Yeti Cycles

SB5C Mountain Bike Frame - 2015

Yeti’s SuperBike lineup has earned itself a devoted following, and the SB5 Mountain Bike Frame builds on everything we all love about the SBs. This carbon fiber flagship is Yeti’s first model to run on the all-new Switch Infinity suspension system — a natural evolution of the Switch Link that made the SB series so popular. Naturally, it continues the low, slack, and long geometry that makes the SB5 at home on pretty much any terrain you can imagine. And the lightweight carbon fiber chassis is stiff and durable, which helps it to obscure the lines between Enduro race sled and aggressive XC rocket. So if you didn’t think that Yeti’s SuperBikes could get any more super, well, let’s just say you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

Like Switch Link, the Switch Infinity slider travels upward under the first phase of compression, when the SB5 is settling into its sag point. As the rear end compresses deeper, the direction changes, and the slider travels down toward the bottom bracket shell. Deep in the stroke, it works in conjunction with the upper pivot to produce a vertical wheel path that effortlessly flattens big, square edged impacts. Think of it as everything that has earned the Switch Link such high praise, except that it rides smoother and is easier to maintain than the previous eccentric pivot. And because it travels in a perfectly linear plane, instead of the tight arc that Switch Link produces, Switch Infinity has allowed Yeti to achieve a set of unique suspension characteristics.

Undoubtedly, there will be those who balk at the idea of having a seemingly complicated pivot, but in reality, it’s lighter and more user friendly than the Switch Link pivot that it replaces. The lightness can be attributed to the Kashima-coated mini-stanchions and feathery forged shuttle, which were co-developed with FOX Racing Shox. Ease of use comes courtesy of the easily-accessible grease ports, which do away with the need for time-consuming rebuilds. FOX has successfully tested production units to well over a million compression cycles while completely submerged in mud. And the durability is further proven by the three-year old test units that are still in use today. Sure, Switch Infinity may look different, but it’s no gimmick — it offers riders functional benefits that can’t be achieved with traditional pivots.

But there’s more to the story than the Switch Infinity mechanism. The SB5 is the next evolution of Yeti’s proven carbon fiber chassis. Frame weights are right around five pounds with shock, depending on size, which puts it on the lighter end of the trail bike spectrum, and it does so without sacrificing strength or stiffness. With thoughtful tube forming, a tapered head tube, and a rear thru-axle, it tracks true through rough terrain. And thanks to the svelte frame weight, it’s possible to build the SB5 to be both robust and lightweight.

The Yeti SB5 Mountain Bike Frame is available in five sizes, from X-Small to X-Large, and in the colors Raw and Turquoise.