Yeti has gone peak down country with its new SB115.
The Colorado brand famed for its unique Switch Infinity suspension linkage and signature turquoise colourways has a new short-travel 29er. This new SB115 frame bolsters the Yeti product portfolio of 29ers with between 100- and 130mm of travel, to three bike options.
In 2018 Yeti launched the SB100, combining very little rear-wheel travel with remarkably progressive overall frame geometry for a mountain bike with only 100mm of aft suspension. The brand’s engineers and product staff have now evolved this concept with its SB115, using the SB100 platform
Unashamedly segmented into the down country category, Yeti’s SB115 balances a 130mm front fork with 115mm of rear-wheel travel.
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Geometry numbers are not overly radical for a 2021 model year mountain bike of its genre, but they are certainly within the realm of contemporary trail riding angles.
The SB100 has a 67.8-degree head angle and Yeti has only slackened that slightly with the SB115, to 67.6-degrees. Reach numbers have actually shortened on the SB115, which stretches out to 450mm as opposed to 452mm on a size large SB100.
Built for aggressive climbing - and descending
Light and adequately efficient to pedal stage races or huge mileages, the SB115 is configured for comfortably descending relatively technical trails. Four-piston brakes and aggressive high-volume Maxxis DHF 29x2.5in front tyres should give it much greater confidence on the steeps than most riders would expect from a 115mm frameset.
Yeti is marketing the SB115 in three specification grades: C1, T1 and T2. At $4,700 (£4,899) the Yeti SB115 C1 uses Fox Factory suspension, a Shimano SLX drivetrain and Deore brakes. It rolls a DT Swiss M1900 wheelset.
The mid-range option is Yeti’s $6,300 (£6,499) SB115 T1, which upgrades the Shimano drivetrain and brakes to XT, while rolling DT Swiss M1700 wheels. At $6,900 (£6,899) the T2 specification is Yeti’s premium SB115. It shifts gear courtesy of SRAM’s X01 Eagle drivetrain and mounts G2 RSC brakes at each end of a 780mm wide Yeti carbon handlebar.
All SB115 derivatives are equipped with Fox’s Transfer dropper seatpost, sized from 125- to 175mm, depending on frame size. Yeti is offering DT Swiss carbon wheel upgrades for both T1 and T2 SB115s, whilst SRAM’s AXS wireless drivetrain available as an option on the T2 grade – although it should be noted that these equipment options are not available in the UK or EU market.
Riders who wish to migrate existing components to a new SB115, will pay $3,400 (£3,199) for a frameset. Yeti is offering three colours (Turquoise, Anthracite and Blanco) and a size chart which starts at small and extends to extra-large.
