Yeti LTe first test: Is the luxury racer with Bosch CX the new super enduro bike?
Adrian Kaether
· 27.09.2025
It could hardly have gone better for Yeti. The Americans took home two titles from the Enduro World Championships in Bellwald at the beginning of September. One of them with the "old" Enduro E-Bike 160E and actually inferior Shimano motor. With the new LTe, the successor to Yeti's world champion bike is already available. Racing in the DNA, even with a motor? After our initial contact, we can definitely say that this is more than just a slogan at Yeti.
But let's start from the beginning: Yeti is probably familiar to most bikers. With unusual looks and racers like Missy Giove and Juli Furtado, John Parker's brand cemented its cult status in the early 90s. Yeti may have gone through a lot since then, but with superstar Richie Rude, racing is still at the top of the agenda. In contrast, the brand with the turquoise bikes has long exercised restraint when it comes to e-bikes. Only the 160E from 2021 broke with convention. Typical Yeti: sinfully expensive. However, the driving characteristics were "only" very good and the engine system did not offer much range.
E-bike #2, the new MTe light bike with TQ motor from the beginning of 2025 was able to inspire us considerably more and even in a direct duel with archrival Pivot assert itself. And now Yeti rolls this bike into our editorial office: the new LTe follows in the footsteps of the 160E with 170/160 millimetres of suspension travel. Instead of Shimano, the drive now comes from Bosch, including 800 watt hours in the down tube. However, the electric part of the e-bike is of secondary importance to Yeti.
The facts about the Yeti LTe
- Price: from 9900 euros, test bike 12 900 euros
- Motor: Bosch CX, 100 Nm max. torque
- Battery: 800 Wh (permanently installed)
- Frame material: Carbon
- Suspension travel: 170/160 millimetres
- Wheel size: 29 inch (Mullet compatible via flip chip)
- Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Weight: 23.5 kg (test bike in size L, BIKE measurement)
Sixfinity: Six joints for a hallelujah
The rear suspension system should be the heart of the mountain bike. Whether with or without a motor, that is the conviction. So we delve into the details of the complex six-link rear suspension. In spring characteristics and anti-squat curves and lever ratios. The clear message is that someone has put a lot of thought into this. More on whether this pays off on the trail below. As for the pure facts: the rear suspension squeezes 160 millimetres of travel out of Fox shocks. The progression can be adjusted to the rider's preferences in three stages via a flip chip.
Otherwise, the bike comes with 29-inch wheels, but thanks to a second flip chip in the chainstay, it should also be possible to ride it as a mullet without changing the geometry. The frame of the high-end racer is of course made of carbon, which is reinforced with a second composite material. Yeti already uses Vectran to some extent on the MTe light bike and especially in its downhill prototypes, but it is now being used across the board on the LTe.
Bosch motor & classic cable routing
The frame is designed with classic cable routing. The cables are routed in tubes in the frame and clamped at the inputs and outputs to prevent noise when riding and to make servicing easier. The Bosch battery is permanently installed for optical and performance reasons. However, a service flap makes access easier. It is probably sufficient to loosen the front motor bolt to be able to remove the battery downwards. We did not try this out.
Finally, a few words about the E-System: Yeti uses on the new Bosch Performance CX (test here)including a stylish Kiox 400 C display. The top model even uses the CX-R. The Bosch app allows you to control the motor wind up to 100 Nm and 750 watts peak power and you can also configure the new EMTB+ mode, which offers noticeable advantages, especially on difficult uphills. The large 800 battery provides plenty of range. Yeti also wants to differentiate itself more strongly from the light model MTe with TQ and 580 watt hours.
Long and flat: The geometry of the Yeti LTe
Yeti has modernised the geometry of the LTe. The reach in size L is long at 486 mm, while the chainstays are a comfortable average at 449 millimetres for size L. However, Yeti does not have chainstays that grow with the rider to ensure a good balance across the frame sizes. The flat front is characteristic: the 636 mm stack is unusually low by modern (e-bike) standards.
From 9900 euros: Model overview of the LTe
Of course, the new Yeti is not a bargain. The exotic brand is known for its extreme prices and the LTe is no exception. Nevertheless, unlike its predecessor, the 160E, the entry-level model remains four-digit despite its larger battery. The LTe C2 with Eagle 90 transmission and Fox Performance suspension changes hands for 9900 euros list price. Anyone investing that much money in a bike would probably go straight for our T3 test bike for a whopping €12,900 with XO Transmission, Fox Factory suspension and HXC 1700 wheels from DT Swiss with carbon rims and 350 hubs created especially for Yeti.
Even more bling-bling is available on the top model T4 with the new Fox Podium upside-down fork and Bosch CX-R motor for 14,500 euros. This puts the Yeti on a par with other high-end bikes such as Specialized's Levo S-Works. All bikes come with Schwalbes Radial tyres, Rockshox's new AXS Reverb and brutally powerful Sram Maven brakes, which "only" use 200 mm HS2 discs on the front wheel to improve modulation. Yeti also installs a new, in-house carbon handlebar in all three equipment variants, which should provide plenty of flex and comfort on long and rough descents. Yeti is so convinced by this product that the handlebars with 800 mm width and 35 mm rise will also be available in the aftermarket in the future.
Noble bolides on the trail
Can the Yeti justify its exorbitant price on the trail? Of course, that's in the eye of the beholder. However, we were impressed by the uncompromising nature and clear character of the new bike from Colorado. On the climbs, you sit in the centre of the bike. The rear suspension tends to be a little lower in its travel, but is very sensitive and traction-strong. In combination with Schwalbe's radial tyres, the Yeti offers a massive amount of grip on the climbs. Front wheel climbing is noticeable here and there but not a real problem, as the relatively low stack and steep seat angle mean you can always put a lot of pressure on the front. The new Bosch motor does the rest and gives the Yeti a strong climbing performance overall.
If you switch from other e-enduro bikes to the Yeti, you will need a short familiarisation phase on the downhill. Many long-travel e-bikes tend to have a high front end and moderate reach, whereas the Yeti is long and slack. We therefore prefer to leave a few spacers under the stem and are happy with the high handlebars with 35 mm rise. Once you get used to it, you learn to appreciate the Yeti's racy riding position. Fully concentrated and with a lot of pressure on the front, we shoot the bike into one of our usual downhill test tracks and realise: This is exactly what the LTe is made for.
Speed freak for fast downhills
On wide high-speed bends, the Yeti feels like it's on rails; the chassis and frame, and certainly the radial tyres, skilfully filter out small bumps. Despite "only" 160 millimetres at the rear, the suspension feels like it has massive reserves and glides like the proverbial flying carpet even over rough root fields, full of rough steps and nasty stones. You're already clattering along the track at too high a speed and the LTe simply swallows it up and demands more. More grip, more speed, more hara-kiri. The bends on our test track haven't felt this tight for a long time. If you like, you can also fine-tune the rear suspension feel with the flip-chip on the shock to make it more linear or poppy. We found the centre position to be very balanced.
So if you like full throttle and fast lines, you'll be delighted with the LTe. And what about playfulness, pop and tight bends? The racy bike is surprisingly easy to get airborne. We were surprised by the forgiving suspension. The Yeti also performs well in tight turns thanks to its moderate chainstay length and not too generous wheelbase. However, the overall character remains purposeful and sporty rather than explicitly playful. Thanks to good cable routing and the new Bosch motor, the Yeti is also relatively quiet downhill. However, our test bike made a slight clunking noise from the frame or shock, which we were unable to localise until the end of the test.
BIKE verdict on the Yeti LTe
Yeti's new LTe may be extremely expensive, but it impresses with its many well thought-out details and, above all, its riding characteristics. We have not ridden the bike in a direct comparison with the competition. So we would say: A real racer with fantastic suspension and a clear character for speed fetishists. However, if you are looking for a particularly playful bike, you will find more suitable bikes. We look forward to seeing how the Yeti LTe performs when we get to test it with a suitable competitor. - Adrian Kaether, Editor Test & Technology
Interview with Garrett Davis, Yeti
BIKE: Yeti has held back on e-bikes for a long time. The 160E didn't appear until 2021, and we've also had to wait four years for the MTe and the new LTe. What's behind this?
Garrett Davis: Two things had to be in place for us: firstly, the engines had to reach a technical level that we could have fun with ourselves. And secondly, we needed kinematics that would provide us with the outstanding suspension qualities we are known for, even with the engine. Our Sixfinity concept was the solution.
In the USA in particular, people were very critical of e-bikes for a long time. What role does demand play in the development of your e-mountainbikes?
With the 160E, we believe that 2021 was a good time to launch the first e-MTB. Our video for the launch back then was called "It takes time, to make time." We knew that we were later than others. But with our E-MTB, we wanted to launch an uncompromising Yeti bike that we as a brand stand behind 100 per cent. The two new bikes now, with the diversification with MTe and LTe, show our commitment to the topic of e-mountainbikes. We are keeping a close eye on this and can also imagine expanding the range if the market demands it.
In our conversation before the interview, you hinted that Yeti approaches the construction of a new bike a little differently than other brands. What exactly do you mean?
We want a bike that makes mountain bikers faster. The design of the suspension plays a central role and takes priority over all other decisions regarding the equipment and by that I explicitly mean the motor system. With Sixfinity, we have kinematics that give us virtually complete freedom in terms of leverage ratios, anti-squat and anti-rise, allowing us to realise exactly the suspension we want. Aesthetics also play a major role. We have an extremely motivated team here at Yeti that makes the technical perfection on the inside visible on the outside.
Until now, your full-power e-bike relied on a Shimano motor. The new one comes with Bosch. Why the change?
The flexibility of our suspension system gives us the luxury of being able to treat the e-system as part of the equipment. This is different for many other brands, which would first have to extensively integrate a new motor into their suspension. At the moment, for example, we are using Sram gears and taking on board feedback from the market. Next year, Shimano will play a bigger role again. Bosch currently supplies a very high-performance e-system with high reliability and good service. Our links to Shimano, through our race team but also otherwise, remain close.
Some decisions on the LTe - Full-29, fixed battery, geometry - could have been made differently. Why did you make this decision?
Firstly, the fixed battery. We all want a bike that is uncomplicated to handle and easy to maintain. But we also want it to look good. With 800 watt hours in the down tube, you don't have to remove the battery on the road. However, the service hatch allows you to access the battery in the workshop in a good 10 minutes. That was the best compromise for us.
On the subject of wheel size and geometry: We still think that full-29 is the fastest option. But with Sixfinity, we can install a flip chip that makes a small rear wheel possible without sacrificing performance and without changing the geometry of the bike. So it was a clear decision for us to give the riders this option.
Can you say something about the weight and the frame weight?
Weight is of course a factor, but not the decisive one for an E-Enduro. Simply because there are so many heavy components involved that the frame doesn't make a big difference to the overall weight. This is different, for example, with our ASR cross-country bike (tested here). However, the LTe focussed more on riding characteristics and, above all, durability. The bike was tested according to our in-house Yeti Enduro standard, which goes well beyond the normal ASTM4 standard. In addition to a steel spring shock absorber, the bike can also be ridden with a double bridge fork with up to 180 millimetres and has also been tested accordingly. This is more important to us than the weight of the bike when it comes to E-Enduro.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
