Yeti SB6c X01 – long-term test roundup
From mud and slop-fests in Scotland to never-ending Alpine descents via some beastly jumps on home trails, our long-term test bikes haven’t had it easy! They’ve stockpiled a ton of kilometres and even more vertical metres on some gnarly trails and lung-burningly tough races. Now that the new season has crept up on us, it’s time for the testers to slam down the lawful fist of justice on these bikes and reveal how their test bike fared, and whether it’s convinced them of its value.
Trevor’s Yeti SB6c X01
When I got the call to send the Yeti SB6c back I was gutted; over the last twelve months I had travelled, raced, and explored on the iconic turquoise beast, and we had bonded. It’s an ostentatious bike, attracting attention everywhere it rolls, as the sweeping lines and taut carbon tubes look fast standing still. The impression of speed is more than skin deep, as the 6c loves to go fast. Just ‘cruising’ down a trail on the SB6c would be missing the point entirely; you can ride it slowly, but that’s like going to the shops in a Lamborghini.
On paper, the Yeti’s low weight would suggest a timid, trail bike attitude, but when the trail plummets the SB6c becomes a snarling DH animal wrapped up in a pretty dress. Even with the shock fully open, the Yeti punches up climbs with an eagerness normally reserved for bikes much less well-endowed in the travel department. On rocky descents, the Switch Infinity simply destroys difficult terrain, instantaneously filtering out the big hits while maintaining sensitive, feedback-rich control.
Over a year of hard riding, we encountered few problems. The Shimano XT front brake failed during a race and was replaced under warranty. After a tough Scottish winter, we were a little disappointed to find that four of the expensive F6902 LLU bearings had seized, and again at the end of the summer the replacements were also worn. We certainly didn’t treat the bearings with kid gloves, but neither did we skimp on lubrication. We would like to see better sealing, as bearing swaps are inconvenient (not to mention expensive).
At the end of the test, it was the first bike that I actually considered buying, but then I came to the Yeti’s main drawback: I realised that I simply could not afford it! The Yeti is an expensive work of art, but for those with deep pockets the Yeti SB6c is a real pedigree superbike. Like a Bugatti Veyron, it demonstrates masterful handling, great balance, and generates ridiculous amounts of traction, but like a supercar it needs a little more TLC!
Price: € 6,800
Weight: 12.8 kg
Travel: 160/152 mm
More info: Yeti Website
Kms ridden: 2,267 km
Downhill metres: 61,100 m
Issues:
- 2 set of bearings worn out
- leaky Shimano brakes
- 2 tyres slashed
- Cane Creek headset worn out
Would I buy the Yeti SB6c X01?
I love everything about how the Yeti rides; the performance is unquestioned, and the looks are drop-dead gorgeous. It is indeed a superbike in every way. However (with my sensible head on), for me, living and riding through the challenging Scottish weather, reliability is key and the surprising frequency of bearing changes would make it very hard to part with so much money. It is sexy, though!
Read more about the bike in Trev’s review of the Yeti SB6c X01. To see the original condition of the bike, check out the First Look.
If you want to follow our long-term test crew, check the long-term test timeline.
Words & Photos: Trev Worsey