Yeti Cycles

ASR-5 with Fox Float CTD Kashima - 2012

It might be hard to believe, but five-inch travel bikes are no longer considered trail/all mountain bikes. That niche is filled with six-plus rigs like the SB66. The Yeti ASR-5 with a Kashima coated Fox Float CTD is the current irritation of the classic cross-country platform. No, it's not a race bike; that's left to the ASR Carbon, it's the bike designed to get around your favorite trails reliably, efficiently, and most importantly -- with enthusiasm.

Added to your stable, the 127mm travel ASR-5 will be a relentlessly happy, tail-wagging companion. It's designed to run forks in the 120 - 140mm range, depending on the handling characteristics you wish to favor. In the 120mm range, you'll experience a bike that's planted in the turns and grounded on climbs. With a longer fork, the descents become less dicey, but the front end will wander when gaining elevation. For the best of both worlds, we'd equip the ASR-5 with a travel-adjustable fork.

Stiff and lightweight, the alloy front triangle sports a tapered headtube to provide a solid platform for the suspension to work. The low-slung top tube allows plenty of standover clearance, and acts as a sturdy attachment point for the Fox Float CTD shock with the simple-to-use Climb, Trail, Descend damping system, and the friction-reducing Kashima coat treatment.

For 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. 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 to shave weight.

The ASR-5 comes with cable guides for a dropper post, and fits 30.9mm diameter seatposts. It requires a 34.9mm traditional bottom-pull front derailleur and uses a standard 73mm BB shell. Yeti covers the AS-R 5 with a five year warranty.

The Yeti ASR-5 with Fox Float CTD Kashima is available in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large and comes in Black Ano, Turquoise, and White Turquoise.

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