Yeti ARC Upgrades and Swaps
The right spec your bike takes performance from “pretty good” to “this is insane”. BikeCo is here to ensure you get the right parts, right at delivery. Small swaps and upgrades are common for every mountain bike. Here are some of the popular Yeti ARC Upgrades and Part Swaps.
The Yeti ARC offers a nice range of price point builds. Riders will find few components on the ARC builds they would consider “no-go”. From the C2 to the way to the T4 XX Transmission builds there is a lot of value for your dollar in the Yeti build.
Riders develop spec preferences, particularly on contact points, brakes, wheels or suspension. Whether it’s a must have performance swap or upgrade to getting you that perfect part in the right color to personalize the ARC’s performance or look we have you covered.
Common ARC Upgrades
These are areas we commonly see riders update a bike purchase. Some swaps and upgrades are personal preference, others are budget or performance choices. Questions? Chat, email or call our expert sales staff and we will help you dial in your perfect Yeti ARC build.
Rider Contact Points
Do you have a preferred grip and pedal go-to?
We can provide a range of grips with variable patterns, technology and shape to improve your riding. There might even be a grip in a color to set off your Turquoise, Rhino or Cobalt ARC build.
When purchasing a new bike many riders find it a good time to refresh their pedals. We have the best clipless and flat options for a wide range of riding styles at unbeatable prices.
Tires
Like contact points its common for riders to have a “must-have” go to tire spec. This is one of the most frequent swaps on builds from any manufacturer. With notable performance differences between tread pattern, compound and sidewall lets make sure we get you on the perfect tire setup.
The ARC is spec’d with a Maxxis Minion DHF EXO front tire.
While MOST adventure riders gravitate to the EXO sidewall some prefer the lightest option out there the simple skinwall tire. Lighter, but with less damping and protection this isn’t as common as it was a few years ago. Damping through tires has become better understood and taken advantage of, particularly on hardtail bikes. To this end a few riders shop the EXO Plus sidewall balancing the weight with the improvement in small bump compliance.
Spec’d with a 2.6 front tire there is some added suspension through the higher volume tire. Some riders will prefer a quicker tire like a narrower DHF, although if you’re really looking for a faster tire you would probably consider a faster tread pattern like the Rekon. If you’re on the fence it’s generally a good idea to start with a slightly more aggressive tire for more grip than to build a new bike you’ll struggle to ride…
Yeti spec’d Maxxis Rekon 2.6 EXO sidewall rear tires on the ARC bikes. Typically this is seen paired with a faster front tire option. Riders who’ve gone to a Rekon front tire should swap to a Rekon or Ikon rear for a balanced feel.
Swapping to an Aggressor is a very popular rear tire for this bike when paired with the DHF front. A niche of riders will want a bit more in the rear and go to DHF or DHR II tread pattern for increased grip.
It really comes down to what you like and where you’re using it. Questions on what tires are right for your riding style and locale? No problem – chat with our team about swapping to tires perfect for you on your new MTB.
Thinking about rim protection? We have that covered too. We often see riders use combinations of CushCore PRO and CushCore XC or even a single rim protection strip (usually on the rear tire). Questions? Let us know!
Cockpit
Along with Brakes, Cockpit is the most common place we see part swaps and upgrades. Since fit is so important to your bike it’s not surprising that you’ll want to work with a resource that has more than 1 option!
Handlebar rise and overall stiffness also improve the personalization and performance of your bike. As you trim your bars they will get stiffer due to the decreased lever arm – so if you’ve got narrower shoulders you’ll likely want to start with a narrower bar rather than cutting tons off. Similarly getting the right bar rise will help your setup. Ideally you want your hands in a power position. Too low and the bike will try to pull “under” and out in steep chutes. Too tall and you’ll lose front end grip. While some of this is adapted with headset spacers the preference for performance and looks is generally to have 15-30mm of spacers and get the rest of the rise from the handlebar.
Looking for suggestions? Chat with our team about hand positioning and the advantages of getting the right handlebar rise on your new rig. We have the best in the market from OneUp, Tag, Renthal and Raceface.
Headset
Many riders will update the Cane Creek 40 to a Cane Creek 110 or Chris King headset that will last the service life of the frame. Chris King riders can choose from a range of colors as well.
Brakes
This is one of the most common swaps or upgrades on any bike. Brakes that compliment your riding style and preference make a huge difference on trail. We offer class leading options in a variety of price points from Hope, Magura, Shimano and TRP.
Most riders will update brakes on the Yeti SB140. Updating with BikeCo means we will credit you for the SRAM brakes and get your preferred stoppers on your new bike.
Shimano brakes are very popular and are spec’d on several of the build options. Shimano brakes have good overall power with quick lever throw. This produces a brake with a strong feel.
TRP brakes are similar to the Shimano lineup. The TRP brakes provide a touch more overall power and extra modulation compared to Shimano offerings.
Riders who prefer a bit more modulation or “feel” to their brakes gravitate towards Hope and Magura.
The latest Hope Tech 4 updates have improved their power. This puts the Hope Tech 4 in the Shimano and Magura range for overall power while retaining the excellent modulation Hope has been known for.
Magura brakes are the most frequent swap or upgrade across all Ibis builds. Riders who appreciate modulation and power will find Magura excellent in both aspects. Magura offers models with across a wide price range allowing budget friendly swaps or upgrades. Riders looking for the most adjustability or tuning for their brakes will shop the MT7 with HC3 levers.
Custom Wheels
Handbuilt or custom wheels are another popular upgrade no matter what brand you’re shopping. Custom wheels allow riders to spec a rim, spoke and hub combination as well as build specifics for the ultimate performance.
Custom wheels for Ibis builds usually feature slightly narrower rim options. This will decrease the volume slightly as well as shifting the tire’s shape to provide more grip in high lean cornering. We see many riders work with NOX carbon or WTB, Factor and RideFast alloy options.
Riders also will find traction from using the right spokes and build techniques. Our team will help you define this at time of purchase to ensure you maximize performance and longevity.
Popular hubs from Chris King, Industry Nine, Onyx and Factor are spec’d on Yeti SB140 builds. All of these hubs are available in a range of colors to highlight your build.
Pro Tune Suspension
Take your bike’s performance to the next level with our proprietary Pro Tune Suspension. Our team will custom tune your FOX fork and rear shock and narrow the performance from the FOX Factory range to a more precise setup designed for your riding style, aggression, ground speed, size and terrain.
This is one of the biggest upgrades to any bike – having the suspension dialed in as well as having a resource like BikeCo to help you fine tune the bike at time of delivery and as your riding speeds increase!
BikeCo Pro Tune Suspension – because Every Click Counts.
Dialing in the perfect ARC Build
Still have questions? If you’re here to compare Yeti ARC kits we’d expect you to have questions! Don’t be shy, our team is here to help you define what you need to take your bike build from “this is good” to “man, this is DIALED.”
