FIRST RIDES
As the name suggests, Yeti’s new SB120 has 120mm of rear-wheel travel, but don’t mention ‘downcountry’ – with a 130mm fork and a relatively burly build, it’s very much a shorttravel trail bike. The T1 model we tested is the most affordable (a term we hesitate to use, given its £8k+ asking price) build with the TURQseries frame, which is made from higher-grade, lighter-weight carbon fibre than the (slightly) more pocketfriendly C-series bikes.
THE FRAME
The SB120 ticks a lot of frame-feature boxes. There’s room for a decent-sized water bottle within the front triangle, plus a broad down tube protector, which can be replaced, if needed. This gives access to the internally-routed cables, which are guided close to the main pivot, reducing the suspension’s ability to tug on them, and have clamped entry and exit points that kept our test bike rattle-free. Ample rubberised protection on the rear triangle reduces chain slap and contributes to a quiet ride.
At the heart of the frame is Yeti’s Switch Infinity linkage – a unique design where the main pivot sits on a shuttle that moves up and down as the suspension compresses, sliding on a pair of Fox-built, Kashima-coated stanchions. This, Yeti say, gives them better control over the suspension’s interactions with both pedalling and braking forces.
They’ve given the SB120 relatively contemporary geometry, including a long front end (reach figures vary from 395mm to 515mm across the six sizes) and fairly slack 66.5-degree head angle. Size-specific chainstay lengths, ranging from 433mm to 443mm, help maintain the same frame proportions across the size range, according to Yeti.
THE KIT
This T1 model has a solid spec list that performs well on the trail. Suspension comes from Fox – a Float DPS shock and 34 GRIP2 fork, both top-spec Factory-level units with the slippery Kashima coating on their stanchions. SRAM’s mechanical GX Eagle drivetrain takes care of the shifting; while you do get a fancier X01 Eagle rear mech, we’d really expect one of the US brand’s wireless Eagle AXS groupsets on a bike costing over £8k. The bike rolls on DT Swiss XM 1700 aluminium wheels with broad 30mm rims, wrapped in EXO-casing Maxxis rubber. Finishing kit comes from a smattering of different brands.
THE RIDE
One of the first things we noted was just how stable the rear suspension is when going uphill. Looking down at the linkage from the saddle, it’s almost static, suggesting the anti-squat figure (chain-tension-derived resistance to compression) is relatively high. This results in an incredibly efficientfeeling, sprightly bike on both smooth and lumpy climbs. If you do reach for the compression switch on the shock, it’s easy to locate under the top tube. Despite the stability, traction is good, with the rear suspension taking the edge off rocks, roots and steps, bolstering the tyres’ mechanical grip.
Don’t let its short travel figures suggest that the SB120 is sluggish on the descents. With 11 per cent progression through the stroke, there’s enough bottom-out resistance to prevent all but the harshest of landings from clunking through the rear end. At the same time, it’s easy enough to use nearly all the travel on offer, so you’re rarely left feeling short-changed. The suspension isn’t the smoothest out there – with just 120mm of ‘give’, rocks and roots, drops and jumps can be felt through the pedals, and the rear tyre can skitter and skid when pushed hard – but this all adds to the SB120’s fast, characterful and really engaging ride feel. There’s a load of support to push through and pop off, so snaking singletrack and jump lines are a hoot to ride. The bike feels comfortable at speed on smoother tracks, so we often found ourselves firing along at warp speed.
On chunkier terrain, the limited suspension travel means the rear wheel can catch on bigger square edges and there’s more feedback through the pedals than you might get on a longer-travel bike. It’s a compliment to the SB120 that we felt confident taking it over that kind of terrain, though, where it encourages you to seek out the sort of lines you’d look for on an enduro-style bike.
In some situations, the bike’s spec lets it down slightly. Maxxis’s rubber is well-regarded for good reason, but we were left wishing for chunkier EXO+ casings, which offer better damping and more puncture protection, albeit at a slightly higher weight. Furthermore, it’s a bike that encourages you to find steep tracks, where the SRAM G2 brakes with 180mm rotors feel undergunned. It’s a shame, too, that the fork has the same over-damped feel as the bigger Fox 36 GRIP2. We had to run the compression and rebound damping as fast as possible, and not all riders will be able to get the feel they want without a retune. Tom Marvin
For those with deep pockets, the SB120 is both fun and capable. It shrugs off the climbs and asks for more on the descents