Yeti Cycles

SB140 Turq T1 XT Mountain Bike

Wagon wheels may offer some quick-spinning ground-covering abilities, but we think there are few things better than the nimble flick-ability of a 27.5in steed, and we'd wager that the designers at Yeti agree with us. While Yeti may have taken a little hiatus from 27.5 development when the 29er surge took off, it seems as though the brand was sitting back, quietly tinkering to find the perfect 27.5in enduro geometry, which soars to the front of Yeti's Rip lineup with the new SB140 Turq T1 XT Mountain Bike. Equipped with 140mm of plush yet supportive Switch Infinity rear travel, a bump-gobbling 160mm Fox fork, a confidence-inspiring 65-degree head tube angle, and a 77-degree seat tube angle for efficient pedaling, the SB140 is made to dominate any trail and put a smile on your face while doing it. Epic rides on raw backcountry singletrack? Sure. Hot laps at the bike park? You bet. Enduro racing? Of course, if that's your thing. So go ahead, drag your handlebars through a berm, try new jumps and drops, pedal all day long, because the SB140 can do it all with unmatched precision and control.

While its common to see a new bike launched in order to replace an older model, the SB140 goes all-new. It brings totally unique geometry up to bat, with a steep and peppy 77-degree seat tube angle that's ideal for soaring up climbs, and hammering on pedals when you hit a buff section of flat, but this doesn't come at the cost of a compromised descent. Yeti crafts the front-end of the SB140 with a 65-degree head tube angle that's ideal to pair with a short-offset 160mm fork to soak up deep rock gardens, drops to flat, and terrain that might have you questioning your line choice. While the 27.5 wheels and peppy 140mm rear travel might have you thinking that this bike is all play, the long wheelbase and low bottom bracket height will tell you otherwise. It stays composed under pressure, and handles descents with confidence when other shorter bikes might waiver, without compromising its ability to come alive when you ask it to. It's also available in a full range of sizes from extra small to extra large, meaning almost any rider can comfortably fit on the SB140.

Yeti's ride as well as they do because of the esteemed Switch Infinity suspension platform, which keeps things plush through the 5.5-inches of rear travel, devouring harsh landings, brake bumps, and square-edge hits alike with smoothness and relaxed composure, all while remaining supportive when you're hammering on the pedals and pumping rollers to gain speed. The key to its performance is the translating main pivot, aka the Switch Infinity link, which switches direction as the bike moves through its travel, providing excellent anti-squat characteristics for superior pedaling performance, and ideal suspension characteristics as it gets deeper into the travel.

This model's frame benefits from Yeti's TURQ Series carbon fiber which consists of the highest quality materials Yeti can get its hands on and it offers up the perfect balance of stiffness, strength, and compliance while saving about 220g of weight over the Carbon-series frames. This contributes to a ride that's more composed over chunky sections of trail and surefooted in high-speed corners or anytime your stepping on the gas. For the 2020 model year, Yeti modified the carbon layup of the TURQ-series frames to increase stiffness and durability, giving riders greater peace of mind when putting the bike through its paces on rugged trails. Yeti is so confident that they've perfected their carbon manufacturing process that they offer a lifetime warranty to the original owner of the frame, which also includes the Switch Infinity link. It's also worth noting that the frame fits a water bottle in the main triangle, has clearance for up to 2.6in tires, and has internal cable routing with molded tunnels that keeps things easy when you need to replace brake lines or shift cable housing.

Yeti pairs up this particular SB140 with Shimano's latest XT groupset, including sharp-shifting 12-speed cassette and derailleur that offers a whopping 51-tooth bailout cog to provide some saving grace on fire roads that point skyward. Top-tier Fox Factory suspension with low-friction Kashima coating yields a plush ride, with a wide range of adjustments to dial it in for your individual weight, riding style, and the terrain at hand so you can charge the hardest lines with confidence. When you need to arrest that momentum, Shimano XT 4-piston brakes do the job nicely with excellent modulation for scrubbing speed, and plenty of outright stopping power. Yeti rounds out the kit with their in-house carbon bars, a trusty Fox Transfer dropper post, and a custom WTB Volt saddle with turquoise accents that match the bike perfectly.