Tell me about the Yeti AS-X

Bicyclist · Aug 3, 2008

They feel really tall and pedal like crap in the small ring. I'm sure they're fine bikes but after riding a Specialized Enduro and an AS-X back to back the winner was pretty clear. Some people might like the upright, responsive feeling though.

demo 9 · Aug 3, 2008

iridemtb has one, he doesnt like it, only how it jumps, PM him for details

PS he is buying a demo 9 frame because of how unstable it is in the rocks.

Jm_ · Aug 4, 2008

I was looking at one as a "big hit bike" a few weeks back, but the geometry is too short-coupled for what I want. I ordered the turner highline. Way back in the day I had one on order, but canceled my order. That's why I decided to look again at the bike, but the geometry is a lot closer to my RFX, and the wheelbase is pretty short.

ZHendo · Aug 4, 2008

it's a bizarre bike. i used to ride one before i got my sx trail. and yes, the frames are quite different between the enduro and sx trail. anyways, the asx is a very tall bike. the medium has a 19"-ish seat tube, longer than that on my large sx trail. compared to the sx trail, the bike doesn't even compare. cornering, speed, tech handling, jumping, basically everything is better on the sx trail. the asx is VERY short and tall, therefore causing an unstable feel. the steeper head angle helps while climbing compared to the sxt, but it had a horrible tendency to wheelie up every single climb. there's definitely a little pedal feedback as well. it was a great starter bike for me, but i think that i'm definitely enjoying myself more on the sxt. the yeti just doesn't give confidence in gnarly situations.

dexterq20 · Aug 4, 2008

ZHendo said:
...and yes, the frames are quite different between the enduro and sx trail.

Wrong.

He's talking about the '07 Enduro, not the Enduro SL. The only difference between the old Enduro and the SX Trail is the shock shuttle, which gives the bikes different travel and geometry. The tubing and linkages are identical.

Bicyclist · Aug 4, 2008

You can't mount the shuttle - the holes on the shuttle are in different positions on the Enduro and the SXT. That said, I've owned 2 new-style Enduros and now am building an SXT after riding one. They both work very well. There's not a huge difference between them, although for my all-around rig I did go for the SXT this time. I spent a week in Mammoth on an S-Works a few years ago and it did well there. So basically they both work. Wow that was poorly worded.

kidwoo · Aug 4, 2008

Yeti ASX is probably one of the worst riding frames I've ever been on. Like the cyclist says, they're tall, they pedal like poop in anyting larger than a 36t ring and just have that wierd dead feel like most high forward pivots.

I'd honestly look at something else.

Wanna buy an uzzi vpx?

kidwoo · Aug 4, 2008

blue said:
I wonder if putting an 8.5x2.5 shock on would help it out at all...

Do they use an 8.75 by 2.75?

It actually might............

kidwoo · Aug 4, 2008

blue said:
Yeah, 8.75x2.75...I don't remember the formula to see how much travel would be lost by downsizing .25 stroke. Or if a tire might hit on the seattube.

You're too expensive. Ho.

Well the good thing about those two sizes is that bottom out is the same......6 inches from eyelet to eyelet.

So you won't hit the seat tube or anything. You just start further into the designed stroke.

Overall ratio at 7" of travel is 7/2.75 = 2.54

So 0.25 less shock stroke translates to about 0.64 inches of lost travel. So that's about a 6.2ish travel bike.

Trust me. It can only improve the ride

kidwoo · Aug 4, 2008

blue said:
I'd run it only in 6 inch mode for the geo benefits...that would take it down to about 5.5" of travel. Hmmm...decisions, decisions.

Geo numbers on the Uzzi look very similar to the AS-X, major differences being CS length and WB. H/A is roughly the same, BB too...biggest advantage I'm seeing is pedalability with the steeper seat angle and improved suspension design.

I don't remember the HA numbers but the bb is definitely lower on the uzzi.

I've only ridden an asx at 7" so that may have had a lot to do with it.

Percy · Aug 4, 2008

blue said:
I wonder if putting an 8.5x2.5 shock on would help it out at all...

PM sent :biggrin:

They have an 8.5x2.5 factory, I dont know if anyone makes a 8x2.5 shock, that might make a difference.

I really like my ASX, it rips on gnarly single-track, and the uphill pedaling is ok with pro-pedal on, ****e without though! :cheers:

Mind you, I am a strange shape, and like really short bikes.:biggrin:

djjohnr · Aug 4, 2008

I had one for two seasons.

7"(f) x 7"(r) - Way too tall, way too short. Unstable, and corners like ****.

6"(f) x 7"(r) - Only marginally better.

6"(f) x 6"(r) - Feels pretty good, bike begins to corner well.

5"(f) x 6"(r) - Felt best set up like this. However, now you have a 5/6 bike with a 9lb frame - lame.

In all settings - pedaling in granny produces a ton of motion, the rear end is a wet noodle, and it has a ton of pedal kickback.

I'm soooo glad to be rid of mine.

Summit · Aug 4, 2008

I rode one for 2.5 seasons. Never lowered my front end but it cornered wayyy better in the 6" rear setting with a 7" fork (66). Used the ETA a lot for climbing which made it bearable for uphill. But yeah, what's been said is all pretty much accurate. My Demo 7 destroys the AS-X in every aspect except climbing.

Iridemtb · Aug 4, 2008

From A Current Yeti Asx Owner:

The yeti is a great bike if you use it for its intended use. I however, am using it for lift assissted riding, a lot! It's an awesome bike to jump, fun to whip around. It's also ok at turning. It pedals good for how much travel it has too, or at least I think so.

I realized the other day why I got that bike when I went for an "all mountain" ride. See, at this particular spot, you climb up a mountain, you probably pedal like 5 miles to get to the top, and have an equal descent, but the descent is rough, and I was DESTROYING my cross country buddy on the descent. But on the uphill, he was beating me, but I'm not exactly like a mountain goat on speed, like some of these cross country racers are.

It's a good bike if you use it for it's intended purpose, I have a fox 40 and dhx on it, and love it for all mountain riding, and yes, even some cross country. When I ride that bike around me, I realize why I have it, to ride some cross country, and all mountain, and then take it to a lift assisted place every once in a while.

But don't race downhill on it, it's a bad bike to race downhill on, let me tell you that. If you come up on a REAL GNARLY rock garden, even if you go into as fast as other racers, and pick the best line, you will come out much slower than them because of the short wheelbase. But granted, that wheelbase also helps jumping and even, yes, turning. It's also not too bad on the drops or wall rides.

I might have mine for sale here in a little, PM me or email me at bmxhzrd@aol.com if you are interested. It's in pretty decent shape. My frame is a 2007 in the "raw metal and black color".

Edit: I am writing this with my fox 40 set at 7 inches, and my back shock set at 7 inches.

binary visions · Aug 4, 2008

Hee hee.

Everyone else in the thread said:
Don't buy an AS-X. Pedalling blows. Lots of better options out there.

One guy said:
It's a good bike. Pedalling is good.

I am totally objective.

P.S. I'm selling mine. PM me.

Iridemtb · Aug 4, 2008

Iridemtb said:
It pedals good for how much travel it has too, or at least I think so.

My recall from other downhill bikes... I've ridden big hits, demo's, blindsides, norcos, etc... I think this bike matches up to par with them. I'm not saying it's better, I'm not saying it's worse, I just think they are around the same. But I think an asx can climb better than a demo!

kidwoo · Aug 4, 2008

blue said:
The AS-X is the best deal I've found, and it's super-local...unless you want to hawk me yours at an obscenely low price, I doubt you can do better

Allow me to ask this:

Does anyone have significant amounts of ride time in the 6 inch setting? I will be using it as a "do it all" bike, but I'm getting the impression that the Enduro and Uzzi are both much better pedalers.

The uzzis are pretty much the best pedaling bike I've ridden....even compared to xc rigs. If it weren't for some minor geometry gripes, I'd still be riding mine.

The enduros squat a bit when cranking uphill. But the way they handle on the descents makes up for it. I've always dug the enduros. Nice and low.

stoney · Aug 4, 2008

I have probably 700+ miles on an 04 (progressive rear). I rode it in 5"f/6"r most of the time. At one point I put a 7" dorado up front with 7" rear and it was trash. Too tall, twitchy. 7f/6r was better, but the front end felt too tall as did the BB. 6/6 was the best DH focused all around setting, rode light and nimble good pedaling (38/24 with DRS), some feedback in granny gear, but mostly in a standing mash, spinning it rode fine. 5/6 was my primary setting, as the 6" fork was a loaner. I liked this setup a lot. I rode most of the above miles in this setting. Felt like riding a long travel slalom bike for trails. enough travel to give you confidence descending, but still light enough for trail riding.
I though under trail conditions, it jumped great. Dirt jumping the CS was too long. I practiced Sea Otter on it and my Giant DH and felt the Giant was a better race bike, even though it was heavier and pedaled worse, just because the extra travel gave me room for being sloppy.
As for rear stiffness, get a bolt on axle. It fixes most of the flex problems.

Iridemtb · Aug 4, 2008

The Joker said:
I have probably 700+ miles on an 04 (progressive rear). I rode it in 5"f/6"r most of the time. At one point I put a 7" dorado up front with 7" rear and it was trash. Too tall, twitchy. 7f/6r was better, but the front end felt too tall as did the BB. 6/6 was the best DH focused all around setting, rode light and nimble good pedaling (38/24 with DRS), some feedback in granny gear, but mostly in a standing mash, spinning it rode fine. 5/6 was my primary setting, as the 6" fork was a loaner. I liked this setup a lot. I rode most of the above miles in this setting. Felt like riding a long travel slalom bike for trails. enough travel to give you confidence descending, but still light enough for trail riding.
I though under trail conditions, it jumped great. Dirt jumping the CS was too long. I practiced Sea Otter on it and my Giant DH and felt the Giant was a better race bike, even though it was heavier and pedaled worse, just because the extra travel gave me room for being sloppy.
As for rear stiffness, get a bolt on axle. It fixes most of the flex problems.

Which bike are you talking about? Enduro or yeti?

I'm going downhilling this weekend, if your talking about the yeti, maybe I'll try it on the lower setting (I never have). lol.

stoney · Aug 4, 2008

Iridemtb said:
Which bike are you talking about? Enduro or yeti?

I'm going downhilling this weekend, if your talking about the yeti, maybe I'll try it on the lower setting (I never have). lol.

The Yeti.

seand · Aug 4, 2008

I have an 08 with a smaller travel rear shock (7.875x2 rp3) which dropped the bb down to 11.75" before sag. I love that bike so damn much after the shock replacement. It compliments my Sunday nicely as far as geo goes.

With a heavy front wheel, mine comes in at 30lbs.

Percy · Aug 6, 2008

blue said:
The AS-X is the best deal I've found, and it's super-local...unless you want to hawk me yours at an obscenely low price, I doubt you can do better

Allow me to ask this:

Does anyone have significant amounts of ride time in the 6 inch setting? I will be using it as a "do it all" bike, but I'm getting the impression that the Enduro and Uzzi are both much better pedalers.

I know you've already bought another bike, but I forgot to mention I normally run mine in the 6" travel setting, with a 6" 36 on the front its sweet for everything.
Personally I think the 7" setting is just for hucks. :monkeydance:

Evil Sylvain · Aug 6, 2008

Interesting thread. FWIW, where everybody pushes there bikes I pedal up my AS-X at Bromont. I find this quite funny after reading it doesn't pedal well. But I am always on the 36T chainring.

Zark · Aug 6, 2008

blue said:
Just paid for a VP-Free...Too good of a deal to pass up.

You blew it. Enjoy the skyscraper. Having ridden the VPX and the VPFree there's no comparison. Intense geometry FTW

BTW, the VPX I tried was Woo's. Sweet bike even with that noodly SuperT up front:biggrin:

bikenweed · Aug 6, 2008

My buddy runs a shorter DHX coil on his VP Free, but I think it's a 7.875" eye to eye. His medium free has the same wheelbase as my Specialized SX (slalom, not trail), but it's a bit slacker (probably around 66°) and about and inch taller (probably 13.25ish bb height). Both bikes ride downhill super good. We like our bikes long, low, and slack, however.

Somewhere on this website I read that you "can't" put a shorter shock on the Free... complete BS. His bike rides way good.

Bicyclist · Aug 6, 2008

I've also ridden a VP-Free with a short shock - it rode GREAT with an 8" 40. I wanted to trade my Demo for it.

Bicyclist · Aug 6, 2008

Evil Sylvain said:
Interesting thread. FWIW, where everybody pushes there bikes I pedal up my AS-X at Bromont. I find this quite funny after reading it doesn't pedal well. But I am always on the 36T chainring.

Try running a 22t granny and laugh as your feet get ejected from normal pedal bob.

Tell me about the Yeti AS-X

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