Yeti SB120 [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

As bikes become more capable, we're starting to see XC bikes become more fun on the downhills thanks to modern geometry with lower BBs and slacker head angles. When it comes to light trail bikes, the Yeti SB120 is a force to be reckoned with. Our customer has been riding the steed, see what they think!

Overview

After years of drooling over Worldwide’s online catalog of boutique bikes, I finally took the plunge. I wasn’t in the market for a new bike, and I certainly didn’t think that a “dentist” bike was in the cards for me. But when my wife brought home (against my will) a wiener dog named Moose, I saw an opening.

I got the bike at 20% off of msrp, which made the decision to jump even easier. I’ve ordered other bikes through the internet, but this was by far the best packed bike I’ve ever received. Worldwide clearly has shipping of bikes down to a science, they take pride in it, and it shows. It took me longer to remove the wrapping from every part of the frame/ components than it did to assemble the bike. I’m pretty sure you could’ve dropped the box from a plane directly into my driveway and the bike would be unscathed. Nice work worldwide.

I’ve always said that my dream bike would be a yeti in their famous turquoise color with kashima suspension, and in person it’s even more beautiful than in the pictures. It’s literally gorgeous. Sometimes I go down to the basement to just stare at it for a while. I think it’s an unhealthy habit, but like my whiskey/ craft beer drinking habit, if I’m wrong I don’t want to be right. Yeti nailed it though, down to the metal head badge the bike screams high quality.

I did the ridewrap universal kit, because I was leaving for a weekend trip to Kingdom trails in Vermont 3 days after receiving the bike, and wouldn’t have the tailored kit in time. It came out good, and I highly recommend installing it before you ride the bike, because I would’ve been heart broken if it came out with noticeable imperfections on such a pretty frame. I also recommend making sure you take the time to protect the seat stays and chain stays. With the narrow Q factor, my heels seem to make frequent contact with the stays, and if I didn’t add the ride wrap I suspect that overtime some damage to the paint finish would occur.

The spec on the t3 is pretty excellent, and with the exception of the g2 rsc brakes, I really wouldn’t change anything. And for what it’s worth, the g2 brakes aren’t that bad once bedded in, I just feel that a set of codes would’ve made more sense. The xx1 axs derailleur is the first electronic shifting that I’ve used, and it’s so far been a worthy upgrade from the gx drive train on my previous bike. Setting the limits is easier, because there is no “eyeing up” of the top jockey wheel with the cassette. Instead, you just turn the limit screw until it touches the derailleur interface, then back off a quarter turn. Battery seems to last indefinitely, and the back up battery that I bought for my pack almost seems unnecessary. The Dt Swiss wheels are strong and light, and I have no complaints. The carbon Yeti bars and Burgtec stem look nice and seem stiff and dependable.

The only upgrade that I’ve installed so far is the 54 tooth ratchet for the Dt Swiss wheels, but I never rode it with the stock ratchet set , so I can’t comment on the upgrade other than I like it quite a bit. I ordered a 5dev oval chainring in kashima color, but haven’t received it yet.

Set up of the suspension/ tire pressure was a breeze, because yeti has a set up guide on their website in which you plug in you’re bike and body weight , and voila, you get settings for everything on your bike from high/low speed compression to shock pressure to rebound settings. I found that the baseline settings from the website are pretty spot on and I haven’t changed anything from their numbers/clicks.

Coming from a 2019 specialized stumpjumper st, I wondered whether there would be a noticeable difference in ride feel. Both bikes are 130/120 suspension travel, and though I’m not super knowledgeable on frame geometries, the numbers don’t seem all that different. Even when running extra shock pressure, the stumpy pedal bob was very real, and I almost always ran the rear shock in the middle compression setting to alleviate this. Even then, on a road climb, you could see it moving a bit while climbing. The yeti bobs significantly less even in the open position, and when in the middle compression setting, it might as well be a hard tail. This was immediately noticeable when bedding in the brakes on my street.

On the trail, flat terrain on the yeti felt pretty similar to the stumpy, and it wasn’t until the first steep climb that the yeti really came to life. Out of the saddle the rear end seems to stiffen up, making sprinting up steep pitches a breeze. I don’t know if this is because of the switch infinity, but damn is it nice. On the descents, the bike seems to get more stable the faster you go, and on the black bear trail at kingdom trails (a 2 mile descent/flow/jump trail), I set a PR, dusted the crew I was riding with a solidified in my head that the yeti is my own personal unicorn steed.

Final Thoughts

The lifetime warranty on the frame is what brings this review full circle, and speaks to the quality of materials that Yeti is producing. Though biased( because I have one), I really feel as though yeti is making some of the nicest bikes out there. Worldwide Cyclery has been nothing short of fantastic to deal with, and their passion for bikes really shines through their customer service. They genuinely seemed excited for me to get my bike, and they are only one call away when I have questions. Enough typing, it’s time to get out for a ride. Cheers!