SOC13: Yeti Launches SB-95C and ARC Carbon, Bigger Wheels Lighten up

Following the success of the SB-66c, Yeti has carbon-ified the 29 inch version of their popular Switch equipped mountain bike to drop weight and climb trails. Since the SB super bikes have been introduced, they have been gaining quite the popularity. Our first impressions of both the 26 and 29 inch versions of the SB left us wanting more, so we’re guessing the carbon version will just push it over the top.

In addition to the SB-95c, Yeti also introduced a carbon, big wheeled version of the famed ARC which should leave the hard tail purists happy.

Essentially, the SB-95c is the same bike as the SB-95, just made out of carbon. However, when Yeti set out to build the SB-95c it wasn’t just an exercise in carbon – it had to be better or it wouldn’t happen. This resulted in a tremendous amount of work to not only make the carbon variety nearly 2 pounds lighter than its alloy sibling, but it resulted in a stronger, stiffer frame that is claimed to ride like an entirely different bike all together.

• Travel – 5.00” (127MM)
• Weight – 5.75 LBS (2.6 KG)
• Sizes – SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE, X-LARGE
• Colors –  TURQUOISE, BLACK
• R.shock-  fOX CTD ADJUST (7.5”X2.0” / 191 MM X 51 MM)
• B.bracket – 73MM SHELL
• R.wheel – 142MM SPACING – 12MM AXLE
• F.derailleur – DIRECT LOW MOUNT (E-TYPE)
• Seatpost – 30.9MM DIAMETER
• Build kits – enduro , race , xtr

Carbon tends to be a little more susceptible to abrasion, so in order to protect the inside of the stays, the SB95c has some nice integrated guards to protect against chain slap.

The bottom bracket/down tube junction gets some nice protection as well as preserving the bottle cage mount on the down tube.

Yeti.

The Yeti ARC goes way back, and while it was originally built with 26 inch wheels it has upgraded to a 29er carbon version to keep up with the times – well, the M-XL sizes that is. As something we think we’ll see more of in the future, the Extra Small and Small sizes of the ARC carbon will be offered in 27.5″ wheels instead of the bigger 29ers. Between the bigger wheels being more cumbersome for smaller riders, issues like toe over lap and head angle/fork offset to prevent toe over lap become a huge factor when designing a bike with bigger wheels for smaller people. It’s not like this is a new concept in the industry though, as road bike manufacturers have been offering smaller road bikes in 650c sizes instead of 700c for the same reasons.

Built to a certain aesthetic to pay homage to the original ARC with its loop tail stays, the Carbon ARC is Yeti’s 1st carbon 29 hard tail with 20 years of racing development packed into bigger wheels.

• TAPERED INSET HEADTUBE (44MM/56MM)
• INTERNAL CABLE ROUNTING FRONT/REAR DER
• 29” WHEEL SIZE ON M-XL SIZES, 27.5” ON XS-S SIZES
• YETI LOOPTAIL REAR TRIANGLE
• GEOMETRY COMPATIBLE FOR 100MM-120MM FORK
• REMOVABLE ISCG MOUNT
• BOLT-ON CABLE GUIDES
• DIRECT-MOUNT FRONT DERAILLEUR
• 142X12 REAR AXLE