With only 100 of the new Yeti ARC 35th Anniversary Edition 29ers available, this matchy hardtail looks to be a collector’s bike from axle to axle. Its 130mm Fox 34 fork and Transfer dropper suggest a more trail focused intention than the typical ARC XC build, while the SRAM XX1 crankset, an AXS wireless drivetrain, and Yeti branded carbon rims and handlebar give it a decidedly race-focused component selection. With a single, $9,999 build option, in sizes Small to X-Large, how fast do you reckon those 100 bikes will sell?
Yeti says of the ARC lineage, “First launched in 1991, the original ARC was a collaboration with Yeti and Easton to produce a lightweight race frame. Frames during that time were typically made of Chromoly steel and weighed 5-6 pounds, but the new Easton ProTaper tubing reduced the weight to 3.2 lbs and the ARC went on to dominate the race circuit.” It’s funny to think that a lot of Yeti riders on their SB130 to SB165 bikes today are mounting up rear tires that weigh almost much as that first hardtail frame, and a fair bit heavier than this latest carbon iteration.
The short 433mm chainstays coupled with an average cross-country reach of 465mm on the size large should give this bike a playful character, and the slacker 67° headtube angle will help that right along. Its sharp 76° seat tube angle across the size run will undoubtedly make the ARC 35 bikes fun to pedal uphill.
Head over to the Yeti Cycles website for more info, or to order your 35th Anniversary Edition ARC before they’re sold out.
