First Look: Yeti Cycles SB4.5c 10

FredLikesTrikes

8/24/2015 4:37pm

Yeti finally brings their highly regarded Switch Infinity system to a 29-inch wheeled platform. Slated for anything from Cross Country and Enduro racing to aggressive Trail and backcountry riding, check out the new Yeti SB4.5c.

Yeti Introduces SB4.5c: A Switch Infinity-Equipped, 4.5” Travel, 29er Trail Bike

For Immediate Release // August 26, 2015 (Golden, CO): Yeti Cycles, a ride driven company that is celebrating its 30th anniversary, has announced the addition of a new, 4.5-inch travel Switch Infinity equipped suspension bike to their current line of 5 and 6-inch travel Switch Infinity bikes. The new model, called the 4.5c, features carbon construction, 29-inch wheels, trail-specific geometry and 148mm Boost design for added stiffness. SB4.5c will begin shipping on September 15. Prices range from $6,899 to $10,049 depending on specification.

“When we released the SB5c and SB6c, the number one question we heard was ‘When are you going to make a 29er trail bike?’ Truth is, we were already well into development and have been riding prototypes for nearly a year,” said Yeti’s President Chris Conroy. “The goal with the SB4.5C was to build a trail-specific bike with the firm pedaling platform and supple bump absorption that our Switch Infinity design is known for. Based on feedback from racers on our team like Jared Graves and Richie Rude as well as a range of local riders and dealers who’ve ridden it, the SB4.5C is exactly the bike we were trying make.”

Like current incarnations of Yeti’s Switch Infinity design, the SB4.5c utilizes a patented translating pivot that changes direction as the rear wheel moves through its travel. This provides excellent anti-squat response for superior pedaling and a bottomless feel that responds well to large hits and high-frequency bumps, allowing any rider to push harder and ride faster whether going up or down. Designed around Boost wheel and drivetrain specifications, the SB4.5c has a wider bottom bracket stance for greater stiffness and durability.

Built for a range of riding types including cross country racing, enduro racing and trail riding, the SB4.5c features Yeti’s hallmark geometry: a long top tube, slack head angle, and low bottom bracket. 17.2-inch long chainstays ensure the SB4.5c is an agile climber, yet is still confident at high speed.

A chassis that’s sure to see years and years of use and abuse, the SB4.5c has a range of nice details including custom molded guards on its downtube, right chainstay and right seatstay. Its rear dropouts have been designed to accommodate the most current generation of thru-axles including Shimano’s new E-THRU axle. Yeti engineers have even slimmed down the frame’s collet style connection points from 15mm to 10mm in order to shave weight without compromising stiffness.