My first bike while working for Worldwide Cyclery was a stock Yeti SB130LR. This was the first time that I have owned a non Specialized bike as I was connected with that brand in my previous endeavors. I quickly fell in love with it and even got to race it in the Trans Sierra Norte, in Oaxaca, Mexico. As the mechanic here in our CA location, I was spending a lot of time building rad, frame up custom bikes for our awesome customers and was feeling the urge to do the same for myself.

The Yeti SB140 is the newer, latest and greatest version of the SB130, making some minor updates to travel, geometry and hardware. They really nailed in the details on this chassis which convinced me to get one. I wanted a one bike quiver killer that can literally do it all. With a few minor adjustments to wheel and tire setup, I knew that this Yeti bike at 140mm of rear travel combined with a 160mm front fork can be fine on a backcountry xc ride or a full day at the bike park. The Switch Infinity system gives an amazing pedaling platform and a unique ride characteristic. Most importantly it is suited towards the local trails that I ride most often in Southern California and I built it with this in mind.

Not only do I want my bikes to perform well but I also want them to look the part! Being a part of the media team at Worldwide, I got the chance to test and write about some new (at the time) goodies from Sram/Rockshox that went into this build. I went with the all black stanchion look that Rockshox suspension provides, something not typical for a stock Yeti build, combined with the silver accents from the drivetrain and cockpit, and a unique purple frame, this one sure came out unique and special. I’m very proud of this bike and have been riding it for just over a year now, changing a couple of things along the way. Let’s get into the details.

When choosing the SB140 frame, the Sangria (purple) frame really stuck out to me and I knew it would lead to a great looking, unique build. The color does pop, but in a subtle less obnoxious way. I chose a size Large with a reach coming in at 485. At 6 '1, I come off of previous S5 and XL sized bikes. I knew that a large would be at the upper limit of what I should be on but I wanted a smaller reach to make the bike more dynamic and playful.

It did take me about a month to get used to this different style of riding but I ended up loving it and feel super comfortable with a relatively smaller reach. Yeti went above and beyond with the small details on this frame. The entry and exit points are held in place with a crafty anchor to keep the cables from moving and with tube in tube routing there is no noise coming from the cables internally. There is a peaked out chainstay protector on top of the chainstay that continues up into the rear seatstay as well as a smaller one on the bottom side of the chainstay, keeping chain noise to a minimum. I added a bit of 3m mastic tape behind the chainring to help with chain damage to the frame and to add to the quietness during chain rattle. The linkage is similar to the prior SB130 platform but has been reversed for better reliability and serviceability. Some frame geometry details include a 65 degree headtube angle (160mm fork), 480mm reach, 440mm chainstay, 1246 mm wheelbase, and a 77 degree effective seat tube angle.

Yeti frames come stock with a Factory Fox Float X, and Kashima coated V2 Switch Infinity link. I swapped the shock out for a Rockshox Super Deluxe. The C-series Yeti frames come with black coated SI rails and the T-series/frame-only is spec’d with Kashima coated, hollow rails. I traded a customer for the black rails, adding a few grams but adding to the black aesthetic. It is not super noticeable at first glance but it makes my bike unique and something that I do not think many people have done! Additionally, I added Yeti’s frame protection kit. I am riding this bike to its potential and I want to keep it looking good for as long as possible.

The wheel setup on this custom SB410 has changed around quite a bit, with different wheels setup for different trails and uses. Originally, I chose to get a set of BERD Hawk30 wheels, laced up to their own Talon flanged hubs with the BERD spokes of course. I figured that this would be one of the lightest wheelsets that I can get and I had always wanted to try them out. Everyone at the shop and Jeff had raved about how good they are. These were great for local singletrack trails because they got up to speed so quickly and decelerated so fast. They definitely take the edge off a bit and are the opposite of stiff due to the nature of the wheel. I found however that they fell short when the trails got aggressive and rough. They gave me a feeling like I was not connected with the tires on the ground and would mute what I was riding over. For some instances this is great, but it did not inspire any confidence in my riding when pushing hard over aggressive terrain.

When going to the bike park, or pushing on trails I set up a pair of DT Swiss EX511 rims laced to DT Swiss 350 hubs. I built up these wheels myself and would recommend them to anyone. Reliable, doesn’t break the bank and can be punished. For aggressive/rocky trail rides or DH shuttles I would run these for the confidence and peace of mind.

I recently got to try out a set of Forge and Bond 30 EM Aggressive Carbon wheels laced up to Industry Nine Hydra Hubs. I have been very impressed by these so far. They provide a stiff ride but also give a lot of comfort in the hands. I’ve felt the most comfortable on this setup. I’m not a huge fan of the high engagement I9 Hydra hub but it is a premium product and is nice to ride.

Tires are something that I am always playing around with. I am lucky enough to have the ability and resources to change them often so I pick tires primarily based on the style of riding intended, or what the terrain demands. I tend to like the grippiest, knobbiest and stickiest tire possible as my front tire, and a faster rolling tire as the rear. This suits best the local terrain trail riding in Southern California.

I started this build with the BERD wheels and chose a Maxxis Assegai 29 x 2.5 EXO+ Maxx Grip as the front tire and a Maxxis Aggressor 29 x 2.5 EXO 3C in the rear . I quickly found that this setup allowed me to push the BERD wheels harder than they wanted to be pushed and although I had traction everywhere, the wheels gave me a negative effect of floating around on trail. I soon changed the setup to Maxxis Forekaster 2.4 F+R with a 3C Maxx Terra EXO front and Dual compound rear EXO casing. This was better suited towards the feel that the BERD wheels were giving me and rolled around so quickly. This was the most efficient setup with consistent grip.

Eventually with the alloy wheelset as well as the Forge+Bond wheels I ended up with my goldilocks setup! Maxxis Assegai 29 x 2.5 EXO+ Maxx Grip front I think may be the best trail front tire out there. I have loved this for all types of riding. For the rear tire I ended up with a Maxxis Dissector 2.4 DD Maxx Terra. The additional support from the two ply Double Down tire gave me all of the confidence needed to push hard and not worry about flatting on trail. The dissector rolls fast for a rear tire but also provides all the traction that I want. Also, with the rear tire being a Maxx Terra and not Maxx Grip, it lasts much longer and rolls faster. This last setup that I have been running has been exceptional and I do not see myself changing from it very soon!

I received the SRAM XX Transmission system prior to this build for media and knew that the Yeti SB140 would be the perfect bike for this drivetrain. The frame has the UDH standard so it mounted right up. I’ve never used such a reliable, smooth and consistent drivetrain as this. After riding the bike for over a year, there has been ZERO dropped chains even without the use of a chain guide. The drivetrain came stock with a 32t chainring mounted to 170mm carbon cranks and a 10-52t cassette. All of the range you will ever need! I haven’t changed a thing and the chain still has not stretched. With an improved clutch on the rear derailleur, there is little to no noise coming from the chain which keeps the bike silent. The chainring has 2 modular bash guards built in. I took one guard off , based on my downhill pedal position and it has taken a fair bit of abuse, especially riding in the desert of Arizona and Utah. In hindsight, I would have just kept both of them equipped.

You can read my long term and more in depth review of this drivetrain here:

SRAM XX Transmission Drivetrain - Is It Worth The Upgrade?

I do not have anything out of the ordinary or special for accessories on this bike! A spare tube is held in place via an Occam strap. It is always super important to have spares on your bike or rider. I carry a CO2, tire lever and multitool in my bib pockets on most rides but the tube stays strapped onto the bike. I use a Specialized side loading Zee cage to secure my bottle. I have run this cage forever and have yet to drop a bottle. The side loading allows me to run a slightly larger bottle which I find valuable. The cage is simple and works, end of story. Normally it has a multitool mounted to the underside of the cage, but it did not fit inside the front triangle of the SB140.

The only other special touches I have made to the frame are the trick looking Trail 1 Stem Spacers and Topcap. They match the raw ano Trail1 Rockville Stem beautifully and make the bike look classy and pop to the naked eye. I really love the way that this looks!

It is getting to be summer time in Southern California and our trails are quickly becoming overgrown. I have added a set of previously named VCGuard, now LABGuard handguards to my bike. They don’t look the best but it is function over fashion when riding overgrown trails! They also help save your brake levers in the event of a crash or a date with a tree or rock.

To be honest it took me about a month to get comfortable on the SB140 and Yeti’s do have a unique feel which people fall in love with. Turns out that I can not get off of it now and have no reason to choose something else over a year later! After dialing in the suspension in a few rides and adding some high rise bars and taller stack, I found a comfortable position for my body type and riding style. The Switch Infinity gives a pedaling platform to be admired for any mountain bike. There is a ton of support and have really been enjoying doing technical punchy climbs, or long singletrack climbs. I’m running about 35% sag on the Rockshox Super Deluxe and I have found that to be a sweet spot for an active rear end but to not have the bike sagging towards the rear end under compressions. Paired with the 160mm Lyrik, this bike can handle literally any type of terrain without being too boring on simple trails, yet also not being overwhelmed when it gets steep and rough. The XX Transmission never misses a shift and with an improved clutch, this bike does not make any noise. Also, with Yeti’s improved cable management system, the cables are secured in place and do not move around in the frame which adds to an amazingly quiet ride. It is amazing the confidence that you can get in your ride when it is quiet the whole time. This is not a full on race bike for enduro tracks, it will find its limit when pushing hard over extreme terrain, but my strava times would beg to different on more conventional, local trails.

The quiver killer is especially true when it comes to Yeti’s refined SB140. From big back country pedal days on fast and light tires to DH shuttles with a tough and resilient setup, this bike can really do it all if you tweak a couple of things. The chassis provides a great platform and Yeti has done an exceptional job with the little details that add up to be an amazing bike. It is no wonder that a lot of the employees over here at WWC end up going back to the SB140. I’ve had this bike for over a year, and with so many options for bikes at my disposal it will be difficult to find something as great as this bike has come out. It looks good, rides good and sure does make you feel like a hero out on the trails!