Bandera

Learn the proper way to start/stop instead, here's the Drill w/ toeclips & straps for any flavor of drivetrain :

From the NDS rotate Strong side (my right) pedal parallel to ground
Straddle the bike and lock the front brake
Clip-in strong side foot and tighten the toestrap
Look where you want the bike to go, not at the pedals
Release front brake, push down strong side pedal & lever onto saddle in one motion: Pedal
Flip up weak side pedal as it comes around w/o looking and slide foot in
Tighten weak side toestrap as it comes around if not in traffic

Proceed

All of the monkey-motion w/ straps and wobbling around tightening & looseing them is one reason FG cyclists adopted the clipless systems back in the mid-80's. Serious foot retention being the other, you will need it.

-Bandera

streetcore

Thanks for all the info. I definitely want to learn the proper technique and never really thought much about the underside of pedals until I read the page below. I also saw some other people talking about it in a pedal review on Amazon. To clarify, the author below is talking about practicing things like dismounts and trackstands. The site is also aimed at off-road fixie riders, but I think the 101 series applies to road riding as well.

Riding the Undersides of the Pedals--Part Three of Fixed Gear 101

Cheers.

TejanoTrackie 

If you haven't yet ordered your Wabi, I would recommend NOT buying those pedals. They are really designed to be used with traditional cycling shoes with very stiff soles and slotted cleats that lock into the rear pedal plate when the strap is tightened. All you are going to get with regular shoes is a lot of discomfort and not very effective retention when you pull back on the pedals. Either just get platform pedals and only partial foot retention, or clipless pedals with compatible cycling shoes. If you want walkability off the bike, then get SPD style pedals, which are double sided for easy entry, and the cleats are recessed into the sole of the shoe to allow for walking.

seau grateau

Don't bother with tightening your straps while pedaling on the road. It's a hassle and will basically ensure that you fall over when you have to stop. Just run them so that they're fairly snug, but loose enough to get your feet in and out of them. The tops of your toe clips will probably scrape the ground a bit from time to time if you're riding on the bottom of the pedal, but it's nothing to worry about unless you're leaning far enough to really screw them up.

Bandera

The Drill is how we practiced Starts lined up shoulder to shoulder in road & 'cross racing "back when" and will provide a sure, dependable, repeatable and wobble free start from your driveway or a stoplight regardless of drivetrain flavor. It's the same process over & over until completely smooth & automatic. FG is particularly demanding of a dedication to technique & proper set-up, including a smooth Start & Stop routine.

The Stop & Dismount:

Look where you need to stop
Loosen the weak side toestrap w/o looking down (it should not be tight in traffic)
Ask yourself why you aren't riding Clipless pedals with positive foot retention and quick/easy release instead
Estimate # of crank revs to the stop point
Unclip/ease weak side foot out, look where you want the bike to go
Apply front brake and ride strong side down easing off the saddle and setting the off side foot firmly down
Your strong side is still firmly secured to it's pedal by it's retention system, you are in charge for a Start

Although we all learned track stands on the Velodrome the 1st priority for a new FG rider should be command and control of the machine and adapting to it's uncompromising nature.

Why all the emphasis on Proper Secure Foot Retention and the recommendation for Clipless riding in road FG in mundane Starting/Stopping and just bopping along?
If you ride FG on the road descents are inevitable whether trivial/minor/holy-S_it they will Require a supple higher RPM pedaling technique that most FW riders never experience and don't have the technique for.

The Downside?
W/O proper foot retention the dreaded "Cuisinart" effect where the pedals get-away from the rider with Very-Bad-Things happenings: Not excluding a Loss of Control and the Much, Much Worse things that happen as a result.

Good luck.

-Bandera

Torelli4

I bought my Wabi Classic last November and built it up with spares I had laying around: worth every penny. I rarely ride my geared bike anymore. The ride is sweet and riding fixed not only is a good workout but it's fun!

IAmSam

Let me preface this sure to be TL;DR answer to streetcore's question and some of the responses to it by saying that I ride clipless pedals the majority of the time. But for certain situations I will use a set-up almost identical to that Wabi dealy. I have the exact same Wellgo R025B pedals, with some cheapo single toeclips/straps (for the life of me I cannot recall where I got them) that have served me well for years.

In fact, just now I pulled some new clipless road pedals that I've been trying out off my sw8 phiksie and put those toeclips/track pedals on it in preparation for riding the 1st time with a new roadie group that I don't know their customs and practices at redlights and stop signs so I don't want to have to fight with clipping in and out if they do stop a lot.



I grew up using Bandera's "Drill", with the slotted cleats that TejanoTrackie mentioned, and the fact is that they are are overkill for riding around town. seau grateau gave you the right guidance - just get some shoes with stiff soles and pull the straps "fairly snug, but loose enough to get your feet in and out" and you'll be fine. Personally, I start pedaling with my weaker left foot foot on the pedal near the top of the rotation, and get my stronger right foot into the toeclip (or clipless pedal) within 1 revolution before it reaches the bottom again.

Have fun and good luck...

zazenzach

When did this happen? Why did Rich sell the business?

From the customer feedback and interactions, it seemed like he really enjoyed what he did. I've been a repeat customer (as some of my friends) and everything has gone really smoothly.

kingston 

Here's an email I received from Wabi in June:

Dear Wabi Enthusiasts,

You may have noticed a bit more buzz on our social media channels lately and a new landing page up at Quality road and fixed gear bikes and products. There’s a lot going on at Wabi to be excited about, and it means great things for this avid community of cyclists.

First, we’d like to take a moment to introduce the two new faces at Wabi Cycles: Curtis Kline and Matt Gragg. Curtis and Matt are dedicated to making our incredible bikes accessible to more people and growing our community, all while preserving the integrity of Richard Snook’s custom, beautifully crafted fixed-gear/single speed bikes, and the new Lightning RE geared road bike.

Here are a few of the updates you should expect to see in 2016:

• New Home To support growing demand, we’re moving assembly and manufacturing from Los Angeles to Curtis and Matt’s hometown of Tulsa. Of course, we will still ship everywhere and customize the same way we do now.

• New Online Store To improve your Wabi browsing and purchasing experience, we’re building a new online store. You’ll be able to easily navigate through all of Wabi’s bikes, parts & accessories, and select sizing and options.

• New Bike We’ll be adding a new bike to the Wabi family by the end of the year, and all we can say right now is that it will be a great multi-purpose fixed gear/single speed with wider tires and more clearance, designed for riding on multiple types of surfaces, and collaboratively designed with Richard.

Of course, exciting news cannot be complete without mention of Wabi’s creative visionary and founder, Richard Snook. Richard is looking forward to having some free time while continuing on as a design and technical consultant. “I’m glad to be passing the torch to Curtis and Matt, and I’m confident they will bring Wabi to new heights, preserving the high quality and customer service Wabi is known for. I’ve enjoyed my time with them and I encourage you all to get to know them as well.”

We’re happy to answer any questions you might have here. Stay up to date on Wabi happenings on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for our newsletter.


With gratitude for your ongoing support and excitement for the future,

The Wabi Cycles Team

contact@wabicycles.com

cDiff Notorious

Idk about what they changed about online purchasing but so far they only changed the home page

jack pot 

>>> got a wabi classic in Dec >>A++ ... i specD it with flat bars and it was fine BUT LBS shamed me into bullhorns >> they're ok but what i wanted was a flat bar with bar ends > thoughts ?? ... also specD w 2 fixed cogs ... interested in the double cog on one side and a fw on the other type set up >>> could one put 3 fixed cogs on a hub ??? ... is this a Q that shows my noobity ... wish i would have found the FG rapture Lonnnnnnnnnnng ago

AlmostTrick

So switch the bars back and ride what you like. I have low risers on mine and ain't nobody gonna shame me into changing 'em!

The Wabi hub can take a fixed cog or FW on either side. So yes, you could have a double cog on one side and a single on the other.

kingston 

I agree with the guys at the bike shop. Bullhorn is better than flat bar with bar ends, but there's nothing wrong with running just a flat bar if that's what you want.

You could run the 16/18 cog from Wabi on one side and something else on the other side, although I don't really see the point. It's not like you're going to stop at the bottom of a hill and flip your rear wheel around then stop again at the top to flip it back. Just pick a gear and go with it. You can change it when you get home.

jack pot 

>>> U R 100% right > the zen of the fix is its utter SIMPLICITY

>>> i guess i need to forget farks and enjoy the rideN ... MANY thanks

AlmostTrick

I like having 2 FG cogs to choose from. Now you have me considering going to 3!

My commute is primarily straight south in the morning, and therefore straight north in the afternoon. So the wind is generally going to either help or hurt my performance the entire ride. Depending on whether it's a headwind or tailwind I can choose the ratio that is more efficient and comfortable before I head out. I find this makes the bike more useful, as I don't have to grab my geared bike just because it's a bit windy out.

streetcore

Did anybody ever hear anything about this new bike? The only thing new I see on their site is the Classic in Arctic White.

Scottybigs 

Still waiting on it, I think. If you're thinking about buying a Wabi and want to know more about this new model, I'd contact them to find out what's up. They're good guys and can probably give you some answers regarding timeline.

streetcore

I emailed Wabi this morning after getting their latest email update, which still had no news about a new bike. Curtis from Wabi said I could share his response here. Unfortunately, the new bike has been delayed.

50voltphantom

I got confirmation via IG that they are building a frame with cantilever brakes and they're looking at a late 2017 (hopefully) release.

Carcosa

Dougbloch 

I wish they would release something with a quill stem!

MrAwesome

I have a question kind of off topic, but with relation to the Wabi. I bought the Classic almost two years ago and have had a lot of trouble with fit and comfort. I finally came to the conclusion that the bike is too small for me, but the next size up is only about an inch taller, but will also be an inch longer which would increase my reach. I'm not sure how much difference that will make. My lower body fits perfectly, but upper body (mainly my neck) has pain. I've had the bike fit at a shop; replaced the stem and handlebars twice and flipped the stem up to raise the bars, gotten new shoes and pedals... Nothing has really helped much. Some people have told me I have to just get used to it, but while I agree that can be part of it, I am pretty sure I will never get completely used to the upper body position. I'm tempted to get more relaxed bars, or just get a comfort bike. I really hate to loose the performance of this bike, but I want to enjoy riding and because of the discomfort I haven't ridden as much as I wanted to. I'm 6' with about a 33 1/2" to 34" inseam. The bike is the 55cm model.

I have a lot of experience with the actual riding, just not so much with geometry and fit and I can't figure out how to make my bike or this style of bike fit and feel better.

I actually love the whole idea of SS/FG and I love the bike. I bought it from Richard directly from him at his shop in L.A. I was disappointed when I found out he sold the company and that it has been relocated, but from what I hear the new owners maintain the same high level of customer service and if I can figure out what to do about this problem, will be happy to purchase another bike from them. I'm actually eyeing the Lightning, just want to figure out the size issue before I drop that cash.

AlmostTrick

According to their size chart you have the correct size. Do you have, or have you had another bike that fits you well? Also, what bars and stems have you tried on the Classic?

MrAwesome

That's what has baffled me about this problem for almost two years. I chose that size based on the size charts. Although, Richard did say the 58cm could also fit me because of my longer legs; according to the size chart my inseam is closer to the 58cm size but everything else about me is the 55cm size. And since my lower body doesn't have comfort problems, it would make sense that the size if the bike isn't the problem, but it's practically the only thing left; I have tried everything I can think of within reason ($$$ wise). When I got the bike fit at my LBS, they told me that newer style road bikes have slightly different GEO than the older-style Wabi GEO which could help, but those bikes are a lot more than I paid for the Wabi and I kinda like the FG/SS anyway, so that isn't really an option right now.

I got a Specialized drop-bar and Specialized 100mm adjustable stem that seems to be the same angle as the Wabi stem; and it's flipped up. The bars are the compact drop-bars with a nice wide flat area at the top, so they feel great on my hands. I also got some riser bars that have about a 50mm rise that I have been using with the flipped up Wabi stem (100mm). I was thinking about going with an 80mm or 90mm Wabi stem to use with the risers, to see if that helps. My only next step would be a mustache or oxford style bar and beyond that, a different frame.

I want so badly to love this bike and ride everyday!

Scottybigs 

I'll be honest that I was really skeptical of their size chart when I bought my Wabi. I sent my measurements to the new owners, and they did a mockup of both a 55cm Special and a 58cm. The 55cm had the seatpost absolutely towering, along with a fat stack of spacers beneath the stem (which, they said, wasn't quite getting the bars high enough). I would have had to get a riser stem to make the 55cm work--not a good option.

Thankfully, I know my size on a classic geo steel frame. I've sold off all of my 55cm, 56cm, and even now 57cm frames. I'm 5'11.5, and my inseam is 33inch. On my 58cm Wabi Special, I've got a little bit more than a fistful of seatpost showing, and am running a Velo Orange tall stack stem (90mm).




It's the best, most comfortable bike I've ever had. I previously had a 57cm Soma Rush (which was actually more like a 56cm because it's measured Center to Top), and it gave me a fair bit of neck and back pain on 50+ km rides (note: this also has a lot to do with track geometry vs. road geometry). I moved all of the parts over the larger Wabi frame, and bam--perfect.

One thing I realized was that even though the toptube was 1cm longer on the Wabi, I was actually more comfortable overall because my saddle-to-bar height wasn't as extreme. That, and I find that when riding the Wabi, I feel like I'm sitting in the pocket of the frame almost, instead of towering over top.

Anyway, find a reason to keep riding fixed and riding a Wabi--they're great.