Yeti's SB150 Race Sled: First Impressions

The hunter-orange frame will stand out loudly in the forest.

Fresh in for testing is a Yeti SB150 from the fine folks at Tribe Sport Group in France. This particular model comes with the Turq carbon frame at its core, a full SRAM X01 drivetrain, Code RSC Brakes, a 170mm Fox 36 fork with a Grip 2 damper, Fox Factory X2 shock, Fox Transfer seat post, and a DT Swiss ~~M1700~~ XM 1501 wheelset. The build is about as race-ready as a reliable enduro sled can be.

All of the cables and hoses run through internal tunnels, keeping them quiet, and making maintenance a quick and easy process. If you run your brakes moto (rear on the left side) the routing might be a little tricky, but for those of us with the rear lever under our right fingertip, it’s a seamless setup.

The SB150 uses Yeti’s Switch Infinity “translating pivot” to manage the bike’s pedaling platform, and keep performance high as it sinks lower into its travel.

The BB92 internal bottom bracket opens up some options for frame engineers but is not the most friendly option to home mechanics. My fingers are crossed that this one remains creak-free and smooth.

[see_also id=’262970′]

The rear brake hose and derailleur cable exit the frame briefly between the front and rear triangles, and seem well placed to avoid snags or paint abrasion. I might be swapping the brakes on this bike, and if so, I will share how the install goes.

“The patent-pending wishbone shock extension was developed to maximize standover, maintain kinematics, fit a water bottle in the frame and allow easy access when replacing or servicing the shock. We also developed a shock extender that’s certified by FOX to accept a coil shock.” -Yeti

The SB150 frame has plenty of space for a water bottle and a spare tube, without interfering with the shock. The bike is also coil-compatible, simply by switching the shock extension out to one that is designed for the big spring.

The chainstay protectors were clearly designed by mountain bikers, keeping the bike whisper quiet.

The medium frame I am riding has a 460.2mm reach, 64.5° headtube angle, 433mm chainstays, 77° effective seat tube angle, and uses a 44mm fork offset. These measurements add up to the longest 29er I have reviewed, and the first with a short fork offset. With support from the spacious 150/170mm of travel, I am going to push this bike harder than any other to look for its strengths and challenges. Since the bike was designed for brute-force racers like Richie Rude, I am confident I won’t find the edges of what’s possible with the SB150, but I will aim to find what the bike holds for everyday riders and amateur racers.

The downtube frame protection seems sufficient, though I would add some paint protection further up the tube if this were my personal bike. Fortunately, the folks at Tribe Sport had the same idea.

I received the SB150 while staying in Les Gets, France, to photograph the World Cup, and the bike park was a great spot to get some initial suspension settings dialed.