Yeti 303 RDH

Words: Callum Jelley
Photos: Morgan Meredith

The Yeti 303 RDH is an impressive piece of MACHINERY—a slimmer, leaner, single-rail version of its twin-rail big brother, the 303 DH. The bike is the direct result of input from Yeti’s sizeable squad of racers. The bigger bike was overkill for smoother racecourses with more high-speed berms and fast, smooth jumps, so racers asked for a lighter, more nimble version—one that is easier to finesse through corners and scrub speed when needed. The result is a clean-looking frame made up of angular, hydroformed tubes that costs a full $1,300 less than the 303 DH.

While the 303 DH uses two rails to control axle path and shock rate, respectively, this bike’s single rail controls only shock rate (the “R” in RDH). But what it lacks in World Cup DH boulder-swallowing ability, (aka the 303’s upward-and-rearward axle path), the RDH gains in gility and maneuverability.

The rail creates a supremely linear shock rate, so there’s no big ramp-up toward the end, nor are there three different stages to the travel like some other linkage systems. It’s just solid, predictable performance.

Another advantage to the rail-and-link design is the ability to adjust geometry by using eccentric shock mounts without affecting suspension characteristics. This gives riders the option of three different geometry settings, ranging from a 65-degree headtube angle with a 14.1-inch-high bottom bracket to a 64-degree headtube angle with a 13.84-inch bottom bracket.

While most privateers will opt for the frame-and-shock kit, Yeti puts together a respectable deal on this 40-pound (without pedals) complete bike that comes with full-complement Fox suspension—including the new DHX RC4 rear shock—a Truvativ Hussefelt finishing kit, Avid Elixir R brakes and Mavic Deetrax wheels. The rear member of my Deetrax wheelset blew up after the third hard corner I put it through, which Mavic says is the result of a faulty batch of spokes. Riders with an “A” stamped on the spoke head of their Deetrax wheels best take them to the local dealer, but my replacement set have taken a real beating with no complaints.

Testing the bike in my adopted hometown of Whistler, B.C., meant I was able to put more than 400,000 vertical feet on the RDH, and aside from some early wheel issues, the remainder of my time was a dream. Ricocheting through the wet, rocky, rooty carnage of the upper mountain, the linear suspension worked perfectly and kept the bike composed and controlled even in the wildest situations. On 15-minute-long DH runs, wet or dry, the self-lubricating system in the rail kept up and I never heard so much as a chirp from it. I did grease the system once a week to prevent undue wear and keep it running smoothly and silently.

The bike showed what it is truly capable of during the weekly Whistler races. Every time I pushed it, half expecting to slide out or rag-doll after overshooting a jump, the bike proved me wrong. It drifted predictably and swallowed cased landings.

Yeti has distilled its race sled without losing the essence of a great bike, and offers it at a price that won’t cause you to re-mortgage your house.

Source: bikemag

Specialized SX Trail 1

Words: Vernon Felton
Photos: Morgan Meredith

Specialized went back to the drawing board in 2009 and heaped a whole lot of engineering love on the already venerable SX Trail. Highlights include a tapered headtube, chainstay-mounted front derailleur, a jungle of reconfigured tubes and all manner of bombproof, forged frame pieces, including the headtube, rear dropouts, bottom-bracket shell and chainstay yoke.

The SX Trail 1 is the second-tier bike in the two-model SX line and comes with a smart mix of components. A RockShox Domain 318 fork and Fox DHX 4.0 rear shock handle suspension duties, while Avid Elixir R hydraulic discs (210-millimeter rotor up front; 185 in back) provide plenty of braking bite. The whole rig rolls on custom DT Swiss 550 wheels.

 Out on the dirt, the SX allows for an insane margin of operator error: I lost count of the times I was certain I’d break myself in half, and yet managed to sail smoothly through bungled drops and sorely miscalculated line choices. Part of the credit here goes to the bike’s very neutral handling. The 66-degree headtube angle feels perfect on steep terrain. The stiff chassis tracks like a train through even the roughest corners, and the coil-sprung four-bar suspension manages to be silky smooth on small trail chatter while still delivering that bottomless feel on big landings.


Of course, all those massive tubes, oversized axles, and coil-sprung squishy things should lend a sort of fear-no-evil ride quality to a bike. What is surprising is that the SX is also a freakishly capable trail bike.

With its outstanding crotch clearance (standover is 27.5 inches on our medium-sized test bike), low bottom bracket (13 inches) and short chainstays (16.5 inches), the SX is one of the few “big bikes” that begs to be flicked and finessed on tight trails. It hugs the terrain like Satan’s very own go-kart, threads a mean needle and never wallows about in the middle of its travel: all very good things.

What could be improved? Both the derailleur cables and the rear brake line are routed in a bundle underneath the bottom bracket. While I never snagged the massive wiring harness on anything, I still have reservations about dangling that critical hydraulic line down there. Likewise, the SX’s low bottom bracket is a sort of love-it-or-hate-it proposition. Me? I’m a fan. Those who consistently pedal through rough stuff, however, might not feel the same way.


If you’re looking for a flyweight machine, this ain’t your bike. The SX’s burly frame, downhill-oriented com- ponents and steel-coil-spring suspension ratchet its weight up to almost 36 pounds, all making for a serious grudge with gravity. On the other hand, if you’re looking for one bike that excels at both the bike park and aggressive trails, the SX deserves a long, hard look. In fact, this might just be the perfect weapon.



 Source: bikemag

Trek Session 88 DH

Words: Chris Lesser
Photos: Morgan Meredith

Trek’s mountaitaitain bike development team hashashas been on a tear over the last few years, and the company’s Session big-bike platform was the last of the off-road lineup to be anointed with the company’s technological trifecta. In marketing parlance, this includes Full Floater, ABPBP and EVO Link.

In plain English, Full Floater simply means the rear shock “floats” between the rocker link and an extension of the chainstay, allowing for supple initial shock activation and smooth linear stroke that ramps up at the tail-end of its 8 inches of travel. ABPBP, meanwhile, refers to the location of the crucial rear pivot—above the axle is a standard four-bar link, below the axle is Horst Link patent-infringement territory, but placing the pivot concentric with the rear axle, says Trek, delivers an Active Braking Pivot. Last up, the Session’s massive rocker link is welded from a single chunk of aluminum—an EVO-lutionary step beyond Trek’s previous, bolted-together rockers.

With the back-story decoded, how did it ride? In short, PFW (Pretty F’ing Well). Compared to its predecessor, the 47-pound Session 10, the 37.8-pound (without pedals) 88 DH handled a lot more like a mountain bike than a Cadillac. Nimble and flickable aren’t characteristics normally assigned to a DH rig, but this bike achieves both traits without sacrificing “bombability”—the ability to point and shoot with no regard for personal safety.

Thanks to widely braced pivots and a stout front triangle, the chassis didn’t yield a bit while blasting through off-camber rock gardens. Instead, these situations showed off the bike’s suspension. The rear end was plush and predictable, with no noticeable bad ju-ju while braking through the chop. And the Fox 40, with its superlative low-speed compression adjustability, could be tuned to stick to the ground like stink on shit.

Applying the old flick-test to the center of the Session’s downtube produces an uncannily hollow-sounding thwack...a reminder that making a sub-10-pound frame (with shock) means employing some serious tube-butting techniques. That said, I found myself sending drops and barreling through fiendish rock gardens without ever worrying that the bike was going to let me down.

On slow-speed ladders or anything requiring careful pedaling, I found myself wanting a lower front end and a single-crown fork, but on balance I quite liked the Fox 40. With a 47-inch wheelbase (on this size large) and a 65-degree headtube angle, there’s no denying this horse’s race breeding. Luckily, a race pedigree doesn’t prevent sandbaggers like me from thoroughly enjoying the Session at the local bike park. 

Source: bikemag

Jamis Dakar XCT 2

Words: Ryan LaBar
Photos: Morgan Meredith
THE DAKAR XCT IS JAMIS’ TAKE ON THE 5-INCH, GO-ANYWHERE, do-anything, Downieville-style-of-riding bike. Jamis claims it descends as well as its bigger brother, the 6-inch XAM, and pedals like the company’s cross-country race bikes.


The first of those claims proved valid—descending was this bike’s strongest asset. The XCT’s slackish 67.5-degree head angle helped the Jamis feel at home in steep, rocky situations. It’s not a prance-around kind of rig—it wants to be mashed and bashed over the top of rocks, roots and logs. The low 12.9-inch bottom-bracket height makes the bike feel stable, but it also makes for frequent encounters between the pedals and the ground.

The 130-millimeter Marzocchi 44 ATA fork worked harmoniously with the Fox Float R rear shock. And though I could never get the travelindicator band to slide completely down the shock, I seldom felt the bike lacked any bit of 5 inches of travel. However, like many four-bar linkage bikes, the back end stiffened under hard braking.

On the trail, the bike felt anything but twitchy. The low bottom bracket and 15-millimeter front axle helped keep it stable and sure through corners, and the Stick-E compound Nevegal tires hooked up to just about every type of dirt.

When the trail turned upward, however, the hefty 1,200-gram wire-bead tires made themselves known. My first upgrade to this bike would be to drop nearly 2 pounds off the 32-pound weight by switching to foldingbead versions.

Beyond just the choice of tires, the XCT fell short of its promised climbing prowess. Running the Marzocchi 44 ATA fork in its lowest, 100-millimeter-travel setting, combined with the low bottom bracket and long stock stem, helped the bike track straight and true. But when climbing out of the saddle, the XCT bobbed quite a bit. A Fox RP23, or another rear shock with more “platform” damping, would help.


Still, you can’t have it all for nothing, and what this bike lacks in sophisticated suspension it more than makes up for with smart and solid parts. Shifter and derailleur duties are taken care of by a combination of Deore, SLX and XT components, and reliable Avid Juicy Three brakes. The low points of the spec, though not uncommon for the price, are the nonexternal bearing Shimano cranks, which flexed under power.


The XCT is a bike that can be ridden all day and into the night, and the best part is that you don’t have to work nights to afford it. For an economical all-rounder, the XCT is a hard bike to beat. 

 


Source: bikemag