2023 Yeti

SB160 C2

For years, I’ve been intrigued by Yeti’s Switch Infinity translational pivot bikes. There’s something inviting about the Golden, Colorado-based company’s signature teal paint job that has always left me wondering how they ride. Thankfully, I finally got the chance to give one a try. The new Yeti SB160 is purposefully built for the most demanding enduro race stages. And with its supplied 170-millimeter Fox Factory 38 fork up front, and 160 millimeters of impossibly soft rear travel out back—it’s spec’d to handle harsh, techy terrain anywhere in the world.

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The new SB160 builds on the winning legacy of the SB150 enduro race bike

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Yeti went back to the drawing board – but started with their existing SB150 platform. The result is the all new SB160!

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The first generation Yeti SB150 was an instant classic and one of the best enduro bikes of its time, winning our hearts and minds from the very first pedal stroke. So can the latest SB160 follow in its father’s footsteps? Need to know  Same, same but different: The new SB160 get 10mm more travel Switch Infinity suspension has been updated with improved reliability New compact wishbone and ultra-compact link Five frame size with size specific chainstays from 337mm to 445mm in 2mm increments Captured cable guides eliminate rattle and rub Prices start at £7,299 for C2 model  Every frame design has a shelf life. In the past, brands would typically let the same model run for three years before refreshing it. But in the current climate, it seems like two years is all you get from a design before it falls from favour. Fast fashion? To a degree, yes, as the frame designs don’t actually change that much year to year. And when they do, it’s often more about making the new model standout from the noise, rather than showcasing a genuinely innovative design. So the fact that Yeti managed to get four good years out of the SB150 platform, goes to show just how right the original was. Thanks to Richie Rude, it also has the race results to prove it. And if everyone wasn’t expecting a new version to drop 12 months ago, sales probably wouldn’t have started to wane on the SB150. Because, let’s face it, no one wants to buy the outgoing model, especially when the frame price alone is north of £4k. And while we’re talking money, I would have bet the farm on Yeti switching to the six-bar Sixfinity suspension design that it recently introduced on the 160E. And I’d have lost it all, as the latest SB160 retains Yeti’s signature Switch Infinity design.  The obvious pattern to the evolution is that the bike gets 10mm more frame travel than the model it replaces, but there are some subtle changes too that run through the range. Like the switch to threaded bottom brackets, shorter shock links and size specific chainstay lengths. The bike also features size specific seat angles, which should make a big difference to the climbing characteristics, especially on the larger frame sizes. Yeti has long been a proponent of having more fork travel than frame travel on its SB bikes. And that’s because a 170mm fork that’s attached to a 64º head angle only gives about 150mm of vertical travel. So on the SB150 the 170mm fork balanced travel perfectly. So has fork travel increased on SB160 to compensate. In short, no. And that’s probably because there’s a limit to how short you can make the head tube to offset taller forks. Also, given that you tend to run more sag on the rear suspension than the fork, typically 30% vs 20% the new bikes should still feel very balanced.  So what else has changed? Looking back though my notes when …Continue reading »

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The new SB160 takes its place in Yeti's lineup as their enduro race machine.

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