jay4usc

in my case I think it was more poor quality control before shipping out. Customer service was good though, they were responsive and fixed the problem. If you decide to buy new grabbed Wabi Special with the lugs because the welds on the classic are not as clean as previous models. Also, inspect the bike very carefully upon delivery and let them know if there any defects. You may want to check the used market theres been a few on EBay and Craigslist.

Zeuloa

In my personal experience, I received excellent customer service from Wabi, being attentive to my needs and resolving any concerns that arised. The quality of the bike itself is what it’s always been, an excellent bike for the price, with very good geometry (no toe overlap in any size), built with excellent steel (Reynolds 720) with attention to detail and good, reliable components.

. As for them not having full stock during the summer it has nothing to do with their quality as it does with the effects of the pandemic, and this is the case with all brands and retailers, just ask your local lbs how demand has grown but there’s no supply.

Unlike the previous owners for which Wabi was just an investment opportunity, the new owners (Denver folks) own a few other bike related companies, and from my conversations with them, they are very knowledgeable about bicycles and the industry.

As for the case with the fellow in thread that had some issues with his frame and replacement was worst, remember these are strange times and consider that factories were closed for months and then they were playing catch up with limited staff more than likely, errors are bound to occur, but also consider that Wabi was very willing to resolve and at the end agreed on a beneficial outcome for the customer.

I would recommend you call Damon at Wabi and express your concerns, get some answers and then make your decision.

Rage

Thanks, Zeuloa!

sdimattia

I don't think the quality is any less if all you're looking for is a decent steel bike. It's not a $100 Walmart cheap fixie nor is it a $3k carbon fiber race bike. Like jay4usc mentioned, they may have some quality control issues but then again, so does every company (not that it makes it ok). However they are willing to stand behind their product.

Some Wabi owners who bought their bikes under Richard, the original owner say the quality has gone down just because of the new owners and product souring of some parts. I can't comment on that as I've only had my bike since May 2020. That being said, I'm very happy with the quality of the bicycle I received and I certainly think it was worth the money.

wabi_damon

I own Wabi and can address a few issues that were brought up:
- Our low inventory has only been due to high demand and slow production at the factories. We sold out of a year's worth of inventory within a few months. This is an issue with everyone in the industry. I own other bike-related businesses that are seeing even bigger supply challenges than Wabi.
- As for quality, yes, we've had a few hiccups (which I will own up to), but I believe they represent a very small percentage of our shipped builds. Otherwise, you'd probably hear more on these forums or elsewhere. It is hard to hide poor quality on the Internet. If there is an issue, we quickly work to resolve it to the customer's satisfaction. Additionally, we always look for opportunities to ensure issues don't happen again. With Jay's issue, I reviewed the QC process with the builders and improved our shipping packing as we've had some issued with mishandling of boxes that can cause damage (which may have been one issue with his build).
- As for quality vs. back when Richard was building, the suppliers, fabricators, build processes and QC processes are all very similar. Plus, we have builders that are highly experienced. I talk to Richard about what he did versus what we do, the challenges he had, etc. He'd be the first to admit that he had his fair share of QC issues. Now, the previous owners did have a few operational issues that may have attributed to that perception, but we run a different operation.
- As for any rumors of Wabi's demise, that is definitely not the case. I believe that was really one person's opinion that worked with the previous owners (who admittedly had some issues) and made some assumptions about me. We've more than doubled the business from the previous owners and are well-positioned moving forward. Frankly, the only challenge is getting inventory fast enough to meet demand.

Hope that clarifies a few things.

walnutz

I figure at this point this is kind of a general Wabi thread, so here’s my Wabi that I just converted to 650b:



Tires are WTB Horizons. Clearance is pretty tight by doable.

sdimattia

Nice. I wish I could put wider 35+ tires on my 650c frame. Would love it if their urban cross bike came in 42cm but they said it's a no go because of supply and demand. Which is understandable, though I still wouldn't mind having a second, all weather Wabi that could take wide tires and full fenders . . .

walnutz

If it makes you feel any better, I think the Horizons are a bridge too far, width-wise. Was getting a little bit of rub on the chain stays during during my commute. Will have to go to 42s.

RumbleSmack

Was able to score a used wabi classic local to me for 300 bucks. Guy is saying it’s a 2014 classic but not sure on size. I’m thinking it’s a 56/58 but I’ll need to measure.

currently set up as a single speed, and I’m cool with that. I’ve purchased two bikes in the last month and they’re similar, but each will be built different endgame. I haven’t rides a bike since I was about 8 so this is very foreign to me.


can’t post pictures until 10 posts

sdimattia

Welcome back to biking RumbleSmack!

I look forward to seeing/hearing how those bikes turn out. Sounds like a pretty nice deal on that used Wabi.

Rage

Nice score.
I’m still waiting around for the opportunity to pick one up full price lol.

randing

​​​​​​Can you add more pics & more details? Been considering 650b with Horizons, hadn't seen them on a Wabi though & never would have thought they'd fit the Classic. How have the Horizon's been working out? Is the rubbing on the chain stays manageable? Did you have to swap brake calipers?

walnutz

Yeah, there was too much rub, had to take them off. Using the Tektro 559 calipers. Currently running 650b x 42 and it’s fine.

randing

Thanks, I'm going to give it a shot.

sdimattia

Hope everybody is doing ok still with COVID and all. Finally got around to powdercoating my Wabi. For $140, I’m very happy with it.

coopman

That looks great. Now get out there & ride it!

jay4usc

ohhhhh very very nice bro!

sdimattia

Took 2 weeks to get painted as everybody is getting their rims painted for springtime apparently. I've since put ~150 miles on my new red steed since picking it up 2 weeks ago

Thank you. How's your ride doing?

jay4usc

it’s great so far. I have about 4K miles on it. I’m thinking of getting new wheel sets because these are very narrow wheels and wouldn’t mind getting something wider. Any recommendations on wheels and hubs?

sdimattia

I had mine built at ProWheelbuilder. 32h Origin8 /Formula hubs laced to Velocity A23 650c rims. Was $350 with tax and shipping. So far, they've held up great for ~4k miles. I also used Velocity Deep Vs on a 700c SS conversion I did a while ago. DT Swiss is nice. Have heard good things about ENVE or Zipp as well.

You're lucky, 700c rims have a lot more options though. I've also had rims built by Universal Cycles. Both companies do great.

You could always go Promax or Phil Woods if you want your hubs to be fancy

jay4usc

are yours box rims? I was considering something with Phil Woods but unsure if it’s worth the extra money. Will the ride be that much smoother?

sdimattia

Don't believe they are boxed. A23 rims are only 23mm wide so definitely not wide. But, I'm running 25mm and have run 28mm with no issues.

I've never ridden Phil Woods so I'll let someone else answer that. That being said, IMO, Phil Wood is like Thompson or Chris King. Cost is relative to the person buying. While I prefer not to buy bottom of the barrel, if I can buy a cheaper alternative that works just as well, I will.

Origin8 / Formula sealed hubs have been great thus far. Never did maintenance them in the way of regreasing but have had no issues even with rain, snow, and salt.

jay4usc

I’m on wheel builder website now checking stuff out. Thanks for the advice. Enjoy your bike bro!

sdimattia

Sure thing. Ride safe!

And if anybody better informed wants to comment on Phil Wood hubs, I'd be interested to know as well . . .

Lazyass

How long did it take to get them? I think next month I'm going to order a set of tubulars at PWB for my Wabi with Paul hubs, DT Comp's and Kinlin TB 20 Tubular rims.

And since it's a Wabi thread (the trash is from the last hurricane)....