YETI CYCLES ASR-5 W/FOX CTD KASHIMA / SRAM X0/X9 COMPLETE BIKE - 2012

When did the mountain become so safe and predictable? Don't get us wrong, cross country racing holds a special place in our hearts, but who wants a bike that only lives to go fast on a simple course? We live in the mountains, and we want to ride the entire mountain -- not just the bottom. So, needless to say, we were elated at Yeti's ASR-5 line of bikes. Taking the race orientation of the ASR, and tweaking its geometry to accommodate five inches of travel, the ASR-5 with FOX CTD Kashima / SRAM X0/X9 Complete Bike takes the race to the climbs and the all-mountain to the descents. The best of both worlds.

No, it's not a race bike -- that's been left to the ASR Carbon. Instead, Yeti designed the ASR-5 to be the bike that gets around your favorite trails reliably, efficiently, and most importantly, with enthusiasm. Added to your stable, ASR-5 will be a relentlessly happy, tail-wagging companion. And with the Fox Racing Shox 32 Float 140 CTD with Kashima fork, you'll experience a bike that's planted in the turns and grounded on climbs. Yeti gave the ASR-5 140mm of front travel to remove the scare-factor from descents, and with the ASR-5's neutral steering geometry, the front end handles predictably at speed and through hard corners.

Stiff and lightweight, the alloy front triangle features a tapered, 1-1/8 x 1-1/2in head tube to provide a solid platform for the suspension to work. The low-slung top tube allows plenty of standover clearance, and it acts as a sturdy attachment point for the Fox Float CTD shock. With two inches of adjustable travel, Fox has made the CTD simple-to-use with a three-step damping system for Climb, Trail, and Descend. Even better, with Fox's exclusive Kashima coating at the front and rear suspension points, you'll experience a buttery smooth operation and a heightened level of durability.

At the rear triangle, Yeti employs carbon fiber. The whole unit is molded as one piece with massive chainstays -- defining its lightweight and flex-free behavior. You'll find that the ASR-5 feels stiffer in the mid-stroke of the travel. This is intentional. Yeti channeled its inner-sports car to liven up the frame's feel on the trail. By this, we mean that the low bottom bracket, stiff, single-pivot rear triangle, and the aforementioned neutral steering geometry all work together in order to strike the golden ratio of stiffness-to-flowy-handling. The dropouts feature Yeti's Chips System, so the rear spacing can be changed to run either 135mm or 142mm. All of the suspension pivots house sealed cartridge bearings for a smooth ride, and titanium pivot hardware is used for both weight savings and added longevity.

For the build, we've equipped the ASR-5 with a SRAM drivetrain, braking, and shift system. For shifting, you get SRAM X9 trigger shifters that control the X9, 2x10 front derailleur and X0 rear derailleur. At the drivetrain, you'll be hammering on the TruVativ X0 GXP 2.2 crankset with 42/28T chainrings. Linking the crankset to the SRAM PG-1050, 12-36T cassette is a rock solid PC-1031 chain. For wheels, the AS-R5 rolls on the Easton EA70 XCT wheelset with a 15 x 100mm front axle, and a 10 x 135mm QR rear axle. Casing the wheels are Schwalbe's Rocket Ron Performance 2.25in tires. And to stop the rig, the bike relies on Avid Elixir 9 disc brakes, with 160mm Avid HS1 rotors and Avid X0 brake levers calling the shots. Rounding out the cockpit are an Easton EA70 stem, seatpost, and handlebar. For the saddle, you'll be comfortable resting on the Selle Italia SL Kit Carbonio.

And if you're ever looking to upgrade to a dropper post, you'll be happy to know that the ASR-5 comes with cable guides.

The Yeti ASR-5 with FOX CTD Kashima / SRAM X0/X9 Complete Bike is available in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large and in the colors Black Anodized, Turquoise, and White/turquoise.

Please note that US Yeti dealers are prohibited from shipping Yeti bicycles outside of the US.

Buy/Configure Complete Bike

2012 Yeti Cycles ASR-5 w/FOX CTD Kashima / SRAM X0/X9 Complete Bike - 2012 Geometry