Bike Check: Parker’s Yeti ASR-C

Bike Check: Parker’s Yeti ASR-C

Yeti has a long history of making awesome mountain bikes. They’ve been around pretty much from the beginning, and have a very loyal following among owners. Just looking at their most recent foray into the XC side of dirt racing, it’s easy to see why. The ASR-C is, to be straightforward, a beautiful frame. It looks great. Since it’s a Yeti, it also rides incredibly well. Parker’s 3rd ever ride on this bike was the 40+km Gearjammer race in Squamish, where he placed 5th. This is not a bike that you need to ‘get to know,’ it just rides really, really well.

Before we get to the pictures, here’s some basics about the ASR-C. It’s a 4″ rear travel, carbon XC race bike, but one designed to be as fun as it is fast. Frame alone, the ASR-C weighs in a hair under 2kg, partly due to the simplicity of Yeti’s one piece ‘swoop’ stay’s – the characteristic one piece chain and seat stays that form the bikes rear triangle. It also has other smart features, like internal dropper post cable routing, integrated downtube protector, tapered headtube, and a few other details hiding in there. On top of Yeti’s pretty all-out build, Parker’s made a couple changes – like XTR wheels, brakes, and pedals.

Race bike. Racer.

“C” means Carbon. See? Carbon on the insides!

Yeti’s awesome head badge. And smooth lines of the lovely shaped carbon frame. All round goodness

More pretty shapes. Yeti says the ASR-C was three years in development. The results justify the time

A Fox’s Float CTD keeps the ASR-C floating along nicely. And, if you look close, Yeti branded hardware

Nice wide Easton Haven Carbon bars show Yeti’s intent to make the ASR-C fun when pointed downhill

SRAM XO1 drivetrain. It looks like SRAM also put some time into making their chainrings look nice

Up close with SRAM’s patented narrow-wide tooth shape. Similar, but different than the Wolf Tooth shape

And XTR pedals. Lighter, and thinner than the XT version

Up front Parker’s running a mix of Shimano’s unrivaled XTR brake levers, and SRAM’s new XO shifter

XTR brakes: both pads and rotors sport cooling fins for consistent braking power. Again, Yeti’s ‘swoop’ stays

Parker is rolling on Shimano XTR wheels. Light, strong, and the carbon weave just looks fast

The medium frame doesn’t leave too much room for hydration, hence the side-load bottle cage

Yeti Branded WTB saddle, Rockshox Reverb dropper, and YNOT bag. Everything looks right here

Little details are important, like the integrated rock guard on the down tube

And this front derailleur mount cover,  lazer etched with an actual yeti. Yes, ‘actual’ yeti. They’re real