John Tomac and the Legend of the Yeti C-26 | TPC Museum Series | TPC

[@randyhale4181]

John Tomac the rider that everybody wanted to be.❤❤

[@wallyr.7854]

This has to be one of the most awesome mountain bike history videos I’ve ever watched! And what can you say about JT, the man is a living legend. To whoever put this video together, thank you so, so, so, SO much 🙏🏻

[@MM-xr6tz]

John T and Zap, legends. MTB Action was my life growing up in England. Durango, Moab etc were places I'd never heard of growing up. The mag took me on a wild journey, absolute best period in cycling for me. Great documentary thanks 👌

[@Automobiliana]

Same feelings, but in Stockholm, Sweden. MBA was everything during this period

[@lincoln3x7]

The best era of cycling for me... I love that I got to ride in the same era... I made the journey and rode Moab and Durango.. raced in Steamboat, gives me mixed feelings of joy and sadness for that time that's gone now.

[@glennoc8585]

Yeah I was the same in the UK then later in Australia. I even mail ordered parts from a bike shop in California San Luis Obispo

[@raykleiner3151]

OMG what a video. John Tomac is a true legend in every sense of the word. Those early days were the best, no front suspension, figuring stuff out and then the evolution of the bikes and suspension technology. John T still is respected all over the world to this day. Thanks for posting.

[@christopheryack580]

What a time to be alive back then. I raced Slingshots and Pro-Flex's in the 90's...saw Tomac beat Tinker at Mt Snow...and saw Missy G break her collarbone. Tomac would race cross country and downhill....nobody else was doing that as far as I can remember. It was the best of times...no computer modeling for equipment yet so many new products were suspect. You learned how to manage risk back then :) No internet or social media...you found out where races were by looking in the back of Dirtrag magazine.

[@briansmallwood4095]

I remember in a weekend we would race the cross country (3 - 4 hours), the uphill, the downhill and later the dual slalom!

[@DIASDEMUSICA]

Jonh Tomac is a real true legend !!! He made it so easy ... and the inventor of actual "gravel" :D

[@PipgrasCNC]

Ran into John at a grocery store during the Traverse city NORBA race. Super nice guy! I was probably 13 years old.. I’ll never forget it.

[@raulmartinez5511]

Awesome!! 45 year old dude from Spain here, feeling like I'm 14 again, I was lucky enough to see his style in person during 1993 Llinars del vallès Grundig World Cup race, awesome memories, a Forever Hero for most of us, Cheers!!

[@JohnDough-yr2zt]

Tomac passed me by in a race at Mt Shasta once. Pros did a nine mile loop and came back on course behind some of us. I was jammin through a rocky section, and Tomac flew by me like I was standing still. That was rigid bike days.

[@Summersolstice0621]

I was a sports reporter back in the day and I was interviewing the Canadian National champion, and he told me he was on a nasty hairpin turn scrubbing off speed so he didn’t crash in a race once and Tomac came flying up behind him DIDN’T slow down, jammed on the front brake, turned the bike on the front wheel and was gone down the hill in the blink of an eye.. leaving the Canadian Champion shaking his head in disbelief!!❤

[@briansmallwood4095]

So great to see Johnny T, Zap and John Parker in this video! John Parker gave me the Yeti forks I used in the 1989 Worlds at Mammoth. I was racing out of South Lake Tahoe and trained with friend Jimmie Donnell, 3 time expert national mtb champion. When JT put those drops bars on his bikes, we all tried to emulate it, I remember putting Cinelli 44's on my Specialized Stumpjumper Pro! Basically what is now called a gravel bike. In 1990 I turned Pro on Klein so could not use any special parts, other than Ringle skewers, (thx Jeff Ringle!) My first Klein attitude was stolen at the Norba National #1 in Big Bear. A month later, I won the Quicksilver Classic in San Jose but had no support from Klein and felt betrayed, so I cracked mentally and the year was shot. In 1991 I rode briefly for Raleigh, same team as Johnny T. (his Raleigh was custom made) My bike was 5 pounds heavier than the Klein so I got my ass kicked at the Durango Norba and became a roadie after that. ahh history...... same as so many starving racers on the edge of greatness.

[@raulmanashky328]

That bike even today is a work of art.. designed by people with a passion in life 👍

[@shanelahousse3344]

Thanks for capturing the history.

[@martin.B777]

WOW, love this episode! And the classic soundtrack music from "On any Sunday" is epic.

[@vaughanwatson3561]

Wow, thanks to the visionaries who put this together, both the bike back in the day and this video!

[@Ma660t5andw1ch]

Too bad the bike was sitting in Zap’s garage for 30 years. Shame on him, this bike should be seen.

[@theproscloset]

You bet!

[@andreasdesch6142]

Watching from Germany and a smile brightens my face seeing two of my early Mountainbike Heroes Tomac and Zap plus a few others telling this great and very personal story about the C-26! Great nostalgia, history lesson, retromania and a fun video to watch. Just have to search for that photo of Zap and me at the worlds in Vail 2001 ;)

[@jameskellogg1162]

Great video ! I'm so happy that I was able to move from motorcycle racing to mountain biking in 1990 when the sport was blowing up . Started racing on full ridged steel and then aluminum and titanium . Now it's carbon . I still ride my vintage bikes and love them . I even have a Raleigh titanium John Tomac mountain bike that was handmade in England . I'm 64 and still love mountain biking ! Thanks for the video

[@Albert-Duz-It]

I have owned a Tomac Cortez for 16 years now. I love the bike like the first day. One of the most beautiful and timeless frame ever built.

[@mattoni1972]

John is a legend. Greetings from Slovakia

[@Summersolstice0621]

I can not tell you how much this brought me back into the heyday of mountain biking! I couldn’t wait for the next magazine to come out and there was Tomac on the cover! Awesome trip down memory lane!

[@TLervis]

I was a 10 year old kid and I loved that bike.

[@jonnyrockall1832]

What a treat to watch and listen to the history from the group that made this project happen. I was fortunate to experience this era and feel the excitement and energy that Johnny T and this bike created. It was a magical time. Thanks Zap!

[@samueljennings6380]

Love the on any Sunday tracks in the background!

[@bbarber6845]

Nice trip down memory lane. Thanks

[@carloshermandealbagamboa6676]

John Tomac. El Rockstar del Mountain Bike.! The one and only, cross country Champion and downhill Champion..

[@sarahdell4042]

What a cool story!

[@danielarredondo]

What a great video, amazing stories with the iconic Yeti C-26, you guys should make a video of that John Tomac’s garage!

[@VinhTran-rr9zr]

the very first gravel bike

[@riderrunco]

The best thing on KZbin, thanks zap

[@scottlink1693]

It was a great time to be a part of mountain biking... Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Y'all are legends!

[@psclassy1123]

This is great stuff. Not everyone can enjoy or value what this is about but if you were younger back in the early 90s riding you do. Thank you KZbin and companies like TPC . Got a picture of Tomac but like Zap said it happened quickly. After the race and winning Johnny T was out of breath and I kept my distance thinking who want to be confronted after finishing a race. Wish I pushed my way in to get a autograph later.

[@brianmartindale2221]

The Tomacs are great American champions and John may be the single most talented bicycle rider I've seen with my eyes. Super, super nice man, too. The late 80's and early 90's were a fantastic time to be involved with mountain biking. So many freaks and weirdos, but John Tomac was definitly the man! I set up a bike like that drop bar C-26, which was great until I stabbed the bar-end shifter into my thigh in a really stupid crash lol (I can lol now, but damn did that hurt!)

[@mikesimms3380]

I remember seeing that bike. He used to ride it all around the hills above Simi Valley...It was different with the drop bars and knobbies. Tomas was the king of that era.

[@ploglet]

Fantastic story and images. Tomac was such an amazing rider and cool to see the C-26 and hear John's thoughts on the bike. Both were ahead of their time back then. Thanks for the video.

[@theproscloset]

Couldn't agree more!

[@charleswhite7612]

Awesome video! Love love love it! I got into mountain biking in ‘91 & I remember all of this. The GOAT! Bonus points for the On Any Sunday soundtrack in the background. Greatest motorcycle movie ever & the song and this video crossover my two-wheeled worlds. Gracias!👍😉🙏

[@Emailoadresstevez]

Zap is so cool...glad he's prominent in this video

[@thomassanio8745]

Wish I kept that issue of Mtn Bike Action with the story of the C 26. Very well done. Thank you.

[@Greg41982]

I remember this bike. So boss.

[@harveycasey1900]

That bike is still bad ass.

[@henkkatoivonen]

For me the best mtb ciclist from the origen. Pioneer.

[@therealjd1503]

So cool as am Eli fan to see where he gets it from. I’ve always heard about his dad but never seen anything like this. Epic, thanks

[@kevincragun4259]

Thank you!!!

[@therealfrankthewelder]

Awesome film! Thanks for the memories!

[@John_D2]

I have a vintage Rock Shox poster of John Tomac going downhill in a skin suit, hanging on my wall. I had Tioga farmer John tires back in the late 80's. Yep , been a fan that long.

[@Mtb9r]

Lined up next to Tomac and his son. It was 1994 mammoth mountain 5 year old and under kids race. His son was on a John deer tricycle my son was on a bike I had just built for him, a 16” custom bike. My son won that race😊. Running at 9000ft😮. Happy Trails

[@justinloretz5691]

I've been an unashamed John Tomac fanboy since 87. Loved every minute of this. Congrats to Zap and all at TPC. Well overdue. That I have had the pleasure of hanging out and riding with JT over the years is a privilege that I cherish. #GOAT #laidout #scoopopen #goingforit

[@y2fmc]

You were one of my heroes (as well as JT) back in the day Justin. Your DOGSBOLX with the Disk Drive still lingers in my memory.

[@justinloretz5691]

​@y2fmc thanks Regan 😊 mtb4life ❤

[@11DRT]

I'm not a mountain biker I'm a dirt biker. I definitely know who John told Mac is. And I really enjoyed this video

[@artvandelay8030]

LEGEND TOMAC. 💯

[@Evaso_CC]

A great story, awesome!

[@robotlou]

What a blast from the past. I recall drooling over every issue of Mountain Bike Action and figuring out how I was going to afford any of those shiny new bike parts. Ended up working at a bike shop in Milwaukee and spending too much money all the time on bike stuff. A really amazing period of innovation. Some great leaps! Some big fails. My first bike was a Diamond Back Advent with the oval "bio-pace" front rings. Not a long-lived tech but I rode it into the ground. I see what is available at the bike stores now and feel like I'm a caveman for wanting a straightforward 21 speed bike. Good times. Thanks for sharing.

[@theproscloset]

Yeah, good luck finding anything with a 3x these days!

[@robotlou]

@@theproscloset No kidding. I just rented a bike to ride some park trails in Virginia and it was a 1x9. Not the same vibe. That tiny front chainring was a BUMMER. LOL!

[@kruschrhoades]

The GOAT OF GOATS!

[@peterfreeman3317]

Tomac is the man

[@Charactermatters650]

64 soon and retiring…this was an amazing journey back…raced mountain bikes and trained the road for them…went thru all those progressions - like becoming a good mechanic so that I could afford racing 😂😂😂 learned to build wheels from Jobst Brandts book yada yada..Always loved Tomac, who didn’t? He is for sure the goat…I have a bike collection of old parts in my basement that goes all the way back to the scott uni fork with the Clark Kent upgrade - super hot for its time ha ha - also loved my old bridgestone, what an awesome bike - had much fancier in time, but really nothing rode like that looking back on it - thanks for the memories guys

[@daz_the_cyclist8961]

Wow this is awesome I meet JT once and he signed my Tioga Disk drive

[@y2fmc]

I’ve seen the pics and heard the story ;) Hope you’re well mate.

[@seanmccuen6970]

started as a mountain biker at 17yo and now seasoned 'roadie' of 25+ years here, but Yeti is still my soul, favorite bike brand. early nineties was a special time.

[@marksevy]

Nice job TPC! - young HBizzle riding road at 23:42 is the best🤌

[@chrisnelson6991]

"Handmade in the USA." Was a great time in cycling. Mad geniuses Innovating, larger then life riders. Had character and soul and was exciting to see what was next around the corner. Awesome video, thank you.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Mad genuises innovating*, larger than* life riders.

[@asa572]

That was seriously cool, thanks.

[@martinaxe6390]

I live in Cortez. I had no idea John Tomac lived in the area!

[@jurgenhackl191]

John the first gravelbiker 👍🤘🤙👏🔝🚲💪👌🤠🏁

[@brianweaver8024]

It’s with great pride and admiration I can say that as a club racer at the time I was able to observe both he and Missy that weekend. It was amazing!!

[@thehappytwo5442]

I remember these day's so well.. I was young and racing and riding all the time. My best MTB years were during these times. The best. Crap equipment but the best times.

[@piercewasmund2042]

Thanks for this.

[@benheller4459]

So much nostalgia. This was great!

[@robertrishel3685]

Legendary! John Tomac🙏…and now his son Eli…🤯

[@bruce.KAY-bike-drifter]

Thanks for the nostalgic trip back down memory lane. John Tomac was my hero back then. It was truly awesome to see the C26. I forgot it had those crazy disc wheels and those centre-pull cantilever brakes. In those days my pride and joy was a Marin Bear Valley MTB that incorporated those same Manitou front forks. Hehe, we thought that range of travel, about 80mm, was huge. Learning to ride on a hardtail was a fantastic way to develop MTB skills. If I could manage to lift the front wheel over tree roots and rocks even a few inches high I thought it was awesome. Compared to most riders at the time, John Tomac was simply the best at bike handling. We watched videos and all aspired to pump and jump our bikes the way he did. Loved your video.

[@alexgonzalezMI]

Wow, the old interviews are like watching Eli now.

[@thomasdove2908]

Really good vid I went to the London bike show at Alexander Palace and had the pleasure of seeing all the old yeti bikes ,the gt bikes ,even met hans ray and got a gt poaster singed,a super day !

[@rafeevans]

I watched him win the uphill, downhill and cross country races at Mt Snow in, was it, 1990? He was by far the most electric rider, catching air, hopping and floating stuff the rest of us feared. He was the opposite of cautious, conservative Ned Overend, who also won races but frankly was a bore to watch. His wheels never left the ground. Ned's big advantage was fast climbing. JT on the other hand was, imho, the master descender of his era. Add in a short but successful road career and the all-round-great accolades are well earned.

[@ultraromance]

wow, this is as potent of a dopamine spike as my brain can handle! right down to the MTB mania Durango footage 🤩 thanks JT and Zap for everything!

[@theproscloset]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@theproscloset]

The Surgeon General recommends watching such epic videos in moderation to avoid getting "hyperstoked."

[@sdelling1]

Very well done!

[@ferdinandmelchor4242]

Awesome story telling very interesting indeed!

[@renaissanceman8564]

Best all around rider,,,1989 Mammoth Worlds we stayed two doors down from JT. So he comes out of his condo to test his 61 tooth chain ring a believe fo the downhill and a rear disc. That year we did the Norba circuit and watched John and Greg Herbold . I’m still riding a team 7-11😊Eddy Merckx . Hey Johnny, if you ever want to hunt moose in Canada or ice race we do it on dirt bikes in Kamloops my man

[@rayliebert5766]

I raced against John Tomac and Greg Herbolt in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany in the early 90s.

[@lgraff2301]

I was always a huge JT fan and now Eli my fave too!

[@glennoc8585]

I pulled out my old manitou fork and the elastomers were shot too. In the 90s i got into mtb because of seeing John, julie, Kloser. I even bought Tioga tyres based on John's success.

[@donnovicki9771]

Johnny T, Ned Overend, and Julie Furtado, brought mountain biking to the world. There was no one better than Johnny T Without these people, and a handful of others mountain biking would never have gotten off the ground to be what it is today. Special shout out to : Tinker Juarez, and MIssy Giove, and Zapata Espinoza from Mountain Bike Action magazine. I believe Tomac was on the cover of MBA more than anyone else.

[@leonardodesanctis9760]

John tomac the Legend

[@justinofboulder]

Fun memories!

[@villedocvalle]

Awesome stories.

[@TimMurphysLaw]

Great video of Zap with John Tomac I remember seeing this bike for the first time when I was looking after Zap's house and his daughter Xakota's cats while he was at the Tour De France. Zap had left his garage door open. Could see the C-26 from his driveway. Last year I took some pics of the bike in his garage. He said "don't let it fall over"

[@swooshjj]

Ah! I still have one of those purple quick release 😍

[@tedecker3792]

When John raced you could tell when he was approaching by the huge increase in the crowds volume, cheering for the GOAT!

[@randycallow3736]

Funny facts about bike racing..I personally saw JT do a training race on a mountain bike and keep up with road bikes.. and the road world sat in disgust as Tomac an interloper came on the scene and won a national championship on the road..he and his son are just super human specimens of speed

[@billromano5844]

Thank you TPC you earn your keep by being great cycling ambassadors with epic content like this. JT is the man and that C26? Hoo boy!

[@wanderingbob]

Jon, Ned, Tinker, Rishi, and the iconic bikes they rode… fond memories

[@jpmorgen5726]

Thanks, the memories come flooding back, can almost hear the disc wheels noise!

[@truthbike]

I won Tomacs Raleigh/Tioga jersey way back in the day for sending in the best joke. Its framed and in my pain cave to this day! He was/is the most buttery smooth rider I have ever seen on a mtn bike.

[@bibnakladnistvo]

Got an autographed poster off him at Hunter mountain NY Grunding/Norba race in 1992. Such a cool guy. Also got to ride a yeti works downhill special with tioga rear wheel, met Missy Giove and Doug Bradbury of Manitou.. such great times..

[@5DEV]

So Awesome!!!

[@durangodevo]

Such a special lil trip! Thank you!

[@boboso7238]

This was very well done, thanks for capturing this in modern media. Man I wish all that ABC and ESPN footage would be remastered and put somewhere from all those races in the early 90's. Just like that MTV Sports one, with John and Greg.

[@suntzuwarsword1964]

Legend..ive got my tomac 220 primer down hiller and i love it

[@rutlandcitybikes9729]

That was fun to see! The Tomac "Omen" was the first hub up bike I built in 2006'ish.?.? Still have it to this day.

[@JohnDough-yr2zt]

Wes Williams was always one of those drop bar guys I never understood.

[@jefftoonstra5087]

Now I understand why Bearclaw Bikes out of Michigan named a drop bar fatbike after him, the Towmak 😮

[@andrewkummer5656]

Fabulous, thank you for putting this tale together.

[@bleachlectures3973]

G O A T

[@ccmdoc3589]

Absolutely loved it. Well done Nick, Zap, Herting, Parker and of course Tomac himself. The best of MTB back then.

[@theproscloset]

Couldn't agree more!

[@y2fmc]

Indeed Doc Y! Great video.

[@aszent]

Wonderful documentation about John. He's the real MTB-hero of that wonderful sport. Goosebumps guaranteed! Wow!!!!!

[@luizsergiolemos4541]

The best !!!