Been on a 2020 130 TLR since September. Thank you WWC for the sweet ride. Great crew and shop in TO. I think this review is right on the mark. Also found that I like to run .04 or .06 spacer in the DPX2 for better bottom out and progression. Great bike for me, as stock 130 demoed a couple times and sizes came up a little short on the gravity side. Local so cal chunky single track rider. This thing rails! Tempted to try coil as some have suggested...
Great to see you film the climbing section. Its important to know how bikes climb since more than half our rides are climbing. Are you clipped in? What's your standard gear?
Glad you liked the climbing portion. I've considered taking them out/making them a lot shorter just for the sake of audience retention. I ride clipped in. I use Shimano XT pedals. They hit the right performance vs price balance for me.
This kind of review is the best because you are giving feedback immediately. Some reviews just talk about the bike and when they road it a day or week ago. Still awesome though, but your style is better imo. Merry Christmas
Tough call. They are both similar in the kind of terrain they can ride, but go about it in different ways. The Ripmo is more plush and squishy where the 130 is firm and fast.
Thanks for the review. I was hoping you could give your opinion on my top 3 bike choices you would prefer on that same trail. And the finalists are: SB130LR, Ripmo V2, La Sal Peak. Thanks your feedback will be appreciated and help me not lose as much sleep trying to decide!!!
I can only speak to the SB130 and the Ripmo. Haven't ridden the Fezzari. The 130 and Ripmo are pretty similar in terms of the terrain and trails they can ride. They both climb really well. The Ripmo is more plush and comfortable, where the 130 feels firmer and more supportive. It kind of boils down to this for me: If you like to just cruise, be comfortable and have fun, the Ripmo might be the better option. If you like to charge hard and go fast the 130 will facilitate that a little more.
Thanks for the review - very helpful in my decision to buy one - which I just did! Now, can you tell me what type of triangle frame bag that is? Looks like a perfect fit!
It leans a lot more to the enduro side of things than the Rascal. The Rascal is a trail bike through and through. The regular 130 would be closer. You can watch our Rascal video on our channel to get a better idea.
I am in the same boar here, cannot decide which one to get, regular SB130 (non Turq, SRAM GX) or SB130LR (non Turq) price difference is like 100$, but the weight is 1 pound more for LR. Have like one week to decide. Sales person, told me LR has better Sram brakes and weight comes from heavier tires.. breaking my head which one to get :) After you said, regular 130 climes better
I don't think there's enough between them to stress over it too much. They're both really good. Personally, getting the Sram Codes with the Lunch Ride makes it worth it to me.
@@bikersedge update :) - I love this bike. It pedals awesome and climbs awesome, but it took me a while to get used to corner it. It is longer than my 27.5 so it took me a while to get better feel of it.
Thanks for the review. What are your thoughts on the SB130 CLR vs the Commencal Meta TR Race aside from alloy and carbon? My trails are very similar to yours. I might want to participate in an occasional race, and maybe try a bike park once a year.
Looking at getting a new longer travel bike. Would you buy the sb130lr or a ripmo af. I plan on having them with similar specs. Riding trails in the Canyons and Park city.
Tough call. I really like them both. The SB130 feels faster and more supportive. So if you have plans to race or just want all the KOMs, I'd go that route. If you prioritize having fun and goofing around on the trail, I'd go with the Ripmo.
@@bikersedge Which bike do you feel climbs better? And is one a better descender than the other? Either would be my longer travel bike to do the majority of Utah riding.
I'm not exactly sure how that will make the bike behave. Statically, your geometry won't change at all. At sag, it will likely lower your BB by just a little bit (maybe a MM or two) as your 30% sag is going to be slightly more. It's not really going to all that noticeable. I honestly don't think there will be much or any climbing penalty.
It's been a really long time since I've ridden it so that's why I didn't put it on the list of comparisons. So take this with a grain of salt, but I'd say the regular SB130 climbs as well if not better than the Rascal but the 130LR is probably a little slower.
Sizing advice in the Internet is really tough. Everyone is shaped differently and has different preferences. My general rule of thumb is that most riders who fall between sizes will benefit more from the larger frame’s stability than they will the added mobility of the smaller frame. That said, some people have really tight terrain or value agility over everything. In that case the smaller frame would be more beneficial. Going off of Yeti’s size guide I’d say you’re probably better off in a medium. Sorry to not be of much help.
Can do. Might be a bit before we can get away again and do some proper bike riding. I used to own one and have ridden one quite a bit. Here's my quick 3 sentence review. It's burly as hell without feeling like a tank. It's surprisingly well rounded although its a feels little bigger and less lively than your standard trail bike. It's one of the smoothest (read:fast) bikes in the chatter that I've ever ridden.
I'm with David on this one. They're pretty close, but I do think the 130 LR is a better climber. The 150 is a little more than half a degree slacker and has a bit more travel to sag into. It's really not much heavier or that apparent, though. The biggest differences between the two are apparent on the downhills.
I agree I'm a big guy and wanted to tame the sb150 a little by lowering the front to a 160mm of travel with no pedal strikes it's the funniest bike I've own to date and is more of a blast to ride on the flats to rough stuff. It's what I wished my Santa Cruz Hightower LT had been but it just missed something.
@@thefontzchannel Interesting. It's always been a favorite of mine. The capability you get out of that bike is incredible. Especially with how well it climbs.
James Fontes super curious about your experience with dropping the SB150 down to 160mm in the front. I’m considering doing the same. Thoughts on how it rides compared to the stock 170mm?
Great review and great bike! I am between the Hightower, the SB 130 and the Ripmo 2. Which one do you suggest as a do it all bike if you had to pick one as your only bike? And with the least pedal bob if not any at all? Keep up!
Glad you liked it. I'll start with the second question first. It's easier to answer. Pedal Performance (lack of pedal bob): Ripmo>SB130>Hightower The second question is a little tougher. It comes down to how and where you ride. I'll give you some characteristics of each and then let you decide. They're all pretty similar in geo and on the DH with some subtle differences in suspension feel. The Hightower is PLUSH - all the way through the travel. It hugs the ground really well and rides really smooth and panted. It feels the cushiest. The Yeti is FAST - the suspension feels firm and supportive and really rewards riders who pump the terrain for extra speed. The Ripmo is PLAYFUL - and somehow really plush at the same time. The initial part of the stroke is like butter. Then it starts to ramp up and give you enough support to really push into berms and off jumps. It likes to be in the air. Hopefully that helps.
Biker's Edge Thank you, your response was very informative! So we conclude: The Ripmo is the winner, no pedal bob, plush and playful that likes to jump!! Thank you very much!! Waiting for more reviews to come!!!
@@jsinnott5952 At least around me, most of the bike park trails are modern flow trail style. They are wide, flowy, and full of berms and jumps. I think the 130 would be better there. Some of the backcountry rides and ridgelines in my area get way rougher and nastier than the bike park trails. I think the 150 would be better there. Neither the 130 nor 150 is awesome in the air. They feel like they want to be on the ground going fast rather than messing around hitting little jumps and jibs.
@@bikersedge thank you so much for the insight . Maybe sb140 would be better suited for jumping and playing around on the trail . Seems like the megatower is maybe the more playful big 29er but impossible to find
@@jsinnott5952 personally I haven't ridden a Yeti that feels awesome jumping. They all feel "Race Driven" like Yeti's mantra. The smaller wheels on the 140 will help, but I think a lot of it comes down to the suspension feel. I don't think the Megatower is much more playful either. The most lively big 29ers I've ridden are the Transition Sentinel, Rocky Mountain Altitude and Giant Reign.
I got this bike, because i needed a do it all bike plus occasionally send it. Still trying figure out a good setting for the fork, the shock feels alright
Hi! Excellent review! What difference did you notice between this TLR and the Hightower in uphill, downhill etc ...? The Hightower has 140mm of suspension despite its 10mm less on the fork. Their geometry are also very similar ... Which would you choose as all around bike?
Thanks for the kind words. I go into more detail about that comparison in our written review on the website. This link should get you there www.bebikes.com/the-hub/yeti-sb130-lunch-ride-first-ride-review
Climbing should be compared against the high-tower, not the tall-boy. 140mm travel bikes, not 120mm. Of course it’s gonna climb worse than bikes with 17 mil less travel
It's so minimal I don't think anyone could tell them apart. If you ride a L in the regular 130, you'll ride a L in the LR. The frame is the exact same, but because the BB and head tube sit a little higher, the reach is a little shorter on the LR.
The Ripmo is more plush and the 130 is firmer and more supportive. To me, the Ripmo is for having fun, playing around and taking it easy from time to time. The Yeti has one purpose - going fast. It’s really good at that.
Been on a 2020 130 TLR since September. Thank you WWC for the sweet ride. Great crew and shop in TO. I think this review is right on the mark. Also found that I like to run .04 or .06 spacer in the DPX2 for better bottom out and progression. Great bike for me, as stock 130 demoed a couple times and sizes came up a little short on the gravity side. Local so cal chunky single track rider. This thing rails! Tempted to try coil as some have suggested...
Nice bike and really enjoyed the climbing portion of the vid. Yeti always has made great bikes even in the old steel days.
Hey thanks. They certainly do a good job. Switch Infinity is nuts.
Lots of bikes out there to choose from, but i just like this one the best. Thanks for all the great honest reviews. Cheers :)
It's one of our favorites too. Thanks for the kind words!
Love the sarcastic write-up. Trails look sweet. Need some relief from the North Shore
Thanks. Glad you read it. I try to get some personality in there rather than just writing any old bike review.
Great stuff :). Jealous of your local riding, pretty cool looking out there.
Thanks! We are pretty lucky. We have a huge variety of terrain.
What a perfect place to review this bike!
That trail is one of my favorites. So chunky but you can go so fast.
Great to see you film the climbing section. Its important to know how bikes climb since more than half our rides are climbing. Are you clipped in? What's your standard gear?
Glad you liked the climbing portion. I've considered taking them out/making them a lot shorter just for the sake of audience retention.
I ride clipped in. I use Shimano XT pedals. They hit the right performance vs price balance for me.
Good vid and commentary while riding.
Thanks. It's harder than it seems to talk and ride.
This kind of review is the best because you are giving feedback immediately. Some reviews just talk about the bike and when they road it a day or week ago. Still awesome though, but your style is better imo. Merry Christmas
Great review Conor. Too many good choices...
Hey thanks. Glad you liked it!
I’m actually surprised that it leans closer to the 150 than the base 130...
@@mtxbraking It surprised me quite a bit too. I thought it would be a small difference, but it almost feels like a different bike.
Makes me wonder how the base 130 would be with an X2 shock to split the difference.
Am not a dog person, but have always wanted a “bulldog” type of bike. This would seem to fit the bill
2020 ibis ripmo v2 or yeti 130 witch one you like better?
Tough call. They are both similar in the kind of terrain they can ride, but go about it in different ways. The Ripmo is more plush and squishy where the 130 is firm and fast.
Thanks for the review. I was hoping you could give your opinion on my top 3 bike choices you would prefer on that same trail. And the finalists are: SB130LR, Ripmo V2, La Sal Peak. Thanks your feedback will be appreciated and help me not lose as much sleep trying to decide!!!
I can only speak to the SB130 and the Ripmo. Haven't ridden the Fezzari. The 130 and Ripmo are pretty similar in terms of the terrain and trails they can ride. They both climb really well. The Ripmo is more plush and comfortable, where the 130 feels firmer and more supportive. It kind of boils down to this for me: If you like to just cruise, be comfortable and have fun, the Ripmo might be the better option. If you like to charge hard and go fast the 130 will facilitate that a little more.
Thanks for the review - very helpful in my decision to buy one - which I just did! Now, can you tell me what type of triangle frame bag that is? Looks like a perfect fit!
Evoc frame bag. It’s great.
How does it compare to the rascal?
It leans a lot more to the enduro side of things than the Rascal. The Rascal is a trail bike through and through. The regular 130 would be closer. You can watch our Rascal video on our channel to get a better idea.
I am in the same boar here, cannot decide which one to get, regular SB130 (non Turq, SRAM GX) or SB130LR (non Turq) price difference is like 100$, but the weight is 1 pound more for LR. Have like one week to decide. Sales person, told me LR has better Sram brakes and weight comes from heavier tires.. breaking my head which one to get :) After you said, regular 130 climes better
I don't think there's enough between them to stress over it too much. They're both really good. Personally, getting the Sram Codes with the Lunch Ride makes it worth it to me.
@@bikersedge got it, will go with LR then... :)
Nice!
@@bikersedge update :) - I love this bike. It pedals awesome and climbs awesome, but it took me a while to get used to corner it. It is longer than my 27.5 so it took me a while to get better feel of it.
@@vmxd Stoked you're diggin' it. It's a long bike for sure, but once you figure out the body position, it gets around a corner pretty well.
Thanks for the review.
What are your thoughts on the SB130 CLR vs the Commencal Meta TR Race aside from alloy and carbon?
My trails are very similar to yours. I might want to participate in an occasional race, and maybe try a bike park once a year.
Haven’t ridden commencal. As a bike shop we don’t have access to their bikes.
Been diggin the videos!!! How about an SB140 Mullet vs the SB130LR??
If I can find a way to get a 140 and mullet it, I will make a video.
Amazing trail! Whats called?
Will be amazing see ripmo innthe same trail to compare tech climbs, tought descends
Thx!!
Looking at getting a new longer travel bike. Would you buy the sb130lr or a ripmo af. I plan on having them with similar specs. Riding trails in the Canyons and Park city.
Tough call. I really like them both. The SB130 feels faster and more supportive. So if you have plans to race or just want all the KOMs, I'd go that route. If you prioritize having fun and goofing around on the trail, I'd go with the Ripmo.
@@bikersedge Which bike do you feel climbs better? And is one a better descender than the other? Either would be my longer travel bike to do the majority of Utah riding.
I'm now concerned removing spacer on 130 to increase travel to 137 will effect climbing performance. The fork travel would remain at 150. Thoughts?
I'm not exactly sure how that will make the bike behave. Statically, your geometry won't change at all. At sag, it will likely lower your BB by just a little bit (maybe a MM or two) as your 30% sag is going to be slightly more. It's not really going to all that noticeable. I honestly don't think there will be much or any climbing penalty.
@@bikersedge Thanks for the reply
How does this and the regular 130 climb compared to the Rascal?
It's been a really long time since I've ridden it so that's why I didn't put it on the list of comparisons. So take this with a grain of salt, but I'd say the regular SB130 climbs as well if not better than the Rascal but the 130LR is probably a little slower.
What brand is that frame bag?
Evoc
I got that evoc bag, size S fits perfectly (my frame is size L), but the bag in size L is too large.. so went with small. awesome bag!
Nice trail!
What is the name of bag you have strap on the bike?
It’s an Evoc frame bag.
Torn between sizes... at 5’9.5 what size do you recommend?
Sizing advice in the Internet is really tough. Everyone is shaped differently and has different preferences. My general rule of thumb is that most riders who fall between sizes will benefit more from the larger frame’s stability than they will the added mobility of the smaller frame. That said, some people have really tight terrain or value agility over everything. In that case the smaller frame would be more beneficial. Going off of Yeti’s size guide I’d say you’re probably better off in a medium. Sorry to not be of much help.
Cool bike name Yeti
where is this video taken?
St. George, Utah
great review as always . Would you take the LR over the new Santa Cruz Hightower?
Hey thanks. We did a Hightower vs 130 video a while back. Check that out!
@@bikersedge thanks
Review the sb150
Can do. Might be a bit before we can get away again and do some proper bike riding.
I used to own one and have ridden one quite a bit. Here's my quick 3 sentence review. It's burly as hell without feeling like a tank. It's surprisingly well rounded although its a feels little bigger and less lively than your standard trail bike. It's one of the smoothest (read:fast) bikes in the chatter that I've ever ridden.
@@bikersedge thanks dude..appreciated it 👌👍
How different is it from the regular 130 climbing wise?
I go into that more on our written review www.bebikes.com/the-hub/yeti-sb130-lunch-ride-first-ride-review
Thoughts on This vs the occam ??
Answered that one on your comment on the other video.
Can you test ride the yeti SB 165 ! That was a good review really enjoyed it !;the SB 165 would be a classic ! 👌👍😎
Coming right up. I shot the 165 review the day after I shot this one.
Can't wait man. Great videos!
Solid ! Hey man, what glasses are these ? They look awesome 👌
Thanks. They’re Smith Wildcats
Any thoughts about swapping the DPX2 for an X2?
I'd be curious to try that. I really like the DPX2 because it's a bit more lively than the X2. The X2 is super plush though. Might be fun to try.
Would the sb130lr climb much better then the sb150?
I've owned both. To me, they are so close in efficiency that it's not a factor in differentiating the two bikes. The 150 is very surprising.
I'm with David on this one. They're pretty close, but I do think the 130 LR is a better climber. The 150 is a little more than half a degree slacker and has a bit more travel to sag into. It's really not much heavier or that apparent, though. The biggest differences between the two are apparent on the downhills.
I agree I'm a big guy and wanted to tame the sb150 a little by lowering the front to a 160mm of travel with no pedal strikes it's the funniest bike I've own to date and is more of a blast to ride on the flats to rough stuff. It's what I wished my Santa Cruz Hightower LT had been but it just missed something.
@@thefontzchannel Interesting. It's always been a favorite of mine. The capability you get out of that bike is incredible. Especially with how well it climbs.
James Fontes super curious about your experience with dropping the SB150 down to 160mm in the front. I’m considering doing the same. Thoughts on how it rides compared to the stock 170mm?
Great review and great bike! I am between the Hightower, the SB 130 and the Ripmo 2. Which one do you suggest as a do it all bike if you had to pick one as your only bike? And with the least pedal bob if not any at all?
Keep up!
Glad you liked it.
I'll start with the second question first. It's easier to answer.
Pedal Performance (lack of pedal bob): Ripmo>SB130>Hightower
The second question is a little tougher. It comes down to how and where you ride. I'll give you some characteristics of each and then let you decide. They're all pretty similar in geo and on the DH with some subtle differences in suspension feel. The Hightower is PLUSH - all the way through the travel. It hugs the ground really well and rides really smooth and panted. It feels the cushiest. The Yeti is FAST - the suspension feels firm and supportive and really rewards riders who pump the terrain for extra speed. The Ripmo is PLAYFUL - and somehow really plush at the same time. The initial part of the stroke is like butter. Then it starts to ramp up and give you enough support to really push into berms and off jumps. It likes to be in the air.
Hopefully that helps.
Biker's Edge Thank you, your response was very informative! So we conclude: The Ripmo is the winner, no pedal bob, plush and playful that likes to jump!! Thank you very much!! Waiting for more reviews to come!!!
Great review:) Can I ask you what model frame pack you have there, seems to fit really well.
Thanks! This is the new Evoc frame bag - size M. It's a hair too big for my XL frame, but they make a size smaller.
Nice review 🔥 personally what would you get the sb150 or sb130lr?
Well, the SB130 lived in my garage.
@@bikersedge fair to say that unless you hit the bike parks a lot the 150 is just too much bike ? how does the sb130 jump?
@@jsinnott5952 At least around me, most of the bike park trails are modern flow trail style. They are wide, flowy, and full of berms and jumps. I think the 130 would be better there. Some of the backcountry rides and ridgelines in my area get way rougher and nastier than the bike park trails. I think the 150 would be better there.
Neither the 130 nor 150 is awesome in the air. They feel like they want to be on the ground going fast rather than messing around hitting little jumps and jibs.
@@bikersedge thank you so much for the insight . Maybe sb140 would be better suited for jumping and playing around on the trail . Seems like the megatower is maybe the more playful big 29er but impossible to find
@@jsinnott5952 personally I haven't ridden a Yeti that feels awesome jumping. They all feel "Race Driven" like Yeti's mantra. The smaller wheels on the 140 will help, but I think a lot of it comes down to the suspension feel. I don't think the Megatower is much more playful either. The most lively big 29ers I've ridden are the Transition Sentinel, Rocky Mountain Altitude and Giant Reign.
I got this bike, because i needed a do it all bike plus occasionally send it. Still trying figure out a good setting for the fork, the shock feels alright
I think you picked the right bike for the type of riding.
or you can get stronger and climbs will start to get easier on any bike except for downhill bikes
Thats very true. Now imagine you got stronger and then used a bike that's even better at climbing....
Awsome landscape! Looks like you’re far away from civilization. Cheers from switzerland
It looks that way but it's about 5 minutes from a city. Great trail access there.
Hi! Excellent review! What difference did you notice between this TLR and the Hightower in uphill, downhill etc ...? The Hightower has 140mm of suspension despite its 10mm less on the fork. Their geometry are also very similar ... Which would you choose as all around bike?
Thanks for the kind words. I go into more detail about that comparison in our written review on the website. This link should get you there www.bebikes.com/the-hub/yeti-sb130-lunch-ride-first-ride-review
Climbing should be compared against the high-tower, not the tall-boy. 140mm travel bikes, not 120mm. Of course it’s gonna climb worse than bikes with 17 mil less travel
If you read the written companion piece you’ll see how it stacks up against bikes with more travel.
What's the fit of the LR like compared to the reg 130?
It's so minimal I don't think anyone could tell them apart. If you ride a L in the regular 130, you'll ride a L in the LR. The frame is the exact same, but because the BB and head tube sit a little higher, the reach is a little shorter on the LR.
How does it compare with the Ripmo ?
The Ripmo is more plush and the 130 is firmer and more supportive. To me, the Ripmo is for having fun, playing around and taking it easy from time to time. The Yeti has one purpose - going fast. It’s really good at that.