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Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | The one you're not on | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | E-bay | | Strengths: | Feel, stability, cornering, etc... | | Weaknesses: | Makes all my friends jealous. Not really a weakness... Bushings - upgrade to sealed bearings if possible. | | Similar Products Used: | Yeti AS-3, numerous hardtails. | | Bike Setup: | XT, Discs, Marz 100mm | | Bottom Line: | I bought this used (NEVER buying used again) and have replaced almost every single thing on it. That is the fault of the prev. owner, and not Yeti - I think the PO downgraded the parts before he sent it to me. I had an AS3 that I put many a mile on, but this bike has made me a better rider. I can go so much faster on this that I really have had to work on my high-speed manuevering to stay out of the bushes. The first day I rode this I was able to out-climb guys that had been smoking me for months.
This bike goes exactly where you point it - quickly. So make sure you are pointing it in the right direction. There have been quite a few times that death was imminent, so I just leaned back, pulled up on the front and rolled over what would have damaged me on my old bikes. Better suspension performance than I expected on an XC-Race specific bike.
The bushings squeak if you don't lube them regularly (3mo), but that is to be expected with bushings. Fox rebuilt my shock (major positive difference) but sent the wrong bushings so there is some play in the rear now.
This frame is a keeper - I can't upgrade because there isn't anything better out there. I am changing it to a sealed bearing rear end and replacing all the bushings (see above Fox problem), so I expect another few years of wonderful fun on it. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom Engel
a Cross Country Rider
from Wendelstein, BY, Germany
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | single trail, got several favourites | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | European Distributor | | Strengths: | Handling & Performance
It's still confidence inspiring stable and holds it's line when I'm already almost wetting my pants on the really fast downhill sections but not sluggish in the tight and twisty stuff. Climbs like a mountain goat without bobbing and lockout, althought the very good Fox Float RL rear shock sports one. Handmade (in America!), work of art.
Reasonably light and better paint job than its Schwinn era predecessors. | | Weaknesses: | I wonder how long the bushings are gonna hold up, but no play, creaking or any other noises so far. The rear tire cleareance at the seatstays is a little tight. | | Similar Products Used: | Rocky Mountain Edge & Element, Yeti AS-3 (still got that one) & quite a few others | | Bike Setup: | bought medium frame only, Marzocchi Marathon SL (105mm), Speed Tec cranks and Ti-BB (comparable with Tune parts),
ninety-x bottom swing XT front derailleur(better than actual ones) SRAM 9.0SL rear der. & shifters, Formuala B4 Team discs, Crosslink Disc wheels, Syncros, Race Face, Salsa & a Flite (of course!) | | Bottom Line: | This is simply THE right bike for me. It's the perfect match for me and my riding style. I can kind of melt together with my AS-R. Sounds funny, but it just feels absolutely right, just catching the flow. Has all the habbits that made Yeti famous. There are a few concepts out there, that I find interesting (VPP by Cruz & Intense) but I feel absolutely no urge to go and look for something new, with one exception: the new AS-R SL... ;-) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryce McGyver
a Cross Country Rider
from Scotts Valley, CA
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Any good single track! | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Climbs as good or better than a hardtail (really). Can't feel any bobbing while climbing or riding on the flats, off or on road, but still active and able to "assist" climbing over roots, rocks logs etc. Slight "spring" front and rear when hammering out of the saddle, similar but a little tighter than a superlight. The overall feel is firm but compliant like BMW or Porsche. | | Weaknesses: | I'll let you know. Long term the pivot bushings could be an issue. The SID 100 Fork may not hold up (according to reviews), but I got a good enough deal on the bike that I'll replace it if need be. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Superlight, Titus Racer-X, Cannondale Hardtail | | Bike Setup: | Chris king hubs, XT disc brakes, SID 100, Race Face Cranks, balance XTR, Easton Bla, Bla, Bla ... | | Bottom Line: | At some point you've got to make a choice.... almost went with a Titus Racer-X (Hammerhead 100), but the Racer-X I demo'd bobbed a little too much on the flats & road for my liking. I don't know, I may have been able to tune this out with a little effort if I bought one.
So far the handling and suspension on the Yeti AS-R is by far the best I could find. Handles like a hard tail, but soaks up the the bumps. Who could ask for more? If technical climbing is very important to you and you don't want a cumbersome FS bike, this just might be the bike you've been dreaming of. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johns
a Cross Country Rider
from Ridgewood, NJ, USA
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | bear swamp stuff | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | Get Outside Bike and Trail, Ridgewood | | Strengths: | light, stable, suspension design, paint, craft, geometry, etc., etc. | | Weaknesses: | non so far | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Y, Fisher Sugar, Santa Cruz SL | | Bike Setup: | xtr stuff, onynx hubs, easton post, bars, xt disc, irc tires
sid 100 | | Bottom Line: | This bike even makes the hard climbs fun. It's superfast and stable on the downhills and rips through technical sections. I thought I would get lazy by riding a fs xc bike but the Yeti feels in sync with the rider so I never feel sloppy. It' samazingly nimble for the avail. travel
the sid 100 is a little heavier than I like my front susp. but makes up for it in plushness. I found little bobbing when climbing (w/locking it out) which means that Yeti's linkage system does what others are suspose to do - absorb only when needed. BIke is $$$$ but ride and see it's the best value of high end fs bikes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron
a Weekend Warrior
from Colorado Springs CO USA
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Porcupine Rim | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheat Ridge Cyclery | | Strengths: | I finally switched to FS XC from a Homegrown Hardtail and I actually can climb better on the ASR. I can barely sleep at night I love this bike so much. The bike has the lock out Fox Float RL but to be honest, it's not really needed. I am a fairly small rider so that may be the reason. I consider myself a fairly aggressive rider and the YETI has made me a rocket. It handles so nice at speed and very manueverable in the slow technical sections. Everyone complains about the high price of YETI but you will pay the same price for a mass produced Fuel, Sugar, or Scalpel. This bike is handcrafted with love and attention right here in Colorado and thats worth every penny to me. Buy one, Buy one, Buy one. You won't be dissapointed. | | Weaknesses: | After a couple of rides, the hex bolt on the main pivot actually worked itself out and I had to replace the bushing. Luckily the bushing didn't come completely out so no damage was done to the rear triangle. I think this was a fluke so I see no weaknesses on this bike. | | Similar Products Used: | Test rode the Fuel, Scalpel, Sugar. All rode nice but couldn't match the ASR in my opinion. Plus I'm a big fan of the small guy who pays attention to the construction, not how many go out the door. | | Bike Setup: | Race Face Next LP's, Race Face BB, Rolf Urraco Disc, Avid Mechanicals, XTR rear, XT front, Sid 100, Fox Float RL rear, Syncros stem, Easton bars, Fizik saddle, Easton post, Time ATAC's. | | Bottom Line: | Handmade beauty at the mass produced price. This thing is absolutely a dream ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brett Nelson
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Poto | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Shop Employee | | Strengths: | Bombproof. Yeti race-proven geometry, durability, performance and handbuilt with USA made Easton aluminum. I am a big rider (235 lbs) and this thing climbs like a hardtail without having to nitpick the perfect line. The ride is the smoothest I've been on and even if it is "wasting energy" the amount of energy saved far exceeds the energy wasted in the 3-bar linkage. I built this bike from the frame up hand-picking each part so I may be biased, but I can say that this bike is the only I've riden that does exactly what the manufacturer claims it will. | | Weaknesses: | The paint is too pretty and I'm afraid to scratch it. Unless the store has it in stock in your size, it'll take a long time to get it. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized S-Works FSR Team, Giant NRS Air, Cannondale Jekyll, Comparable Rocky Mountain, and Fisher Sugar 1+.
| | Bike Setup: | 19" AS-R with Fox Float RL, Marzocchi X-Fly 80, King headset, Race face stem, bars, seatpost, bottom bracket, Next LP cranks, SRAM 9.0 SL drivetrain (XTR front der.) Mavic/DT Hugi wheels with Maxxis Tubeless upgrade, magura 33 hydraulic rim brakes... Not really any upgrades left other than an inverted fork. | | Bottom Line: | I've heard a lot of reps come in and talk about four bar linkages and vertical axle travel creating a more efficient bike. From my limited experience on this bike so far (under 20 hours) I am not even used to riding it and I am already faster because I save more energy because of the ride that compares only to powder skiing than this virtual "do anything" bombproof bike can waste because it is only a 3 bar linkage system. The bottom line is that all geared up I probably weigh about 245 and this thing screams. The ride is smooth and predictable, and since Fox has an on-the-fly lockout lever available in November, this "energy wasting bob" really doesn't exist. Bottom line... once I learn to ride it like a FS bike and not like a hardtail, I'll be faster yet and even more pleased. I plan to ride five days per week this winter, so I'll upgrade my critique in march.
Anyone who is willing and able to afford a USA made virtual do anything bike that will last 10 years should buy this. Performance over hype is what this bike is about. If you don't want performance but want a bike from a company with a great race team or cool advertisements buy a Trek.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1299.00 | | Purchased At: | Leisure Lakes | | Strengths: | Its a Yeti, Frame weighs 5.8Lbs, I had a large as I am tall. Fox Shock, it looks so nice in Yellow and Black. Replacable drop out, low top tube(s), lots of nice details, like YETI in shock arm. | | Weaknesses: | Erm, no instructions or any paperwork, blame UK importer!! | | Similar Products Used: | ARC, Heckler, Kona. | | Bike Setup: | Well, just a frame at the mo,Fox Forx,Chris King, Azonic,Hope minis,light wheels, and all the good bits you would like. | | Bottom Line: | looks ace, should ride really well, sorry but I could not wait till it was built to review, light weight, expensive but it is a YETI, has a good warranty now. Free stickers would be nice? Do Yeti read these? well done keep makin em cool. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kabby Hong
a Cross Country Rider
from Parker, Colorado
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | 401, White Ranch, Zoom and Flume | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheat Ridge Cyclery | | Strengths: | (+) Lightweight for a FS with 3.75 inches of travel
(+) Great descender; plush
(+) Yeti construction and racing heritage
(+) Stable at speed | | Weaknesses: | (-) Front end seems tall
(-) Some bob on climbs | | Similar Products Used: | Tracer, Superlight, Sugar, and Fuel | | Bike Setup: | Full XTR, Psylo XC 2002, Mavic 517 w/XT hubs, Velociraptor tires, Thomson seatpost | | Bottom Line: | I'll admit that when I went shopping for this bike I wanted an impossible dream. I wanted a bike that could climb and descend with four inches in back and four inches of travel up front. I wanted it to be light (26 pounds) as well as durable. I tried a number of bikes from the Superlight (too little standover clearance for my short legs) to the Tracer (felt heavier and the rear suspension didn't feel very active).
I settled on the Yeti because of its silky smooth and active rear suspension that just eats up the bumps and the fact that it is a decent climber even with four inches of travel on both ends. I live in Colorado so you need a bike that can do both and this bike delivers it in a beautiful package. It is also very stable at speed. I have a 2002 Psylo that can adjust its travel from 3 to 5 inches and I've run this bike with all of them. I would recommend a fork with 3 or 4 because when it's run with anything more the front end has nothing to keep it on the trail.
My only gripe is that the front end seems really tall to me. Maybe I'm just getting used to it but I'm almost tempted to run a negative rise stem. On other bikes I felt lower on the bike than my Yeti but it maybe a quirk of mine and nobody else.
What you're paying for in this package is a custome bike with a lot of love and heritage. It is built in Golden, Colorado in the shadow of the foothills. Obviously, there are better values out there in the shop, but the performance of this bike is phenomenal at any price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob Pawlik
a Cross Country Rider
from Greensboro
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Bur-Mil | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | cycles de ORO | | Strengths: | Everything!... This thing is sweeter than Sugar if you know what I mean! The welds and the machined shock mount make this a work of art. Made in USA! 2 water bottle mounts! Rear stays are very trick... the ride is "fluid"... sticks to the trail. Paint job and decals will out live me. Light enough for Cross Country racing! | | Weaknesses: | The rider. I can't do this thing justice. Duke fork is a little tricky to dial in, but once it's there you love it. I'll check back soon to update. WHAT no free Yeti stickers? | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR S-works. Gary Fisher Sugar 1. GT. Tested, did not purshase. | | Bike Setup: | Yellow Duke Race front. Vanilla Fox RC rear. XTR & XT throughout. Thomson post. Race Face cranks & stem. Real rings. Mavic X517's... Easton Monkey Lite bar... WTB saddle. | | Bottom Line: | Go for it. Seems like a lot of cash, but I am a firm believer of getting it right the first time... keeps you from whining and wishing you had later. Cycles de ORO's crew is a dream to work with, best in North Carolina by far! I bought frame only... purchasing an already spec'ed bike may be cheaper? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian Foo
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any challenging trail | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$5500.00 | | Purchased At: | the Bike Zone | | Strengths: | EVERYTHING, excellent components, frame, suspension, ride, handling | | Weaknesses: | price, only for serious riders needing the best equipment to help u peek ur abilities, shimano brakes dont match hayes | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale Jekyll, Intense Tracer (also with reviews | | Bike Setup: | Rockshox SID 4 travel, Fox Float RC(5 travel, Shimano XTR drivetrain, Shimano Disc brakes, Yeti tires, Chris King hubs, Easton monkey handlebar | | Bottom Line: | Excellent, EXCELLENT bike for serious riders and riders with lots of cash. anyone who is into mountain biking, but isnt serious should not consider bikes like this one. But all the best of everything(shocks, components, frame, brakes, drivetrain) put together gives u heaven on wheels, but not at a heavenly price | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chuque Henry
a Cross Country Rider
from Divide, CO USA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Yeti | | Strengths: | Light, great looking bike. Gives you a great deal of confidence and you just feel good about owning a Yeti. My last bike was also a Yeti. | | Weaknesses: | It's spendy, but I guess that goes without saying. | | Similar Products Used: | Yeti AS1, early Cannondale Full Suspen. | | Bike Setup: | XT Disc, King hubs, light build.. but not a normal Yeti pre-made setup | | Bottom Line: | Love the feel of the bike. It makes you feel more confident going into parts that make you nervous. I haven't had a mountain bike for years now but I knew I wanted another Yeti when it came time to lay down the cash. It was a little spooky blasting down the singletrack again, but the bike helped put me at ease as I noticed I was having fewer problems with the technical bits than most the guys I was riding with. Near the end of the ride I hopped it down over a rocky section that dropped the trail down a couple feet. I can't belive how nicely it sucked up a 2' drop like that. Beautiful. I'm 220lbs so it's pretty impressive that a light, XC type bike can pull that off. Very cool. I'm sure there are other bikes just as good, but for me... there is just something about a Yeti. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Williams
a Racer
from Westlake Village, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Sycamore, Cheseboro | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | all over | | Strengths: | This is an unreal ride! Light if you spend the cash. Quick handling but stable a high speeds. Great weld quality. Not often seen. | | Weaknesses: | It is expensive, but so are most top of the line products. You get what you pay for. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized M4 FSR, Intense Tracer, Ellsworth Truth, Santa Cruz Superlight. | | Bike Setup: | AS-R frame, Fox RC rear shock, Manitou Elite front shock, SRAM 9.0 shorty shifters, SRAM 9.0SL rear derailleur, SRAM 9.0 Powerglide II cassete, SRAM PC99 chain XTR front derailleur, Thompson seatpost and stem, Easton Monkeylight bar, Selle Italia XO saddle, Mavix Crossride UST wheelsets, Michelin Wildgripper UST tires, Hope Mini-disc brakes/levers, Race Face Turbine ISIS cranks and BB. | | Bottom Line: | The AS-R has a new suspension setup this year. I have a super handling, durable, lightweight (25 lbs.), full suspension bike which is suitable for XC racing and can also take big hits. I rode several other frames including those listed above. The AS-R has the best suspension for climbing, and doesn't lock up in the rear when braking. It has almost 4" of travel in the rear with little to no bobbing when climbing. The Hope mini's are incredible. No squeal, no fade and a half pound lighter than Shimano's or Hayes. The UST setup adds a ton of grip and suspension. All around I am estatic about how well this bike performs as set up. The frame, brakes and UST tires are all huge improvements over other components I had previously used.
I used the net and this site and saved over a grand on the bike. All parts were purchased new. I would gladly have paid retail for the bike I now have. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mitch Boley
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego,CA.,USA
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Sycamore Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3400.00 | | Purchased At: | mtbr! | | Strengths: | Climbing ability, smoothness,looks,pedal and it goes. | | Weaknesses: | Unknown yet ride wise..Price for factory spec'ed model. | | Similar Products Used: | Cheapo Univega ds 900, Diamondback XR-8 | | Bike Setup: | Marz X-fly,Mavic Crossmax UST rims,Hutch. Python tires,Raceface Next cranks and Air-alloy bar,Thompson Elite seatpost and stem, XTR der. and brakes(V),Fox Float rc shock,WTB Stealth pedals; 26 lbs. | | Bottom Line: | My bike is spec'ed differently than the $4999 model because I got a great deal on the frame.Frankly, who, since your on this site now, would pay $4999 for a bike? I like the bike I put together and the total investment I made.Thank you mtbr classifieds! Anyway, the bike is SOOOOO much better than my two previous rides,all I can say is WOW! The suspension is fully active, but you really can't feel any bob because the ride is so smooth;lockout is there if you want it, but in rocky San Diego the bike climbs much better without it on all but the smooth fireroad climbs.Yeti says the bike was designed for Colorado type climbs and decents and they've succeeded.If you looking for a long travel(the bike was designed for 100mm forks) XC type bike ,this is it.Just don't pay retail. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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