YETI 160E 2022 – PRODUCT LAUNCH

Launched today! Say hello to the Yeti 160E. Those of you with a keen eye may have seen this bike being raced this weekend at the EWS-E race in Crans Montana in Switzerland, but today is its official launch. So why did it take so long for Yeti to launch their first e-MTBs and why did they decide to focus on the specific demands of Enduro racing from the get-go?

Today the Yeti 160E is revealed in all its race-ready glory.

 

The Yeti 160E was developed in close partnership with Yeti team riders Richie Rude and Jared Graves. 

 

Within the written blurb of the 160E press release Yeti make no apologies about the delay in releasing their very first e-MTB onto the market; they started by, in their words ‘heeding the laws of physics’. With an understanding of the potential negative impact that adding a motor to one of their current suspension configurations would have, Yeti started with a whole new suspension platform and they’ve called it ‘Sixfinity’. This ground breaking design boasts infinite tunability and allowed Yeti to address the added power, weight and unique demands of an e-MTB. In Yeti’s honest account of the development of the 160E they admit that it took them some time but state that they allowed themselves time to understand the potential of the e-MTB and reinforce the point that their very first e-MTB is a full-on race bike which breaks new ground. What better way to prove that than having Yeti team riders Jared Graves and Jubal Davis race at EWS-E (Enduro World Series E-MTB).

The first 160E prototypes date back to 2016 and are almost unrecognisable compared to the final design.

 

 

Endless hours of real-world testing went into the development of the Yeti 160E.

 

The final prototype signals that the Yeti 160E is ready for production.

 

The Yeti 160E e-MTB looks super-sleek with its compact EP8 motor and neat, integrated 630Wh internal battery.

 

Jared Graves’ own race-ready 160E is ready to perform at the highest level of Enduro E-MTB racing.

 

The 160E had been put through its paces over countless hours of testing before Yeti were happy to launch it to the public.

 

The key to just how well the Yeti 160E performs as a full suspension Enduro E-MTB is their all new Sixfinity suspension platform. This configuration involves a 6-bar linkage where the lower link switches direction as the suspension progresses through its travel; the ‘switch link’ initially rotates up until it reaches the inflection point and it then switches directions and continues to rotate down creating a unique anti-squat curve. This has enabled Yeti to tune their Sixfinity platform to give the desired ride characteristics while accommodating the increased weight and speed that comes with an e-MTB motor and battery.

The Yeti Sixfinity suspension platform has been developed specifically for e-MTB application.

 

The Sixfinity suspension platform accommodates the extra forces generated by an e-MTB motor while preserving ride characteristics.

 

Yeti make a big thing of the 160E’s anti-squat capacity; what’s anti-squat? Well squat is basically your suspension’s unwanted compression, incurred from pedalling forces and anti-squat is your suspension platform’s mechanical resistance to that compression. Yeti’s superior Anti-squat is achieved thanks to the clever ‘switch link’ giving the 160E a wide and flat band of high anti-squat in the pedalling zone providing a smooth, supported pedalling platform. When the switch link reaches its inflection point and rotates downwards the anti-squat quickly drops off non-linearly allowing the suspension to move more freely from chain forces later in the travel when pedaling becomes less of a priority. Yeti have optimised anti-squat to be at 100% at sag, a lower magnitude than seen on their traditional acoustic Enduro bikes, this accommodates the greater acceleration and higher speeds encountered while seated on an e-MTB helping to find the ideal balance between stability and traction.

The Yeti 160E’s superior anti-squat is achieved thanks to the clever ‘switch link’ .

 

The ‘switch link’ rotates up until it reaches the inflection point, then switches directions and continues to rotate down creating a unique anti-squat curve.

 

When it comes to anti-rise Yeti have taken the e-MTB’s greater mass into consideration and tuned it to 65% at sag, a lower magnitude than on their manual or ‘acoustic’ mountain bikes. This targeted anti-rise percent strikes the perfect balance between traction and the preservation of the bike’s geometry under braking giving a really predictable handling bike on all gradients and at all speeds.

 

Let’s just go back to that ‘Sixfinity’ suspension platform and look at how adjustable it is; Sixfinity allows you to alter the leverage rate progression of the 160E’s suspension while preserving the bike’s geometry, anti-squat and anti-rise. Quick and easy to adjust the 160E features 3 leverage rate settings. The middle or stock position is 30% giving a balanced ride, 25% gives a more supported and efficient feel while the 35% position gives a plusher feel and is also ideal if you’re going to run a coil shock rather than an air shock.

The 160E’s adjustable leverage rate allows you to tune your bike’s suspension to suit your riding style and race conditions.

 

All Yeti 160E models feature Shimano’s powerful EP8 motor.

 

The Shimano EP8 motor gives a natural-feeling level of pedal-assistance.

 

There’s no range-anxiety with the large-capacity Shimano 630Wh Internal Battery.

 

A Oneup Top Guide helps keep your chain secure when things get rowdy.

 

The Shimano EM-800 display unit keeps you up to date with all the stats you need to know.

 

Yeti 160-E key features:

• 160mm rear travel
• 170mm fork travel
• 64.5° head angle
• 78° seat tube angle
• 29″ wheel size
• 2.6″ tyre clearance
• Boost spacing and SRAM UDH hanger
• 446mm chain stay
• Uninterrupted 31.6 seat tube offers great dropper post compatibility
• Rated to Yeti DH standards
• Floating collet axles and pinch bolts on the linkage extend bearing life and ensure optimal, consistent alignment
• Custom OneUp chain guide mount
• MD thru XL Mainframes accommodate a standard water bottle while our “hot lap” bottle will fit in a SM frame
• Custom cable ports, captured hoses and housing and ribbed chainstay guards provide a silent ride
• The frame ports are also configurable for clean setup whether you run cabled, wireless or a combination for your dropper and derailleur
• “Moto” brake compatible routing (Left Rear Brake/Right Front Brake)
• Tube in tube routing in swingarm for rear brake, speed sensor and derailleur
• Rear mud fender protects motor and linkage
• Shock drain hole to keep water and mud out
• 630-Watt hour battery stock in C and T series builds
• Stock Shimano battery for hassle free worldwide support
• Semi Integrated battery provides for hassle free off the bike charging
• Remote charging port on the non-drive side
• EM-800 mode switch stock in C and T series builds
• EM-800 full color display stock in C and T series builds
• Bluetooth capable for integration with a phone or GPS
• NEW Yeti thermoplastic handlebar with integrated wiring for hassle free use and a clean aesthetic.
• Wire management in Downtube for ease of use

 

The Yeti 160E features Shimano’s brilliantly efficient drive system and boasts a whole new suspension platform to help the bike excel.

 

Yeti 160E T1, Colour: Rhino

 

Yeti 160E T1, Colour: Team

 

Yeti 160-E T Series RRP £11,899.00

Highlights:

• TURQ Series carbon fiber frame with Sixfinity™ suspension technology
• E-Specific FOX 38 Factory GRIP 2 Fork
• Yeti Float X2 rear shock tuned specifically for the 160E
• 160mm Shimano XTR cranks and a 34 tooth chainring
• YETI E-MTB specific thermoplastic handlebar with integrated wiring for this bike
• Reverb AXS dropper
• MAXXIS Double Down rear tire and EXO+ front tire
• 220 (F) and 200 (R) brake rotor

Full Specification:

• Frame: Turq Series Carbon
• Fork: Fox Factory 38 Grip 2 170mm, e-tuned
• Shock: Fox Factory Float X2
• Wheelset: DT Swiss EX1700 30mm
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT 12-Speed
• Shifter: Shimano XT 12-Speed
• Crank: Shimano EM900 34T 160mm
• Cassette: Shmano XT 10-51 12-Speed
• Chain: Shimano XT 12-Speed
• Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
• Rotors: F SRAM Centreline 220mm / R SRAM Centreline 200mm
• Seatpost: SRAM Reverb AXS 31.6mm
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Assegai 2.5 EXO+
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4
• Headset: Cane Creek 110 Integrated
• Handlebar: Yeti Carbon 35x800mm e-bike
• Stem: Burgtec Enduro MK3 35x50mm
• Grips: ODI Elite Pro
• Saddle: Silverado Custom
• Chain Guide: Oneup Top Guide
• Battery: Shimano 630Wh Internal Battery
• Drive Unit: Shimano EP8
• Display: Shimano EM-800
• Assist Switch: Shimano EM800L
• Charger: Shimano E6002

Yeti 160E C1, Colour: Rhino

 

Yeti 160E C1, Colour: Turquoise

 

Yeti 160-E C Series RRP £9,499.00

Highlights:

• TURQ Series carbon fiber frame with Sixfinity™ suspension technology
• E-Specific FOX 38 Performance fork
• Yeti tuned the Float X specifically for the 160E
• 34-Tooth chainring and 160mm crank arms
• YETI made an E-MTB specific thermoplastic handlebar with integrated wiring
• OneUp dropper seatpost
• MAXXIS Double Down rear tire and EXO+ front tire
• 220 (F) and 200 (R) brake rotor
• Frame: Turq Series Carbon
• Fork: Fox Performance 170mm, e-tuned
• Shock: Fox Performance Float X
• Wheelset: DT Swiss E1900 30mm
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX 12-Speed
• Shifter: Shimano SLX 12-Speed
• Crank: Shimano EM600 34T 160mm
• Cassette: Shmano SLX 10-51 12-Speed
• Chain: Shimano SLX 12-Speed
• Brakes: SRAM Code R
• Rotors: F SRAM Centreline 220mm / R SRAM Centreline 200mm
• Seatpost: OneUp 31.6mm
• Front Tyre: Maxxis Assegai 2.5 EXO+
• Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4
• Headset: Cane Creek 40 Integrated
• Handlebar: Yeti Carbon 35x800mm e-bike
• Stem: Burgtec Enduro MK3 35x50mm
• Grips: ODI Elite Pro
• Saddle: Silverado Custom
• Chain Guide: Oneup Top Guide
• Battery: Shimano 630Wh Internal Battery
• Drive Unit: Shimano EP8
• Display: Shimano EM-800
• Assist Switch: Shimano EM800L
• Charger: Shimano E6002

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

 

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