Fresh Yeti SB5 Build For 2018

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We take a closer look at Euan’s new Yeti SB5 build as it prepares for its first outing to New Zealand.

New Year, New Bike: Euan’s Fresh Yeti SB5.

With the turning of the new year switching calendars to 2018 we can now begin to taste the coming season which is already kicking off in the southern hemisphere. All hands are on deck at the H+I office in the frosty north of Scotland as we prepare for the year, starting with the Yeti and Beti Tribe Gatherings taking place towards the tail end of January in the land of the long white cloud. Over the past few months an army of brown boxes has slowly been marching into the workshop, preparing to take formation as something much more exciting than their cardboard exterior would suggest. New Year means new bike time and Euan’s fresh Yeti SB5 LR is raring to making its debut on the trails of New Zealand’s South Island which will kick off a busy year of guiding and exploring.

We’re very proud to work with two of the industry’s leading brands in Yeti and FOX which you can see make up the core of this new build. Our bikes get put through the wringer in a season of guiding which means we need, not only performance, but also reliability and ultimately peace of mind that our bikes will keep ticking over in the wilderness, allowing us to focus on our riders and their experience.

H+I Adventures guide's bikes, the Yeti SB5 LR Edition.

First thing’s first. The frame is a (as mentioned above) Yeti SB5 LR – LR standing for lunch ride. This is a slightly burlier build than the norm, inspired by the Yeti employees’ lunch time rides which can get rather competitive, both up and down… The frame is a size large, Euan is 6ft in height and finds this the perfect fit. A FOX Factory DPX2 shock in the back keeps in sync when things get fast, rough, and prolonged. Aside from the shock, the carbon is Yeti’s premium TURQ series which is both lighter and stiffer – an added benefit which could easily slip the eye. Up front is a big bruising 160mm FOX 36 in factory orange, of course. This is a 10mm jump up from the standard SB5 – again, keeping things in check when the trails turn extra tasty. A FOX Transfer dropper completes the Kashima clean sweep.

A Race Face cockpit is complimented by a couple of Next R carbon wheels, the spacious 31mm internal width rims are paired with Maxxis rubber to give a sure-footed platform. Although it’s peak slop season in Scotland this bike is destined for New Zealand meaning a Minion Semi-Slick has been popped on to increase rolling speeds, the chunky side knobs still offer up surprising levels of poise and traction. A Minion DHF has been Euan’s go-to front tyre for a few years now, whether that be in Chile’s volcano region or the rugged rocks of Torridon in Scotland.

H+I Adventures guide's bikes, the Yeti SB5 LR Edition with carbon Race Face bars.

Shimano or SRAM? The age old question which in all honesty is probably just down to personal preference. Shimano has been our preferred choice which sees the anchors and drivetrain taken care of. We’ve been riding with everything from SLX, Zee, through to XT and XTR models over the last year and decided to try the powerful Saint stoppers this year – theory is they will fade less on long descents, helping sore hands, which is something Euan has been finding on the rougher and more prolonged downs. 1X drivetrains are a no-brainer in our opinion. Simple, light, clean looks and still retaining all the range we need on long days in the saddle – a mix of XTR and XT components take care of the shifting. The bike is finished off with a seasoning of orange bling to complete the colour way, as well as a Robert Axle on the rear, which is the creation of two of our coast-to-coast riders. Initially for their own personal requirements towing trailers, the Robert Axle Project started to offer them for a wider range of bikes as a simpler and potentially cheaper option to the conventional axle your bike may be specced with.

With the majority of our guides piloting FOX equipped Yeti’s you’ll find there is a variance in frames and component specification, all stemming from personal preference discovered from long days in the saddle whilst out guiding. Oh and check out the latest Yeti 5.5 guide build!