Back in 1994, Roger Malinowski, a bicycle industry maven, met Philip Novotny, an airline mechanic, in the California town of San Luis Obispo. Philip had turned a decrepit beach cruiser bike into a versatile, lightweight, single track bike trailer. He called it the YAK and was rolling them out of a machine shop on a small scale. Roger knew a great idea when he saw one and together, they took Philip’s invention and built a booming business. The Yak trailer revolutionized the way bikes transport gear and as a result, it has become the world standard for bicycle tourists, commuters and enthusiasts.