If there’s a brand that’s been synonymous with racing throughout its history, it’s Yeti Cycles. Names like Tomac, Furtado, Voreis and Giove paved the way in the 1990s for this decade’s World Class gravity riders, like Nathan Rennie, Tara Llanes, Jared Graves, Sam Blenkinsopp, Justin Leov, Aaron Gwin and Rich Houseman.
In 2006, Yeti debuted their 303 DH downhill bike featuring the Linear Rail system: two gliding pivots (one horizontal and one vertical) that work together to provide an efficient suspension system with a wheel path that transfers impacts directly to the suspension with nominal effect on a rider’s momentum. Although proven on the World Cup circuit, and ideal for ultra-intense and steep courses, the 303 DH frame is pricey at $3870, and not offered as a complete bike. Yeti set out to create a more agile, budget-friendly, complete downhill package. The finished product is the Yeti 303 R-DH.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
The new model is more than simply adding an “R” to the previous 303 model name. As opposed to the original 303 DH (still available as a frameset) which was designed for World Cup level courses, the new 303 R-DH is built to be quicker, more nimble, a better jumping bike, and more versatile for a wider range of downhill trails. Yeti says the 303 R-DH frame weighs 10.5 pounds, about two pounds lighter than the other 303. The letter R in the new model name refers to rate, meaning the only rail on the new frame controls the spring rate on the single-pivot design. The “R” has an eccentric shock mount for adjusting the head angle between 64 and 65 degrees.
TEST BIKE BUILD Our 303 R-DH test bike features the Yeti factory team build. Although it’s possible to buy the new 303 R-DH frame and build up a “team” bike, Yeti is not selling this build as a complete bike. Our team bike features a 2009 Fox Shox 40 RC2 with the new FIT damping cartridge, a full Shimano Saint drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes, DT Swiss 5.10 EX wheels, Sunline handlebar, Chris King headset, and Yeti lock-on grips. Our test bike was delivered with Maxxis Minion DH front and rear tires, but after wearing through them we opted for a set of Maxxis High Roller tires, using a 2.5-inch front and a 2.35-inch rear tire.
YETI SPOTTED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The original 303 took riders to multiple World Cup podiums. Can the 303 R-DH fill those big Yeti shoes?
Ergonomics: Those familiar with Yeti’s previous 303 will instantly notice the new single-pivot version’s lower top tube, tighter cockpit, and significantly shorter wheelbase. The 29-inch-wide Sunline handlebar is spot on for a versatile and competitive downhill bike build.
Pedaling: The single-pivot “R” frame uses a Fox DHX 5.0 coil shock, featuring bottom-out adjustment and the ProPedal platform. The Yeti sprints with the best of them, and no energy is wasted transferring the power to the pedals. The benefit of such an efficient pedaling downhill bike is that we ran just a couple of clicks of the ProPedal adjustment, opting for maximum bump absorption.
The reliable precision of the Shimano Saint rear derailleur and shifter gives you confidence to sprint while popping through the gears out of a corner. With the Saint component group, you get an excellent mix of efficiency, power and durability.
Technical descents: Use the sag with sag-meter stamped onto the frame to make sure you have the correct spring rate, and point the new 303 R down hill. This bike screams over rough, rocky terrain. The “R” maintains momentum over rock sections and out of corners better than any downhill bike we’ve raced over the past year-and-half. On practice runs when we were just scoping out the course and different lines, intentionally not pinning it, we found ourselves riding near race speed.
Yeti and Fox Shox work closely on frame and suspension development, and that was evident on this bike. The supple rear end tracked well over choppy terrain, and the new Fox 40 RC2 featuring the FIT damper is a completely different animal. In the past, we found the 40 to be very stiff and durable, but at times brutal on your hands and wrists. The new damping cartridge improved tuneablility to the extent that we were able to run less low-speed compression to achieve supple beginning stroke travel so the fork maintained traction at speed. We increased the high-speed compression for race-speed drops and impacts. The Yeti (ODI) lock-on grips are worth mentioning. They have an aggressive “Yeti” pattern as the design, and your hands stick to them like glue on rough terrain.
Cornering: We can’t say enough about how well the Fox 40 and the Yeti rear-end with the Fox DHX 5.0 shock worked together. Whether charging through gnarly terrain or cornering at speed, the front and rear end worked in harmony, allowing you to get the most out of your effort. The 29-inch-wide Sunline handlebar is ideal for turning a big bike with eight inches of travel. The wide handlebar slows down steering and takes away twitchiness in the front end.
Braking: With single-pivot frames, “brake jack” or stiffening of the rear suspension is often a problem. On the Yeti, it wasn’t an issue. When riding a downhill bike you want to brake before gnarly sections and let the suspension do its job. We’ve ridden the Shimano Saint brakes a ton over the past year. The levers are easily adjusted to your desired reach, and the power is impressive. It had been a few months since we’d ridden Saint brakes, and it does take a few runs to get re-acquainted with their power, especially the front brake’s effect on traction.
MINOR CHANGES
It was difficult to find one thing we’d tweak on the new 303 R-DH. The most obvious one is that its name is almost the same as Yeti’s other downhill bike, which could cause some confusion.
We’re fans of direct-mount stems. Not only are they stiffer than traditional stems, but they don’t get twisted in a crash. Now that the mountain bike industry has settled on a direct-mount stem standard, we’ll use the Yeti and the new Fox 40 to test some down the road.
VERDICT
It had been too long since we reviewed a Yeti. And what a pleasant surprise the 303 R-DH was. The new, simpler suspension design, shorter chainstays, and lighter frame make this an agile descender that absolutely rips on technical terrain. Although our test bike featured the “team” build, which is only available if you buy the frame and build it up yourself, the new complete bike will offer a competitive package at a real-world price.
YETI 303 R-DH
Price $6915 (frame and shock $2570)
Country of origin Taiwan
Weight 41 pounds
Hotline (303) 278-6909
Frame tested Medium
Bottom bracket height 13.75"
Chainstay length 17.25"
Top tube length 21.5"
Head tube angle 65/64°
Seat tube angle 58°
Standover height 30"
Wheelbase 45.25"
Suspension travel (front) 8"
Suspension travel (rear) 8.25"
Frame material Aluminum
Fork Fox Shox 40 RC2
Shock Fox Shox DHX 5.0 coil
Rims DT Swiss 5.10 EX
Tires Maxxis High Roller
Hubs Shimano Saint
Brakes Shimano Saint
Brake levers Shimano Saint
Crankset Shimano Saint
Shifters Shimano Saint
Rear derailleur Shimano Saint
Chainrings Shimano Saint
Cassette Shimano XT 11-34
Pedals Weighed with Shimano M647
YETI 303 R-DH BUILD KITS COMPLETE DOWNHILL BIKES NOW AVAILABLE
The new 303 R-DH is the first complete 303 downhill bike offered by Yeti. The complete race-ready bike will sell for $4700, and the frame only for $2570. The complete bike features a Fox 40 RC2 fork, Fox DHX 5.0 coil shock, Mavic DeeTrax wheelset, Truvativ Hussefelt cranks, Avid Elixir brakes, Maxxis High Roller tires and a SRAM X.9 rear derailleur.