# My Yeti ARC, Team Marin, and too many questions



## sever (Apr 20, 2007)

So, I'm Sever, that's my real name, I'm 24 and I'm in Mesa AZ. I'm too young to have ridden any of the VRC bikes when they were new, but I am a giant bike nerd and have always picked people's brains when they brought old crap into the bike shop. I read through a lot of the archives to avoid asking redundant questions. I seem to have gotten off the wrong foot with everyone by outing a CL ad and perturbing a moderator, whoops. Let's start over.

I bought a Yeti Project Road from a fellow here in Phoenix on craigslist:








He used to be a team rider for 'Cantina'. I kept picking his brain about his bikes and he eventually told me he would have just given away his ARC, but was worried because it had a crack in the headtube that somebody might get hurt riding it! I offered to take it off his hands and he _threw it in with the road bike_. I didn't know anything about vintage Yetis but I did recognize the wheels from the 1994 world speed record bike.









Large version here: https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4051538378_bf86ef9776_o.jpg









same thing on the other side. part of me wants to put a hose clamp on real tight and go ride the damn thing.



























bolt caps say 'Syncros Crank-O-Matic'. brand name crank bolts?

Frame: Easton Aluminum ARC 1993 (mine is A337 and a very early one from 1992)
Fork: Manitou 3 (another hint for 1993, adjustment knobs are custom, internals too?)
Rims: Yeti HED Downhill
Hubs: Ringle
Quick Release: Kore - where are the drilled Violet levers??
Tires: Yeti FRO
Crank: Grafton Joy Stix
Crank Bolts: Syncros Crank-O-Matics
Front Derailleur: XTR M900
Rear Derailleur: XTR M900
Shifter Pods: XTR M900 with Grafton Shifter Pod Adapters
Handlebars: Answer Alumilite 7075
Grips: Yeti Hardcore
Stem: Ringle (yes, definitely but podercoated desert turquoise)
Headset: Chris King 1 1/4"
Brake set: Grafton Speed Controllers
Brake Cable Hangers: Ringle Mojos
Brake levers: Grafton re-entry levers
Saddle: Odyssey Svelte Ti Kevlar
Seat Post: Ringle Moby (26,8mm)
Bottlecage: Ringle
Paint: Turq / Dark Gray ("dart" paintjob)
Size: Med
Serial #: A602
Place of Origin: Durango, CO

Biggest mystery: the wheels. Tell me more about these. Is the carbon purely for aero? It doesn't seem structural, i.e, I think there's an aluminum rim underneath there. I've googled HED carbon yeti downhill, searched Yetifan, MTBR, etc, still can't find an explanation of why these wheels exist. Lay it on me.
Who is TWP? I have a v-brake noodle with their logo too...
What exactly are the cranks/brakes/levers?
My ARC is the 602nd one built? What year is it? The catalogs suggest 1995, but the threaded fork and headset don't match. Did Yeti even sell complete bikes?

I'm not asking what anything's worth. Nothing is in excellent condition, it's all been ridden and shows wear. Does anybody really want this purple crap? The paint on the HED wheels is starting to peel. Obviously the frame is wall art. I just don't want to do anything that would make the VRC guys groan, you know? I'll elaborate.









big version: https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/4050791583_02b330005d_o.jpg




























Yes, one of the rare Canadian-built Team Marin! :crazy:
I got this at a swap meet in Tempe for $70. That's probably hilarious to the folks here, considering how battered it is, but if you think about it, as far as utility goes, that's alot of bike for 70 bones. I had it built up with modern-er parts, but never actually rode it. The 80mm 2002 Marzocchi Marathon I put it on it obviously ruined the geometry, and whether or not it rode like ass I was worried I'd damage the fame with the extra stress on the headtube. I never got a correct fork for it, lost my job at the bike shop, gained a bunch of weight, and stopped riding, period. That was almost two years ago. I need to get back on the bike!

Would it be a tragedy to swap the parts over from the Yeti? I'd have a wild and functional ride nobody would be caught dead stealing. Wouldn't have to worry about babying it. The period is correct. In the catalog,I even found some purple on the '94 Team Issue!










I think mine is a '95, largely from the head badge, which is falling off.










Are those HED wheels too collectible to ride on? (I saw NOS versions of the same hubs go for $350!) 
Do you think I can get a 1 1/8 crown for my Manitou? (It works great)
What is the compatibilty, do I have to get a crown/steerer from another 3? 1,2,4?
Will the axle-crown be right?
Does anybody have an old fork in 1 1/8" they want to trade/sell me? Rigid?
Blah bla blah?

Anyway, thanks for looking, feel free to geek out, lend your opinion, fill me in. I did a lot of searching on MTBR already but may have missed some info. It's hard to find history about these old dead component companies particularly.

Edit: Here's a 1991 that sold on ebay with some of the same parts. https://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-YETI-A...ntain_Bikes?hash=item20ad810a1d#ht_986wt_1167
Now I'm really confused...


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

Part-out the broken Yeti and create a battle fund.


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## sever (Apr 20, 2007)

Has anybody ever tried to translate the stuff in these MTB catalogues back from german? It's really hilarious that we're relying on the You-ropeans to keep track of our history for us. 
I've been trying to do the page from the Marin catalog above in google translate and I get mostly gibberish.


> auf der suche nach einem chromoly rohrproduzenten fur die Marin palette sind wir eine liaison mit dem fürhenden rohrhersteller Tange eingegangen. Tange ist einer der wenigen hersteller, welche auf spezifische kundenwunsche eingeht und beruhmt ist fur ihre herausragende fertigungsqualitat, diese verbindung ermoglicht es uns, alle Marin bikes aussehlieblich mit Marin custom tubing auszustatten


gets me


> On the search for a chromoly tube producers for the Marin range, we have entered into a liaison with the pipe manufacturer fürhenden Tange. Tangerang is one of the few manufacturers that responds to specific customer requirements and which is famous for its outstanding fertigungsqualitat this connection we Permits to equip all with Marin Marin bikes aussehlieblich custom tubing


Tangerang, seriously? Anybody speak German?


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## babbalanja (Jan 20, 2008)

It wouldn't be a tragedy to put those high-end purple parts on the Marin (it is a Tange Ultralight-tubed frame, after all). But, you could buy several of those Marin frames with the money you would make parting out the Yeti. If you want to go with something more subtle, a period correct XT group would probably work just as well, if not better. Nice problem to have.

And by the way, anybody who recognizes the purple parts on the Marin would probably be more tempted to steal it (or them), not less.


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## huelse (Jan 30, 2004)

sever said:


> Has anybody ever tried to translate the stuff in these MTB catalogues back from german? It's really hilarious that we're relying on the You-ropeans to keep track of our history for us.
> I've been trying to do the page from the Marin catalog above in google translate and I get mostly gibberish.
> 
> Quote:
> ...


"While searching for a chromoly tube producer for the Marin range, we have entered into a liason with the leading tube manufacturer, Tange. Tange is one of the few manufacturers that responds to specific customer requirements and which is famous for its outstanding quality. This connection allows us to equip all our Marin bikes exclusively with Marin custom tubing."

Not the best English maybe...the German original had some mistakes too, so Google couln't translate it properly.


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Dang! Nice recovery 

I'm easy to get along with, we're all good. Welcome aboard, that's a hell of an entrance:thumbsup: 

Now just tell me your address, and when you're not likely to be home, since you paid close to nothing, you won't miss anything, right?


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

If you think nobody would steal that Marin if you put those parts on it you are way off. Those parts are worth a bunch of money. I would build that marin up with some decent mid range modern stuff and ride the hell out of it. Selling some of the parts off the yeti would easily pay for it. That being said I am insanely jealous. You said the owner was a team rider. That may give the bike a race pedigree. I personally would hang on to it. You got it for free so there is no need to sell it, right? You never know, a nice Yeti frame may come your way.


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## beepbeep (Sep 3, 2006)

*Love* that ARC......:thumbsup:


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## Inigo Montoya (Dec 25, 2007)

here is an updated component list:

Frame: Easton Aluminum ARC 1993 (mine is A337 and a very early one from 1992)
Fork: Manitou 3 (another hint for 1993, adjustment knobs are custom, internals too?)
Rims: Yeti HED Downhill
Hubs: Ringle
Quick Release: Kore - where are the drilled Violet levers??
Tires: Yeti FRO
Crank: Grafton Joy Stix
Vrank Bolts: Syncros Crank-O-Matics
Front Derailleur: XTR M900
Rear Derailleur: XTR M900
Shifter Pods: XTR M900 with Grafton Shifter Pod Adapters
Handlebars: Answer Alumilite 7075
Grips: Yeti Hardcore
Stem: Ringle (yes, definitely but podercoated desert turquoise)
Headset: Chris King 1 1/4"
Brake set: Grafton Speed Controllers
Brake Cable Hangers: Ringle Mojos
Brake levers: Grafton re-entry levers
Saddle: Odyssey Svelte Ti Kevlar
Seat Post: Ringle Moby (26,8mm)
Bottlecage: Ringle
Paint: Turq / Dark Gray ("dart" paintjob)
Size: Med
Serial #: A602
Place of Origin: Durango, CO

the ARC on ebay is definitely NOT from 1991 as all early ARCs had grey(clear powder)/desert turquoise dart or plain grey(clear powder) paintjobs.



> Would it be a tragedy to swap the parts over from the Yeti?


yes



> I'd have a wild and functional ride nobody would be caught dead stealing. Wouldn't have to worry about babying it.


wrong. there are some expensive parts on the bike that enthusiasts pay high prices for. if you auction it properly you can earn a decent amount of money with that bike.



> The period is correct. In the catalog,I even found some purple on the '94 Team Issue!


marins are nice but too blue collar for 3DV CNC pr0n. apart from that the 3DV CNC pr0n will hardly get you any performace gain.



> I think mine is a '95, largely from the head badge, which is falling off.


yes



> Are those HED wheels too collectible to ride on? (I saw NOS versions of the same hubs go for $350!)


yes. and btw. you don't seriously consider riding old carbon rims, right?



> Do you think I can get a 1 1/8 crown for my Manitou? (It works great)


yes, but manitou3's are quite bad as the stanchions wearing out quite quickly.



> What is the compatibilty, do I have to get a crown/steerer from another 3? 1,2,4?


yes, manitou 1,2,3,4, efc, magnum, comp, sport... steerers are interchangable.


> Will the axle-crown be right?


axle-crown is not altered by the crown.


> Does anybody have an old fork in 1 1/8" they want to trade/sell me?


sorry, no.


> Rigid?


what do you plan to do? whats your riding style?


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## Inigo Montoya (Dec 25, 2007)

the arc looks pretty small btw. how long is the seattube?


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Inigo Montoya said:


> the arc looks pretty small btw. how long is the seattube?


17in c-t. or 16.5 c-t. 
top tube looks to be around 22.6.


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## sever (Apr 20, 2007)

Hey, thanks for the repsonses! Especially Inigo Montoya, that really helps.


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

Put all that anodized junk in a box and mail it to me - I'll ensure it's correctly recycled


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## SuspectDevice (Apr 12, 2004)

Why not just Chris (3D) or Frank put a new headtube on the ARC? Chris has most of the original yeti powder colors at his shop.

Replacing a headtube really isn't too hard... Last time I was up at Franks he was, in fact, replacing the headtube on an old Manitou...


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## WTB-rider (Jul 25, 2004)

TWP= Two Wheel Performance. They were one of Floyd Landis' original sponsors when he was just a kid MTBer from Lancaster, PA.


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## ish (Jun 17, 2009)

Putting nice parts on a Team Marin frame isn't going to make them less likely to get stolen. It's still a Team Marin frame! If you want to discourage theft, put the parts on a Muddy Fox Courier Comp or Mongoose ATB with Fisher Grateful Dead decals. 

Awesome finds on the Yetis, they are both super cool.

I just joined you as a Team Marin owner today, got this '97 frame with BB, XT FD, and seatpost for $40. Like you said, a lot of bike for the price in terms of utility.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

sever said:


> Yes, one of the rare Canadian-built Team Marin!


Were these really built in Canada? I have had one of these frames for several years, but it was given to me by my brother in law and I did not know the history. It has been my budget single speed for about 4 years. Fun, light ride.


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## Inigo Montoya (Dec 25, 2007)

sgltrak said:


> Were these really built in Canada?


no, marin produced the frames in asia from day one. only the ti models (team titanium, ti frs) were welded in the states afaik.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Inigo Montoya said:


> no, marin produced the frames in asia from day one. only the ti models (team titanium, ti frs) were welded in the states afaik.


That is what I thought I remembered. Thanks for confirmation.


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## sever (Apr 20, 2007)

sgltrak said:


> Were these really built in Canada?


Oh no, not at all, just a dumb joke. See the maple leaf on the seat tube?
It was on there when I got it and I don't have the heart to remove it.

That Mountain Dew yellow Marin is sweet! Talk about clean.

Really, replace the headtube? I didn't know you could do that to an aluminum bike. The down tube and top tube would be slightly shorter...need to heat treat the whole frame again right?


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## Sizzler (Sep 24, 2009)

that ARC is so sweet looking! what would happen if you road it, catastrophic head tube failure? speaking of which, is that blood spatter on the crank?


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## sever (Apr 20, 2007)

Sizzler said:


> that ARC is so sweet looking! what would happen if you road it, catastrophic head tube failure? speaking of which, is that blood spatter on the crank?


Well hopefully you'd leap over the accident and land running, holding the front end; handlebars, fork, and still spinning front wheel, while the rest of the decapitated bike tumbles down the hill.

It did photograph that way didn't it? I should make up a story about the corpse I pulled the bike out from under. It's grease. Overly lubed chain in the wet I guess...


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## Sizzler (Sep 24, 2009)

you should tell people the original owner got his paint leg caught on the chainring and it sucked his whole foot in, shearing it right off. he could never ride again, so he gave you his yeti . . . but it's cursed! now, every time you ride it the bike takes over and steers you into traffic, so one day you road it deep into the woods, dug a large hole and buried it, but when you woke up the next morning it was sitting in your garage again, covered in mud!


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Sizzler said:


> you should tell people the original owner got his paint leg caught on the chainring and it sucked his whole foot in, shearing it right off. he could never ride again, so he gave you his yeti . . . but it's cursed! now, every time you ride it the bike takes over and steers you into traffic, so one day you road it deep into the woods, dug a large hole and buried it, but when you woke up the next morning it was sitting in your garage again, covered in mud!


Once a bike tastes blood it never stops killing...


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## biss-ness (Aug 13, 2004)

ish said:


> If you want to discourage theft, put the parts on a Mongoose ATB with Fisher Grateful Dead decals.


Seriously, your still talking about this...:skep:


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## ish (Jun 17, 2009)

sever said:


> Really, replace the headtube?


Just JB Weld it! What's the worst that could happen? 



bis-ness said:


> Seriously, your still talking about this...


Yes, but not seriously.


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

ish said:


> Just JB Weld it! What's the worst that could happen?
> .


Could you drill out the end of the cracks with a 1/16 drill to keep them crack from propagating, then have ring (stainless maybe) machined up to press fit around the base of the head tube? Then put some JB weld in the holes just to plug them up? I wouldn't down hill on it our anything, but it would make a very cool coffee shop bike!


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

biss-ness said:


> Seriously, your still talking about this...:skep:


never forgive, never forget.........................


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## Inigo Montoya (Dec 25, 2007)

ish said:


> Just JB Weld it!


i highly doubt that would be a lasting solution.
the ARC has a crack, it has old carbon rims, it has a race pedigree. it is a wallhanger. period.
if you want a rider, sell it and pimp the marin.


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## Sizzler (Sep 24, 2009)

sever, i noticed that specialized allez epic in that first picture. is that yours? i have the same frame but mine has severe corrosion around the lugs and I finally decided it was too dangerous to continue riding, but the one in that picture looks perfect!


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2009)

It would be a shame to part out the Yeti, have it repaired, or hang it above your fireplace mantel.


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## ish (Jun 17, 2009)

Inigo Montoya said:


> i highly doubt that would be a lasting solution.


Ok then, JB Weld and a hose clamp around the tube.


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## sherijumper (Feb 19, 2007)

I cannot believe somebody gave away that Yeti !


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

sherijumper said:


> I cannot believe somebody gave away that Yeti !


well... what's not broken there already will break soon so how are you gonna sell it?


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## Sizzler (Sep 24, 2009)

colker1 said:


> well... what's not broken there already will break


this raises a question I have had about yeti's. many vintage yetis I have seen for sale have cracks. was this because they were structurally flawed or just ridden hard? Maybe the ones being sold are the ones with problems or perhaps cracked yetis still have value while other brands couldn't be sold after cracking? Am curious!


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## Inigo Montoya (Dec 25, 2007)

Sizzler said:


> this raises a question I have had about yeti's. many vintage yetis I have seen for sale have cracks. was this because they were structurally flawed or just ridden hard? Maybe the ones being sold are the ones with problems or perhaps cracked yetis still have value while other brands couldn't be sold after cracking? Am curious!


from the 1992 yeti catalogue:
"The A.R.C. frameset is sold with a limited workmanship only warranty and is intended for competition use only."
so commuting would make it crack out of boredom, right?  
the tubeset (from eastons chuck teixeira) was brand new when the ARC entered the market. haven't seen that many cracked ARCs from later modelyears.
the steel frames are prone to rusting but not cracking.


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## YetiNet (Apr 11, 2009)

> Biggest mystery: the wheels. Tell me more about these. Is the carbon purely for aero? It doesn't seem structural, i.e, I think there's an aluminum rim underneath there. I've googled HED carbon yeti downhill, searched Yetifan, MTBR, etc, still can't find an explanation of why these wheels exist. Lay it on me.


This HED wheels are from one of the four Thermoplast Yeti ARC AS LT which was presented to the Interbike '94 in Anaheim.


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## swisscross (Oct 20, 2008)

"purple crap"
Biggest mistake I have ever made was stipping the purple off of all my stuff. Yes I got sick of looking at it but I want it back and it is gone forever.

Stuff is hot. I would not part out that bike but the purple stuff would bring good monies.


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## sever (Apr 20, 2007)

Wow, thanks for the info. That bike is outta control!

I sold the Yeti complete a little while ago. The Marin frame is finding a new home too. Now my only mountain bike will be my Titus Locomoto, which won't be VRC for another 10 years.


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

sever said:


> I sold the Yeti complete a little while ago.


Shouldn't you just have given it away if you didn't want it? Hope your karma can take a hit.


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## erkan (Jan 18, 2004)

This is a joke, right?


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