2020 Yeti SB165 T2

(discontinued)

The Yeti SB6 has been around since bikes with 27.5-inch wheels were first raced by top enduro pros. In practical terms, a long time. Its life officially began in 2014, when Jared Graves rolled up to the Winter Park EWS on a brand new bike and took the win. One year later he built "The Internet Killer," a dual-crown-equipped SB6c that stood atop the podium at a National DH race in Australia. Capability proven. Years passed, technology progressed, and with the things Yeti learned during the development of the SB150 and SB130, it's time for a major update to Yeti's most-loved 27.5 bike. The new SB165 is the SB6 all grown up. And yes, you can swap out the already burly 180mm FOX 36 fork for a dual-crown if you'd like. Let's dive in.

SB165 Highlights

• 27.5-inch (650b) wheels
• 165mm (6.5-inches) rear travel // 180mm (7.1-inches) front travel with shorter offset fork
• Coil-specific Switch Infinity suspension system with two-piece wishbone-style shock extender
• High-end TURQ and more affordable C-Series carbon models (220g frame weight difference)
• Tapered integrated headtube (41mm/52mm)
• Custom downtube protector and chain guards
• Internally molded carbon tubes inside of the frame for improved cable routing
• Integrated axle and derailleur hanger system
• Boost hub spacing front and rear
• Press-fit 92 bottom bracket with ISCG05 mounts
• 180mm direct rear brake mount
• Clearance for a standard-sized water bottle inside the frame
• Lab tested to Yeti's more rigorous downhill standards
• Lifetime warranty and crash replacement program
• Actual Weight: 32.6-pounds (14.8kg, size XL, without pedals)

"These are the bikes that happen when race tape boundaries are ripped down and set on fire. When speed is judged by feeling. When the only rules of competition are written by your whack-job friends. These are the bikes that happen when the full spectrum of mountain biking is present and accounted for. Where ability meets bottomless capability and riders are well-versed in the currency of expression sessions and life lessons. And if you think you can still race ‘em, guess what? You’re damn right you can." - Yeti Cycles

Geometry

Compared to the SB6, the SB165 is a good deal slacker and longer. At 63.5-degrees, this is now the slackest bike in Yeti's lineup. It's paired with a shorter 37mm offset fork that now goes hand in hand with bikes built for speed. Reach values have increased as well, up to 430 to 505mm across the size range. The seat tube, which is now lower and uninterrupted for dropper compatibility, is also steeper at an effective 77-degrees.

Suspension Updates

Coil-specific? That's right. The bike sees a significant increase in progression to provide good performance with a coil shock. Over the 165mm of travel, it sees 27.5% progression with a pretty consistent rate change throughout. Yeti takes things a step further with a custom-tuned shock that takes inspiration from motocross.

"We spec'd a coil-shock for its active feel over small bumps, but the inherently linear progression of a coil can make for a sluggish feeling climb. Doubling the leverage ratio allows the bike to have that supple coil-shock feel but still rip and pop on the trail," says Yeti.

The SB165 is the one I'd call on when things are likely to get steep and deep, when you want to throw your bike around with ease, and when you want to mash through the rowdy bits without abandon.

The bike uses the latest version of the Switch Infinity suspension design, which allowed Yeti to make room for a water bottle and have a tunable platform to carry into a wide variety of bikes. It also shares a lot of hardware with the newest generation of Yeti bikes.

Switch Infinity uses a translating pivot built by FOX that switches direction as the bike moves through its travel, helping to dial in anti-squat and suspension performance across the entire stroke. With the up and down movement of the translating pivot Yeti aims to provide good pedaling traits across a large range of sag values, but have things fall off deeper in the travel to prevent pedal kickback.

Build Kits, Pricing & Availability

Yeti has five complete builds, including C-Series bikes starting at $5,599 and the higher-end carbon TURQ Series starting at $7,199. TURQ frames save 220g (0.5-pounds) over more affordably made C-Series frames. Both types of carbon achieve the same stiffness ratings according to Yeti.

View C-Series Builds | View TURQ Builds

• C-Series C1 (GX) - $5,599 USD
• C-Series C2 (X01/GX) - $6,199
• TURQ T1 (XT) - $7,199
• TURQ T2 (X01) - $7,699 (Tested)
• TURQ T3 (XX1) - $8,799
• TURQ Frame + Shock - $3,999

The SB165 is available now.

What's the Bottom Line?

I came to Slovenia knowing there was room for improvement on Yeti's premiere 27.5 bike, and I left thinking the SB165 not only met but far exceeded expectations. Impressive suspension performance and dialed geometry allow you to put full confidence into the SB165.

Yeti doesn't like to have redundancies in their lineup, so what void does this bike fill? The SB165 is the one I'd call on when things are likely to get steep and deep, when you want to throw your bike around with ease, and when you want to mash through the rowdy bits without abandon.

Will Richie Rude and the boys race the SB165 at the Whistler EWS in a month's time? Given what I experienced, I think it would be a really good choice for the terrain.

Visit yeticycles.com/bikes/sb165 for more details, and be sure to watch Richie ride this thing far better than I ever could. Thanks to H+I Adventures for the amazing first ride experience.

Vital MTB First Ride Rating: 4.5 Stars - Outstanding

About the Reviewer

Brandon Turman - Age: 33 // Years Riding: 18 // Height: 5'10" (1.78m) // Weight: 170-pounds (77.1kg)

"I like to have fun, pop off the bonus lines on the sides of the trail, get aggressive when I feel in tune with a bike, and really mash on the pedals and open it up when pointed downhill." Formerly a mechanical engineer and Pro downhill racer, Brandon brings a unique perspective to the testing game as Vital MTB's resident product guy. He has on-trail familiarity with nearly every new innovation in our sport from the past several years and a really good feel for what’s what.

Photos by Ross Bell // Video by John Reynolds and Brandon Turman