It was near the end of day one when I hopped onto the all-new 2008 Yeti 575 Enduro. Typically, by that time of day, the sun has given me the eternal beat-down and I’ve all but pedaled every ounce of energy and sweat out of my system. This year was different. Even after spanking the trails for most of the day, the all-new 2008 Yeti 575 Enduro felt especially quick and agile on the climbs–an attribute not demonstrated by a single bike earlier in the day. Having identified the previous Yeti 575 as one of the top trailbikes of our day, the all-new 575 crushes the previous design on all fronts.
Not satisfied with the current frame design, Yeti went back to the drawing board on frame materials and design. The new front triangle boasts hydroformed tubes for a 30% stiffer ride and I’m guessing a slight weight savings. Gone is the old knuckle junction in the top-tube in favor of an un-welded, continuous (yet still bent) top-tube. And, while I’m on the subject, the top-tube lengths have been extended ever so slightly in all sizes.
The rear triangle continues the evolution of the 575 with a full carbon option that features asymmetrical chainstays and a reinforced seatstay similar to the reverse arch sported by Manitou forks. Of course it still features the carbon flexpoints instead of full pivots. Everything about the new frame is flat out awesome. It looks much more refined and sexy compared to the previous model and those looks are not just skin deep because as I quickly found out, this bike flat out rips up the trails.
Quick Review of the 2008 Yeti 575 Enduro
As mentioned above, I rode the 575 as the final bike of day one, which isn’t usually the best time to be testing a bike. But, as it turned out, it was the best time to hit the trails on the 575 because it instantly stood out as the finest bike of the Demo. While I didn’t get a chance to ride every trailbike, I have ridden every bike in this category over the past three years and this bike is quite honestly the new benchmark in the category.
After slogging uphill on the Commencal Meta 6, pushing a the bigger hoops of 29′ers and climbing pretty darn efficiently on the Marin Mount Vision Quad XC, the Yeti cruised uphill better than any 6-inch travel bike I’ve ever ridden. This thing is the epitome of smooth and efficient. It tracks uphill straight and smooth on both fire roads and singletrack.
When the going gets rough and gravity takes over, the 575 continues to show that it is the boss. The Fox TALAS RLC provided just the right amount of squish and stiffness to keep the rubber side in contact with the ground–no matter how rough. Although I believe the rear shock (Fox RP23) is completely sufficient for the downhill portion of the show, this bike could benefit from a tad longer-travel up front (as is stock on the more expensive Enduro Pro build). The Fox 36 or RockShox Lyrik would be stellar options on this ride–just so long as you could reduce the travel on long climbs.
The Bottom Line
Both Kendall and myself felt that the 575 was the best bike ridden at the show. And, to prove that we aren’t the only ones, as I was climbing up the trail I happened to overhear another rider’s phone conversation with a buddy not at the show. I can only guess that his buddy asked what bike was the best he had ridden. His response was something like this… “Dude, the new Yeti 575 is F&*&$ awesome!” I couldn’t agree more.
EDITOR’S UPDATE (May 2008): After riding this bike and absolutely LOVING it at Interbike (October 2007), I’ve since gotten on one here on the local Utah trails for some hometown tests (May 2008). While I still whole-heartedly recommend this bike as an all-mountain trailbike, if it were up to me, I would opt for the Race 20 kit to add a bit more squish and beefier wheels. At speed and on drops, I’m pushing the limits of the fork and wheelset on the 575 Enduro. It still performs very well as one of the top all-mountain bikes of 2008, I just like my bikes a bit more on the squishy side and with a Fox 36 up front and a DHX Air in the rear combined with beefier wheels, this bike will scream!
Buy Now: Visit JensonUSA.com to Buy a 2008 Yeti 575 Enduro
A
foot of April flake just buried the 'Bird, the Crack House is warming
up and the Rollercoaster's drying out. Epic spring lines are calling
and you better be dialed. From
Jason, thanks for the great write up. Your review is by far the longest & most detailed we’ve seen so far of this redesign. Can you speak about the rear tire clearance near that carbon brace on the seatstay? In every pic we’ve seen, the bike has been sporting a “smallish” Maxxis Crossmark 2.1, and the clearance seems limited. I know the terrain I ride my ‘07 575 in would chew up a Crossmark within the first mile, and need a larger tire back there…but am not willing to buy a new frame to find out if one will fit!
The test bike had Maxxis Larsen TT 2.35’s in the rear. I talked to Chris Conroy, the President of Yeti Cycles, and he confirmed that the Larsen TT is a very high volume tire compared to say the Maxxis HighRoller 2.35 or the Kenda Nevegal 2.35 and that those tires would have greater clearance.
As it was, the new carbon rear on the Yeti 575 did have sufficient tire clearance for the largely dry and rocky conditions found in the desert and dry mountain areas here in Utah. I’m going to contact Maxxis and Kenda directly for specific tread heights and volumes on their tires, then post an update.
I was able to arrange for a pair of Kenda Nevegal 2.35’s to be sent to Seth Mukai at Yeti Cicles. I just got an email from Seth and here’s what he said:
“They fit perfectly. Plenty of room beneath the carbon bridge! While they are a little wider (closer to the stays) than the Maxxis Larsen TT tires, it shouldn’t pose a problem.”
Now for a picture… that may be awhile.
Great review but were you able to compare the 575 against the Intense 5.5 or Ellsworth Epiphany? Would you still rank the new Yeti above them?
Rope…
Honestly, I can’t say much for the Ellsworth Epiphany or the Intense 5.5. I can speak for the Ellsworth Moment and the Intense 6.6 though. The Ellsworth Moment is a great bike as is the Intense 6.6, but VPP designs aren’t the end-all-be-all. They are super-smooth all around, but I find them to be a bit numb on long climbs. Kind of like the bike is disconnected from the trail or something.
So, I would still say that the Yeti 575 Carbon is going to be the best overall all-mountain bike on the market. It is a bit cheaper than Ellsworth or Intense options as well. You can deck it out much more for a lower price.
Thanks for the quick reply, had no idea anyone would do so. The Yeti will most likely be my next bike but how about the Stumpjumper? Have seen some good, maybe biased, reviews. It also comes with a drastically reduced price; price not being the most important factor.
Thanks again!