Info on all Yeti Hardtail Models, from the past to now.

If you know more, or better, please email me- EMAIL

special thanks to - Henning

Special guest appearance by Chuck Teixeira

YAK- Yeti YAK, one of the first Yeti Bikes, available in the mid 80's, Built in Malibu CA before Parker and CO moved into the famous Agoura Hills factory. Built of Steel with Rack eyelets, in the FRO was for Racing, the YAK was a FRO for the long distance Haul. COST-$900 inc Fork also with Rack eyelet, also 3 H20 Bottle braze ons

TREE FROG:- 20" Wheel Trials specific Frame, Fork & Stem, Very rare, built in around the late 80's.

FRO:- 1984 to 1991/2 FOR RACING ONLY, One of the famous Yeti Mountain Bikes, available from early in Yeti's History, first made from 4130 PATCO straight guage steel tubing, featuring the famous Loop stays, early versions available with 'Portage pad' (Shoulder carrying pad). FTW stem was available earlyin the FRO Years. First Generation FRO had BMX size 1" headset (not MTB 1") Horizontal dropouts. Early FRO featured 1 part seat and chain stay, later had 2 part joined at the BB tube, this enable Yeti to make the stays butted and save weight. The Frames had a small oval tube from the BB shell to the chain stays, early ones had no gussetts, later frames,and also some that were returned had a small triangular shaped gussett welded on the strengthen this area. FRO's have a seperate seat collar.

FACT:- Don Myrah rode for Yeti for a very short time, he requested that the small Oval BB to Chain Stays tube was replaced on his bikes with 2 small tubes to let the mud clear.

FACT:- Som early FRO had 2 cable stops on the right of the top tube,and one on the left, however fTW and Chris Herting discovered that it was easier to build with the stops all on the right! as they did'nt have to turn the frame around.

FACT:- FRO Frame numbers started at R340 after a model of Harley.

FACT;- All the first generation FRO were built on the same frame Jig, all with the same wheel base and angles! as the seat tube was shortened, the top tube dropped, and the actual top tube measurement got shorter!

FACT:-Bike pictured above left- Custom built (you can tell by no portage pad mounts on seat/top tubes) by Eric Herting, and later given to his Father, still used today, but in good condition, and complete with bullseye cranks and 6 speed XT. Low frame number

PRO FRO:- 1991 to 1995 PRO FOR RACING ONLY, The Original FRO was a little to heavy compared to its competition, so the famous Yeti evolved into the PRO FRO, the PRO featured Yeti designed Tange Double butted steel tubing, to save weight(1/2 lb) and increase strength. Also featuring slightly steeper angles, the PRO now handles better. 1993- PRO gets Riveted on Cable stops, like its big bro the ARC. PRO FRO has welded on seat clamp.

FRO:- 1997 to 1999 Relaunched in 1997,Chromo FRO and Alloy FRO, Chromo FRO- Tange 4130 Seamless Double Butted tubing, just like the 92-95 model, still featuring the computer bent loopstays. Alloy FRO- 7005 Yeti Custom Butted tubing, also with loop stays, both feature Troy Lee Graphics. 1998 FRO Alloy only available, now the loopstays get 'Symmetry' tail section, with increased mud and heel clearance.

FACT:- During a Factory move in 1999, Yeti employees found some Steel FRO tubesets, and built them up. Not featured in the Brochure.

FRO:- 2002 to 2003 FRO back again! Now made of Easton Elite alloy tubing, loopstays remain, now disc compatible.

ULTIMATE:- 1989 to 1995 Built as a project for Mountain Bike Action magazine, the Ultimate was the best of everything, plenty of mud clearance, strong, and a great ride. All Ultimates (Except 1 or 2 one was repainted at least once.) had the trademark Yeti Loopstays,and oval top tube,1 1/4 Evolution Headset, 26.8 Seat tube. A handfull of Ultimates were made in 1995 to use up Tubesets

FACT:- The short tube between the down tube, Chain stays, and seat tube was known as 'the love story' because it was so hard to make!

FACT:- A few Ultimate tubesets still exist unbuilt in original boxes!

C-26:- 1990-1991 Chris Hertings design, Tomac Raced one with drop bars, Juli Furtado rode one to victory at the worlds in 1990 in Colorado, The C-26 was Easton C9 Carbon bonded into Steel Lugs, The C-26 was the future, a Lighter tubeset with all the strength of steel. 50 Tubesets and Lugsets were made. Only a handfull of frames were sold, as the adhesive was pushed out of the Lugs as the tubes were such a tight fit, Yeti did not assemble the stock left over, this later got taken by staff at Yeti, some were built, some just dissapeared, only true Yeti built frames had stickers. Early development frames had cable stops bonded to the tubes, the race team,and production frames had the stops welded onto the lugs.

FACT- out side the team bikes, only 3 C-26 were made, 2 were given away and 1 was sold, Yeti made enough Lugs and tubes for 50 complete frames (and some carbon stays), but as the joint did not bond as Yeti wanted, they never made the rest, as Yeti were taken over, and moved factory, all the other parts were taken or stolen, and any C-26 without stickers is a 'non' genuine stolen/taken Yeti C-26 frame that have been bonded incorectly or just slotted together.

FACT:- C-26 stands for - C= Chris and 26= Chris Hertings age when he designed and built the C-26

ARC:- 1992 to today, ARC Alloy Racing Composite, One of the very first Alloy frames available, Yeti Custom designed tubing(Easton 7005 series ProGram Varilite) , worked on by Chuck Teixira of Easton, welded up at Yeti despite Parkers strict instruction not to! The future of the MTB was here, In 1992 Yeti had won more NORBA, Grundig cup,and World Cup events than all other teams combined! Each frame featured Loopstays, Oval toptube, Riveted Alloy cable guides,and 1 1/4 headset. The tubes are 25% stiffer and lighter than Steel. 1996 ARC gets different design of chain and seat stays for more heel clearance. 1997 ARC gets Troy Lee Graphics and a 'flared' downtube, headset shrinks to 1 1/8. Yetiman headbadge remains for now. 1999 ARC gets large 'DART' style paint, Forged seat and chainstay Yokes with disc mounts, and for the first time,a replaceable drop out.Looses Yetiman and gains an AXE headbadge, last ARC Made in Durango around this time. 2001 same frame, different colours, made in Golden. 2002 ARC looses the forged Yokes,and the tubes take up the space. 2003 Easton Scandium top and down tube for the ARC, also gets a neater, lighter cool looking chainstay yoke. 

2005 sees no changes to the ARC.

Yetifan asked Chuck Teixeira which Yeti was his most favourite/was he most proud of?

I never really thought about having a favorite Yeti, that's kind of like asking me which of my five sister's I like best.

But since we made so few C-26's, which I'm found of because it was Easton's first, I'll go with the ARC. The tube set that I designed for the ARC push the weight limits of all bikes being built at that time. I can say with complete confidence that the ARC was the first mountain bike to use butted (Taper wall) tubes throughout the frame. The tubes were all made from 7005-T6 aluminum that used a special age that was developed to maximize toughness when used in a welded structure. The top tube was 1.500 in diameter and used .050/.030/.050 wall thickness and was crimped into the classic Yeti flat oval shape. The down tube was round at 1 .750 in diameter and used .085/.035/.050 walls. This was the thickest walled down tube made at the time, but because it was only .035 in the center section it still was very light. Frames often broke at the head tube weld, gusseted or not so I wanted to solve that problem. The seat tube was 1.250 and was .098/.040/.060. The chain and seat stay loop was a cool piece of work and often goes unnoticed for what it was. The outer diameter was gradually swaged down from .875 to .750 between the front chain rings and the rear drop outs. We felt that using a constant diameter would either make the stay too heavy or too weak. We also new that the loop at the BB on the FRO's were a weak point so we eliminated that bend and cleared the tires and chain rings with an "S" bend. The internal walls also changed from .083 at the BB to .062 at the drop out and stayed thin to the seat cluster. The tubes were then sent to Yeti's bend to create the classic loop. Julie raced and trained on a single ARC and won everything in sight with out a failure, and I'm particularly proud of that.

Chuck

ARC Ti:- 1999-2002 Yeti ARC Ti, everything Yeti knows about the ARC in a Titanium frame.Early frames had the 'Dart' style decal on the down tube, some had 27.2 seat tubes, but some did come with 27.0 for an unknown reason, The detail on the frame is second to none, even with a jewelers eye glass, you would be very hard pushed to find anything untoward. The Bicycle version of a Chris King headset.

KOKOPELLI:- (See also FS) 1996 (became FRO Alloy) Kokopelli HT designed and built in Durango Colorado, a Yeti for the European market, high import prices caused many Europeans trouble buying Yeti's, and the Kokopelli was the bike to address this problem, single colour paint, regular dropouts, and a 1 1/8th headtube were ways to bring the Yeti ride to a larger market, Still has, Oval top tube and rivted cable guides. Easton Varilite Elite and Elan 3 seat and chainstays made a four piece tail to out perform any other normal HT. Never a compromise, simply a solution said the 1996 brochure.

YETI SHERPA:- 1996 A FRO under a different name?? Tange steel 4130 tubing. 1 1/4 headtube, single colour paint.

ROAD PROJECT:- 1993 to 2002 Road Project, made in Durango, Easton tubing, 1" headset, Dart paint, Oval top tube with Riveted cable guides, 1995 now with downtube shifter bosses sub 3lbs. 1996 Single paint colour, 1997 Troy Lee graphics, 2.5lbs! 2000- Road Project available also in Ti, 1 1/8 headtube. Alloy Built in Golden.

FACT- 2003 Yeti made a Road Project, complete with carbon stays, No orders from dealers!

ZEPHYR:- 1996 Yeti Zephyr, made in Durango out of custom drawn Easton tubing, built to celebrate 10 years of Yeti. 1 1/4 headset, available in many different colour schemes. 50 were supposed to be built, it is thought only around 24 were made. 1 was signed by Parker. Very expensive new and very unique. Available in 18" only.

FACT:- A few Zephyr tubesets are un built.

FACT:- one was made in the late 90's by Vega the Yeti welder, the only one with cable guides and brake bosses!

FACT:- The red and Cream one pictured- This is a rare Yeti cruiser, one of only a handfull built, and the only one personally autographed by John Parker. This frame was donated by Yeti to Trails 2000 (a trail advocacy group) for auction at a fund raiser. It is gorgeous aluminum construction, powdercoated red and cream, with Yeti built forks, stem, and bars. Built up with a Nexus 7 spd hub, Persons spring saddle, Yeti grips, bell+horn, Schwinn teardrop taillight and repro tires. This bike is a delight to ride, but has been ridden very little. Has never been off pavement. What an attention getter!

Yeti DJ:- 2004 onwards Yeti DJ (Dirt Jumper), available in 2 sizes short and long, with replacable drop outs, for QR, 12mm or singlespeed setups. Features box section loopstays, YETI decals on top and underside of down tube, Colour is silver.

For 2005 The DJ is in Black or RAW, the DJ frame features ISCG mounts that are integrated into the BB shell, NOT the weak welded on type.

08 Sees ateam style paint job. Ridden to massive victories by Jared Graves & Ross Milan

YETI ARC X:- late 2007 onwards Yeti Launched the ARC-X cyclocross frame as a limited run, for 2008 it made it into the regular line up. TDWI ? Yeti wil lnot tell us, but what we do know is - THE D--- W--- In, any ideas?

YETI SUPER X:- 09 ONWARDS.