The Podium Chaser: Yeti Announce New SB150
Long travel 29ers rock, so it’s great to see Yeti drop what looks to be an absolute banger with their new SB150, a bike designed with one purpose in mind, to win races!
As the market fills with a new breed of highly capable long-travel 29ers, The SB150 represents an important bike for Yeti, embracing the new way of thinking when it comes to geometry and aggressive angles. On paper all the numbers sound good. 29 inch wheels, 170 mm travel fork, 150 mm rear travel, 480 mm reach, 64.5° head angle, 76.9° seat angle and a 624 mm stack, doing the math it adds up to a formidable downhill missile (all dimensions quoted are for the size Large). To say that this bike has got us hot under the collar is an understatement, it sounds outstanding.
The Yeti SB150 uses the same Switch Infinity suspension system that gives the SB5, SB6 and the SB5.5 their distinctive and highly effective performance. Keeping bang up to date, the SB150 also uses a short 44 mm offset fork. Eagle eyed readers will see that Yeti have used a new shock extender which they claim allows them to fine tune the kinematics, providing more progressivity than the current SB range for more bottom out resistance on what will surely be a ‘big hit’ bike. The SB150 is also able to run a coil shock if needed. For those worried about reliability, Yeti is extending a lifetime warranty to all their new bikes.
The SB150 will be available in 5 models. Starting from a €5690 SB150 C Series GX bike, with a Fox Performance 36 Fork, and Performance DPX2 shock, full SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, SRAM Guide R brakes, Fox Transfer seatpost and DT Swiss M1900 wheelset. The range is topped with the $10399 (€ price tba) SB150 Turq X01, with a Fox Factory 36 Grip 2 fork and Factory X2
shock, full SRAM XX1 Eagle Drivetrain, SRAM Code RSC brakes and DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheelset.
The geometry of the Yeti SB150
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tube | 571.9 mm | 602.4 mm | 625.6 mm | 653.9 mm |
| Head tube | 95 mm | 96.6 mm | 107.7 mm | 118.8 mm |
| Head angle | 64.5° | 64.5° | 64.5° | 64.5° |
| Seat angle | 77° | 77° | 76.9° | 76.8° |
| Chainstays | 433 mm | 433 mm | 433 mm | 433 mm |
| BB Height | 347.8 mm | 347.8 mm | 347.9 mm | 347.9 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1192.5 mm | 1223.2 mm | 1248 mm | 1277.7 mm |
| Reach | 440 mm | 460 mm | 480 mm | 505 mm |
| Stack | 613.4 mm | 614.8 mm | 624.8 mm | 634.8 mm |
Our thoughts
This is the most exciting bike we have seen for some time from Yeti, long travel 29ers with steep seat tubes are taking over the enduro sector, potent on the way down, efficient on the way up, and we have always loved the Yeti ride quality. However, the sector is very crowded now, with some brands offering outstanding bikes which also boast serious bang for your buck. We look forward to pointing an SB150 downhill to see if it can keep ahead of the pack.