Yeti SB165 Long-Term Review – Not for Racing Only

Yeti’s 2020 SB165 was born as a 27.5-inch-wheeled bike-park and gravity-focused beast that has seen action on the front lines of the Red Bull Rampage. Yeti’s latest take on the SB165 platform sees it gain a 29-inch front wheel, making it the brand’s first dedicated mixed-wheel bike. The new SB165 receives several significant updates, but one thing that hasn’t changed is its appetite for gravity and the steeper side of riding.

FRAME

The SB165’s all-carbon frame is offered in two grades: a higher-end and lighter Turq series and a slightly lower-cost C-series. The frame looks nearly identical to the previous version, but the geometry sees a few tweaks that make it different. A few numbers remain the same, such as its slack 63.5-degree head tube angle, and the seat tube is nearly identical at 67.9 degrees—just .1 degree slacker according to Yeti. Reach is also almost exactly the same at 480mm—only 1mm shorter than before.

The biggest changes come in the form of front and rear centers that both grow. The chainstays are now size-specific, whereas the first generation was fixed at 433mm. The length now jumps in 2mm increments between sizes, with our large test bike coming in with 437mm chainstays. Because of the new 29er front end, the front center grows by 6.8mm to 829mm on the size large. Both ends combined result in a 1,266mm wheelbase; 10.8mm longer than before.

Other frame details include a threaded bottom bracket, a UDH derailleur hanger, and secured closures at the cable-port entry and exit points to eliminate rattles and make service easy. New is a downtube protection system that has two layers. The outer layer is hard, while the inner layer is softer to offer a buffer between the outer skin and the frame. It’s replaceable and offers a peek inside the frame to ease dropper-post cable routing. Water-bottle cage mounts on the downtube inside the front triangle allow full-sized bottles, too.

SUSPENSION

Yeti refines the SB165’s 165mm-travel Switch Infinity rear suspension by reducing its progressivity from 27.5 percent to 22 percent. Even so, it remains the most progressive suspension design in Yeti’s line, and one that’s specifically optimized for coil-shock use. Yeti says this change offers a more refined curve for mid-stroke composure when slashing turns, loading the bike for more versatility on more terrain.

There are updates to the Switch Infinity mechanism with improved seals, bearings and hardware on T-series builds. Yeti’s other designs use standard-sized bearings secured with precision-machined floating collet axles. Yeti says that replacement is made easier with all bearings pressed into the linkage assembly itself instead of the swingarm or front triangle. All builds come spec’d with a Fox DHX coil shock and 170mm-travel Fox 38 fork. Higher-end builds like our test bike come with Fox Factory suspension components, while lower-cost ones feature Performance-grade parts. One cool option that Yeti offers is a Factory-level suspension upgrade for $600 on its C-series builds.

COMPONENTS

There are four complete builds of the SB165, ranging in price from $6300 for the SRAM GX Eagle-equipped C2 to $9300 for the T3 X0 Transmission build we tested, as well as a Turq-series frameset retailing at $4800.

As the long model name suggests, our test bike came equipped with SRAM’s X0 Transmission drivetrain, which continues to impress us with its shifting smoothness and general durability. SRAM Code RSC brakes have given us issues on some bikes, and we expected some on this one, but they worked well overall. We do wish it was spec’d with the HS2 rotors instead of the Centerline, and we would eventually upgrade to them because they deal with heat better on long, steep descents.

We got along well with DT Swiss’ EX1700 aluminum wheels. They took a beating and gave us little reason to upgrade; although, Yeti does offer their EXC 1501 carbon wheelset as an option for an additional $1000. The Maxxis Assegai and Minion DHRII do what they do best—offer tons of predictable grip in a wide range of conditions. Yeti’s cockpit spec is solid with a Fox Transfer dropper post, Burgtec stem, and Yeti-branded carbon handlebar with 35mm of rise that felt perfect on a bike like this that often gets pointed down some steep slopes.

THE BUILD

Yeti is selling consumer-direct, and we received our bike build just like anybody else would. It is well-packed and easy to assemble. Everything was tuned properly, and the bike was ready to ride after a brief installation of the bars, front wheel and seatpost.

CLIMBING

What comes down must first go up, and if you have to pedal, the SB165 gets the job done surprisingly well given its gravity focus. Even though it weighs 35 pounds and has an active feeling coil shock, pedaling is relatively efficient. The rear suspension remains quiet under power while in the saddle, yet it’s free to follow the contours of the ground so traction is plentiful. There is enough support to make technical climbing something to seek out, not avoid.

The rider’s position is really good, too. Test riders liked the steep-feeling seat angle and centered climbing position on the bike that it provides. We were able to easily lap some of our favorite descents that have been a one-and-done affair on other less pedal-friendly bikes in the SB165’s class. It’s not going to win races to the top of the hill, but it will get you there comfortably and probably with less effort than you’d expect.

DESCENDING

Steep slopes and big hits are where the SB165 thrives. Even with the longer size-specific chainstays, it has a tight-feeling rear end with a lot of real estate out front relative to other bikes we’ve tested recently in its travel range. This layout inspires confidence in the steeps and makes the back end easy to throw around on the trail and in the air. It’s a big bike that handles with a smaller feel on the trail in many situations but still comes with good stability.

The suspension really shines on rough, choppy trails with the suppleness of the coil shock. Test riders found themselves diving into rocky chutes and bombed-out rock gardens a little harder than usual. While there is a trade-off to the more nimble and playful feel, this bike really strikes a great balance between both. In the man-made terrain of the bike park, test riders took to the air easily and noted how well it whipped and scrubbed over jumps. Even with the coil shock, the SB165’s suspension offers good support, giving you something to push against in rollers and bermed turns, too.

While we did not review the old SB165, we did test the SB160, and they are really different-feeling bikes. The SB165 cuts through turns that the SB160 rails, and the SB160 feels like it has more weight over the front end that makes it a little harder to manual. These two bikes may seem somewhat similar in certain regards, but they feel completely different out on the trail.

WHAT DID WE LOVE?

We like quiet bikes, and the SB165 bombs down the trail in near silence. Only the tires on the ground and freehub are audible. We expected excellent descending performance out of a bike like this and got it, but many were really impressed by how well this big bike climbs.

WHAT DID WE HATE?

There is not much to dislike about the Yeti’s performance. Once considered a staff favorite, WTB’s Silverado saddle has taken a back seat to newer, more comfortable designs, so it was the only thing that some test riders upgraded. The MBA test riders didn’t feel the need to change anything, but tinkerers wanted some sort of geometry adjustment.

BOTTOM LINE

Yeti’s first mixed-wheel bike is a winner. It’s capable of everything from enduro racing to Red Bull Rampage runs, but its sweet spot is really everything in between. It’s the kind of bike that’s just as much at home in the bike park as it is on that remote technical descent that you can only access by pedaling up. Enduro bikes typically fill this role, and most do it quite well, but bikes like this are made more for fun than winning races. The SB165 trades some of the SB160’s raw speed for playfulness, and for a lot of riders, that’s exactly what they want out of a bike.

YETI SB165 T3 X0 TRANSMISSION

www.yeticycles.com

CATEGORY: Enduro/Park

SUSPENSION: 170mm (front), 165mm (rear)

TIRE SIZE: 29″ (front), 27.5″ (rear)

Price: $9,300
Weight: 35 pounds (without pedals)
Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL
Frame tested: Carbon, 165mm travel
Shock: Fox Factory DHX2
Fork: Fox Factory 38 GRIP2, 170mm travel
Wheelset: DT Swiss custom EX1700 aluminum wheels, 30mm wide

Tires: Maxxis Assegai 2.5 EXO+ (29″ x 2.5″) front, Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 EXO+ (29″ x 2.4″) rear

Seatpost: Fox Transfer 31.6mm/S: 150mm, M: 175mm, L–XL: 200mm

Saddle: WTB Silverado Custom
Handlebar: Yeti carbon 35mm x 800mm
Stem: Burgtec Enduro MK3 50mm
Grips: ODI Elite Pro
Headset: Cane Creek 40 integrated
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Rotors: SRAM Centerline 200mm front and rear
Rear derailleur: SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission
Shifters: SRAM AXS Pod Controller
Crankset: SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission 170mm
Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB BSA 73
Cassette: SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission 10-52t
Chain: SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission Flattop
Chainrings: SRAM 30-tooth

GEOMETRY SIZE LARGE

Head tube angle: 63.5°
Effective seat tube angle: 76.9°
Reach: 480mm (18.9″)
Stack: 630mm (24.8″)
Bottom bracket height: 345mm (13.6″)
Chainstay length: 437mm (17.2″)
Wheelbase: 1266mm (49.8″)