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Yeti Races Back Into XC with New Carbon AS-Rc Cross Country Bike

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2015_Yeti_ASRC_Side_DS_Turq

Yeti’s roots run deep in cross country. With the amount of coverage and focus lately on the enduro and trail categories, it may easy to forget that the brand has sponsored a number of XC legends including none other than Johnny T. As the market trended towards longer travel and slacker angles, the cross country specific bikes in Yeti’s line started to fade away.

That all changes with the new AS-Rc – a carbon fiber race bike designed to regain Yeti’s spot on the podium. When it came time to introduce a new XC full suspension race platform, Yeti’s own Chris Conroy knew it was time.

“We have been out of the cross-country market for several years, so it was important that we nailed the form, fit, and function of the AS-Rc.” said Yeti’s President and co-owner. “The AS-R has been a storied bike in our line and we raced cross-country for nearly twenty years and have produced some greats in the sport. XC racing is in our DNA and we’re excited to reintroduce people to our heritage with a bike that sports Yeti’s progressive geometry.”

That geometry Chris is referring to is the AS-Rc’s longer, lower, and a bit slacker measurements of the new bike coupled with size specific wheels….

2015_Yeti_ASRC_Profile_Turq_Clip

Designed around 100mm of rear travel, complete bikes will include a 120mm fork. This should make for a very raceable platform, but still a bike that won’t shy away from the fun stuff especially with the bike’s 69 degree head tube angle. The carbon frame is said to have a 4.2lb frame weight and will be available in both 27.5 and 29″ wheels – depending on the size. The extra small and small frames will receive the smaller wheels, while the medium through extra large frames will roll on 29″ stock.

2015_Yeti_ASRC_Detail_02

2015_Yeti_ASRC_Detail_01

After their Switch and Switch Infinity systems were unveiled, it may be surprising to see a form of Yeti’s single pivot Active Suspension employed – though maybe not. The AS-Rc is all about light weight and efficiency and the single pivot design should have both in spades. We should get more details on the suspension design at either Eurobike or Interbike, but in the meantime the frame includes what looks to be a full carbon swingarm that is anchored to a carbon rocker link. Given the shape of those seatstays, we also wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they are designed to flex similar to many other Yeti designs.

2015_Yeti_ASRC_Profile_Blk_Clip

2015 Yeti ASRC spec weight price

Offered in two builds and two colors, AS-Rcs start at $5799 with a SRAM X01 build. Shell out another $4,200 and you’ll drop almost a pound and be rewarded with a SRAM XX1 build with XTR brakes and ENVE M50 wheels and a Chris King headset.

2015 Yeti ASRC geometry

2015 Yeti ASRC geometry 2
Click on the Geo chart to enlarge.
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34 Comments
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gringo
gringo
9 years ago

(deleted)

Pedro
Pedro
9 years ago

(deleted)

Turtlehead
Turtlehead
9 years ago

@gringo

Trek, and they already have had the bikes on floors for a few weeks.

And its @ the pricepoint where consumers probably should have a company making a decision about what wheel size will provide a better fit.

Davechopoptions
Davechopoptions
9 years ago

Don’t Trek already do that for the majority of their range?

michael
michael
9 years ago

Really hate to be negative, but I was really hoping for a switch infinity 29″ race bike, anyone reckon there is a chance for that, or is this it?

Iwan Kemp
Iwan Kemp
9 years ago
slashy
slashy
9 years ago

nnnnnnnoooooooo , looks like PF30.

Luiggi
Luiggi
9 years ago

Liteville has been playing with the wheel/frame size much longer than Trek or Yeti…

Durianrider
Durianrider
9 years ago

Only 1lb difference if you spend another 4k?

My mate lost 150lbs going high carb vegan and he is only 21! That enough savings to retire! 😉

Henrik
Henrik
9 years ago

Lookin’ good, just not too keen about that bowed out lower chainstay…

Oh, the most expensive 1lb ever upgrade!!

tonik666
tonik666
9 years ago

Liteville has already a scaled sizing concept in place. See here http://www.liteville.de/t/22_579.html

notapro
notapro
9 years ago

Your dh DNA was more dominant. Hope yeti brings back that part to mtb soon.

wheelz
wheelz
9 years ago

Looks really sharp and nice to see another manufacturer offering larger wheels for larger frames and smaller for smaller.

richyrich
richyrich
9 years ago

Why not make it the fancy suspension they’ve been touting since the 66? Switch, Switch infinity, will someone really move from an Epic or Scalpel to something without any modern race heritage that’s so simple? I doubt it. Sure, the rise of the single chainring solves a lot of the negatives of a single pivot, but the market is fickle for the next big thing and going back to single pivot may not be enough to grab the market they want. What racer wants a 120mm front? East coast only maybe.

jeff
jeff
9 years ago

Not really into that “size specific wheelsize” thing, but understand that it would be hard(and expensive) to offer both 27.5 and a 29er option in all sizes. I’m. 6′ tall and ride/ race a 27.5 bike, did the 29er thing, just didnt like them, just dont like that trend.
Btw, that is an awesome bike though.

Arvi
Arvi
9 years ago

I think Specialized has the Stumpy FSR in both wheel sizes for all frame sizes; and then frame specific size/geometry for 650 and 29r in overlapping frame sizes. This looks like they have better options for the rider.

gringo
gringo
9 years ago

(deleted)

Zlatko
Zlatko
9 years ago

Yeti ARC is also size specific, and it came out a lot sooner than Trek’s size specific models. So gringo is right, although by accident 🙂

dogboy
dogboy
9 years ago

Zlatko is correct, Yeti has been using the size specific wheels on the ARC for over a year now.

Rob
Rob
9 years ago

Awesome job Yeti! This or the SB95C will be my next bike. Love the little more travel and the slacker head tube on an XC bike.

The Flying Larry
The Flying Larry
9 years ago

Hmmm… looks nice, but $5700 for that outdated single pivot design they’ve hung onto for so many years???? That bike should be no more than $3600 with the X01 kit.

Pete
Pete
9 years ago

@Jeff. I fit into a size small and ride 29er wheels. I would not buy a 27.5 wheeled bike for xc.

jeff
jeff
9 years ago

Pete, I understand that some small riders like 29ers and some tall riders prefer 26 or 27.5 wheels, I just don’t like the trend with manufacturers making that choice for you. At 6′ tall, I have no problems fitting 29ers, but prefer 27.5 even for hard tail and FS XC, so for riders like myself, I won’t buy a bike from such manufacturers, but I know it’s not all about me.

kurti_sc
kurti_sc
9 years ago

This is probably the most (deleted) comments I’ve ever seen on one of these articles. What’s got everyone so uptight or needing to be moderated?
I thought it was a pretty normal review on a decent, yet slightly expensive, cool bike.

trainwreck
trainwreck
9 years ago

i have my old ASR frame on my mantle…

lonefrontranger
lonefrontranger
9 years ago

yea I realize why they’re doing it but I really cannot get behind the size-specific wheels thing. I’m a 5’4″ short lady who absolutely loves both of my 29ers. With an added bonus that I can share wheelsets across platforms between my XC hardtail and my ‘cross bike.

So yeah, I personally hate this trend, but don’t see it going away.

kevin
kevin
9 years ago

$5800-$10K is a LOT of coin for a single pivot. I’m a Yeti fanboy but wow that’s a ton of money for a rudimentary suspension platform even if it’s a feather weight.

CXisfun
CXisfun
9 years ago

Maybe I missed it, but when are they shipping and are they doing a frameset option?

Another Kevin
Another Kevin
9 years ago

Single pivot done right is better than convoluted multi linkage vpp overly flexy too active multi pivot too many bearings going bad noisy suspension systems if you do maintenance on your own bikes or just hate down time searching for that damn squeak ! Outdated is such an outdated word.

ploor
ploor
9 years ago

why isnt anybody importing liteville? – all my euro buddies rave about it

buriedundersnow
buriedundersnow
9 years ago

@ploor – Liteville is imported into the US by Radsport: http://www.radsportusa.com/

Matt F
Matt F
9 years ago

I’m 6’2″ and I prefer 650b wheels. Anyone else out there who rides a L/XL that prefers 650b over 29er?

feldy
feldy
9 years ago

This bike looks rad to me. It’s only 100mm travel, so no super fancy suspension seems appropriate. I’m not the only person who thinks pricing has gone off the deep end, but here’s what I don’t get: there’s a $2300 upgrade for the Enve wheels, but the _retail_ price difference between those wheels and the Crests is $2100. Or $1900 to go from XO1/XT to XX1/XTR? That’s gotta be only ~$1000 retail difference. Part of the point of buying a complete bike should be getting a package deal, not getting screwed.

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