Staff Bike Check: Matthew’s Yeti ARC

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Brand: Yeti Cycles.

Bike Model: ARC T-Series Frame 29”.

Fork: FOX Float Factory 34 Fit4 – 130mm Travel.

Handlebar: Yeti Carbon 35 x 760mm.

Stem: Burgtec Enduro Mk3 35 x 50mm stem.

Grips: Race Face Getta Grip Lock On (33mm).

Saddle: SDG Bel Air V3 Lux-Alloy.

Seatpost: FOX Transfer Dropper 175mm.

Pedals: Shimano XT ME8120

Crankset: SRAM X1 Eagle 170mm with 32T chainring.

Wheelset: Race Face Turbine R 30mm 29”

Tyres: Michelin Wild XC Front | Force XC2 Rear. Both set up tubeless with Peaty’s Holeshot Biofibre sealant and MK2 Tubeless valves.

Groupset: SRAM XO1 Eagle.

Brakes: SRAM Level TLM and Centreline 180mm rotors.

Accessories: Back Country Research Mutherload Strap holding a tube and Birzman Tubeless Tyre Levers; Birzman Packman Top Tube Pack; EVOC FR Lite Team backpack.

What’s your name?

Matthew (Matt) Osborne

How long have you been with Silverfish?

Since 1^st September 2015 (7 years 9 months, but who’s counting)

What is your job?

General dog’s body and Managing Director

What type of riding do you generally do?

Trail (and some road but don’t tell anyone)

What is your favourite local trail?

Always the one I’m riding at the time. It’s all about being in the moment, right!

What is the Camino De Santiago?

According to Wikipedia it’s a network of medieval pilgrim’s ways leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried. It’s an off-road route still travelled by Pilgrims today, but many hike or, like me, bike for travel and sport. We’re taking the Camino Frances (French Way) starting in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, which is 770kms in length and 11,120m of ascent.

What inspired you to go and ride the route?

It’s a bit daft! I’d heard of the route, but what clinched it for me was watching a film directed by Emilio Estevez, starring Martin Sheen, called The Way. I need to do some kind of ‘mini adventure’ every few years and after watching this I thought I should walk it one day. Walking, however, takes weeks which wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, so when my wife arranged to go on a ‘girls holiday’ for a couple of weeks, I figured I could ride it in the same time frame and here we are.

What made you pick this bike for the trip?

We are going to ride the traditional path which isn’t gnarly, but it’s all off-road (paths, bridleways, dirt farm tracks) so it’s going to be more comfortable on a MTB, especially when you’re my age! My SB130 would be over kill, but a hardtail would be perfect weight wise so there was only one choice. I love the ARC, it’s a blast to ride and at its best as a hard-hitting trail bike so this should be a walk in the park for a bike of its capability.

Have you changed/added anything to your bike for this trip from the original build?

I swapped out the wheels for my Race Face Turbine R’s; lighter weight and the Vault hubs are sublime especially the super-fast engagement – I’m going to need as much help as I can get! I’ve gone for my go to Race Face Getta Grips (33mm) and I’ve put a SDG BA3 saddle on it which is the only fit and forget saddle I’ve ever had so they now go on every bike I ride whatever the surface. I’ve changed the tyres for something lighter and better suited to the kind of conditions we are expecting. That said, I’ve been riding these tyres recently in the UK slop and they’ve held their own just fine. I’ve gone tubeless, of course, for maximum comfort and hopefully less puncture stops. Other than that, it’s standard. In fact, it’s one of our demo bikes so it’s already seen plenty of action. Now it gets to do some distance and travel over the Pyrenees, the Meseta, Montes de Leon, Bierzo Basin & the Galician Massif assuming I don’t let it down!

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