The monster wakes. Yeti’s brand-new MT stalks into our group test with 160/140 mm of travel, the new Sixfinity suspension platform and two big 29” wheels. The recipe is simple: efficient climbing, composure through the rocks and genuine trail bike feel. Have Yeti found the line to take the test win?

You can find an overview of this group test here: The Best Trail Bike of 2026.

Yeti MT XO | 160/140 mm (f/r)
15.03 kg in size LG | € 9,900 | Manufacturer’s website

One Yeti rarely comes alone. Alongside the new Enduro LT, the American bike manufacturer is now unleashing the brand-new MT onto the trails, positioning it as the more versatile sibling for everyday trail adventures. Its ingredients are anything but tame: 160 mm of travel up front meets 140 mm at the rear, paired with two big 29″ wheels and Yeti’s distinctive Sixfinity suspension platform. The MT is designed to make short work of the climbs without losing its nerve when the trail turns into a nasty rock garden.

Our test bike, built with SRAM’s X0 Eagle Transmission, tips the scales in size L at an average of 15.03 kg and costs €9,900. That puts the Yeti MT slightly above the average price of the bikes in our test field. Can the new MT bring together everything it needs to beat 11 strong competitors, all beneath that signature turquoise paintwork?

Spec and details of the new Yeti MT XO

Turquoise frame, dark blue rear end, small logo. Yeti need little more to announce exactly what you’re looking at. Set against its predecessor, the new bike carries itself with far better proportion. Much of the credit goes to the Sixfinity suspension layout, which retires the Switch Infinity link and lends the frame its distinctive upswept down tube and uncluttered finish. Large bolted cable ports draw the lines cleanly into the frame, while tool mounts beneath the top tube keep your trail essentials close.

Yeti have gone to town on frame protection. The substantial, bolted dual-compound guard uses two materials of different hardness to absorb impacts and shield the frame against stray rocks . Cleverly, the inner section comes away with three bolts, revealing a service opening into the frame where you can hide an Apple AirTag. The chainstay protector and small bolted fender between the main frame and the rear triangle are robust, too. Together with the neatly routed cables, this ensures an impressively quiet ride. The MT is one of the quietest bikes in the entire test field, and remains remarkably discreet even when the trail gets rough.

That makes the lack of protection on the inside of the driveside seatstay all the harder to understand, especially as chain slap has already left visible chips in the paint on our test bike. When you just forked out € 9,900, that’s pretty annoying, and we’d recommend adding some mastic tape to prevent it from happening on your bike. It’s also a shame that Yeti don’t provide torque specifications on the bolts.

The storage compartment, by contrast, is elegantly integrated into the downtube. The recessed lid sits flush with the frame, the lever is easy to operate, and behind it is a neatly finished cavity with no sharp edges or carbon dust. One high-quality storage pouch is included. Compared with the Specialized Stumpjumper and Trek Fuel, however, there’s less storage space, and a OneUp 100cc EDC pump won’t fit in the supplied pouch. A little more volume would have made sense, as there’s actually enough room inside the frame itself. Less elegant is the recess around the lower shock mount, which tends to collect grit and mud. There’s a drainage hole, too, but this is rather small.

Yeti have gone straight for the top shelf with the spec. A FOX 36 Factory fork with a GRIP X2 damper and 160 mm of travel pairs with a FOX FLOAT X Factory shock controlling 140 mm of travel at the rear through the Sixfinity suspension platform. Shifting is taken care of by a SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission drivetrain, while MAVEN Silver brakes with 200/180 mm rotors do stopping duties. Yeti can get away with a 180 mm rotor at the rear largely thanks to the immense power of the MAVEN brakes. With a less powerful brake, we’d consider a rotor this small undersized on such a capable trail bike.

The FOX Transfer dropper post offers a generous 210 mm of travel, and can be inserted all the way into the frame, ensuring plenty of freedom of movement on steep descents. 780 mm Yeti carbon handlebars with very comfortable grips and a 50 mm Burgtec Enduro MK4 stem complete the cockpit.

The lightweight DT Swiss XMC 1700 EVO carbon wheels with DEG freehub come in 29″ and are paired with a Schwalbe Albert Trail Pro in Ultra Soft up front and a Romy Trail Pro in Soft at the rear. The soft front tire delivers loads of grip, while the Romy strikes a good balance between traction and low rolling resistance. The only downside is that the softer rubber compound causes the rear Romy to wear slightly faster.

Grip without killing the fun
Fast rolling, grippy and happy to break loose on command: the Schwalbe Romy adds an extra dose of playfulness to the balanced MT at the rear.

Tuning Tip: Apply mastic tape to the inside of the driveside seatstay.

Helmet MET Revo | Glasses 100% Speedcraft | Jersey YETI TURQ | Shorts Specialized Trail Air MTB | Kneepad DHaRCO Gravity | Shoes First Degree Fuse | Socks Troy Lee Designs Woldwide

The geometry of the new Yeti MT XO

With 480 mm of reach in size L, the Yeti MT is one of the longer bikes in the test field. That’s paired with a pleasantly slack 64.5° head angle, while the steep 77° seat tube angle is meant to put you in an efficient pedalling position. Also noticeable are the comparatively long 446 mm chainstays, while the MT’s 1263 mm wheelbase is the longest of all the analogue bikes in the test. Yeti’s aim here is to give you a well-balanced position on the bike. Despite the short 111 mm head tube, the 635 mm stack is average for the test field, while the handlebar’s 35 mm rise adds a little extra height at the cockpit.

The MT lets you adjust the rear suspension’s progression between 10, 15 and 20% to suit your riding style, ranging from a more linear feel to increased support and bottom-out resistance. The progression chips sit at the lower shock mount and can also be swapped trailside.

Attention to detail rather than feature bingo: most of the MT’s clever solutions aren’t just well thought out, they’re beautifully executed too.

The new Yeti MT XO on the trail

How does the new Yeti MT XO climb?

Riding uphill, the Yeti MT is surprisingly easy on your legs. The riding position is on the stretched side due to the long 627 mm top tube (the second longest in test), combined with the comparatively slack seat tube angle. Even so, you sit comfortably and feel well balanced on the bike. The front end is neither noticeably high nor particularly low, and the central weight distribution makes the MT comfortable to pedal even on longer climbs. Together with the Specialized, Atherton and Santa Cruz, it ranks among the best climbers in the test.

Uphill, the rear end sticks to the ground, downhill, the grin sticks to your face. The Sixfinity suspension masters both.

The real highlight, however, is the Sixfinity suspension, which is one of the most pedal-neutral systems in the entire test field. Even when you’re putting plenty of power through the pedals, the rear end remains remarkably composed and converts your effort efficiently into forward momentum. What sets it apart from some firmer-climbing bikes is the amount of traction it generates. On loose ground, roots and technical steps, the rear suspension remains sensitive enough to maintain grip without sinking unnecessarily deep into its travel. Very few bikes in the test combine efficiency and traction this convincingly. Even bigger ledges are far less intimidating on the climbs, with the 29″ wheels rolling over them with confidence.

How does the new Yeti MT XO perform downhill?

Hop on, point it down the trail and feel at home. The MT takes remarkably little time to get used to. You feel nicely integrated and centred between the two 29″ wheels, while the front and rear are perfectly balanced. That makes line choice feel intuitive, and even last-second changes of direction come easily. The MT doesn’t require loads of pressure over the front wheel or an especially active riding style to track predictably through the trail. That said, it’s no hyperactive plaything. The long reach, 446 mm chainstays and big wheels all make themselves felt. Compared directly with more compact bikes like the Cannondale, the Yeti takes a little more effort to throw around. Even so, it never feels sluggish. At low speeds, you can still place it precisely and drive it actively through corners. The MT strikes an exceptionally good balance between agility and composure without sacrificing one for the other.

Push hard, charge flat out or simply nail the main line: the MT rarely feels out of its depth.

As you pick up speed, that concept really starts to pay off. The 29″ wheels carry momentum confidently across roots and rocks, while the long geometry keeps the bike calm and composed. Where more playful competitors tend to get hung up on obstacles or demand more rider input, the MT holds its line and, crucially, its speed. Even then, it remains easy to control at all times. The sense of security comes not from sheer mass or sluggish handling, but from balance and predictability.

The suspension plays a major role in this. The fork and Sixfinity rear end respond sensitively to small impacts but build plenty of support through the mid-stroke. That lets you push actively through compressions and generate speed without wallowing in the travel. With bigger hits, the progression ramps up in a controlled manner. You can make good use of the available travel, yet we never suffered any harsh bottom-outs during testing. The Schwalbe Romy rear tire also has a noticeable influence on the MT’s character. It rolls extremely fast, still generates plenty of traction and can be pushed into a controlled slide when you want it. That gives the MT an extra touch of playfulness, although the Soft compound was already showing early signs of wear during our test.

The carbon handlebars are pleasantly compliant, the grips combine plenty of traction with good comfort, and the confidence-inspiring front end inspires plenty of trust even on steep terrain. The soundtrack, or rather the lack of one, matches the premium ride feel, too. The MT is one of the quietest bikes in the entire test field, and even when the trail gets seriously rough, all you hear is the occasional bit of chain noise. Otherwise, it stays almost completely silent.

The Yeti MT doesn’t muscle its way to the top of the test field, but gets there with exceptionally well-balanced handling.

Who is the new Yeti MT XO the right trail bike for?

The MT is a trail bike for riders who don’t want to choose between all-day versatility and seriously demanding descents. It climbs exceptionally efficiently, offers plenty of reserves on the way down and, above all, hits a sweet spot in terms of balance and handling that makes it an absolute blast to ride.

Conclusions about the new Yeti MT XO

Mission accomplished! Ultimately, it’s the lack of extremes that makes the MT so strong. It’s neither the most agile nor the most composed bike in the test, but no rival blends both qualities at such a high level as convincingly as the Yeti. Add an excellent suspension setup, incredibly intuitive handling and a beautifully balanced ride that inspires confidence from the very first trail, and the result is hard to fault. The MT is more than happy at full tilt, yet it can just as easily be threaded through technical sections, hitting the sweet spot with remarkable consistency regardless of speed or terrain. It’s precisely this versatility that earns the Yeti MT the test win as the best trail bike of 2026, leaving some seriously big footprints for the competition to follow next year.

You can find more information on the Yeti website.

The Test Field

You can find an overview of this group test here:
The Best Trail Bike of 2026

All bikes in test: AMFLOW PX Carbon Pro, Atherton A.130.1, Cannondale Bad Habit 1, Pivot Trailcat LT Pro X0, Propain Hugene 3 CF Ultimate, Raymon Tarok Ultimate, Santa Cruz Tallboy, Specialized S-Works Levo R, Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper 15 Evo, Trek Fuel EX 9.9 XO AXS Gen 7, Trek Fuel+ EX 9.8 XT Di2 Gen 2, Yeti MT XO.

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Words: Benedikt Schmidt Photos: Mike Hunger