Yeti SB115 T1 in review – uphill efficiency meets downhill fun!

The brand new Yeti SB115 is the consequent development of Yeti’s very popular SB100 model. A new rocker link increases rear-wheel travel and a 130 mm fork takes care of business in the front. But does more travel mean more riding fun?

The brand new Yeti SB115 was designed to deliver top climbing performance on long days in the saddle and still provide a hefty adrenaline rush on the way down into the valley. On Yeti’s website, the bikes are divided into two categories: Race and Rip, or in other words, bikes for racing and bikes to have fun with. While the two are not mutually exclusive, the area of application determines a certain direction of development. The SB115 falls into the first category and is designed specifically for multi-day stage races like the BC bike race. For this reason, an efficient chassis, good level of comfort for long-distance stages and top handling qualities, both up and downhill, were essential prerequisites.

Yeti SB115 vs SB100 – what are the differences?

At first glance, the new SB115 looks just like the SB100 which we tested in our group test of 6 short-travel trail bikes. This doesn’t come as a surprise, because the bikes share the same frame and rear triangle. The main difference lies in the rear shock and the associated shock link. Yeti have modified the rocker link to make it compatible with a shock with 45 mm of stroke (the SB100 only takes 37.5 mm) and, at the same time, to adapt the geometry of the bike to the longer fork and new leverage ratio. Like the SB100, the SB115 is available with a high-end TURQ or a more affordable, albeit slightly heavier, carbon frame.

The geometry of the Yeti SB11

The new Yeti SB115 is available in four sizes, S–XL. Among the striking features, a short seat tube and frame design that allows for full insertion of the dropper post. In size L, the SB115 has a moderate reach of 450 mm combined with a stack height of 628 mm. At 67.6 °, the head angle is 0.2° slacker than the one of the SB100, but still conservatively steep. The seat angle is 74° and the chainstays are nice and short at 437 mm. While on paper the bike might look a little outdated, on the trail it’s an entirely different story – read all about it in our riding impressions.

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	393 mm	419 mm	457 mm	495 mm
Top tube	577 mm	606 mm	631 mm	658 mm
Head tube	96 mm	107 mm	123 mm	145 mm
Head angle	67.6°	67.6°	67.6°	67.6°
Seat angle	74.1°	74.1°	74°	73.9°
Chainstay	437 mm	437 mm	437 mm	437 mm
BB Height	339 mm	339 mm	339 mm	339 mm
Wheelbase	1125 mm	1154 mm	1181 mm	1209 mm
Reach	405 mm	431 mm	451 mm	470 mm
Stack	603 mm	613 mm	628 mm	648 mm

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Gorgeous, sexy but unfortunately not as quiet as you’d expect.

It’s a fact: Yeti frames are extremely classy. While aesthetics are mainly a matter of taste, it’s hard not to fall in love with the bikes of the Colorado-based brand. This is also true for the SB115, which strikes not only with a successful design language but also with high-quality haptics. The logo on the head tube, the finish and the clean lines all contribute to a very elegant look. However, what really clashes with the overall positive impression is the annoying rattling noise caused by the dropper cable bashing against the frame. Although all cables run through the frame in separate channels, one of them is not snug and causes the dropper cable to rattle inside the frame. That being said, the cable routing is neatly solved and allows for easy installation of the cables. Yeti are aware of the rattling noise and recommend lining the cable ports with an extra thin rubber sleeve – and they promised to come up with a more elegant solution in the future. On a positive note: Yeti gives customers a lifetime warranty on their frames.

Inspired by enduro bikes – the spec of the Yeti SB115

No compromises on the trail – was Yeti’s motto when choosing the spec of the Yeti SB115. The bike comes in five different spec versions, whereby only four will be available in Europe – all except the SB115 C with GX-Eagle model. While the three most expensive versions feature Yeti’s high-end TURQ frame, the cheaper models come with a more affordable C frame. Prices range from € 5,590 to € 7,890, and there’s also a frame kit, which retails at € 3,590. All spec options include a 2.5 ” MAXXIS MINION DHF tire at the front and 2.3” Aggressor out back. All models come with a FOX 34 fork and a DPS rear-shock. Yeti rely on a 12-speed drivetrain and FOX Transfer dropper post, which comes with a drop of 125 mm on S and M models, 150 mm on L nad 175 mm on the XL.

All spec options at a glance:

	C	T1	T2	T3
Fork	FOX Float 34 Performance 130 mm	FOX Float 34 Factory 130 mm
Rear shock	FOX Float Performance DPS EVOL 120 mm	FOX Float Factory DPS EVOL 120 mm
Brakes	Shimano Deore 180/180 mm	Shimano XT 180/180 mm	SRAM G2 RSC 180/180 mm	SRAM G2 Ultimate 180/180 mm
Drivetrain	Shimano SLX	Shimano XT	SRAM XO1 Eagle	SRAM XX1 Eagle
Seatpost	FOX Transfer 125, 150 or 170 mm			FOX Transfer Factory125, 150 or 170 mm
Wheelset	DT Swiss M1900 29″	DT Swiss XM1700 29″
Tires	MAXXIS Minion DHF EXO 2.5″, MAXXIS Aggressor EXO 2.3″
Price	€ 5,590	€ 7,490	€ 7,890	N/A

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The new Yeti SB115 is available in three colors, the iconic turquoise, bianco and anthrazit.

Efficiency meets riding fun – the SB115 on the trail

Yeti are well known for their company lunch rides. As soon as a new bike is released, many fans and employees of the Colorado brand upgrade their bikes with more robust tires and a fork with more travel. This has already happened with the SB100. This time around, Yeti have anticipated this trend and designed the SB115 with an eye towards robustness and stability. But will these changes affect its efficiency and nimbleness uphill? The answer is no. After climbing for just a few meters, you’ll notice how lively the bike feels. There’s no need to reach for the climb switch because even with the shock in fully open mode the rear-suspension doesn’t wallow in its travel. Despite the heavy tires and wheels, the bike feels extremely lively from the word go. If you’re after maximum efficiency you could downgrade the tires, but we wouldn’t recommend this.

The riding position is spot on and strikes an optimal balance between comfort and sportiness. Although the seat angle looks slack on the paper, we never felt that we were sitting too far back over the rear wheel. Here the chassis plays a crucial role, because the suspension doesn’t sink into its travel and thus only changes the seat angle slightly when riding. On technical climbs, the bike is easy to control and generates lots of traction. The front end doesn’t lift off too easily and allows you to ride in a relaxed position without having to shift your body too far forward. The ODI grips and WTB Silverado saddle round off the elegant look and contribute to the overall high degree of long-distance comfort – and whilst neither of them is particularly light, they’re both incredibly comfortable.

Drop the post and hit the trail! Given that the SB115 is an excellent climber even with the shock in the open mode, the transition from climbing to descending is super quick – the SB115 rapidly transforms from an efficient climber into a fun trail whip. Thanks to the short 50 mm stem and 780 mm handlebars, as soon as you drop into the trail you’ll feel safe and comfortable. The centred riding position integrates the rider between the wheels and inspires tons of confidence from the word go. The handling is intuitive and balanced and the bike strikes with its good-natured character while implementing changes of direction quickly and with great precision. On tight trail sections, the bike is nimble, agile and easy to ride. Compared with the SB130, it requires significantly less effort.

Despite the conservative 115 mm of rear-travel, the SB115 never seems to run out of steam on fast, rough descents. Thanks to its sensitive response, the Switch-Infinity rear end generates good traction and quickly releases its travel with bigger hits. Aggressive and heavy riders could do with slightly more progression, which can be easily achieved by adding a bigger volume spacer to the shock. Despite the low progression, the rear end provides good support when pumping through rollers and lots of pop when pulling up off ledges. This makes it easy to pull the bike into the air and helps you build up speed. When the trail gets really rough, the SB115 is a lot more stable than the steep steering angle and moderate reach suggest. While the conservative suspension travel makes it less smooth and a little slower than the SB130 or SB150, the SB115 still feels very composed and inspires confidence in all riding situations.

In terms of performance, the spec is spot on. That being said, a FOX 34 fork with a GRIP2 damper would match the powerful character of the bike better. According to Yeti, they picked the fork with a FIT4 damper to save weight. Moreover, the cheap Shimano rotors seem out of place considering the eye-watering price tag. And while these deliver a solid braking performance and never fail to inspire confidence, Shimano’s top of the range Ice-Tech rotors would be a more appropriate choice and reflect the overall excellent choice of components. If you’re planning to build your own bike, we recommend a lighter wheelset too.

Tuning tip: higher-quality brake rotors, volume spacers in the rear-shock, and rubber inserts in the cable ports to prevent the cables from rattling inside the frame.

Our conclusions about the new Yeti SB115

Mission accomplished: With the SB115, Yeti have created the perfect bike for demanding multi-stage races. That being said, the bike can do a lot more than that. Even if you’re not into racing, you’ll fall in love with its efficient climbing behaviour and enormous downhill fun factor. If you’re looking for a fun bike with explosive acceleration, you should take a closer look at the SB115. Before you do that, however, check your bank balance!

For more info visit the Yeti website.

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