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So more for my own benefit than anything else but I thought I'd write a quick update on the Yeti now I've had it more than a week and actually ridden it.
Bit of background, I bought this as one of the heavily discounted frames from Evolution Imports about a month ago on the basis that my Canfield was a bit too much bike for the riding I do. Plan was to have a bike I could take down my local quarry for drops and stuff, use for the Mega, a few DH races and general trail centre riding.
Firstly, I've changed a few parts - gone are the RS7's with uno and it their place I now have the Hollowtech style RS8's with a King BB. Not quite as stiff as the Saints on the 'Field but no where near as heavy either. Also gone ten speed and back to shimano - nice new Xt mech with ceramic KCNC jockey wheels in place of the knackered X9, shifters and cassette also obviously replaced. And I'm sporting a fairly hardcore E13 chain device that caused no end of chain suck to start with but now seems to be ok with a bit of adjustment. Is it just me that finds E13 stuff a bit rubbish?.....Oh, and I cut about 4ft off the seat post so I can ram it down in the frame - bendy seat tube means that a dropper post is really a necessity (when the reverbs finally turn up!)
Anyhoo, down the quarry and general riding about its great - light enough to ride to the quarry and planted and jumpy when I get there. I also did the 661 Mini DH at the forest of Dean this weekend which was an eye opener(also being my first DH race ever). Being 'mini' my mate and me assumed it would be 'easy' and doable on bikes like this. However it was only really 'mini' in length and being in the minority on AM bikes it was bloody hard! A swap to spikes helped (see vintage Wet Screams in the pic above) but even then it was still hard work. The obvious culprit (apart from my lack of skill) is the stem and this will be swapped out for a nice stumpy Thompson ASAP. However I think the biggest benefit would be a slacker head angle - fighting the temptation to get an angleset for it but I don't want to compromise on the rest of the riding I do. We did some of the trails at FOD whilst waiting for our second run and to be fair it was amazing. I wouldn't want to sacrifice this for the sake of DH racing.
On the plus side, its super stiff and tracks really well and because of the lack of heft, its really 'chuckable'. Wouldn't mind taking it to Chicksands 4X track for a bit of jumpy action, if only to remember how to pump properly.
I'm also struggling with the RP23 - I can't get nearly enough pressure in it. I'm 14st and its running 300 psi yet its blowing through all its travel waaay too easily. I'm torn between either sending it to Mojo/Flux or just biting the bullet and CCDB'ing it.
And finally, the brakes (Avid Elixers) are utter rubbish - I've never had such inconsistent braking. There's a tasty set of Tech 2's in the classifieds so maybe a swap is on the cards
I'm down for the Mega cup in Lyon in a couple of months and the AE Gravity enduro a few months after. Fighting the temptation to build the canfield back up, however I'm determined to stick it out with this and make it work....hopefully
I could say 'told you so' but I won't 😉
Take off the airsleeve (held on the outside of the aircan with a c-ring) and fill it with grease!!It won't lower the pressure you have to run but by reducing the volume will help it ramp up quicker.All Mojo can do is increase the compression damping which will cost you small bump compliance.I had exactly the same issues with our demo one....be gratefull you did'nt get a dhx air!!!
Have you got a high volume RP23?
Changing the air sleeve for the standard volume one would really help your problems. They are about £30 from Mojo.
Edit - someone beat me to it
Nice write up. I did FoD MiniDH last year in the gloop on my 4 inch travel razzer bike and it was good fun.
before you bite the bullet on a ccdb, if you want a decent coil shock i got a dhx rc4 off ebay for 225 new from hong kong. i likes it.
i saw those frames on sale too, i reckon i would shorten the shock length to drop the bb and slack the head angle a bit, possibly an angleset too. thats just me though, good luck with the fettling!
Still frames available for £780 if Evolutions site is up to date... I'm still kind of tempted by one instead of a Mojo HD, but I [i]think[/i] I'll stick with my dream bike option...
Nice review. Just got one last week and waiting on a couple of parts to build it up. Was a little worried that with the frame being slightly on the tall side (17.7 inch on a small) that it might hinder the "chuckability" (as an ex-bmxer this is quite important!), but glad to hear it can handle it.
Thanks for the info on the rp23. Had a quick chat with the guys at TFtuned and the recommendation is to bin it and buy a CCDB. Think I'll probably go down this route as I can't see the RP being ideal for what I want to use the bike for. I could go down the route of having it set up, fiddle about with and whatever but its still an XC shock being used for anything but XC. At the end of the day, if I sell the RP for a ton, that brings the CCDB down to £380 which is bearable. And CCDB's are GOLD.....
TheHodge - they do come up pretty big. I'm 6ft2 and on a medium and its bob on for me. It probably doesn't help that I'm running totems as the front is quite high, maybe a 160mm 36 would bring the front down a bit. I like my frames quite small anyway but I did read a few reviews that say it doesn't turn. Not sure I totally agree, its not a 100mm hardtail afterall but it seems to turn well enough for me.
What size is the shock my mate has a new Van RC with a Ti spring that he is trying to shift for £250.
Shock is 215mm x 63mm.
I'd have a long look at your shock pump. I'm heavier than you and I run 250psi in mine and it's pretty good.
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So, another month in and like a funky smell in the fridge, it's back. Thought I'd give another update just in case anyone cared. Whats interesting is that Bike Radar have just reviewed it and gave it a less than glowing write-up saying it didn't pedal very well. Its not something I've had a problem with, but the really interesting bit (relatively speaking) is that Conrad from Yeti said that it'd be better with a coil rather than air shock. I'm inclined to agree so thats the route I'm definitely off down.
i changed the wheels to the Crank Bros Iodines which look nice and are hella light - not sure how they'll stand up and I'm dreading if one goes out of true but they've had a battering so far and are still fine. Swapped out the looong stem for a nice stumpy 4x Thompson and the Reverb finally turned up and is fitted ready for the Avalanche cup at the end of the month.
Took it to cody Brenin for a ride and it was good to finally ride it on something other than a quarry or dh track. Bike really impressed me, quite a few sections I just laid off the brakes and let the bike soak it all up - probably the quickest I've ridden it.
Downsides - the Avids are utter rubbish. The front will now not hold any pressure what-so-ever, which considering they're only a couple of months old is not on. They're getting binned and replaced with saints. Oh, and all the pivots came loose during a session down the quarry. Have tightened them back up now but a bit of a concern.
Next up - the Mega and the Ae round of the gravity enduro. Sweet!
Looking better now, mainly thanks to that stem.
Totem on the front (it is, isn't it?) and rp23 on the back is an interesting combo. Coil rear shock would make more sense. Pushed Van R or RC might be another option?
Hope the bars are nice and wide too.
Yeah, stem has made a world of difference. It manuals so much easier now than before.
Yep, it is indeed a Totem which came off the Canfield. I think it actually suits the bike quite well but you're bang on in that its mismatched with the rp. Might have a look at the Van, as those Cane Creeks are a LOT of money and the push'd dhx on my Canfield was lovely.
Nice bike, great 'stance' about it.