1988 Yeti FRO #596

December 5, 2025

Here is my recently finished 1988 Yeti FRO serial number 596. A few interesting facts about vintage Yeti's is that they started the serial number at 300. Because John Parker wanted it to seem like Yeti had already made a good number of bikes. That makes this the 296 Yeti FRO built. Another special thing about this FRO is that it has a round top tube. Round top tubes were used for the first 70-80 FROs ( serial numbers 300-370 roughly) and then again at serial numbers 580-600 ish when they ran out of the oval top tubes that they had switched to.

When I found the bike most of the parts had been switched out to modern deore 11 speed except for the Ibis quill stem and the Chris king headset. With so many early Yeti's being built up with Bullseye or 3dv anodized builds I wanted to do something different. That's how the idea of building it up with as much titanium parts as possible to match the gorgeous ibis stem was born. I polished a titec titanium bar to match and I had a Titanium Nukeproof wheelset in my stash. It took awhile to find a seatpost that would fit but I finally found a unbrand vintage titanium post on eBay. Titanium cranks are rare and expensive but when I found the Steely Danz crank even though they are steel I knew it was the right one! I finished it off with XTR M900 shifters brakes and derailleurs and some Titanium colored housing!