You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Im very close to moving away from my G160 whyte which has been brilliant for the past 18 months and Im close to putting money on a 2019 Whyte crs 150 .To be fair I would have bought the 150, 18 months ago if i knew they were due out ..BUT having seen a couple of 2018 Yeti sb6c xts for sale at the same kind of money my gaze has been shifted towards another 160mm 650b .
Long and short I know what im getting with Whyte ..long low slack fast and great customer service in the UK from ATB , ideal for UK weather and cheap on bearings 🙂 I know the Yeti is a different bread but are they really designed for the Peak district slopfest that is a Hayfield campsite decent ?
Where are you based stevedoc?
I'm running an S-150 C RS as a shop demo bike right now, I've also ridden a few Yeti's including SB6c over the last few years.
My first question would be... What is important to you? Aside from wheel travel and head angle, these bikes are quite different in their approach. The S-150 is marketed as a trail bike, but I can tell you from having ridden it, and seen the Whyte team's race results, it's an unashamed Enduro Race Bike. As is the SB6c, but the smaller wheels make the Yeti a little less stable but quicker to change direction. I'd suggest the SB5.5c is probably a more direct comparison, though that isn't quite as slack or as long.
Anyway, I digress... The Yeti's Switch Infinity link seems to hold up better to UK slop than people have anticipated they would, as long as maintained well (regular grease in through the grease nipples etc.). Whyte have a fairly unenviable reputation as a well thought out "UK conditions" brand backed up by a lifetime bearing warranty. Both are incredibly fast bikes that reward an agressive rider and riding style, I can't deny that the Yeti is the better climber (all down to that Switch Infinity Link, I've ridden SB5.5c, SB5c and SB4.5c briefly, they were all as good or better!) but the Whyte is no slouch with a well setup shock for sure. Downhill, the Whyte is a little more playful when setup correctly (NEEDS the shock filling with volume reducers for a start!) and the short 42mm offset fork means it's absolutely rock steady over the rough stuff.
I'm a big fan of both, ultimately it's usually budget that constrains most people to buying a cheaper off the shelf bike though... I of course have just ordered myself a different (more expensive) option, the new Evil Offering. But then after the brilliance of the Wreckoning and the Following, the long vaunted but seemingly never coming (finally it's here!) 140mm 29er Evil that has promised to be the one and only bike I would ever need, is winging its way to me as we speak! But I'm dropping almost £3k on a frame alone, and will still have access to our S-150 demo if I don't want to ride the Evil through the shitty UK conditions! 😉
I don't have a current SB6, but I do have a 2016 SB5C in my stable. Despite what naysayers will tell you I've had no problems with the Switch Infinity in the winter mud of Surrey Hills or grinding paste of Swinley. If anything it collects far less mud than my DW-Link Pivot. All spares are pretty easy to get form Yetifanstores.com, a full bearing kit is around £57. Switch Infinity really is a great suspension platform, I never feel the need to use the lock out on climbs, on descents the 5" of travel feels pretty bottomless, so I imagine the Sb6 would feel epic. Throw in the racing heritage and I can't think of a reason why anyone shouldn't have a Yeti at least once! The only caveat I would add is that the 2018 Sb6 doesn't have anywhere near as long a reach as some other bikes, but this is balanced by a longer than average chainstay length.
This is no use whatsoever to you but the G160 seems to be one of the most under-rated bikes out there. We’ve reinvigorated ours a little by pushing the lyriks out to 170 and putting a 2019 damper in. It is unfeasibly fast downhill!!! I’d go Whyte for that reason, but I’m guessing you’d be delighted with either.
I have always got on with my 160 but like I said being a taller rider and coming from a Alpine Five the larger wheels on the 150c would have been a good call but alas i dived in a little earlier than i should have ,but never really regretted it.
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Im from Saddleworth Mboy and ive asked about this week with none of my local retailers having an xl in stock yet for demos. And knowing and using Whytes customer service on a few things I can only agree on how good they have been.</span>
How tall are you stevedoc?
I'm a bit of a distance from you, and don't have an XL demo either, but sold an XL to a guy the other day... They are a BIG bike, so if you're tall, then it will be a better bet than the Yeti for sure... FWIW, I'm 5ft10, I'm happiest on a Medium Whyte, but on an SB6c I'm firmly on a Large, even the XL isn't massive aside from the super long seat tube! And I don't even like my bikes super long...
Mboy im a leggy 6-2 and going off the numbers on the G160 im a definite Xl in the S150, i did try a sit on a large 150 and the cockpit felt cramped,and im not one for a large stem.
Im just thinking about where to go for a ride out tomorrow// Stavley is a good call. A ride out a bike fettle and a butty at Wilfs cafe