Yeti 303

[Mini Reza]

Just wondering what you guys thought of the Yeti 303. I saw it for the first time today and i'm super impressed. I just wanted to hear some other peoples opinions on the rail system.

[bolzy]

i reckon its a step into the future of frame design, but as much as they reckon it is the frame to have...i dont see graves willing wc's by 5-6seconds, not saying that the frame wont be into the future there is plenty of other frames out there (not as complicated) that are preforming very well on the world stage, eg sam hill...hes on an ironhorse and killing everyone by seconds

but then again the bike can olny do so much and its the rider that makes the difference, so really buying the best bike out will not make a crap ride good but a good rider can can make a crap bike work for them

altho the frame is still in early development, i cant justify the money for on atm but sure other people will spend big and grab one

thats my $0.02

[down_hillbilly]

I like the look of them but i cant help but think what will happen if you crash and hit the rail on the rock and burr it up pretty bad? Will the sliding part go past this burr or will you have to file it down? And can you buy replacement rails incase it hits fairly bad and puts a slight bend in it? And also ive heard that you have to oil the rails up before each DH run or ride. I dont know if its true or not.:confused:

[louispijpers]

And also ive heard that you have to oil the rails up before each DH run or ride. I dont know if its true or not.:confused:

yeah you can rest assured that thats bs.

[cozwa]

ive had a couple of little plays on ben bell's yeti since he's been back and im a fan.... They are a frame that require alot more tlc than other's where the rails need to be cleaned every time you use it. they run grease nipples for easy relube which i liked.. its only the top rail you could really hit but ben has diggered his a few times and they seemed fine.And if you think about it that would be really hard to do damage to due to all the other gear on the frame and how well it is tucked under the top tube. As for sambo he would kill anyone on anything he is just one of those people...

i give it the big :D

[down_hillbilly]

yeah you can rest assured that thats bs.

Yeh I thought it was because it would be a bit of a pain in the arse having to do it each run.

[Squidly Didly]

yeah you can rest assured that thats bs.
Actually it is recomended by Yeti that this is regularly lubricated. If you're doing plenty of runs, you can expect to do this daily. Thankfully they've incorporated grease ports to ease this process.

As for my opinion of the frame. I like it... BUT the price and weight really need to come down. Yes I may be a weenie, but the idea of a $6k frame weighing more then a Kona Stab Supreme (i'm talking about the old uber heavy model) really doesn't get my rocks off.

Otherwise I think the rail system is a move in the right direction. Obviously gear boxes is the new thing right now being experimented but give it time, more manufacturers will start playing with rails (if they aren't already).

[toodles]

Otherwise I think the rail system is a move in the right direction. Obviously gear boxes is the new thing right now being experimented but give it time, more manufacturers will start playing with rails (if they aren't already).

Interesting you mention both, I think combining a gearbox system with a rail system would be a headache. Without at least one fixed point of reference between the front and rear triangles mounting a twin chain drive system would be a clusterfuck unless you put the gearbox into the BB or something.

[bazza]

Interesting you mention both, I think combining a gearbox system with a rail system would be a headache. Without at least one fixed point of reference between the front and rear triangles mounting a twin chain drive system would be a clusterfuck unless you put the gearbox into the BB or something.

cable ties and duct tape.

[ajay]

Interesting you mention both, I think combining a gearbox system with a rail system would be a headache. Without at least one fixed point of reference between the front and rear triangles mounting a twin chain drive system would be a clusterfuck unless you put the gearbox into the BB or something.

Not to mention the obscene weight that it would carry...

[custard]

and the 52 bolts in the frame alone

[Turley]

I personally like the idea but pivots, for me atleast, work well and are very easy to maintain. The weight of the frame doesn't concern me as it weighs asmuch as my 04 Ironhorse SGS anyway. If I had the money, I would buy one, but I don't think it is that much better than any other top end DH bike on the market atm.

[MrPlow]

I personally think Yeti started out with a design idea of the curved rails that tuned axle paths, I seem to recall them saying very early in the proto stage that you may even be able to buy different shap rails for your track / riding style etc.

then that didn't work but they kept persuing the idea. then invested so much R&D into the idea it was too late to turn back, and what they ended uup with was a great bike. But perhaps one where the advantages don't really weigh out the disadvantages.

the gearbox thing is a great point also.

I also think that you have to be a bit niave to base your purchase or performance of a bike on the results world Cup riders are getting. And while we are on that, don't forget that JG is one of few riders that do both disciplines well.

Personally I will stick with my DH9. I love Yeti's, always have since '95. But it has the same basic riding traits as my DH9, axle path pretty much the same etc (may be wrong but sure seems the same).

I await the Yeti gearbox bike :)

[Jared]

im sure ive given an 37 essays on the 303 before, but looks like ill have to again, but not right now, im on my way out the door.

squid, your very misinformed on your weight guestimates there man stallion! ill just say that with nothing particularly special parts wise, mine is currently sitting at just over 40 pounds, and the frame coming in at under 12 pound, which is very reasonable.

[MrPlow]

im sure ive given an 37 essays on the 303 before, but looks like ill have to again, but not right now, im on my way out the door.

squid, your very misinformed on your weight guestimates there man stallion! ill just say that with nothing particularly special parts wise, mine is currently sitting at just over 40 pounds, and the frame coming in at under 12 pound, which is very reasonable.

Can you tell us how it rides? What do you like about it? What did you notice most about it when you got it over the DH9? Spit it out lad.

[toodles]

Can you tell us how it rides? What do you like about it? What did you notice most about it when you got it over the DH9? Spit it out lad.

What would he know? :rolleyes:

I heard off some kid on a forum from Albania that his professor says it will brake jack like anything and is flexy to boot.

[Red Rocket]

Can you tell us how it rides? What do you like about it? What did you notice most about it when you got it over the DH9? Spit it out lad.


I am so proud that I got the carpark test before Mr Plow. **joy**

As such, I can't comment on performance, but sucked up the gutter real nice.

[MrPlow]

I am so proud that I got the carpark test before Mr Plow. **joy**

As such, I can't comment on performance, but sucked up the gutter real nice.

Are you sure? I street tested the flexy version:p

It (the 303) does pedal great though even when it was way under sprung for my lard arse, I have to admit...

[Squidly Didly]

squid, your very misinformed on your weight guestimates there man stallion! ill just say that with nothing particularly special parts wise, mine is currently sitting at just over 40 pounds, and the frame coming in at under 12 pound, which is very reasonable.
Sorry big fella but I'm gonna play smart ass again. I just so happened to have the stock frame (yep, the one the public actually buys) in our shop, and she comes in at over 14lbs on the electronic scales.
Don't get me wrong ya punce as I like the bike, but it is a pig on the weenie scale :)

[daddyrat]

well well
i hapened to come by a 224 rather by accident. a deal i couldn't pass up.
initially i thought this whole orange thing was just a hype and even considered selling it off again.
but since i started ridig it regulary i've come to love it. it's simple ,light, fast, agile
and does all the things anyone would want it to do.
yes, you have to adjust your riding style a bit particulary if you come from linkage bikes, but once you have done that there is nothing better.
now i wouldn't swap /sell it for anything.
in regards to the 303 therefore i'd say it's way to complicted and maintance intensive. good design is always simple and thats what a 224 is all about and what a 303 is absolutly not.

[Squidly Didly]

224 stuff
I don't want to turn this into a 224 vs 303 thread but the point of simplicity does come to mind when looking at the 303.
IMO I reckon as long as the manufacturers have got their geometry right (which the 303 and 224 do) then you'll be blingin.
You could have light or heavy, complicated or simple, but in the end each have their own advantages and disadvantages. There was a time when people said VPP required too much tinkering but look at it now.
Geo's where it's at and Yeti have got that spot on with the 303
I still like my tin can though :-)

[junior]

224 wins!!!! Graves is a booonnnnnah

[THE YETI]

I still like my tin can though :-)

Unless i'm greatly mistaken, ive seen pics of your 223 (not sure if you still have it) weighing in at 16.9kg :eek:
So where do you get tin can from??
Speaking of which, do you still have it?

[sikpuppyonglory]

and yet it still looks da bomb, can't stop droolin over such a new idea for the way suspension could progress in this direction thanks to yeti ova the next couple of years.

[PEELER]

They look awsome but if the rails stuff up it would suck. and it would cost a fair bit to replace them.

[MrPlow]

They look awsome but if the rails stuff up it would suck. and it would cost a fair bit to replace them.

Cause you have priced them right???

I think you will find that while the rails may be Yeti specials with some milling for weight, they look just like any other off the shelf linear motion rail. Yeti didn't invent the idea of the rail, they just stuck it on a DH bike.

[Jared]

Sorry big fella but I'm gonna play smart ass again. I just so happened to have the stock frame (yep, the one the public actually buys) in our shop, and she comes in at over 14lbs on the electronic scales.
Don't get me wrong ya punce as I like the bike, but it is a pig on the weenie scale :)

well squid, that 303 looks to me like it also has a shock and a steel spring on it, what does your beloved foes weasel come in at on your scales?

yeti also has a digital scale and it was well under 14lb.

for everyone else out there that says the design is over complicated, stop copying what everyone else is saying and take a proper look at it and see if you think its complicated for yourself, how this frame works is really quite simple, while not as simple as a single pivot, it is definately more simple than a sunday or a v-10/m3.

As for how the bike rides, i guarantee you will not find a smoother feeling bike when it gets rough. while im no engineer, and cant put my finger on why exactly, i can say that it feels totally different and definately better than any of the other big name bikes out there.

One thing that really grinds my gears is people hapring on about the weight thing as if its all that matters in a bike, when your comparing a 38lb bike to a 41 lb bike do you really think it will make much of a difference? the best result i have had to date at the angel fire world cup last year the bike was still in early proto stages and it was hitting the scales at 46lb, yet it rode like a dream!

Also....the rails dont fuck up, at all, so no need to worry there.... as long as you grease them (through the suuuper easy to use grease nipples) about once every 3 days riding if its dry, and every day if its muddy, and always after washing it, youll be fine. Besides if your going to spend that much on a bike and dont want to take 15 minutes a week to look after if then there is no words to describe how stupid you are.

So, if you dont like the bike simply because you think its complicated and a bit overweight, then you relly need to find something to pick your head out of your ass and go and try one for yourself, i bet your opinion will be different then!

This bike is not for everyone, but for those that can appreciate a truly beautiful riding bike, then this one could be your soul mate!

[Squidly Didly]

well squid, that 303 looks to me like it also has a shock and a steel spring on it, what does your beloved foes weasel come in at on your scales?
Jared mate, no need to have a cry. We weigh all our frames with shocks and steel springs in them :rolleyes:
I've already mentioned how the weight can be negated as well as how good other parts of the frame are, BUT it is a fuckin pig and you cannot deny that.
yeti also has a digital scale and it was well under 14lb.
I highly recommend Yeti either invest in some new scales, or start weighing their production bikes. Don't make me put the frame back on the scales and take a pic.

Now shuddup and go ride your bike. You aint gonna win a weight war with a weenie like me. Stick with what you're good at and just shut us all up on the hills.

[Jared]

only the first line of my previous post was for you mate. not the whole thing

you still didnt say what your peice of fruit weighs on your scales with a steel spring?? Are you scared to share that info?

like i said, it will never win any light weight contests, i accept that, but i hear all the time people saying they would be 30 seconds a run faster with a nice light bike. In my experiences, bikes coming in at anything under about 39lb feel crap on runs as they are too light and get bounced around too much, not to mention are vulnerable to breaking, i feel now that my bike at just under 41 lb feels spot on.

The 303 has the perfect balance of stability and nibleness

[Squidly Didly]

only the first line of my previous post was for you mate. not the whole thing
That's why I only responded to the first line.
you still didnt say what your peice of fruit weighs on your scales with a steel spring?? Are you scared to share that info?
8.41lbs with Fox DHX-Air
9.98lbs with Manitou Swinger 4way w/ Ti spring
10.64lbs with Manitou Swinger 4way w/ steel spring
9.94lbs with Manitou Revox w/ Ti spring

Please also note that Manitou shocks are heavier then Fox, so I could piss you off even more ;)
like i said, it will never win any light weight contests, i accept that, but i hear all the time people saying they would be 30 seconds
a run faster with a nice light bike. In my experiences, bikes coming in at anything under about 39lb feel crap on runs as they are too light and get bounced around too much, not to mention are vulnerable to breaking, i feel now that my bike at just under 41 lb feels spot on
Now that's how you attack a weenie.

Ps. I love you Jared :)

[Jared]

Interesting...i thought the 303 would be about 3lbs different to the 224, so looks like im about spot on.

i could say that you would be better of losing a few ponds off your body rather than losing it in your bikes weight, but those few ponds would take squid my sea dwelling friend, from "arorexic (spelling?) to "starve to death"

i love you too squid, but for the love of god, eat some more big macs!!!

[Wattsy]

Fuck guy's, your as bad as a married couple. Arguing over little shit. Weight is nothing to get all hyped up on, could have a light as shit bike that can't track for shit vs the heavier better performing bike. If your into the weight weenie thing then go tiger. But i know i prefure performance over weight. Plus since jared's proto was heavier, he still seemed to smash everyone at the norba's on it.
Now kiss and make up

[Squidly Didly]

Fuck guy's, your as bad as a married couple. Arguing over little shit. Weight is nothing to get all hyped up on, could have a light as shit bike that can't track for shit vs the heavier better performing bike. If your into the weight weenie thing then go tiger. But i know i prefure performance over weight. Plus since jared's proto was heavier, he still seemed to smash everyone at the norba's on it.
Now kiss and make up
Already been mentioned and we've already made out, i mean up (oh Jared, your helmet is sooo big)

Go back to sleep Lee

[Daver]

Also....the rails dont fuck up, at all, so no need to worry there.... as long as you grease them (through the suuuper easy to use grease nipples) about once every 3 days riding if its dry, and every day if its muddy, and always after washing it, youll be fine. Besides if your going to spend that much on a bike and dont want to take 15 minutes a week to look after if then there is no words to describe how stupid you are.

I have seen it on the scales and Squid's right- just because it's heavy isn't going to stop someone from buying it. Jared's right about the maintainence- if you were spending that much on a bike and not spending at least 15 minutes a day checking it over then the bike will f**k up anyway. The frames are hella sweet, and the finish is amazing, its just the price... but you can't expect Ferrari performance for Ford money can you?

[MrPlow]

Something interesting I find about the rail comments is what do these same guys run up the front?
Essentially the rail is just like a telescoping fork isn't it? A fork is just (if not more) susseptible (sp?) to damage isn't it??

[S.]

Something interesting I find about the rail comments is what do these same guys run up the front?
Essentially the rail is just like a telescoping fork isn't it? A fork is just (if not more) susseptible (sp?) to damage isn't it??

Yeah except without having pressurised oil squirted at the bushings all the time :)

[MrPlow]

Yeah except without having pressurised oil squirted at the bushings all the time :)
Would you think the 40's rely on that? Open bath maybe.
Plus you got grease ports on the rails...

[Brunchman]

hey guy's,
just wondering what you thought about the rail vs. grit and dust, would the oil/grease + sand and dirt turn into grinding paste on the rails or not? Other than this the bike is unreal and look uber hot;)
Just wish I had the money to buy one; and possibly the skills to ride it quick:confused:
Cheers Matt

[down_hillbilly]

I really dont see the need to make a downhill bike as light as possible. My bike comes in at around 21kgs and I cant feel the weight when jumping or anything. If your in a race and have a stack and burr the rail up will you have to go home and get a file and file it down or will the slider clear it? But I wouldnt mind having to put grease in it every three days. It would just be a regular thing like lubing your chain.

[bazza]

hey guy's,
just wondering what you thought about the rail vs. grit and dust, would the oil/grease + sand and dirt turn into grinding paste on the rails or not? Other than this the bike is unreal and look uber hot;)
Just wish I had the money to buy one; and possibly the skills to ride it quick:confused:
Cheers Matt

I really dont see the need to make a downhill bike as light as possible. My bike comes in at around 21kgs and I cant feel the weight when jumping or anything. If your in a race and have a stack and burr the rail up will you have to go home and get a file and file it down or will the slider clear it? But I wouldnt mind having to put grease in it every three days. It would just be a regular thing like lubing your chain.

seriously. read what jazza has to say. he answers both your questions.

[down_hillbilly]

Sorry didnt see that post