John Parker and his Yeti forge were surrounded by a mythical reputation in the nineties. Pictures from that time are absolute rarities. Dirk Belling, once a photo reporter at BIKE, came across an exclusive folder in his archive containing some unpublished slides.
Yeti bikes are cult and sought-after collector's items
Mountain biking is celebrating its 40th anniversary. All the more reason for the word "cult" to be thrown into every text that deals with the history of the sport in any way. Whenever internet forums, blogs or magazine articles write about the late eighties and early nineties, it's somehow about cult. About cult people, cult races, cult companies, cult parts and so on and so forth.
Most of it is pure exaggeration, almost glorification. Other things, however, are exactly true. For example, the mythical reputation that surrounded Yeti bikes when company founder John Parker was still in charge. The bikes from that time - the F.R.O and the A.R.C and the C-26 - are now sought-after collector's items.
Even rarer, however, are photos from the company's legendary early years. The slide folder that Dirk Belling has now unearthed from the depths of his archive is a minor sensation. Belling, who has worked for many years as a brand consultant (brand coach) for well-known bicycle companies, was a photo reporter for BIKE in the early nineties.
At the beginning of 1993, when Yeti's success story was at its peak, he visited the hallowed halls in Durango (Colorado). The photos that we have digitised are unique contemporary documents, some of which have not yet been published. Yes, that's right: cult photos, one would actually have to say.
Interview: "All the cool bikes came from the USA."
In the BIKE interview, Dirk Belling talks about his visit to Yeti founder John Parker, his encounters with Missy "The Missile" Giove and Frank "The Welder" Wadelton and the sudden end of the Yeti cult in the mid-nineties.
BIKE: Dirk, you were an editor and photographer at BIKE in the early nineties, so you had your finger on the pulse of the scene. What is the reason for the myth that surrounds old Yeti bikes today?
Dirk Belling: From my memory, there were three points. The design of the race bikes, the "Made in USA" brand and the people behind Yeti. The stylish bikes looked different from all the others on the market. They immediately caught the eye. Parker came from California and originally worked as a set builder in Hollywood. He also always had a passion for hot rods and motorbikes. The legendary Yeti turquoise and the colour-coordinated parts were revolutionary for mountain bikes. John Parker already had a knack for this. The bikes were also packed with cult parts from Chris King and Onza. All the cool bikes came from the USA in the early nineties and character heads with edgy sayings like John Parker and Missy Giove turned them into the big story that everyone wanted to hear.
How well did Yeti bikes perform in tests back then?
The bikes with which John Tomac, Juliana Furtado, Missy Giove and Myles Rockwell have achieved countless successes were met with great, great respect. Especially when you were allowed to ride them. Back then, I was travelling the world a lot as a photo reporter and was too rarely part of the test team to be able to make a well-founded statement about it.
How did your visit to Yeti come about?
The visit to Yeti and John Parker was part of a big Durango story in early 1993. Many of the world's best and most famous mountain bikers lived there - John Tomac, Ned Overend, Greg Herbold, Daryl Price, Missy Giove. Durango also hosted the first World Championships in MTB history in 1990. Challenging trails, many races and casual colleagues for training made Durango in Colorado a mountain bike mecca. I was lucky enough to visit Yeti as part of the report.
What was the atmosphere like when you entered the company?
The Yeti buildings were located in a small industrial park on the outskirts of Durango. The race truck with all the magical logos on it could be seen from afar in the car park. John Parker came out in person and, after a warm welcome, led me straight through the supplier's gate into the heart of the company.
How were Yeti frames made?
Lots and lots of manual labour. You could see everything step by step, from the cutting of the individual frame tubes to the welding of the frames and the final assembly of the bikes. There was a lot going on everywhere, but it was still organised and the atmosphere was relaxed and there was a lot of laughter. The areas were organised according to the individual production steps. Hanging on the walls and on racks were countless frames in various stages of production - from bare to painted and glued. In the warehouse, you got huge eyes when you saw all the stacked boxes full of Chris King parts and Shimano XTR groupsets on the shelves.
What kind of guy was company boss John Parker? What was he about with Yeti?
John was and is a doer. When he has an idea, he brings the right people together and looks after everyone, just like a big family. He had a big heart and when his passion for something was burning, he infected everyone with it. He was like a father to his racers like Missy and Myles. He looked after them and sometimes made announcements to get them back on track if necessary. Well, as far as that was possible.
You also met the legendary Frank "The Welder", Yeti's technical genius. What kind of guy was he?
Yes, a quiet, cool guy with a moustache and long hair. He was very nice, almost shy and always absorbed in his work. The opposite of John, he always took his time, showed and told a lot and always had a good line.
Hardly any racing driver has ever been surrounded by such a superstar image as Missy Giove. What was it like to meet her?
I can't remember exactly when we first met. I think it was at a race. You never had much time with her as she always had something to do. There was always something going on, but little by little we found more time. John was very helpful with that. We had cool photoshoots and good conversations.
In the mid-nineties, the Yeti hype came to an abrupt end. Parker sold the company and stars such as Myles Rockwell and Missy joined the new Volvo-Cannondale team. There are many stories circulating about why Parker sold his company. He himself was considered unreachable for many years. You are still in contact with him. What exactly happened to Yeti back then?
Yes, we're still in contact via Facebook. I don't know exactly what happened to Yeti back then. And yes, there are a lot of rumours. Looking back, John and his team did a lot of things right and made an important contribution to the development of mountain biking. Technically as well as athletically. I think Yeti's rapid growth and fame were a challenge. In addition, there were more and more companies, such as Cannondale or GT, which had a lot of capital and really big sponsors such as Volvo. It became too much, and not just for Yeti. John and Yeti got the whole thing rolling and the original spirit of the brand and the names of its creators and founders still live on in many hearts today. There are Yeti fans all over the world.
How is Parker doing today?
He's making mountain bikes again! At the Sea Otter Festival in spring, he presented his new brand Underground Bike Works - and Missy is back too! It's a crazy world, but it's nice to see that things keep moving forward. John still lives in California and has a lot of fun with his bikes.
