The stunning 2015 Yeti AS-Rc

The new 2015 Yeti AS-Rc is a stunner in their signature 'desert turquoise' paint scheme.

With less than a week until Eurobike and the official start of trade show season, Yeti has rolled out a new version of their AS-Rc 100mm-travel, single-pivot cross-country carbon mountain bike. Featuring what the company calls an "enduro pedigree," Yeti spec'd the lightweight XC bike with frame size-specific wheels. Extra-small and small frames are built around 27.5-inch hoops while 29-inch wheels come on the medium, large and extra-large frames.

2015 Yeti AS-Rc frameset

Although Yeti photographed the new AS-Rc as a frameset, it's only sold as a complete bike.

Though Yeti has focused primarily on enduro and gravity bikes the last several model years, they say their re-entry into cross-country has been very disciplined and purposeful as well as in-line with their racing pedigree.

"We've been out of the cross-country market for several years, so it was important that we nailed the form, fit, and function of the AS-Rc." said Yeti President and Co-owner Chris Conroy. "The AS-R has been a storied bike in our line and we raced cross-country for nearly twenty years and have produced some greats in the sport."

With it's clean lines and single-pivot suspension it looks as if Yeti is trying to keep things light and simple-and at just 4.2-pounds, the AS-Rc's frame is in range of the lightest dual-suspension frames on the market. Though the top-of-the-line 22.3-pound XX1 build checks-in at a spendy $9,999, the $5,799 XO1 build is less than a pound heavier at 23.1-pounds. A "tweener" XO1 build with Enve M50 carbon wheels costs $8,099 and weighs 22.7-pounds.

Continue to Page 2 for Yeti AS-Rc details, geometry and full photo gallery »

Progressive, aggressive XC geometry

Geometry varies slightly between frame sizes but the headtube angle numbers fall in the so-called "aggressive XC" range at 68 degrees for the extra-small and small sizes, and 69.1-degrees for the medium, large and extra-large sizes.

"XC racing is in our DNA and we're excited to reintroduce people to our heritage with a bike that sports Yeti's progressive geometry," added Conroy.

2015 Yeti AS-Rc Geometry Chart

Sweet build kits, but curiously no frame-only option

As with their SB-5c all-mountain model announced last month, Yeti is only offering the AS-Rc as a complete bike and there are no current plans to sell it in frame-only form. The move is even more curious considering the frame includes a mounting point for a front derailleur though the only build kits they sell it with--which Yeti calls XO1 and XX1 PRO--come with the respective SRAM 1x11 drivetrains. It's a bit of a head-scratcher, but we'll try and get the rationale when we see company reps at Eurobike next week.

Complimenting the SRAM drivetrains are Shimano brakesets--XT on the XO1 and XTR on the XX1--with 160mm Ice Tech rotors front and rear. The XX1 build also gets the swanky Enve M50/DT Swiss240 wheelset, a Chris King headset, WTB Devo Race custom saddle, and Thompson Masterpiece seatpost. The XO1 is a little more workman-like with a Stan's Crest wheelset, Cane Creek 40 headset, custom Yeti WTB Volt saddle, and Thompson Elite seatpost.

Both bikes come with a 120mm FOX 32 Float Factory fork and FOX Float CTD rear shock, as well as Easton Haven handlebars, a Thompson Elite Stem, Maxxis Ikon tires and Yeti Lock-On grips. For an extra $350 you can upgrade either bike to a Thomson Covert dropper post, and for an extra $2,300 you can upgrade the XO1 to the Enve/DT Swiss wheelset.

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Yeti AS-Rc build kits

For more information visit yeticycles.com.