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XXL Yeti Sb 5.5......please build them!

6K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  BoomShakkaLagga 
#1 ·
Yeti, please start building an XXL bike for us 6'5" + riders. I owned an XL sb 5.5 for a year and I must admit I was blown away by how well this bike pedaled and also descended. But at my height, I just couldn't make that bike work for me. Running an 80+mm stem with a pile of spacers to increase stack makes no sense on a bike with such a dialed geometry. If I was 6'1" the XL would be pure nirvana...not so much at 6'5".

I am now on an XXL Santa Cruz Hightower and the fit is so much better I can't even describe. I can run a 50mm stem with 800mm bars and I am now centered in the bike. I can now descend using my feet and core. Not on my hands like on smaller bikes. The riding position is a night and day improvement....I have more room in the cockpit to change body position through corners, jumping, drops, etc. All around I feel a lot more comfortable spending hours in the saddle.

The problem is the Hightower is not a yeti 5.5. It doesn't pedal as well as the 5.5, it's not as stiff laterally and under breaking bumps it doesn't hold a candle to the yeti. The yeti hugs the ground and the Hightower skips. It also gets hung up on multiple square edged hits at highspeed. The yeti recovers faster and is more composed in the fast chunky stuff. Not to mention it looks cool as hell!

Yeti, all I want for Christmas is a giant sb 5.5! Add a taller head tube(more stack so we don't eat up our reach with spacers), a 505mm reach or more, a lower seat tube(for longer dropper posts, steeper seat tube angle (helps us lanky bastards stay over the pedals on steep climbs) and a slightly longer chain stay (blasphemy you say) but this would make this bike more balanced for us vertically challenged riders on huge ass 29er bikes.....I also wouldn't complain about another 20mm of travel out back😁


The XXL Hightower is the best fitting bike I've ever ridden, but it's no Yeti. Chris, Hoog, John P...please make us tall riders rejoice and build us a giant Super Bike. I live near a Golden so happy try any test mules you guys build😀
 
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#2 ·
Yeti, please start building an XXL bike for us 6'5" + riders. I owned an XL sb 5.5 for a year and I must admit I was blown away by how well this bike pedaled and also descended. But at my height, I just couldn't make that bike work for me. Running an 80+mm stem with a pile of spacers to increase stack makes no sense on a bike with such a dialed geometry. If I was 6'1" the XL would be pure nirvana...not so much at 6'5".

I am now on an XXL Santa Cruz Hightower and the fit is so much better I can't even describe. I can run a 50mm stem with 800mm bars and I am now centered in the bike. I can now descend using my feet and core. Not on my hands like on smaller bikes. The riding position is a night and day improvement....I have more room in the cockpit to change body position through corners, jumping, drops, etc. All around I feel a lot more comfortable spending hours in the saddle.

The problem is the Hightower is not a yeti 5.5. It doesn't pedal as well as the 5.5, it's not as stiff laterally and under breaking bumps it doesn't hold a candle to the yeti. The yeti hugs the ground and the Hightower skips. It also gets hung up on multiple square edged hits at highspeed. The yeti recovers faster and is more composed in the fast chunky stuff. Not to mention it looks cool as hell!

Yeti, all I want for Christmas is a giant sb 5.5! Add a taller head tube(more stack so we don't eat up our reach with spacers), a 505mm reach or more, a lower seat tube(for longer dropper posts, steeper seat tube angle (helps us lanky bastards stay over the pedals on steep climbs) and a slightly longer chain stay (blasphemy you say) but this would make this bike more balanced for us vertically challenged riders on huge ass 29er bikes.....I also wouldn't complain about another 20mm of travel out back?

The XXL Hightower is the best fitting bike I've ever ridden, but it's no Yeti. Chris, Hoog, John P...please make us tall riders rejoice and build us a giant Super Bike. I live near a Golden so happy try any test mules you guys build?
Coming from a long-legged tall guy, I totally understand where you are coming from. I'll extend the suggestion out to all Bike Companies: Try to make frames that actually fit tall guys. -K Thanks
 
#4 ·
When I first saw the XL it looked enormous...then I saw a customer bike at my LBS that had about 4" of stem spacers and probably a 200mm dropper with 3" of the post exposed above the seat tube. Assuming that wasn't one of you guys that makes at least 3 customers for an XXL. Even though the XXL market is small it probably makes the most sense with the 5.5...quickest selling yeti model ever and currently only 3 sizes.
 
#5 ·
It wasn't my bike, but I personally know a number of tall guys that would buy a XXL Yeti if they built one.

After riding the XXL Hightower I finally realized what it feels like to to have a bike that fits! Just wish I could buy a XXL Yeti instead.......

I couple of my tall buddies are going to spring for the new Gorilla Gravity Smash in size XL......that bikes has a 515mm reach! It's huge
 
#10 ·
Interesting factoid: we looked at some numbers a couple years ago, and at that time, we had lost money on every XL frame we'd ever sold - the volume had never been high enough to even pay for our mfg costs, much less turn a profit. I'm not sure whether that's changed in the last year or so, but I think a very safe assumption is that if we're possibly breaking even on XL's now, the odds of us not losing money on an XXL are remote at best.

We'll continue to make XL's (if for no other reason that our two main designers are 6'3" or taller), but unfortunately I don't think an XXL is likely to happen until there is a big increase in demand for super-sized bikes.

Sorry I don't have better news guys; just relaying some hard facts of life.

JP
 
#14 ·
Thanks for the advice! I'm not sure where you're trying to order from, but I see we have a couple Carbon Series and TURQ Series 45's in stock right now. As for 55's, supply on that has been limited in all sizes all year - the demand was much, much higher than we anticipated.

JP

JP
 
#17 ·
Sorry JP didnt mean to be rude. Just really was disappointed not to be able to get a 5.5. I have a 4.5 and love it, awesome bike. You guys are killing it. I also love the geo. At 6'6" i am perfectly comfortable on the xl. I dont like the huge wheelbase trend. I prefer ferrari over 85 cadillac handling.
 
#18 ·
Let me start by saying that if there was a XXL SB5.5 with a reach of 500mm then I’d be sending Yeti some of my money. Additionally, I understand that building a bike which, based on Yeti’s sizing suggestions, would be designed for someone of a height who represents ~1% of the adult population isn’t great for business.

However, a bike with a reach of 500mm isn’t as big as it used to be, and a lot of people at 6’1” / 6’2” are getting on bikes with a reach of this size and liking them. Scott has recently gone longer with their Genius, Transition is going long with the Sentinel (XL could have a reach of ~500mm), and then there are Mondraker, Pole, et al.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that my comments aren’t going to change the mind of the management at Yeti in relation to the XXL; however, a longer version with a stack height of ~640mm (to allow people to size up for the ‘Mondraker feel’) isn’t as crazy an idea as it once was.

Just in case it is a cold day down there in hell, could I please have a turquoise one with the orange accents that Richie Rude is running in Aspen.
 
#19 ·
Don't get me wrong, I know that my comments aren't going to change the mind of the management at Yeti in relation to the XXL; however, a longer version with a stack height of ~640mm (to allow people to size up for the 'Mondraker feel') isn't as crazy an idea as it once was.
I agree, knocking an inch off the seat-tube length might help sell more XL's (and XXL if they existed). I love the look of the SB5.5 (and I've always wanted a Yeti), but at 183cm I like the longer reach (current bike is same as the XL 5.5) and while I could squeeze onto a bike with a 20.5" seat tube with a 150mm dropper I'd want my next bike to have room for a 175mm at the very least.
 
#22 ·
Now you're onto something!!! Every press fit I've ever had has walked or creaked with exception of the Salsa Beargrease 100mm fat crank (alot wider/cross width) I've had to go with a fancy thread together Enduro BB to keep my Yeti's pedaling like they should. At 6'2" with solid 34" inseam I'm on a XL and super high rise Enve Minaar handlebar and 20mm of spacer. So I can imagine 6'6" 36 being the next step up. I have a buddy of that size on a XL SB5.5 and he's digging it, lives in Denver area but bike fitment is different for everyone. If I went by Yeti's sizing chart I should be on a L and for my ASRc the L is perfect for XC.
 
#23 ·
6'5" here. XXL Hightower was the best fitting bike I've ever been on. I did have a XXL Trek Fuel. Reach and stack were fine but it cornered like a Cadillac. All that too say I wish more boutique brands would make XXL frames (Yeti, Ibis, Pivot). Currently on a Ibis Ripmo. Fabulous bike but the stack could be a couple CM taller. Cheers,
 
#24 ·
Wow. I did not expect an XXL. Not from a niche manufacturer such as Yeti.
I am 198cm and currently on a Santa Cruz Megatower XXL Hightower 1 XXL. Latter shares the Reach with the XL Yetis if you bring the Stack to the same height. Rideable, but I prefer longer Reach with short stem to get my handlebar to the same position. On that note… XL and 130something Stack. That may work for someone 5-5 that desires to go on a big bike, but a <120mm steerer won’t cut it for us Goliaths. Those bikes quicky end up with a <495 Reach once the stem is brought to height. Appreciate the longer steerer on the XXLs on that note.

Interestingly those XXL Santa Cruzes don’t even look butt ugly. We’ll see how the Yeti monster trucks come out…
 
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