Nothing gets classic car fans more excited than a Yeti C-26, but the chances of ever seeing one are slim. The bike that superhero John Tomac used to cause a sensation at the first World Championships in Durango in 1990 is rumoured to have never left the production halls. No bike is more dripping with myth. It is the icon par excellence. A C-26 recently changed hands on eBay for 15,000 dollars. And now this!
To mark the 30th anniversary of the model, Swiss frame builder Reto Trachsel and Foes importer Stefan Utz launched an incredible, almost audacious project: they cloned the holy grail of the MTB scene! Just like back in 1989, they mixed Yeti's F.R.O. steel frame with thin-walled, carbon-fibre coated aluminium tubes. The C-26 2.0 is based on "organ donors" sent in by the customer, original F.R.O., which must be explicitly defective for reasons of species protection. Carbon tubes, glue, paint and decor are modelled 1:1 on the original.
"You can't tell the difference between the original and the replica. However, our frame is just as unstable as an old C-26, as they tend to break," warns Stefan Utz, who only offers the frames for display. Yeti fans are fascinated, but there is also criticism. Do the replicas dilute the C-26 myth? Utz: "We treat the whole thing with great respect. We only build individual pieces. And if a replica is ever offered as an original, we will take action.
