Words by: Jimmy Smith

The Yeti SB140 is a very versatile bike, so for me this build serves a few purposes in my quiver. As you see it built up here it is configured to be my Arkansas Enduro Race bike and as the year progresses it will be my all around trail bike. The setup for Arkansas includes a bump up to 160mm travel on the fork and a double down casing tire with an insert out back. After I am done racing it in Arkansas the goal is to lighten things up a bit with a lighter casing Exo+ rear tire and bring the fork back down to 150mm. Making it the perfect set up for all day backcountry missions here in Colorado. So as you can see, with a few small changes it can go from all mountain trail sherdder so an enduro race bike capable of top 10s at some of the larger races in the USA.

Drivetrain:

For the Drivetrain I went with the SRAM XO T-Type kit. I love the look of the all black and the silver Ceramic Speed OSPW really pops in contrast. The crankset is equipped with a 32 tooth chainring with integrated bash guards and a quarq power meter for the nerdy data. All of this paired with a Ceramic Speed BB and UFO Drip Chain wax has my cranks spinning for days with minimal resistance, perfect for saving watts on those big backcountry days or some enduro races.

Cockpit:

I am new to the Trail One Components this year and have been loving them so far. The geometry and 35mm rise on the Crockett Carbon bars feels perfect to me and I love the small pop of polished silver that the 40mm Rockville stem provides.

Tires:

After riding for the same tire brand for the last 5 years it has been fun getting acquainted with other options in the market for this build. I went with the Maxxis 2.4WT DHRII Double Down casing with Maxx Terra compound for the rear and a Maxxis Assegai 2.5WT Exo + casing with Maxx Grip compound in the front. What's becoming a classic combo that provides loads of traction in a wide variety of terrain.

The SB140 is truly an incredible all around weapon. It is light enough to feel spry on long climbs and big days and paired with the 160mm fork I feel I have the confidence to really push through the chunk. The rear end on this bike does an incredible job of dealing with whatever you throw at it, while still being snappy and efficient when you have to get on the pedals. Yeti’s relatively linear progression curve truly makes the rear end on this bike feel bottomless, but somehow manages to have enough support at the end of the stroke to give you that pop when you need it. Another big takeaway for me is just how quiet the bike is. With its dialed cable management and integrated chain slap protection, you really have a much better sense of what's happening where the tires meet the trail.

In my view this bike is a blast on anything from mellow flow trails all the way to the bike park. A true testament to the capabilities of the modern trail bike.