The new Yeti SB100 promises XC speed and trail bike handling

James Bracey

Short travel smasher blurs the line between trail and XC

The Yeti SB100 is designed to bridge the gap between cross country and trail riding. Based around 100mm of rear wheel travel and a 120mm suspension fork.

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yeti sb100

Yeti SB100 need to know

  • 100mm travel 29er
  • Switch Infinity design
  • 120mm travel fork
  • 2 carbon fibre frame material options – T-Series and C-Series
  • Frame weight: 5.50lbs (2.5KG) T-Series / 6.06lbs (2.75KG) C-Series
  • Integrated 2-bolt ISCG-05 mounts
  • Internal carbon tubes inside of frame
  • PF92 BB
  • Boost
  • Clearance for standard sized water bottle
  • Uninterrupted seat tube for compatibility with longer travel dropper
  • Colours: Turquoise, Raw/Grey, Coral (SB100 Beti only)
  • UK £ TBC

The SB100 and SB100 Beti will be available in two full bike options, plus frame only.

It’s starting to look like the latest arms race in the bike industry is going to be fought over light, short travel 29ers. Recently there was the reinvigorated Santa Cruz Blur, before that we’ve seen similarly trail-biked-up rebirths of the Giant Anthem and the Scott Spark.

And here’s Yeti stepping into the ring with the new SB100 and SB100 Beti, female specific version. The SB100 is a bike that Yeti like to describe as a trail bike with an affinity for XC.

The SB100 Beti features a shock tuned for lighter riders, 170 mm crankarms and a women’s-specific saddle.

This new machine keeps Yeti’s recognisable Switch Infinity suspension system, just like its longer travel stablemates, but shrinks and flips the unit to better fit its intended usage. This allows for an uninterrupted seat tube to accommodate a longer travel dropper and gives cavernous clearances for a full size bottle in the main frame.

yeti sb100

Shrinking and moving the Switch Infinity link allows the SB100 to run an uninterrupted seat tube. Note the clearance for a full size water bottle.

The overall geometry of the Yeti SB100 with its steeper seat angle, as well as its component spec that’s more akin to a trail bike, makes this bike difficult to categorize. As intended, the SB100 is a XC climbing machine with a clear remit of combining pedalling efficiency and downhill prowess.

Flip the Switch Infinity link and the SB100 has the capability to run a long dropper post.

“We ride every day at Yeti, typically on longer travel bikes,” said Yeti president, Chris Conroy. “Whoever is testing the SB100 crushes us on the climbs, which is to be expected. But what’s unexpected is we can’t drop them on the chunky technical downhill. It’s a testament to how capable this bike is.”

A chunky technical downhill, yesterday

Both the SB100 and the SB100 Beti feature Fox’s new Step-Cast 34 120mm fork as well as SRAM’s new DUB carbon crankset across the line.

This bike is available in at Yeti dealers globally and offered in Carbon-Series with one kit option, TURQ-Series with three kits options and as a frame only. The SB100 is available in sizes S to XL (SB100 Beti in S to L).

That’s the colour we’re used to seeing

 

Yeti SB100 pricing

T-Series Frame: £3,299
T-Series X01 Eagle Bike: £6,999
C-Series GX Comp Bike: £5,999

yeti sb100

The top flight T-Series XO1 build.

The Beti-only Coral colour scheme. The Beti version is also available in black or turquoise.

Yeti SB100 Beti pricing

T-Series Beti Frame: £3,299
T-Series Beti X01 Eagle Bike: £6,999
C-Series Beti GX Comp Bike: £5,999