Just recently, Yeti revisited their core models, replacing the outgoing SB130 is the new Yeti SB140. As the name implies, it has 140mm of rear wheel travel and either a 150mm or 160mm fork depending on the build kit. All builds are designed around 29” wheels. So is it worth the upgrade from your old SB130? Stick around to find out.
What’s new with the yeti SB140?
So let’s clear up any confusion. At the time of writing, there are two SB140s on Yeti’s website. The 29” SB140 is the new design, while the 27.5” is the previous model. Today we are talking about the new 29” SB140. Got it? Good.
So what’s new with the SB140? If we are being honest, the bike doesn’t change a ton on the surface. The geometry is tweaked slightly, and the suspension curve is updated; it uses a Sram UDH, a threaded BB, new cable management, and the seat tube is lowered. Nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering here. But did it really need to change all that much? I’ve been seeing a trend in new bikes this year. Many of them are only seeing seemingly minor updates like this. The geometry isn’t changing as drastically as it has in years past. It makes me wonder if the “longer, lower, slacker” trend is on its way out for now—that’s a question for a different day, though. For example, the SB140 is 0.1° slacker than the previous SB130. Reach grew by 5mm, stack by 6mm, and the chainstays saw the biggest change, growing by 11mm. Yet the new SB140 feels very different out on the trail. As brands are settling in on geometry, are they focusing more time and energy on suspension quality? I think they are, and I imagine that’s why these bikes feel so different from their predecessors.
I’m riding an XL Yeti SB140 LR T1 for today’s review. For reference, I’m 6’2”, and the fit was on the longer side—usually what I prefer for my trails and riding style. I scooched the saddle forward on the rails and felt right at home. While there’s nothing electronic on this bike, it leaves nothing to be desired, and it shouldn’t, considering its $8,800 price tag (without wheel upgrade.) Mine has also been kitted with Enve M6 wheels and Continental tires with an Argotal up front and a Kryptotal in the rear. So how does it ride? Read on!
Yeti SB140 Review
Uphill
I spent quite a bit of time on the SB130. I owned a Lunch Ride as my only bike for quite a while. It’s a platform I’m very familiar with. It’s been a bike we’ve also done a lot of comparison videos on. It always comes out at or near the top of those comparisons when it comes to climbing. So how does the new SB140 stack up? Very, very well.
The SB140 is still the quick, efficient, and race-bred bike that its predecessor was. It has that snappy feel Yeti has become famous for. I will say it’s a bit less racy than the SB130, though. It offers more traction and control. If you ask me, that’s a great thing. In fact, when we compared the old SB130 against other all-mountain bikes, that was the reason it wasn’t the top dog on that list. Now that it offers more traction and a smoother ride quality, it tackles technical and bumpy terrain much better. It’s easier to keep the pedals turning through the bumps, and that rear wheel is glued to the ground. I’ll take that trade-off any day of the week. Most of my test riding was spent on rocky desert trails. The SB140 handled those climbs very well, offering a ton of traction and control.
The body position and geometry are largely the same, but some minor tweaks have made it slightly better, in my opinion. The reach grew by about 5mm, but at the same time, the seat tube angle got a little steeper. The chainstays also got a little longer. This effectively shifts your weight closer to the front of the bike on the climbs. It helps quite a bit with keeping the front wheel down when things get steep. The stack height also grew by a few millimeters. My old man back appreciates the slightly more upright posture on the bike. It’s still lower than other bikes like the Santa Cruz Hightower, so I wouldn’t have hated a taller rise bar. Folks who like a more aggressive stance will appreciate the lower front end.
The SB140 isn’t what I’d call ultra-slack for a bike that I’d argue lands itself in the all-mountain category. The 65.5-65° HTA keeps things quick and responsive for navigating tight sections of trail. It’s easy to keep the bike going where you want it, and tight corners aren’t overly difficult. Despite the 1273mm wheelbase, it doesn’t feel bulky and unmanageable in tighter terrain. I’d suspect the centered body position helps quite a bit here.
Overall, the SB140 is an excellent climber. While it’s slightly less efficient than its predecessor, it remains at the top of the pack when compared to its competition. The added forgiveness, traction, and control go a long way in making it a better technical climber.
Downhill
There’s a capability threshold for me when talking about an all-mountain bike. If a bike is going to be your excuse not to ride a certain trail, then it doesn’t get the all-mountain designation in my book. The SB140 surpasses that threshold with flying colors. It’s up for any trail I’d be willing to ride. It would never be my excuse to back down from something a little scary—I’d use something else like “not enough lube on my chain” or “that burrito I ate last night is sitting on the left side of my stomach, and it’s throwing off my center of gravity.”
The SB140 has a way of punching above its weight class. I’m not sure how Yeti packs so much capability into 140mm of rear wheel travel. The suspension does an incredible job of managing the trail from the small bumps all the way up to bigger impacts. It’s kind of the Goldilocks bike in that regard. It’s plush enough without being too soft, and it’s supportive enough without feeling harsh. It remains that wall throughout the entire stroke. If there’s one thing I can say about the suspension feel is that it’s consistent start to finish—no surprises here.
My favorite thing about the new suspension feel is the added comfort, control, and confidence that comes from it being slightly more active than before. The bike is simply more fun now too. It’s got a more playful character with a more poppy-feeling platform. It’s easier to bunnyhop, unweight and jump. The increased traction is huge too. All-in-all, taking a little “race” out of the bike helped make it a more versatile and fun bike to ride in most situations.
While the geometry doesn’t change too much, the chainstays do get significantly longer with this version. That increases the overall wheelbase, which adds some stability to the bike. It also increases the amount of bike behind you, making that sweet spot just a little bigger. You don’t have to be so far forward on the bike to find the center now. That makes cornering quite a bit more natural. While the bike’s length grows by 13mm, it doesn’t become bulky or unwieldy. It’s still on the more responsive side of the all-mountain category. I’m assuming that comes from the HTA and lower front end.
Altogether, the SB140 remains the quick and lively all-mountain bike that we grew to love in the SB130. It’s slightly less racy in favor of a more fun, forgiving, and grippy platform. While the suspension handles the capability needs, the geometry keeps it quick and lively—making for an incredibly fun bike for a huge variety of terrain.
yeti sb140 Comparisons
SB140 vs. Hightower
I’m going to keep this short and sweet because the wheels are already turning for the full “Hightower vs. SB140 Showdown.” Again these two bikes seem to be competing for the exact same space in the industry. They both climb well, descend well, and cover just about every style of trail riding you can imagine. It’s going to be tough to find too many differences on the climbs. They’re efficient pedalers that provide a lot of traction and control. If either has the upper hand, it’s likely the Yeti with a bit quicker handling to navigate those tight and technical climbs. I think the Hightower leans slightly more towards descending capability than the SB140. It’s marginally slacker and longer, and the front end is significantly taller, but what I really think makes the difference is the suspension feel. It rides just a little deeper and more bottomless on those big hits.
Stay tuned for the full showdown coming soon (if winter ever decides to lighten up.)
SB130 vs. SB140
See everything above…
Who is the Yeti sb140 for?
This is my favorite section when talking about bikes as versatile as the SB140. It makes my job pretty easy. It’s for everyone. It’s for the rider who likes to knock out long miles on their backyard trails. And, It’s for the person who likes to ride the big stuff too. Backcountry missions with nasty ridgelines? Yep, it’s got you covered. A day out with the NICA kids? Yeah, you’ll be working hard, but you’ll be fine if you get a head start (those kids are fast.) There are really very few places where the SB140 feels like a fish out of water—a World-Cup XC race and the EWS come to mind. However, I’d have no reservations about riding the SB140 in one of our local enduros. I’d happily take it for Park City trails as well as the rocky stuff in Moab or St. George.
The bottom line on the yeti sb140
Slightly less “race-bred” than before for an even better riding bike.
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