We'll Take you There

number 34$8.95 US $9.95 CANwww.mountainflyer.com

Display until December 30, 2013

Mapping EvEry MilEThE aMbiTions of lEsliE KEhMEiEr

inTo ThE frying pangivE and TaKE in idaho’s panhandlE

Unwind UndEr ThE sTars10 wEEKEnd biKEpacK Trips

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Weight: 23.5 lbsPrice: $4,500 www.YetiCycles.comyeti arc carbon

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Test riding bikes is fun. But it usually requires a lot of tweaking to dial in the fit, especially for the small (or tall) rider. Sometimes a bike feels awkward, and it can take several rides before you really get the feel of what’s special about a rig. (I know, dear reader, you’re feeling especially sorry for me right now.) After three hours of driving and lots of wrong and missed turns to get to a work-assigned media camp hosted by Yeti and DT Swiss, I was ready to get off the concrete and pedal some dirt. There’s something about being stressed and trapped in a car that just ups the stoke for a bike ride. Yeti was introducing two of their classics in carbon: the ARC and the SB95. Industry partner DT Swiss was introducing its Spline One wheelsets. I didn’t plan it this way, but because I clocked in late, I missed the formal sit-down presentations and barely had enough time to change into some shorts and tighten up my shoes—much less dial in fit—before heading out on the ARC Carbon. (So unfortunate, right, my reader friend?)

But the ARC was one of those bikes that felt great from the minute I hopped on it. Chad Eskins, from DT Swiss, had waited for me, the latecomer, and we powered up the steady 3.4-mile double track hill in Toro County Park in Monterey, Calif. We chatted the entire way up, and as we crested the final steep climb up the ridge, I could see the rest of the group stopped at the summit. We’d almost caught them, thanks to the super-tight climbing prowess of the ARC Carbon. Put power to the pedals and it propels. There is no sluggishness that can sometimes bog down bigger-wheeled bikes. The ARC has roots as a cross country racer. Colorado-based Yeti first made the ARC in 1992. It was the first Easton Taper Wall tube set frame (using different thicknesses to increase strength or add compliance) and weighed in at 3.5 pounds. This year, Yeti debuted the ARC in carbon and let go of the aluminum model altogether, acknowledging that it was an obvious move to improve its first ever full carbon hardtail cross country machine. The new ARC frame (medium) is 2.6 pounds—nearly a pound lighter than its alloy predecessor. Yeti’s carbon TaperWall construction also has different thicknesses in the carbon layups so engineers can play with the stiffness and compliance to try to make a

super-strong but lightweight frame. The frame is also tidy and handles well, but I would be remiss not to say it’s a true beauty. What makes the frame stand out is the downward arching top tube (the swooping design also offers ample standover); internal cable routing with clean entry points on the downtube and under the bottom bracket for the derailleur cables (the rear brake cable is external); and the sleek, rounded looptail of the rear triangle. The looped triangle dates back to the original Yeti design and seamlessly connects the seatstays and chainstays. The rear brake caliper also is tucked on the inside of the triangle, and the 160-mm rotor brake caliper mounts directly to the frame with no adapters. The looptail design also gives the bike some vertical compliance, making this hardtail more comfortable on longer technical outings. Another huge change to the ARC is the wheel size, with 29-inch wheels in the medium, large and extra large sizes. The smaller frames have 27.5-inch wheels. (The bike in this review is an extra small.) Yeti was one of the first manufacturers to offer the same model in two different wheel sizes, which to us was a “well, duh…” moment. Not surprisingly, Yeti reps say the decision to go that direction was fairly straightforward: When it came down to proportions, 29-inch

LET’S NOT BEAT AROUND THE BUSH:

Corie Spruill

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wheels did not make sense for smaller riders. I think that’s a nice compromise versus not having an offering at all (Yeti’s Big Top hardtail 29er was not offered in smaller sizes) or making a circus bike that’s good on rough terrain but lacks the handling on tight corners and the descents. Ever since that first ride in California, I had a hankering to get back on the ARC and made the push to get a test bike. (Yes, lining up test bikes is part of my rigorous job description.) The day my test bike—in its quintessential turquoise glory—arrived at my home, I gloated. I would finally get a taste of what it was like to be part of the Yeti “tribe.” Plus, I was just days from departing to Ketchum, Idaho, to write a story about Rebecca Rusch’s inaugural gravel grinder and ride some of the world’s best singletrack in the Sawtooth Mountains. (Oh, did I mention that my job also forces me to travel to places like Sun Valley? Cry me a river, right?) I knew the ARC could handle both the grinder

and the rugged singletrack and not leave me wanting. Sure enough, I busted out the ups and downs of the trails on Bald Mountain and around Redfish Lake in Stanley, Idaho, as well as the washboard dirt roads of the gravel grinder. The ARC Carbon is clearly an outstanding climber. But I think I loved this bike just as much for its descending capabilities, discovered early on down the bermed, smooth, poison ivy-lined turns of the 2.3-mile Pipeline decent in Monterey. I thought that perhaps I would be giving up some speed and agility, but the ARC is particularly snappy on fast cross country descents with snug, rocky switchbacks. This is not something you find in every cross country race bike, and the ARC’s short chainstays (16.9 inches) and compact frame deserve some credit. Yeti, however, has a knack for making bikes that chew up the descents. The long, low and relatively slack head angle of 69.5 degrees and chassis

stiffness also contribute to the ARC’s playfulness, which handily managed the super-duper-D route of Baldy Mountain in Sun Valley. Back home in Colorado, I could steer this bike through tight technical terrain as well as, if not better than, other hardtail race bikes, including 29ers that are supposed to “gobble up” rough sections. And, my favorite (which I’m always told by tall dudes pushing 29ers on me), I didn’t have to change my riding style or “re-learn” how to ride a mountain bike. Yeti offers the ARC as a frameset or in several builds, from a bike with the cost-effective SRAM SLX drivetrain to an XTR or XX1 build. The bike in this review is the XT build, with a 24-38 Shimano XT Shadow-plus drivetrain that ran smoothly throughout the season. The hyper-responsive Shimano XT brakes (and the XTRs) are becoming my favorite as a rider with smaller hands. This test bike shipped with DT Swiss M1700 Spline wheels (which is different from the DT Swiss 350/XM LTDs you’ll see listed in the catalog) mounted with 2.25 Maxxis Ardents. All builds have the Fox 32 100 Kashima coat CTD adjust (15 mm) up front. The direct mount front derailleur allows for increased tire clearance and shorter chainstays. For all the singlespeeders who look at this frame with lust, turn away. The rear triangle and dropouts on the ARC Carbon are designed and optimized for use with a 142x12 mm Shimano rear axle only. Up front, you can run SRAM XX1 and XX, however. The bike has a 73-mm threaded BB shell. (As expected, you need the 73-mm SRAM GXP bottom bracket or an equivalent and the XX1 crank to run the XX1 set-up.) Should you desire, the ARC can accept a removable ISCG 03 or 05 tab. That’s a nice thing about the splined BB shell system: It’s lighter than a conventional welded tab and allows for different guide options. Yeti’s tagline as a company is “rider driven.” Those guys in Golden, Colo., sure have it tough, what with closing up the shop every day for an hour-and-a-half at lunch and hitting the great singletrack right outside the company’s door. Part of the reason they make such good bikes is they must have the right machines to rip up the technical trails of Colorado’s Front Range. Not a bad driving force toward your mission. (And now, dear reader, I might be with you in saying, “Well, gee, that sure sounds like a tough life.”) –T. Ortega

Corie Spruill