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Currently, the best information on
the history of Yeti can be Found of the
Yeti Fan web site.
March 1987 Ad:
1989 Magazine review of
the FRO:
Press release for the new
C-26 frame (May, 1989)
Ad for the new Yeti
Ultimate (July, 1990)
February 1991 aluminum
prototype:
March 1991 Yeti C-26
January 1992 full
suspension prototype:
June 1992 ARC review from
Bicycle Guide magazine::
September 1994 Yeti ad:
January 1995 Fat
Chance/Yeti/Bontrager road bike comparison:
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John
Parker
Inducted
1997
John is the founder of YETI cycles and has been a
strong supporter of mountain bike racing. John’s Yeti Cycles was a
leader in after-market racing components: tires, bars, stems and
saddles. Yeti built the world’s first thermoplastic downhill bike and
raced it in the Mammoth Kamikaze.
John grew up in Southern California with his young divorced mother and
two younger brothers. After living a wild-in-the-streets existence,
John was incarcerated on his 13th birthday. He spent the next 5 years
in juvenile hall, road camps and boy’s homes. It was in such a home
that he learned his craft, welding and fabricating.
John’s first bike, a hand-me-down from a cousin, expanded his world
and offered him a new form of freedom. His first mountain bike was a
Motocruiser made by Bicycle Bob Wilson. Today, Mr. Parker rides
several bikes: a 1994 Yeti Road Project; Jimmy Deaton’s Mammoth
Kamikaze-winning 1993 Yeti ARC-AS; a 1948 un-restored Schwinn
straight-bar Hornet with ape hangers; and a 1948 Indian Chief
motorcycle.
Mountain biking has impacted John’s life to the point that it was his
life. In addition to his creation of Yeti bicycles and components,
John served as a trustee on the NORBA board of directors for 5 years.
In that time he fought the bureaucratic, repressive ideas of NORBA,
the USCF and the UCI to make mountain bike racing more user-friendly
to all racer classes, not just the Pro/Elite. John became sensitive to
racers during the 12 years he traveled around the world with the Yeti
race team.
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