[Carnaza]

well i got a chance to sell my 08 sunday factory (just the frame)... and get the new yeti 303r DH (the one with 1 rail) but i don`t know much about it (just the info in the yeti website)...

any opinion or experience than can be helpful?

thanks a lot ¡¡¡

 

[Lelandjt]

Yikes, I would think that is a bad trade. Haven't ridden either but the Yeti doesn't look like anything special and is Yeti's price point rig. The Sunday is one of the most vaunted race frames.

 

[jon-boy]

There's a review in the new Dirt mag, Steve Jones seems to like it.

 

[RUFUS]

Yeti's price point rig.

I wouldn't look into it like that. I will be giving a full review of the 303R at the end of the month. I have ridden the sunday a fair amount so I can answer some questions for you.

The 303R was built to give you the option of running a lighter, more nimble DH rig on trails designed for that style of riding and racing such as Bromont or some of the MSA tracks instead of the heavier, not as flickable 303.

From talking to Joey a little bit, he has been a HUGE fan of the 303R all last season on the proto and I am pretty sure that you will see both him and Blenkinsop rocking it on a lot more tracks.

You will hear a lot of hate from people that have only seen pics of the bike only because it is a single pivot frame. The haters are still out there.

Congrats on the purchase and the sale, I am pretty sure that you are going to love it. It is going to be one hell of a difference though coming from a DW link bike to a railed single pivot. I was lucky coming from the Sinister R9 and the Sinister Gruitr but from talking with others, the rail makes it.

 

[davep]

So I am not trying to be too rude, but,

why is it that this time every year, people ask for unbiased and broad reviews for products that are brand new and have not yet been distributed or sold to the general public.

Almost no mfg can deliver a truely new product this early, the majority of the northern hemisphere (sorry, but that is where most industry is driven from) is still emersed in wintery weather, very few are riding, and even fewer products have reached market.



Sooo..

If someone were to have one of these pre-release products, does anyone really think that their review could possibly be un-biased??

 

[marshalolson]

dude, i rode an r-dh this fall... and i am not affiliated with yeti directly.

thought it was way more fun for "consumer" level dh tracks than the OG 303 dual rail. much more flickable and "fun" to ride, while staying fast.

can't directly compare it to a sunday, but i can say you won't be bummed on an r-dh for sure.

 

[davep]

Duuude...

You are kind of making my point....you rode a demo or a team riders bike (that may or may not end up being exactly what will be sold) for a run or two several months ago....

Everything you have stated is exactly as Yeti has marked the bike...and can be found written many places right on Yeti's site...so not really a review.

I am not saying that nothing is known about the frame....but no one will be able to provide a rounded realistic review of the bike (durability, functionality, maintainance, adjustability, shock set-up, etc), in a way that would allow comparison to a frame that has been around for several years and is very well understood, that is not connected...


And you manage a shop that sells Yeti...and happen to be right down the steet from them. You may be able to fairly judge bikes, but I guarantee there is a little bias toward brands that bring you your living.

 

[Udi]

Personally I wouldn't trade. Every yeti I've seen here has wound up cracking in a myriad of places. Every railed yeti I've ridden here has wound up feeling absolutely horrible and gritty even with weekly lubrication and maintenance (something that hasn't even been a requirement on a DH frame until now).

Unfortunately the 303-R combines both of these issues - both being a yeti, and having a rail. Therefore I'd keep the sunday, or at least wait until you're sure the 303-R isn't plagued in the same ways that the 303 is.

 

[RUFUS]

weekly lubrication and maintenance (something that hasn't even been a requirement on a DH frame until now).

I feel very sorry for your bike then if you don't do regular lube and maintenance.

So there has been NO DH bike that has had to have weekly lubrication and maintenance? Thankfully the 303 came along to show everyone that owns a DH bike that regular maintenance is a good thing.

 

[marshalolson]

Everything you have stated is exactly as Yeti has marked the bike...and can be found written many places right on Yeti's site...so not really a review.

not trying to disagree with you here, but simply pointing out that yeti's marketing of the bike jives directly with just about everyone's real world experiance with it, with as much or little bias as there may be. that is in itself a review, though cursory, and my guess all the OP was looking for.

I am not saying that nothing is known about the frame....but no one will be able to provide a rounded realistic review of the bike (durability, functionality, maintainance, adjustability, shock set-up, etc), in a way that would allow comparison to a frame that has been around for several years and is very well understood.

you can however extrapolate when you consider the yeti's rail concept has been out there for a while, and it def. has its plusses and minuses in terms of reliability, durability, maint, etc...

And you manage a shop that sells Yeti...and happen to be right down the steet from them. You may be able to fairly judge bikes, but I guarantee there is a little bias toward brands that bring you your living.

well... yes and no... alot more to it than "he works at a shop that sells yeti, so he must love them".

you will for sure never see me jamming a glory or an OG 303 down someone's throat, even though they are plenty fine bikes.

 

[rewster]

never seen sam hill on a yeti. i'm not taking any chances.

 

[Kevin]

How about Sam B?

 

[Sandwich]

sell the sunday now for max resale value, or wait another season and get nothing for it...ehhh

I think I'd stick with the sunday, for now. There are a lot of interesting bikes coming out this year, and I think some will be worth the wait.

 

[stumpjump]

Just because a professional rider rides a bike does not make it good. While 10% of the performance is beacuse of the bike, 90% is the person in the seat. I've take a stumperjumper on downhill courses before and beat out guys on demo's and commencials.


Both the Yeti and the Sunday are excellent bikes. I have ridden both and I am nothing but a fan of my Sunday. Ride both, see which you like and go with that one. Simple as that.

 

[Full Trucker]

Haven't ridden either...

So your assessment and opinion is based on... ?

 

[scottishmark]

I feel very sorry for your bike then if you don't do regular lube and maintenance.

So there has been NO DH bike that has had to have weekly lubrication and maintenance? Thankfully the 303 came along to show everyone that owns a DH bike that regular maintenance is a good thing.

dude dont be an @rse. everyone knows exactly what he means - or should i be out lubing the pivots on my Glory just now?

 

[ohio]

I would take the trade if only to have a frame with warranty and part support. Yeti's been racing for a long time. I doubt the frame is anything less than capable.

 

[Udi]

I feel very sorry for your bike then if you don't do regular lube and maintenance.

So there has been NO DH bike that has had to have weekly lubrication and maintenance? Thankfully the 303 came along to show everyone that owns a DH bike that regular maintenance is a good thing.

You missed the point. Read scottishmark's post, or let me elaborate for you.

I've got a sunday that I've ridden every weekend (and more) for the last two or so years. When I first bought the bike I tore it down, greased the bearings and pivots, loctited all the bolts. Since then I've done nothing but ride it in dust, water, mud... rinsed (if it's lucky) and repeated. The rearend is still running smoothly. I've done the same thing with every DH frame I've owned previously with no dramas.

A friend of mine runs a 303. He has to lubricate the rail cars every ride, they feel okay after that, but after the first dusty or muddy run (naturally) they feel pretty rough. It's just an inappropriate design choice for the environment, non radial parts are difficult to seal - so the design was always going to suffer from excess stiction, or easy contamination (the latter in this case). That's not to say it doesn't work, but in an age where people are striving to build smooth dampers with minimal stiction, the rails are clearly a step backwards.

Just to conclude - our sport is about riding bikes, not maintaining them. Maintenance is just a side effect of the riding, and is something that good component design can minimise. Yes everything needs routine maintenance, but having components that will perform month after month without attention just makes life a whole lot more enjoyable.

 

[ridiculous]

I just discovered a plastic plug in my rail car that must have been there since the factory. LAME!

 

[Sandwich]

i was going to say....i degrease and relube the bearings in my racelink twice a year...only because they aren't cartridge bearings but rather sealed needles...

 

[Lelandjt]

So your assessment and opinion is based on... ?

If you read the whole sentence than you know what it's based on.

 

[LittleBIGjumP]

Well,

I have a 303 and its fine, i spend maybe 10min more on clean and lube over bikes I have had before. With the 303r there will be less involved as it has the one rail and its the easy one to clean - lube etc. On my 303 the only hassle is the vertical rail is a bit harder to clean.

LBJ

 

[Sam B]

You missed the point. Read scottishmark's post, or let me elaborate for you.

I've got a sunday that I've ridden every weekend (and more) for the last two or so years. When I first bought the bike I tore it down, greased the bearings and pivots, loctited all the bolts. Since then I've done nothing but ride it in dust, water, mud... rinsed (if it's lucky) and repeated. The rearend is still running smoothly. I've done the same thing with every DH frame I've owned previously with no dramas.

A friend of mine runs a 303. He has to lubricate the rail cars every ride, they feel okay after that, but after the first dusty or muddy run (naturally) they feel pretty rough. It's just an inappropriate design choice for the environment, non radial parts are difficult to seal - so the design was always going to suffer from excess stiction, or easy contamination (the latter in this case). That's not to say it doesn't work, but in an age where people are striving to build smooth dampers with minimal stiction, the rails are clearly a step backwards.

Just to conclude - our sport is about riding bikes, not maintaining them. Maintenance is just a side effect of the riding, and is something that good component design can minimise. Yes everything needs routine maintenance, but having components that will perform month after month without attention just makes life a whole lot more enjoyable.

Amen! Come ride in the Northwest (USA) anytime other than the peak of summer and you would find yourself doing as many overhauls as rides!

 

[Joe]

I had an Orange 222 and i only changed the bearings after 3 years when i swapped the singarm for a non-ibs type one. Never needed to. Stripping a bike weekly is OTT

I had a V10 and have a Sunday now and both require little effort maintaining

 

[bpatterson6]

One of my juniors just picked up his 303R from the shop last night.

he's stoked!

 

[MDJ]

I had one run on and R last fall. Can I give a review? No. But, it was a fun bike that I felt comfortable on right away - and I usually hate single pivots.

The maintenance issue puts me off a little because if I'm not racing (which is not much anymore) then I'm lucky if I check tire pressure once a month. Cleaning and lubing a rail every ride just wouldn't happen for me.

 

[WBC]

Resale, resale, resale.

That Sunday will be worth nothing in a year once the market is flooded with 2009s being liquidated (especially with the excess inventories anticipated due to the fledgling economy). If you can get a new on the market frame for your old Sunday, I wouldn't let go of that opportunity. The Yeti DH bike has good geometry and better suspension than some bikes (though probably not as good as the Sunday) - but unlike the Sunday, you'll at least be able to get 40-50% of retail resale at the end of the season.

Plus you won't have to worry about getting replacement hardware from a liquidator that will have the leverage of dealing a finite good to a large and expected long-lasting demand.

 

[Cabdoctor]

Yeah I can't wait till pinkbike is flooded with sundays at $199

 

[leprechaun]

Ok i'm a guy who's in a shop who sells Yeti and used to sell Iron Horse so i'll try to be as unbiased as i can.

In terms of geometry numbers the Pony in 65 with a -what?- 13.75 BB? Or lower?

The 303 RDH can be 13.75 but with a 64 head angle. I think the numbers are pretty good on the 303 RDH, many courses call for ultra low and slack but i wouldn't want to be stuck with a sub 13.75 BB all the time.

Weight wise i recall the Donkeys are 11 lbs. The RDH is 11.5

The pivot location of the Yeti might let it take sharp hits a tad better, i really like single pivots for DH but ultimately DW link is ideal in terms of balancing sharp hits and managing wheelbase in corners.

The yeti, as it seems, is fairly linear with a bit of a rising rate towards the end of the travel. Ponies start as a rising tate, then flatten off halfway through the travel making it easier to use all the travel. Perhaps the RDH will be a little more cush in the rough, but many people talk about how they can feel what the tire is doing with a Sunday. DW himself said he designed the progression rate around a progressive shock and that it isn't ideal for today's shocks.

In terms of maintenence, i can certainly see the apprehension around the rail on a Yeti. Since we sold a boatload of Ironhorseys here over the last 4 years i personally couldn't cope with owning a Sunday. The constant wonder if my shock bolt might be bent preventing me from being able to remove my shock is enough to keep me away. Also the inconsistency of the bearing bores in the frames are a deal breaker. Bring on the green loctite!

Personal conclusion. If the Sunday was still available in terms of parts, was made differently where the shock attaches, and had a different rising rate (2010 Turner) I would say it's still THE bike to have. If only there was a slight update on the bike for 2009/10...

Yeah, the rail is a love/hate deal. With just one on there and being in the middle of the frame i think it's all cool. Service wise i have had nothing but fantastic warranty and dealer support with Yeti.

Conclusion- any bike being sold by a company still in buisness would be a good choice whether it's a Yeti or something else.

PS i have ONE lower link kit here for a Sunday that is up for grabs. I have a bunch of hangers though.