Yeti Cycles

SB130 Turq T2 X01 Eagle AXS Mountain Bike

These days, mountain bikes are as good as they've ever been. Cross-country bikes make quick work of trails that would have been reserved for all-mountain bikes in years past, and longer travel enduro sleds can pedal almost as efficiently as short-travel trail bikes. But with all the variation in wheel sizes, geometry, and suspension designs, it can be tricky to find the right bike to suit your needs. Fortunately, there's one type of bike that excels at pretty much everything, whether it's epic rides on rugged backcountry terrain, hot laps at your local trail system, or a day of shredding jumps at your local bike park. That bike would be the mid-travel 29er class, and the Yeti SB130 Turq T2 X01 Eagle AXS Mountain Bike sits right at the front of the pack. This versatile trail bike that makes quick work of steep, technical trails, yet remains lively and playful on smoother singletrack, too. This means that everyone can get a piece of the fun regardless of your trail preference or riding style. Factor in its lightweight TURQ carbon construction, plush Switch Infinity platform with FOX Factory suspension, and SRAM's new XO1 Eagle AXS wireless drivetrain, and you have an ultra-capable bike that feels right at home on just about any trail.

Longer and slacker continues to be the name of the game, and on the SB130 the numbers lean towards the trend of a more capable descending bike that can still pedal when it's time to earn your turn. Its 65.5-degree headtube is a full degree slacker than the brands 5.5, a bike that already pushed the boundaries of a long-travel 29er. Of course this contributes to unflappable stability when descending steep, technical terrain, but usually, a headtube angle so slack would be a bear on climbs and have lazy handling manners on the rest of the trail. This simply isn't the case with the SB130 as it employs a 44mm fork offset to bring the front wheel in closer to the rider so the contact patch is more aft than fore, for improved traction and a front wheel that's less likely to wander when the trail points up. Further helping in this regard is the 77-degree seat tube angle centering you right over the pedals letting you put the hammer down on the climbs. Further harnessing the watts and contributing to positive handling is the frame's Boost spacing placing the hub's flanges further apart and improving the spoke's bracing angle for a stiffer wheel and combining with the 1x-specific frame to allows space for tire clearances in the neighborhood of 2.5-inches with 433mm chainstays, the shortest we've seen yet on a full suspension 29er from Yeti for quick power transfers and the ability to get the front wheel up and over obstacles easier.

A Yeti wouldn't be a Yeti without its signature Switch Infinity suspension and the newly reconfigured SB130 utilizes some new linkages and a metric shock that frees up some precious real estate allowing for the fitment of a water bottle inside the main triangle. What remains the same are the two silky-smooth Kashima-coated stanchions housed just above the bottom bracket that translates throughout the stroke of the Fox Factory DPX2 shock to adjust the leverage ratio from supple, bump sucking plushness, to mid-stroke, anti-squat pedaling support, to a mild ramp up near the end responsible for its bottomless feel. You'll find that it bobs way less than other designs on the climbs and because its axle path isn't nearly as rearward as some platforms, it doesn't get hung up over square-edge hits letting you take speed and momentum over the obstacle. Whereas the older 4.5 required a little more precision when it came to line choices and favored maneuvering around obstacles, the new SB130 is tuned for full send and is happy taking on a point and shoot approach.

The ideal SB130 rider is one that might find the SB100 a little under gunned compared their riding buddies' rigs or on their typical riding terrain, whereas an SB150 is simply more bike than what's needed and is just extra weight and travel to pedal around. We feel that the geometry, suspension package, and build kit on this SB130 are all responsible for that neutral, well-rounded position adding confidence on every ride with the ability to work so well in a wide variety of trail conditions. It's certainly a bike we'd have no reservations about pulling off our rack at the trailhead and question if we had the right tool for the job. It simply carves buff, flowy singletrack with aplomb while not backing down on drops, rock gardens, and jumps in the park if that's your thing too. The 130mm of rear travel might not seem like a lot, but with a 150mm FOX Factory 36 up front and 29-inch wheels, this bike can save your hide when the going gets rough.

This build also benefits from the lightweight stiffness of Yeti's top-tier TURQ level carbon fiber construction ensuring a strong, durable, and responsive frame. High-modulus carbon fiber is meticulously hand laid using carefully researched and tested carbon layup structures to reinforce critical tube junctions and high-stress areas without adding excess weight or bulk. The result is a frame that is roughly 220g lighter than the standard C-Series carbon, with the same levels of strength and stiffness. For the 2020 model year, Yeti refined the TURQ carbon layup even further to provide increased levels of stiffness and durability. The design is tested for durability by Yeti's hard-charging enduro bruiser Riche Rude, and Yeti is confident enough in the frame to include a lifetime warranty to the original owner against defects in materials or workmanship, which includes the Switch Infinity link as well. The frame comes with molded guards to protect the downtube and chainstay, and incorporates full-length cable tunnels to simplify maintenance since the housing slides easily through the frame and pops out in the same place every time. Lastly, it's worth mentioning that there's enough clearance in the rear triangle for up to 2.5in tires.

This SB130 is equipped with a first-rate parts kit that starts with SRAM's new AXS wireless electronic drivetrain. If you're wondering why you should fork out the cash for wireless shifting, it starts with the simplicity. You'll never have to mess with cable tension again, and you'll enjoy crisp, reliable shifting that almost never needs adjusting. All you have to do is make sure your battery is charged and that the derailleur and shifter are paired when you start your ride. On top of that, you can customize the shifting options and monitor the system with the AXS smartphone app. Equally as impressive is the fact that the rear derailleur has 10mm more ground clearance than the mechanical versions, and is better able to withstand impacts thanks to a clutch that disengages the internal motor and allows the derailleur to move inward to brush off impacts and avoid damage.

Other noteworthy parts include top-of-the-line suspension from Fox, starting with a plush yet supportive Fox Factory 36 up front, paired with a Factory DPX2 shock that offers impressive small-bump compliance, consistent performance, and easy-to-use adjustments. SRAM G2 RSC brakes with 180mm rotors offer impressive modulation and stopping power, while the meaty Maxxis tires manage to find grip in a wide range of terrain. Yeti rounds out the kit with their in-house carbon handlebars, a trusty Fox Transfer dropper post, and a custom WTB Volt saddle with turquoise accents that match the bike perfectly.