Yeti ASR T3 review

Yeti has a long history in mountain bike racing, but its XC offerings have only just returned to the market, following a 10-year hiatus for the ASR.

The frame, from which Yeti claims to have removed as much redundant carbon as possible, delivers 115mm of travel, while a 120mm fork sits up front. Both are controlled by a three-position TwistLoc on the bar to ensure the travel is delivered just how you need it.

SRAM's electronic Transmission drives the bike forward, while Yeti has opted for alloy hoops on this build. The latter decision doesn't detract at all from the ride quality.

Priced at £8,399 / $8,600, the ASR is a super-fast and fun bike to ride, with quick handling and some sorted parts bolted to the eye-catching frame.

However, setup needs precision, and on the most technical test tracks, the svelte chassis starts to twang a bit as you push it hard.

Yeti ASR T3 frame and suspension

The front and rear triangles are constructed from Yeti’s high-spec Turq carbon (cheaper C-Series carbon models are available with a lower-modulus carbon).

The alloy rocker link’s main pivot is integrated into the junction of top tube and seat tube to reduce the need for extra material to build up its mounting point. This is one of the areas where Yeti’s engineers have reduced material usage.

Individually shaped carbon sheets are said to reduce excess carbon in critical areas, too, while also enabling size-specific frame stiffness.

The alloy rocker link drives the shock, while the rear seatstays bow as the suspension compresses on this flex-stay bike.

The main pivot, which holds the chain guide, sits just behind the top of the chainring.

A pair of bottle cages can be fitted, while there’s thin chainstay and down tube protection. Cables enter through bolted ports on the head tube, which should prove popular.

Yeti ASR T3 geometry

While the geometry might not be radical, it has a moderately slack 66.5-degree head angle across the five sizes offered.

Yeti quotes a 75.5-degree seat angle, although on my size-Large test bike at a saddle height of 750mm I measured mine at 76.5 degrees. The reach of 465mm in the Large isn’t overly long.

Yeti is one of few brands offering size-specific chainstay lengths, though, ranging from 433mm on the XS to 441mm on the XL.

Yeti ASR T3 specifications

This second-tier model comes specced with plenty of race-ready kit.

RockShox’s 120mm SID Ultimate fork and SIDLuxe shock suspend the bike, with a three-position TwistLoc on-bar remote to firm things up when needed.

SRAM supplies its X0 Transmission with a 32t ring. The pod shifter and SRAM grips sit on a narrow, 740mm-wide Race Face Next SL carbon bar held by a neat two-bolt BikeYoke Barkeeper 55mm-long stem.

Fox’s Transfer SL Factory dropper offers two positions, 150mm of drop, and a very light and fast operation. Two-piston SRAM Level brakes offer reasonable stopping power, clamping on to 180mm/160mm rotors.

Alloy DT Swiss XM1700 wheels can be upgraded to the brand's XRC1200 hoops for $2,000.

These are shod in Maxxis tyres – a Rekon at the front and the faster-rolling Rekon Race at the back. The front tyre is 2.4 inches wide, while the rear is 2.35in.

Yeti ASR T3 ride impressions

The nuts and bolts of setting up the ASR up proved pretty easy. The non headset-routed cables should be easy to work on and RockShox’s SID fork is a cinch to set up, largely following the pressure guide on the back and then adjusting for personal taste and terrain.

Maxxis’ excellent tyres, on fuss-free alloy rims, just need inflating to suitable pressures (22-25psi in my testing regime) to get them good to go.

The flat bar sits in a two-bolt stem, which is great if you’re not swapping it out. However, threading a riser bar through the stem, which has a wrap-around bar clamp rather than a two-piece setup, could be a touch trickier.

The cockpit uses Torx 25 bolt heads – not my favourite, but they’re found on nearly every multi-tool.

The only stumbling block was getting the sag dialled in.

Most cross-country bikes use a 45mm-stroke shock, while Yeti uses a smaller 40mm-stroke SIDLuxe.

The smaller-volume spring requires higher pressures. I found it tricky to get the sag dialled in and the rebound balanced.

It’s far from impossible and once you’re set up all you need to do is remember your numbers, but compared to other bikes I tested it alongside, the Yeti took longer to get going.

After quite a bit of back and forth with the bike on various styles of trail, with different sag levels, I ended up running 25 per cent. However, on more technical tracks I would increase this to 29 per cent and rely more on the TwistLoc to calm the rear on pedal-heavy sections.

Yeti ASR T3 climbing performance

Yeti supplies the ASR with a three-position TwistLoc to control the low-speed damping in both the fork and the shock. This is no bad thing on a race bike and each proved useful on my XC test tracks.

While the Open mode was largely left for descents, so long as you stay seated the ASR remains relatively bob-free as you winch up hills.

In the Open setting, the shock’s freedom of movement enables the rear wheel to search for grip. The low-profile blocks of the rear Rekon Race tyre work well, with the super-supple 120 TPI sidewall performing far better than you'd expect from a race-focused tyre when the terrain is loose.

Clearly, though, the Pedal mode is best suited to off-road climbs. There's still enough movement in the shock to dull harsh edges and help the tyre find its grip, but its movement is more muted, ensuring less energy is wasted whether you’re in or out of the saddle.

Hit something smooth and the Lock mode firms everything up nicely, ensuring almost every watt goes into driving you forward.

SRAM’s new wireless Transmission groupsets are becoming firm favourites across the MTB spectrum and it’s easy to see why on such a bike.

Shifting performance is consistent, with the chain moving smoothly over the cassette almost regardless of how much pressure you’re putting through the cranks.

In order to be so smooth, at times the shift itself is delayed, enabling the chain to better meet the cassette’s shift ramps.

This can be frustrating, or catch you unawares on multiple shifts in a race situation – it’s a trade-off, though, that SRAM seems to feel is worthwhile.

Yeti ASR T3 descending performance

It always feels special jumping on a Yeti and the ASR is no different. The bike’s sleek lines give it a racey look, while the turquoise paintjob is iconic.

Though only 10mm or so shorter in reach than the bikes from Specialized and Mondraker I tested at the same time, the ASR feels a little more compact.

In tight, twisty terrain, I really loved the reactivity this gave to steering inputs – the bike’s 66.5-degree head angle and 465mm reach combine to ensure it's nimble as you duck and dive.

Open the throttle a bit and the ASR can handle the heat, but perhaps not quite so confidently as the most raked-out bikes here.

This is exacerbated by the narrow 740mm bar, which though comforting as you whizz through gaps in trees, jitters more as the wheels pass over jumbled rocks or matted roots.

RockShox’s SID Ultimate is a fine fork. Its action is supple and almost hyperactive in comparison to Fox forks.

This means high-frequency chatter is easily smoothed over, while the 35mm chassis ensures the front end of the bike doesn’t shy away when technical terrain is encountered.

When faced with the black-graded test tracks, the Yeti – although capable – didn’t shine quite as brightly as others.

Repeated, large hits left the small shock struggling a little, with a less composed feel as it didn’t recover in time.

The chassis, with its skinny rear end, didn’t feel quite as sturdy on the rough stuff, either, and its thin chainstay protection resulted in a slightly noisier ride.

However, take it to a classic UK racetrack and the ASR certainly doesn’t embarrass itself.

The ride is smooth and pumping it through rollers, or off lips, shows the bike’s support is just right. Likewise, when faced with awkward off-camber lines, the ASR seemed to hold a line better than stiffer machines.

Stand up and sprint and, even in the Open mode, the bike surges forward.

While Race Face’s 35mm-diameter bars have a reputation for being stiff, I didn’t find the Next SL’s to be harsh or uncomfortable. The soft SRAM grips combine with the alloy hoops, ensuring that even on the longest days out, my hands remained fresh.

How does the Yeti ASR T3 compare to the Mondraker F-Podium RR?

While both the Yeti and the Mondraker have a modern shape, the Mondraker's slightly longer reach makes it a touch more appealing on paper.

However, I prefer the RockShox suspension on the Yeti – it’s got a lighter damping that makes it more comfortable over the rough stuff, even though the Mondraker is a true hard-charger thanks to its stiff chassis.

The Mondraker is also a little more composed on big hits, although on balance you’re not going to get too many of those on a regular XC course.

Kit-wise, it’s hard to call a winner – carbon hoops and a mechanical drivetrain on the Mondraker, alloy hoops and electronic gears on the Yeti – take your pick.

Yeti ASR T3 bottom line

The Yeti is a properly smooth operator that turns heads in the car park with many admiring fans.

Over smooth, fast terrain, its ability to generate speed is exhilarating. For day-long epics across the hills, I’d pull this bike from the garage in an instant.

Its small-volume shock was harder to set up, though, and became overwhelmed on the techiest of tracks.