1989 Yeti FRO Custom

When John Parker founded Yeti he knew a lot about fabrication, but very little about making bikes. So he hired the Herting brothers, Chris and Eric and later, Frank "The Welder" Wadleton. This Yeti FRO prototype was made by Chris Herting for his personal ride - circa 1988/1989. The story goes that Chris Herting built the bike a bit tougher, with extra gusseting at the bridge which joined the seat stays to the bottom bracket shell - a weak point where early Yeti frames would often crack. The frame would be an extra large model today, which was a size that was never offered in Yeti's John Parker years. Herting signed his work by TIG-welding his initials onto the bottom bracket shell.