Yeti SB135 - A New 27.5" Bike In 2023

Words by: Trevor Mejia

Is This The New Do It All Bike: 

Yeti has had a busy year adding to their lineup starting with the SB120 and updated and refined SB140 and SB160 that were released for 2023 model year, and while in the spirit of new models comes the Yeti SB135, the little sibling to these models. To limit confusion with the newly released 29-inch SB140, the brand out of Golden, CO has changed the previous name of the smaller wheel bike from SB140 to the SB135, now fitting the nomenclature with 29” wheels having a “0” to end the model name and “5” to end the 27.5” wheel bikes. Along with the rest of the lineup, this new model gets all the same refined changes which will be discussed further. The Yeti SB135 is designed for the rider that wants to hit each corner instead of the straight line, or boost a jump instead of scrubbing for speed. 

What Is The SB135 and Why Is It So Fun? 

Across Yeti’s heritage and lineup, their mountain bikes are known for being race bred, fast and efficient machines. The rad people at Yeti are smart enough to know that not all of their customers are looking for this. After all, we ride bikes because they are fun, and fun should be the first priority! The SB135 comes with 135mm of rear suspension travel, paired with a 150mm or 160mm fork depending on the spec you desire. The clear differentiating factor on the SB135 is it’s 27.5” or 650B platform. Most dedicated 27.5” bikes have outdated geometry and were designed around the craze a few years ago when the bike industry started to transition from 26” wheels to 27.5” and eventually full-blown 29” race rigs. Now, with modern geometry and refinements, this dedicated 27.5” trail bike puts an emphasis on being creative while riding, finding that balance between fun and fast.

Small Details Matter: 

2023 has been a big year for Yeti with their new refined frame models. They have had a chance to perfect their lineup with great looking, quiet and clean additions. 

In these updates, the Yeti SB135 gets: 

• Threaded Bottom Bracket 
• More downtube clearance and a dual-density downtube protector 
• Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) / SRAM Transmission Compatibility 
• Tube in tube cable management with secure entry and exit points for a truly quiet ride 
• Shorter seat tube for longer dropper post compatibility 
• Updated linkage design with floating collet axles
• Sizing range from XS - XL 
• Size specific seat tube angles / chainstays 
• T-Series builds comes with Switch Infinity V2 

Specs:

Yeti is including the Lunch Ride (LR) version to the SB135  as well as continuing with Turq and C/Series build kits. 

The Lunch Ride is a more aggressive build kit that comes stock with a 160mm Fox 36 fork, Fox Float X shock, 200mm rotors, SRAM Code brakes and stronger DT Swiss wheels. This build is ready to rip and is how some of the Yeti and Worldwide Cyclery employees would build their bike if they had the choice! 

The standard build comes with a 150mm Fox 36 Fork, Fox Float rear shock, 180 rotors and a faster rolling Maxxis Rekon rear tire. This version also comes standard with 760mm width handlebars for a more fun and nimble ride. 

SRAM’s new Transmission T-Type drivetrain comes stock on the T3 lunch ride and standard T4 high end build options. 

Setup:

This bike is unique in that it is not designed around speed specifically. You might see somebody run their suspension and tires rock hard so that it hits a set of dirt jumps efficiently or on the contrary, running the bike super plush so that you can get to those hard to reach lines with ease and control. Regardless of your preferred riding style. Yeti has a great suspension setup guide that gives a baseline setting to go off of depending on your frame and build kit! We recommend using this when first setting up your new ride 

The Goods:

• Quiet ride 
• Switch Infinity gives an efficient platform but lively characteristics 
• Yeti’s attention to frame details
• Lifetime warranty on frame and Switch Infinity Link 

The Bads:

• Your strava PR’s might suffer from lack of 29 inch wheels :’( 
• Not as much control on fast sections 

Final Thoughts:

Yeti has made a purpose built ripper that emphasizes fun over raw speed. This smaller wheeled machine allows you to get to the high line and get creative on trail. The Yeti SB135 is also great for a smaller rider that feels generally uncomfortable aboard bigger wheels. The 27.5” or  650B platform keeps things nimble and twitchy so that you can get the bike where you want it to go. All in for a ‘wheelie’ good time.