[j-dawg]

Hi All,

Some questions about the ASR-SL. I've read the reviews but would like to hear about actual experiences.

Durability? Just curious as to the durability of the ASR-SL. I have a brief test ride on a fairly smooth track and it felt pretty solid but I didn't get to really test it thoroughly. I know it's not going to be the 575 and frankly, I don't need it to be. I do ride some rocky singletrack but generally try and avoid jumps/drops when possible. I do 'roll' over some stuff that might be 12-18 inches but anything over that and I'd probably 'hike-a-bike'. I know they have a 5 yr. warranty on the frame but would rather not have to test it.

Compared to ....?? Specifically, any comparisons to similar bikes in this range: Blur, Racer-X, Flux, El Salt???

Climbing? In the saddle? Out of saddle? Technical?

And finally .... any thumbs up/down on Yeti's customer service. I've sent a couple of e-mails and been happy so far but would like to hear from actual owners.

Thanks,

-j

 

[KleinAttitude]

I just bought mine. See the pics below. I,m not one of these riders who wants to buy a £4000 bike to do MTV style rad time drops. Leave that to the Kona Fan Club.

The bike is a XC machine and a good one. Mine handles sweet and does the job well. There is enough travel for me. As for the warranty mine came with a 2yr warranty. I will double check this against your 5yr claim.

If you want a good XC race bike buy the ASR-SL. If you want something you can give some real abuse then get a 575.

 

[Motivated]

So I've had my ASR-SL for about 2 months now

You can see in my seperate post what my build is an what my usage is.

I think the most significant thing about my ASR is that I don't feel a need to "sell" it's virtues to anybody. In terms of how it rides it just speaks for itself. I rarely comment to fellow riders how good it is. Now, that doesn't do prospective buyers much good. To be honest I bought mine without ever riding a Yeti, period. I went totally based on discussions with a few local mechanics, the low weight, the simplicity of the suspension and my own disciplined eye (I did actually hold a frame before I bought).

That said, to address you particular questions:
- the frame is very stout. I really cannot beleive how laterally stiff it is. This is a huge bonus when rolling slowly through rocky sections. The minimal frame flex means that I get a direct, unchanging interface to the tires which means I can crawl over the slow stuff more accurately and make much less mistakes.
- I also have a Blur, but have not ridden the two back to back much because as soon as I built up the Yeti I stripped the Blur for maintenance of all cables, shock (sent to Push) and all new suspension bearings. But I've ridden the Blur for 2 years and it is a very good trail bike. The major weakness of the Blur (in size XL) is the flexibility in the frame. The rear susp. of the Yeti is as good or better than the Blur except for sharp edged hits and really rough chutes. The Yeti climbs much better through choppy stuff clearly keeping the rear wheel in contact with the ground better. Over really rough stuff the Yeti tends to skip over the top, whereas the Blur is tracking - and although the Blur flexes more here it does not seem to matter and actually seems to carry a bit more speed. The Yeti is a punishing ride, my upper body has adapted to that, but it is a race bike that handles rough stuff very well, just don't expect it to be "automatic" out there on the trails.

The Yeti climbs unbeleivably well in and especially out of the saddle. I have really improved my sprinting ability.

I have little feedback on Yeti as a company. They shippped my bike the day after I ordered it. Their cable routing and shock setup documents anticipated and answered all my questions.

Hi All,

Some questions about the ASR-SL. I've read the reviews but would like to hear about actual experiences.

Durability? Just curious as to the durability of the ASR-SL. I have a brief test ride on a fairly smooth track and it felt pretty solid but I didn't get to really test it thoroughly. I know it's not going to be the 575 and frankly, I don't need it to be. I do ride some rocky singletrack but generally try and avoid jumps/drops when possible. I do 'roll' over some stuff that might be 12-18 inches but anything over that and I'd probably 'hike-a-bike'. I know they have a 5 yr. warranty on the frame but would rather not have to test it.

Compared to ....?? Specifically, any comparisons to similar bikes in this range: Blur, Racer-X, Flux, El Salt???

Climbing? In the saddle? Out of saddle? Technical?

And finally .... any thumbs up/down on Yeti's customer service. I've sent a couple of e-mails and been happy so far but would like to hear from actual owners.

Thanks,

-j