharp shifting and quiet drivetrain performance, even on the roughest trails. The suspension duties are handled by Fox’s top-shelf 34 CTD fork and Float CTD shock.

Flip the switch: The 5 inches of travel are enough to aggressively attack corners.

The suspension is controlled throughout the stroke and remains true to the Yeti feel

we’ve come to know and love.

Flip the switch to infinity

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Should you want to upgrade the compo-nent package, Yeti also offers a hot-rodded version of the SB5C that comes with SRAM’s top-shelf XX1 drivetrain and ENVE carbon wheels.

HOW DOES IT PERFORM?Switch Infinity explained: The extra

chambers located near the bottom bracket function as a precise “translating pivot” developed by Yeti in conjunction with Fox to create a simpler and more reliable version of their wildly successful Superbike suspen-sion used on the SB-66 and SB-75 models of the past two years. The system essentially replaces a pivot and allows the designers to closely control the wheel path as the bike moves through its travel. While the Kashima coatings and Fox branding might have you believe it’s a secondary shock, it’s not. As the bike moves through the first bit of its travel, the Switch eccentric system moves upward, allowing for a rearward axle path that’s great for small-bump compliance and pedaling efficiency. As the suspension moves deeper into its travel, the link switches direction, moving downward to reduce chain tension and allowing for big-hit control.

Moving out: The SB5C fits slightly larger than most bikes, with a long top tube, long front center and a slightly aggressive position. Most riders will fit a stock size easily, but riders who fall between sizes should consider a test ride before pulling the trigger.

Climbing: The SB5C is a lightweight trail bike with a very nice anti-squat pedaling

platform built right into the suspension platform. As a result, we rarely reached for the CTD pedaling platform on the shock, except on long, grinder fire road and paved climbs. The tight geometry makes mince-meat of technical climbs, allowing the rider to precisely control the front wheel on rocky ascents and tight switchbacks. The overall low weight of the SB5C is just icing on the cake, as the bike floats uphill with ease.

Cornering: The handling manners are razor sharp. Riders looking for a super-stable enduro sled would be better served by the 5C’s bigger brother, the 6C, which sports a slacker and more aggressive geometry. Riders looking for a quick and nimble-handling trail bike will love the 5C’s sporty nature.

Descending: Yeti carefully designed the wheel path of the SB5C to work on both big and small hits. As a result, the SB5C has a remarkably controlled feel throughout the stroke. On small bumps, the rear wheel moves rearward and out of the way of obstacles, creating a plush and active feel. When diving deeper into the travel, the bike exhibits a consistent and predictable feel that ramps up nicely at the end of the stroke to avoid harsh bottoming. While the bike might only have 5 inches of travel on paper, the designers at Yeti have done their homework to ensure the rider gets the most from every little bit of that travel. While not as forgiving as a true long-travel enduro bike, with a skilled pilot at the controls, the SB5C is a very capable and nimble descender.

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?The SB5C’s build kit pulls from the best

component manufacturers in the business, so there’s not much to upgrade, unless you have a specific component preference. The stock kit uses a traditional seatpost, but Yeti offers a $350 upgrade option for an inter-nally-routed Thomson dropper post. If you can work this into the budget, we strongly recommend you take Yeti up on its offer. This bike is simply begging to be ridden fast, and the top-shelf Thomson post will only make it faster.

BUYING ADVICEThe SB5C pulls from the experience of

Yeti’s designers to build a bike that stays true to the Yeti feel. The Switch Infinity may look complex on the surface, but once you dive into it, you realize it’s actually a simple design solution that allows for better control of wheel path and suspension feel.

The SB5C’s lightweight construction and dialed geometry help it float to the top of the hills with ease. The quick and nimble geometry and excellent rear suspension guide the rider down the backside of the mountain with confidence, especially when there’s a strong and skilled pilot at the controls. The SB5C is a lightweight trail bike with tons of versatility that will make a huge cross section of riders stoked to hit the trails. After living with the SB5C as a daily driver for several months, we can say it lives up to the hype as the next-generation “cheater bike” from the Yeti crew.

BIKE TEST YETI SB5C

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BIKE TEST YETI SB5C

PriceWeightFrame testedBottom bracket Chainstay lengthTop tube lengthHead tube angleSeat tube angleStandover heightWheelbaseSuspension travel frontSuspension travel rearFrame materialForkShockRimsHubsTiresSaddleSeatpostHandlebarBrakesShifterFront derailleurRear derailleurCranksetChainringsCassettePedals

$695027.3 pounds Large (19”)13.4”17.4”24.6”67º73º32”46.6”5.5” (140mm)5” (127mm)Carbon fiberFox 34 Float CTDFox Float CTDDT Swiss XM 401 (27.5”)DT Swiss 350 WMaxxis Ikon 2.2 (rear), Ardent 2.4 (front)WTB Volt customThomson Covert dropperEaston Haven Carbon (29.1”, 740mm)Shimano XTSRAM X01NoneSRAM X01SRAM X1SRAM (32t)SRAM X01 11-speed (10-42)None. (weighed with Shimano XT Trail)

YETI SB5C

Switch redefined: Don’t let the Kashima coatings and Fox brand-ing fool you. That’s not a second shock in there; it’s much more than that. The SB5C comes stock with SRAM’s X01 drivetrain, Fox suspension and Shimano brakes. We couldn’t ask for a smarter group of parts for a trail bike.

Quick and nimble: The sharp-handling manners of the SB5C are designed with the trail rider in mind. Riders looking for a true enduro bike should look to the 5C’s bigger brother, the 6C; however, the 5C proved to be an extremely versatile machine. ❏