Yeti SB165 C3 Bike w/Fox Factory Suspension

The Yeti SB165 C3 Bike w/Fox Factory Suspension is Yeti's most capable enduro machine — 165mm of rear travel, a 170mm Fox Factory 38 up front, a coil rear shock, and Switch Infinity suspension underneath it all. This is the bike Yeti built for terrain that doesn't forgive hesitation: steep chutes, technical rock gardens, enduro race stages, and whatever the trail throws at you when you've already committed. The C3 build pairs the same C-Series Carbon frame and Fox Factory suspension package as Yeti's higher-tier builds with SRAM GX Transmission AXS wireless shifting — a meaningful spec at a price that makes the SB165 platform accessible without compromising what the bike is actually for.

Switch Infinity is the suspension architecture that defines every Yeti, and in the SB165 it's been specifically tuned for coil kinematics. The system is a patented translating-pivot four-bar linkage — the defining characteristic being a pivot that changes direction through the travel stroke, producing a dynamic anti-squat curve that does three different things at three different points in the travel. Early and mid-travel, the anti-squat curve runs flat and high, creating an efficient pedaling platform that resists unwanted squat under power without locking out the suspension. As the pivot switches direction at the transition point, anti-squat drops sharply — freeing the suspension to move without interference through big hits, drops, and compressions. In the final third, the leverage rate progressively stiffens to resist bottom-out, giving the stroke a bottomless quality that coil shock riders particularly appreciate. The practical result is a bike that climbs with the efficiency of something lighter and descends with the confidence of something that costs considerably more. Standard-sized bearings with precision-machined floating collet axles throughout the linkage simplify maintenance and extend service intervals compared to proprietary bearing arrangements.

The suspension spec is Fox Factory at both ends, without compromise. Up front, a Fox Factory 38 runs 170mm of travel through 38mm-diameter stanchions — a fork built for the aggressive geometry and impact forces of modern enduro riding. In the rear, a Fox Factory DHX2 coil shock with a two-position lever handles the 165mm stroke. Coil shocks have a different feel from air — more linear through mid-travel, more consistent across temperature swings, and notably more plush on small-bump inputs. The DHX2 is Fox's dedicated coil enduro shock, tuned to work with Switch Infinity's progressive leverage rate. The geometry frames all of it: a consistent 63.5° head angle across all four sizes, a 44mm fork offset to reduce wheel flop at that slack angle, and an effective seat angle of 76.8–76.9° that puts the rider forward over the pedals on climbs. Reach runs from 430mm at size S to 505mm at XL.

The build around the suspension is spec'd for the terrain. SRAM GX Transmission AXS shifts wirelessly across 12 speeds with a 30T chainring and 10-52T cassette — the T-Type Transmission architecture eliminates the derailleur hanger entirely, using a UDH-compatible direct-mount interface that's more durable and less crash-sensitive than traditional hangers. SRAM Code R 4-piston hydraulic brakes with 220mm front and 200mm rear rotors provide stopping power that matches the bike's descending capability. The mullet wheel setup — Maxxis Assegai 29×2.5" up front on a DT Swiss E1900 rim, Maxxis Minion DHR II 27.5×2.4" in the rear — is now the standard configuration for serious enduro bikes: the larger front wheel rolls faster and provides more braking traction, while the smaller rear wheel tightens up the rear-end geometry for maneuverability. The OneUp dropper seatpost scales travel by size — 150mm for S, 180mm for M, 210mm for L and XL — so every size gets a functional drop rather than a one-size-fits-most compromise. Burgtec Ride Wide alloy bars at 780mm and a 50mm Burgtec Enduro stem round out a cockpit tuned for control at speed.

Design Benefits

1. Switch Infinity coil kinematics: The translating pivot adapts anti-squat dynamically through the travel stroke — efficient on the climb, free on the descent, progressive at bottom-out — and the SB165 version is specifically tuned for the feel and leverage rate of a coil shock.
2. Fox Factory at both ends: The Factory 38 and DHX2 coil represent Fox's highest-specification enduro suspension — not trail-spec components dressed up in aggressive geometry, but purpose-built enduro hardware matched to a 165mm travel frame.
3. Mullet wheel configuration: The 29" front and 27.5" rear combination delivers the roll speed, braking traction, and stability of the larger wheel where it matters most, while the smaller rear wheel tightens rear-end handling in technical terrain.
4. SRAM GX Transmission AXS: Wireless 12-speed shifting without a derailleur hanger eliminates one of the most common mechanical failures on enduro rides — a crash-resilient drivetrain spec that suits the terrain this bike is designed for.
5. Size-matched dropper travel: Rather than fitting every size with the same dropper, Yeti scales the OneUp post from 150mm to 210mm across the size range, ensuring every rider gets a usable drop without the seatpost bottoming out in the frame.

Final Take

The SB165 C3 is built for riders who want the full SB165 experience — Switch Infinity suspension, Fox Factory hardware, and the geometry to ride consequential terrain — without paying for top-tier carbon and component upgrades that add weight savings but not capability. The C-Series frame uses the same per-size custom carbon layup as Yeti's TURQ builds. The Fox Factory suspension is identical. What you're getting at $7,900 is the SB165 platform at the point where performance stops being compromised and price starts being reasonable. If the terrain you ride demands 165mm of coil-sprung, electronically-shifted, mullet-wheeled enduro bike, this is the build.