Anyone in the top half of an Enduro World Series field is a wizard on a bike, but the guys who consistently fill out the top-ten on the results sheet are absolute monsters in every way possible. And while he's had a rollercoaster of a season, Yeti's Richie Rude is still the final boss in my books; rocks cringe when he approaches, and you're not sure why the ground is shaking until the two-time EWS champ steams into view.



Did you see the video of him hitting that tree during the Whistler round? It was a collision that would have removed the shoulder from my body via blunt force trauma, but Richie barely stopped rolling and jumped right back onto his steed. I think the tree actually apologized to him, too.

Richie's SB150 Details



• Intended use: enduro racing

• Wheel size: 29"

• Rear wheel travel: 150mm

• 64.5° head angle

• 433mm chainstays

• Boost 148 rear spacing

• Size: medium

• Handlebar width: 750mm

• CushCore tire inserts

• Aluminum DT Swiss wheels

• www.yeticycles.com • Intended use: enduro racing• Wheel size: 29"• Rear wheel travel: 150mm• 64.5° head angle• 433mm chainstays• Boost 148 rear spacing• Size: medium• Handlebar width: 750mm• CushCore tire inserts• Aluminum DT Swiss wheels

Unlike the also-new SB100, the SB150's Switch Infinity unit sits in parallel with the frame, just like the SB6. The shock being driven by a small linkage rather than the swingarm itself is a big reason for the water bottle real estate.

Richie is on the older Shimano kit rather than the still-rare 9100 group. He often runs CushCore inserts in both of his wheels, but sometimes takes it out of the front if the course isn't too rough.

Yeti's twenty-three-year-old enduro monster has an all-new bike to race on this season, a bike that takes over the SB6's slot as the burliest, slackest rig in Yeti's catalog. The SB150 is a 29'' wheeled, 150mm-travel (duh) all-mountain and enduro sled with a 64.5-degree head angle and, get this, room for a bottle inside the front triangle. Cue angels singing and me finally not moaning for once.There are other details, too, like how the shock is driven by a link rather than straight off the swingarm, some tweaks to the suspension rate, and a 44mm offset fork with 170mm of stroke. Reach is nice and roomy as well, with a 460mm number for the medium, and 480mm for the large size that Richie prefers.Want to know more about the fresh SB150? Check out our first impressions after riding Yeti's new creation in Whistler.