Wabi thunder
 

NEW from OK WABI .. fixed cyclo/tourer ... it's getting harder & harder to compete with the gear bikes ... good luck :giver:

It's a cross bike, but ok.

that bicycle is not attractive.

Fact.

It looks like a late 80's Oldsmobile.

Is that one of those Nashbar SS cross frames?
...I wish Bikesdirect still did the Fantom Cross Uno.

It looks fine to me, except for poor color choice.

In case you aren’t on the mailing list you may not be aware the decals are fully removable and during the preorder stage you can request any color you want (presumably from pool of current colorways?), free of charge.

I have zero stake in this but thought folks may want to know.

They mention using thicker tubing but I can’t find any details about the diameter. Anyone know?

I think they could really benefit from explaining a bit about the background, testing and design of the frame too. What does Wabi know about cross bikes? Are they simply trend-riding or do they have any chops?

Actually I am on the mailing list but didn't notice or just forgot about that. Since the regular Wabi's (like my Special) can fit up to 32's, I'm not in the market for an even fatter tire bike. Thanks for posting, tough crowd here.

Seems like a nice enough bike but there is something about the way it looks that bothers me. Maybe it’s the slack headtube and fork rake combined with a horizontal top tube. If the top tube were sloping a little more like a cx bike the angles might balance better.

To me, it looks like they put track ends on a Cross Check, or maybe painted a Fredward red and put knobby tires on it.

Most of Wabi's stuff (at least the older stuff) was pretty decent looking if a little uninspiring.

This one is just plain ugly.

also, at first glance that logo looks very KHS

Also, cantilever brakes are so last millenium. I just can’t imagine this type of bike w/o even the option for disk brakes.

mini v’s > discs

Blasphemy. Have you seen the current Cannondale SuperX? If it (Wabi Thunder) had come out last year I'd be riding one now.

As it sits. Definitely a very meh if not ugly bike.

I'm waiting to see one built from the frame up in a different color with no logo.

See the SuperX looks nice. The top tube slopes slightly, just enough to complement the angles up front. The taller headtube also helps balance it out.

Don’t get me wrong I love a level, horizontal top tube if it’s paired with a steeper headtube angle and less fork rake. Just personal preference I guess.

The SuperX came to mind because it's super slack, damn near level (for a modern bike) and wins a lot of races.

One thing you can count on,Wabi s are fun to ride :)

I don't care for the large amount of head tube that rises above the top tube. And the curve of the fork blades looks weird. I like most of the curve in the very bottom, or bottom third only. That thing bends almost the whole way, like a banana.

The color and logo seem like a non-issues, since you can change and delete.

I think the headtube issue is a result of the frame size. My 52CM Cross Check is the same way. The fork curve on the Cross Check is the same, too. The only differences I can find are the eyelets on the front dropout, the seat collar, and the integrated canti cable hanger. I think that Wabi frame would look a lot nicer with silver parts and some gumwalls. I don't see anything wrong with the basic geometry, though. It looks like a fun ride to me.

Yeah, I think it's a cool bike too. Long wheel base, slack angles, (which I dig), lot's of braze ons, room for big tires, etc. Get rid of the logo and pick a nice color and off you go. But that extended head tube is not necessitated by the angle, and to my eye, looks odd. I think that, and the fork curve bother me because they give the bike a generic look. And that's coming from a guy who strongly prefers curved blades.

The fork does have a bit more rake (50mm) than the fairly standard 45mm you see. I'd like to try it.

Wabi has changed but not necessarily improved under new ownership. I guess we need to get used to it :(