Worldwide Cyclery Crew Member Yeti SB5C Review

Rider Specs:

Name: Drew Scheffler
Bikes Currently Riding: Devinci Wilson, Devinci Spartan, Yeti SB5c
Favorite Type of Riding: Downhill
Experience Level: Intermediate
Riding Background: Motocross. BMX racing. Downhill MTB. XC/AM

When Worldwide Cyclery first received Yeti SB5C in stock, I think everyone in the shop was blown away with the design of this bike. It was our first time seeing the Switch Infinity System up close and it was extremely eye catching! We were excited to see how well this design actually worked and how much more efficient we could pedal with this new system. Not only do I get to ride the bike, but I am also the mechanic here so I get the chance to build all the bikes that come into the shop and to know them inside and out which helps a ton when it comes to bike set up. In terms of setting up the Yeti SB5C, it was actually very easy - I would've thought that the suspension would have to be set up differently due to the way the switch-infinity works, but it wasn't any different at all.  After getting it set up I headed out for the first ride.

I had about 1 ½ miles of riding on the road until I hit the trail so I did a couple sprints to see how much of a difference the switch infinity made when it came to pedaling efficiency. It was crazy how well the design works - whether I was standing up and hammering on the pedals or sitting down cruising, there was much less up and down bobbing and I was stoked to hit the dirt! Less than a mile into the trail I knew immediately that this bike had a very solid base. It had a slack feel to it and it charged the first downhill section of the trail with ease! It was very nimble and was easy to place in the tight narrow lines, and on the open high speed sections it was very predictable. The small chatter bumps were no problem for this bike as the buttery smooth Fox Shox suspension made it much easier to hold on. As for cornering, it turned extremely well, even in the tight switchbacks. It did tend to want to stand up in some corners but that very well could have been rider error on my part! On the flat corners this bike sticks super well like a longer travel bike, as long as I stayed inside the bike didn’t stray or slide to far out of my line. Now here is what blew my mind - the climbing was a breeze! This bike climbs so incredibly well - whether it is a steep climb where you are out of the saddle pushing or just spinning up a gradual slope or switchbacks, there is hardly a loss of traction! I was able to keep the shock in its descend setting for my whole ride which was awesome to not have to worry about!

Having spent enough time on the bike now, I am very pleased with the design of the Yeti SB5C! All around this bike is great and it will definitely complement a wide range of riding styles. The Yeti attacks all aspects of the trail and I found my endurance to be slightly better on this bike compared to previous bikes which makes riding that much more fun and enjoyable. Even though the SB5C is on the higher end of the price scale I’d say it’s worth every dollar!

Shop Yeti Bikes - Yeti bikes are not available on our website, please contact us at 805-375-4525 or e-mail us at info@worldwidecyclery.com to inquire about purchasing a Yeti.