Yeti Cycles
 Yeti 575 | |
| Industry | Bicycle Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Successor | Schwinn purchased in 1995; Volant purchased in 1999; Chris Conroy purchased in 2001 |
| Founder | John Parker in 1985 |
| Headquarters | Golden, Colorado, United States |
| Products | ZeroLoss Technology (patented); Switch Technology (patented) |
| Website | http://www.yeticycles.com/ |
Yeti Cycles is an American bicycle manufacturer[1][2][3] located in Golden, Colorado.[4]
History
Yeti mountain bikes have been around since 1985 when Yeti Cycles was founded by John Parker. Parker was a welder who built movie sets in Hollywood and later became a mountain bike designer and racer. He later became one of the sport’s guardians, eventually being inducted as a trustee of NORBA Board of Directors for five years. Yeti Cycles originated in California during the time mountain biking was getting started. The first mountain bike World Championships took place in Durango, Colorado in 1990. In 1991, Parker moved the Yeti Cycles factory from California to Durango to be closer to the action.
In 1995, Schwinn bought Yeti Cycles company and later sold it to a ski company called Volant in 1999. During this time, not a lot happened with Yeti mountain bikes. In 2001, two Yeti employees, Steve Hoogendoorn and Chris Conroy, bought the company and revived the Yeti name. Conroy is currently the president and general manager of Yeti Cycles.[5] The factory is now located in Golden, Colorado.
Yeti Cycles competed in downhill mountain bike racing with the successful Lawwill DH-9 full-suspension downhill bike, developed by former motorcycle champion, Mert Lawwill.[6] Yeti has a patented suspension system that they call ZeroLoss Technology or linear guide technology. The suspension system consists of two gliding pivots. The wheel path follows the direction of the impact so it transfers directly into the mountain bike suspension system and goes into the shock rather than flexing the frame.
More recently, Yeti has patented a new suspension design called Switch Technology, which is basically a dual-link design that utilizes an eccentric mechanism that switches direction as the bike moves through its travel. This type of suspension is found on their 2012-2014 era mountain bikes, the SB-66 and the SB-95.
In 2014, Yeti introduced a refinement to the Switch Technology, dubbed Switch Infinity. This design was developed along with Fox Racing Shox and involves a 'translating pivot' which is said to improve the bike's rearward axle path.[7] This rear suspension design change has been used on recent Yeti models, including the SB5c, SB4.5c, SB6c, and SB5.5c.
Current Yeti riders include Richie Rude, Mike West, and Chris Heath. [8][9]
References
- ↑ Blevins, Jason (November 12, 2001). "Riders Set Out to Rescue Golden, Colo.-Based Yeti Cycles.". The Denver Post via HighBeam Research. pp. E–01. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
The purchase of Yeti calms industrywide fears that one of the nation's most storied top-shelf bike makers was heading toward collapse.
(subscription required) - ↑ "Yeti Cycles announce Big Mountain Enduro Series". Boulder Weekly. March 9, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
- ↑ Pacoch, Matt (March 30, 2012). "Inside Yeti Cycles – Massive photo gallery". BikeRadar.com. Golden, Colorado: Future plc. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- ↑ "Yeti Cycles / Company". yeticycles.com. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
- ↑ Blevins, Jason (10 Jun 2012). "Golden's Yeti Cycles pedaling, peddling in high gear". Denver Post. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
- ↑ Heller, Peter (2002). Outside Magazine's Urban Adventure, Denver/Boulder. Books.Google.com. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- ↑ Kazimer, Mike (16 Jul 2014). "Yeti SB5c - Review". PinkBike.com. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
- ↑ Brooks, Nancy Rivera (December 6, 1989). "Customized Bikes on High-Tech Roll". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 26, 2012. (subscription required)
- ↑ "the history of yeti". yetifan.com. Retrieved May 26, 2012.