Yeti C-26 - Post 2 of 3 - The Bikes

Chris Herting and John Parker don't agree on much, but they do both claim that very few C-26s were built at Yeti in California.  The number ten is generally agreed upon.  I have an infinite amount of respect for both of these guys and what they accomplished, but I've seen too many photos of completed C-26s to believe there were only ten frames made.  Here's how I categorize complete C-26 bikes:

• The original bikes, including the prototype and team bikes.  Also, according to Herting, one bike was made for a customer and never seen again
• The "kit" bikes.  All bikes assembled after the project was scrapped using complete C-26 kits
• The rebirth "C-46" bikes made 2007-ongoing

This is a collection of photos I've gathered of all the bikes, starting with the factory built ones.

Prototype / Team Frames

The prototype frame took 3 weeks to complete.  This bike was previewed in May 1989 MBA and then tested in MBA in June 1989, photographed with Russ Worley riding it.  Worley raced the bike for a few months, and then the bike was re-decaled and sent to the Interbike trade show in September.  Worley says the frame broke at some point.

Construction outside the Agoura Hills factory

Previewed in the May 89 MBA. "Stronger than Chromoly!" Note the Answer decal on the downtube. This was the only bike made with Simplex dropouts and a the front derailleur operated by the chainstay cable anchor


The prototype and early team bikes featured cable stops glued onto the top tube instead of welded to the head and seattube junctions. This is the easiest way to ID the very early bikes. Also note the FTW stem clamped onto the nub welded into the steerer. A different stem than what was on the bike during the MBA test.
Race duty under Russ Worley. Black Bullseye cranks and red Easton decals
Photo shoot from the 1989 brochure
Different version of the brochure shot
Great shot of Worley in the June 1989 MBA Test

I'll try to put the entire MBA test scan together in order. Favorite quote: "B&W scan from the MBA feature.  "The bonding process enables the frame to be taken apart, fixed, and reassembled if the tubes or lugs happen to break."
This would be reassuring on a 50mph fireroad descent.  It also happens to be untrue.










C-26 and Treefrog. Given these bikes are all spiffed (and the FRO with Landshark paint), I'm thinking this is from the Interbike show. Note the custom Chuck Texiera Easton carbon seatpost. He used an SR Laprade head.
Another from the show?
This may be the finest living example of an early C-26. It was a team frame and likely one of Joey Erwin's. It has the top tube cable pads, but the newer style dropouts and the Bullseye derailleur pulley.
Another Joey Erwin frame. This was taken in May 1990 at the Georgia NORBA National. Erwin is standing next to the fan with everyone looking at his bike.
Likely the fate of this bike

In flite

This bike is a mystery to me. Herting traded it with Yeti Cycles for tooling. He says it's a team frame. The noticeable detail missing is the front derailleur pulley hole is missing, which is common with the kit bike frames. However, this is clearly not a kit bike as (1) it has no chainstay triangle fix and (2) it's obviously seen use. It hangs from the ceiling at Yeti. If anyone has any insight, let me know.


Juli Furtado race bike. My holy grail. This bike won a world championship and none other compares in terms of collectability and overall awesomeness. Sadly sold in John Parker ebay auction in 2002 for $6,800, which was amazing money back then. Completely custom made for her and finished days before the Durango World Championships in September, 1990. Famously converted from Campagnolo to Shimano the day before the race. On a warmup lap likely a day or two before.



MBA Inside the Pros Bikes article. Note many things were changed for the article including the stem and seatpost.
John Tomac Frame #1. Given to him summer of 1990. Sold on ebay in 2009 for $12,500



John Tomac Frame #2 - Worlds XC Frame

Now residing in Switzerland with a confused build

John Tomac Frame #3. Worlds DH Bike.


I took this photo in 2008. Chris Herting had the bike shipped to him so he could "copy" it for the Tomac DB-1 limited run C-26 tribute bikes. Amazing to throw a leg over this piece of history.
Given to Zapata Espinoza as a wedding present

Tested in some UK Magazine. They trashed it in the mud. Incredible.

Chuck Texeira complete bike. Chuck was an Easton engineer and the man responsible for the collaboration with Yeti. Features the only other carbon Accutrax I know of other than mine.


Catalog bike? This was in the 1991 brochure. No idea where this ended up.

Kit Bikes

Various photos of kit bikes built after the move to Durango

 

Tomac replica

Riveted one

Yikes

Chris Herting personal frame

Wish I knew more about this one.



3rd Gen headbadge = Kit bike

This one gets ridden

Post 2008 Herting-Built Bikes

Mine

Tomac replica in the UK

French one

German one