If you missed the limited allocation of 100 Yeti ARC 35th Edition bikes, don't despair.
The Golden bike brand has now officially relaunched its ARC hardtail with a comprehensive range, four derivatives strong.
Yeti’s recent bikes of prominence might be dual-suspension trail and enduro frames, but the ARC hardtail occupies a particularly resonant space in the company’s brand awareness. It was a dominant race winner during the 1990s surge in competitive mountain biking.
The new carbon-fibre ARC is light enough for all-day XC rides, but its geometry and build kits definitely favour a descending bias.
Riders who relish the purity of trail feedback that only a hardtail can provide will find Yeti’s new ARC range much to their liking.
Targeted at keen trail riders
Designed around a 130mm front fork, the 2021 model year ARC sits at a 67° head angle, balancing stability requirements when descending – without sacrificing much in terms of sheer climbing ability.
An indication of how Yeti views its latest hardtail product can be gleaned from perusing the ARC build specifications, especially its factory tyre specification.
With most contemporary 29er carbon-fibre hardtails, you expect 2.35” tyres – at best. Yeti ships its ARCs with 2.6” width tyres, which should give this hardtail ample footing to conquer rooty and rocky climbs. On the descents, those high-volume Maxxis tyre casings also provide surplus braking and cornering traction.
Yeti is marketing the ARC with two carbon lay-up options. The more affordable C-series starts at $3500, for an ARC with a Fox Performance 34 fork, Shimano SLX drivetrain, Deore brakes and DT Swiss M1900 wheels. For $3800 you can upgrade to Yeti’s C2, which runs a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain and Level brakes.
The lighter Turq-series carbon bikes start at $5000, with the ARC T1 featuring a Fox Factory 34 fork, Shimano XT drivetrain, DT Swiss M1700. For $5600 you can upgrade to the ARC T2, which uses a SRAM GX/X01 combination drivetrain.
