A good decade ago, Yeti left the Lycra game and turned its back on race fullys. Until recently, the SB120 was the 29er full suspension bike with the shortest travel in the current model range. But even the SB120 with Yeti-typical Switch Infinity rear triangle is more focussed on trail than cross-country use and takes after its big brothers SB140 and SB160. A lightweight fully specially customised for cross-country use was missing. Yeti has now closed this gap with the new edition of the ASR and an emaciated athlete on the tyres. To make the new ASR absolutely competitive on the racetrack, the slim carbon frame has a Flex Stay rear triangle with 115 millimetres of travel and a 120 mm suspension fork. Unnecessary bearing points and elaborate rocker arms are nowhere to be found on the ASR. A total of 36 different carbon lay-ups are said to have been produced during development in order to get the best out of the frame.
In our test lab, the scales stopped at 1670 grams for the size L frame. This puts Yeti right up there with the lightest frames in this class, even though the peak value of the Specialized Epic is another 200 grams lower. The Yeti ASR weighs 11.3 kilos without pedals when fully assembled for just under 10,000 euros. That's good, but by no means record-breaking. A weight driver is quickly identified and is called DT Swiss XM 1700. In this price region, you can expect lighter wheels, which in turn would have a positive effect on the handling.
The practical test of the Yeti ASR T3
In the saddle of the Yeti ASR T3, things are surprisingly cosy at first. The seat length is limited and the cockpit is rather high due to the slight rise of the somewhat narrow handlebars. There is no trace of exaggerated sportiness. On the other hand, the ASR impresses with its efficiency. Even when pedalling out of the saddle, the rear suspension remains pleasantly calm and parries every acceleration. However, a remote twist grip for the entire suspension is available for the complete lockout.
When it comes to suspension components, the Yeti ASR T3 relies on Rockshox SID Ultimate forks and SID Luxe Ultimate shocks. The suspension responds well to small imperfections and generates traction. As soon as the trails get rougher and you really need to be able to swallow, the fork in particular is stingy with travel and becomes very progressive towards the end.
Although this effectively prevents bottoming out, it does not provide much comfort and is limiting. On tamer trails, on the other hand, the responsiveness of the poppy suspension is inspiring, allowing the ASR to be easily lobbed over root fields and pushed through compressions. However, we found the sluggish wheels lacked a little liveliness on fast climbs. The Maxxis Rekon/Rekon Race tyres also don't roll overly well and lose speed.
Positive: Despite the race use, Yeti specifies a 150 mm dropper post, which also allows steep descents with safety reserves.
Features of the Yeti Racefully ASR
- Fork: Rockshox SID Ultimate
- Shock: Rockshox SID Luxe Ult.
- Gear system: Sram X0, 1 x 12
- Gear ratio / belt width: 32, 10-52 / 520 %
- Brakes: Sram Level TLM 180/160 mm
- dropper post/stroke: Fox Transfer / 150 mm
- Wheels: DT Swiss XM 1700
- Tyres: Maxxis Rekon Maxxterra / Rekon Race 29 x 2.4/2.35
Measured values
- Total weight: 11.26 kg (without pedals)
- Weight frame / wheels: 1670 g / 4420 g
- Acceleration of running wheels: 3497 kg x cm²
RATING: The BIKE judgement is made up of the subjective impressions of the test riders and our laboratory measurements. The judgement is independent of price. Range of grades: very good (0.5-1.5), good (1.6-2.5), satisfactory (2.6-3.5), sufficient (3.6-4.5), poor (4.6-5.5)
Conclusion Peter Nilges, BIKE Test Manager
Yeti has not produced such a sporty race bike for a long time. The weight and performance of the Yeti ASR are top, but there is still potential in the equipment.
