Yeti has just announced the release of their new AS-Rc cross country bike. Featuring 100mm of rear wheel travel and a 120mm fork, this is the first XC offering from Yeti in a long time. Sporting a full-carbon frame with a carbon dogbone link, the frameset comes in at a crazy-light 4.2 pounds.
One of the most interesting things about the new AS-Rc is that the wheel size has been optimized in conjunction with the frame size, meaning that extra small and small frames sport 27.5″ wheels while medium through extra large frames sport 29″ wheels. While there haven’t been many companies to pull this stunt so far, I think this is a pretty smart move on Yeti’s part, and that we’ll see more and more companies following suit in the coming years.
Read on for official information on the AS-Rc:
Press Release
Yeti has introduced the new AS-Rc cross-country bike, expanding its line of ride-driven products. Built for cross-country racers and trail riders, the AS-Rc rolls on size specific wheels and delivers 100mm of optimized rear wheel travel. The AS-Rc will begin shipping immediately as a complete bike with builds starting at $5799.
The super lightweight (4.2lb. frame) and efficient suspension has been optimized for shorter travel with an updated and modified single pivot design. Yeti has worked closely with FOX to refine the suspension rate to give the AS-Rc a predictable feel that holds up while pedaling and retains composure when the trail begins to get rough. The new AS-R frame is designed using a carbon Dogbone link to add considerable stiffness to the chassis, and sports Yeti’s progressive geometry (69-degree head tube angle, long top tube, low bottom bracket) that has been borrowed from their experience in DH and Enduro. Wheel size on the AS-R is optimized on the AS-R with 27.5” wheels on the Extra Small and Small frames, and 29” wheels on Medium through Extra Large Frames.
“We have been out of the cross-country market for several years, so it was important that we nailed the form, fit, and function of the AS-Rc.” said Yeti President and co-owner Chris Conroy. “The AS-R has been a storied bike in our line and we raced cross-country for nearly twenty years and have produced some greats in the sport. XC racing is in our DNA and we’re excited to reintroduce people to our heritage with a bike that sports Yeti’s progressive geometry.”
The AS-R will be available to ship immediately as a complete bike with SRAM’s X01 Build Kit with an MSRP of $5799, or $8099 with an Enve M50 wheelset. Complete AS-Rc’s will weigh as light as 22.3 lbs. It will also be available with a SRAM XX1 Build Kit with an Enve M50 wheelset for $9999.
Geometry
Build Kits
9 Comments
Aug 20, 2014
Aug 21, 2014
Aug 20, 2014
Aug 20, 2014
I am also surprised at the price of this bike. I understand that to get a light carbon frame it costs a descent amount of money. However, at the end of the day this is a single pivot carbon bike. I would have expected the price to be a little lower since there aren't a lot of linkages and pivots like what is on the SB5c.
Aug 21, 2014
Aug 20, 2014
Aug 20, 2014
Aug 20, 2014
Aug 20, 2014
That does, however, support my assesment that Yeti seems to be moving upmarket. I realize that they are a small company, but so is Niner and they have carbon bikes with lower build kits that lower the price to offer something to most budgets. I am not angry at them or anything for doing this, I just think it is an interesting move considering companies like Niner and Santa Cruz, within the last year and a half, have done the opposite and introduced different carbon layups to drive the price of their bikes down to cover a larger range of budgets.