1989 (?) Yeti FRO

[Rahbari]

Last week I felt that my small collection was missing a steel bike. As my neighbour, with whom I share a bike workshop, just bought a Yo Eddy (which in terms of handling and workmanship is probably the best steel frame you can get) I wanted something different. A quick look in the 'bay revealed a nice white Yeti Fro from the 80s. After some research here and on Yetifan and some reasuring answers from the seller (no dings, no rust, no cracks, original paint, serialnumber), I decided to have a go and got lucky.

Here are some pics, which I stole from the 'bay Website. The frameset is still on its way to me.

Rear dropouts are obviously Simplex, the FD is controlled by fixing the cable to the chainstay. Seat clamp not welded on, 2. Generation Yeti man on headtube. Headtube is 1" (or BMX; the seller cannot tell the difference). No gussets welded to the chainstays. Stem is FTW/Yeti, forks look to be ones before they were licensed to Answer (and sold as Accu-Trax).

According to the seller, the serial number is XR0835 (but he will check again tonight). As I have not got the frameset in person yet, I cannot check all the details.

What is quite strange is, that the prefix of the serial no. ("XR") suggests this is a very early frame while the sequential no (835) suggests this is a frame from 1989. However, most 1989 frames already have the 1 1/4 head tube; this one doesn't. alastairg's FRO with S/N 809 already has 1 1/4 Headset and the newer style dropouts.
viewtopic.php?t=49671

The frameset comes with XT seatpost, white Turbo and a black King BMX Headset (unfortunately with logos). I will use those and some XT 730/732 parts I have in stock. I have been offered a really nice Bullseye crankset but am not yet sure if I want to invest so much money. :roll:

Now some questions:
1. How can I find out if this bike has a BMX or a 1" MTB headtube? Edit: Don't worry. It's BMX. Yeti never did 1" MTB headtubes. However, 1" MTB stems could be fitted in the 2nd. Generation of Yeti forks.
2. Somewhere I read, that the serial numbers started with something like 250 or 300, and not Nr. 1. Can anybody confirm that? Edit: FTW spoke to JP. He confirmed they started with 300.
3. Are there several versions of the FTW stem (steel and alloy)?
4. Anybody here got black XT 730/732 hubs (or rear hub only, 130mm) or a pair of Bullseyes, black (non-NOS preferred) Edit: found.

 

[ridevintagemtb]

Switch from BMX 1" to 1 1/4" happened August 1989.

Assuming the stem is original, I would put it later, because a 86-88 FRO would have just came with a Cooks stem.

 

[Rahbari]

Edit:

The review of Mountain and City Biking Magazine of march 1989 suggests that the headtube was not BMX-style anymore:

Looking at this statement from Frank "the welder" I think, the headtube was still BMX (therefore still need for BMX Headset), only the steerer of the forks were reamed thin to fit Standard 1" MTB stems.

The original Yeti forks had several small changes over the years. The original had campy drops that were modified. The leg end caps were saw-cut from solid bar at an angle. The steerers were made from raw tube, threaded and had a .833 (13/16") ID for BMX stems.

The next version had laser-cut dropouts, flat cut end caps and steerers that were internally reamed to 22.2mm (7/8" or .875") This version has the crown ring welded to the steerer in an earlier operation with leg welds covering them.

The next version used tru-temper steerers and legs. Most of these were recalled and destroyed.

The next version would be the Accutrax. They should be the same as the second version.

(...).

By the way: this review from march 1989 was quoted in a 3 page folding leaflet. According to Yetifan this broshure is from 1988 but that is impossible!
http://www.yetifan.com/YETI_PAST/80s/80s.html

Here is scan of the article in MBA of April 1988 (not listed here or on Yetifan). Hard to tell it apart from an advertisement.
http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-cl ... 68881.html

 

[redfern1950s]

Re:

lovely frame set, bonus having the stem as well.

 

[kingroon]

Awesome FRO.. You definitely need those Bullseye Hubs and the NOS M231CD rims I have too

..and possibly the NOS White Porcupines I have tucked away* :twisted:


* Okay, I'm lying about having them

 

[Retro Spud]

Re:

What a sweet starting point you have there

about time we had another Yeti build to follow

 

[Ollie]

Woah , that's awesome! Would look great in a all white colour way .

 

[mkozaczek]

I'd love to know the S/N when you get it. Maybe XR835??? But I doubt it would be 4 digits after the XR

From what we're heard serial numbers started with 300 for 1986ish production year. The first three or five bikes JP made didn't have serial numbers.

 

[Rahbari]

Here is a pic of a manual that came with a FRO that was sold in late 1989 (not on Retrobike Archive):

(C) mitroska on ebay.de

Some stuff I have flying around:

 

[redfern1950s]

Re:

That 'cable guide manual' is fantastic....