The Anti-Fixie Fixed Gear

The Wabi Thunder is one of the most versatile fixed gears on the market today. With clearances for up to 45c tires, mounts for all the racks and fenders your heart desires, constructed out of lively and light Reynolds 725 tubing, it's the perfect foundation for a shreddy sleeper fixed gear. I chatted with my long time buddy T about his Wabi Thunder build. It's one of the most unconventional fixed gear builds I've ever seen: the anti-fixie fixed gear.
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Parts list:
Frameset:
55cm Wabi Thunder
Handlebars/Stem/Headset:
Velo Orange Crazy Bars/Thomson Elite 15 degrees/Tange Seiki headset
Ergon Bike Grips, Cinelli cork tape
Paul Canti Lever/Paul Touring Cantilever brakes
Saddle/Seatpost:
Brooks B17/Bontrager parts bin seatpost
Pedals:
MKS Sylvan/Toshi Single Strap NJS/MKS Deep Steel Toe Clips
Cranks/Bottom Bracket/Chainring:
SRAM S300
Cog/Lockring/Chain:
White Industries 17t/White Industries lockring/Izumi Super Toughness
Rims/Hubs/Spokes/Tires:
Velocity Quill/White Industries Track Hubs 32h/Panaracer Gravel King SS 43c (tubeless)
Accessories:
Quadlock Phone Mount
PDW Lucky Cat Cage
Arundel Looney Bin expandable bottle cage
Velo Orange Snakeskin Fenders 50mm
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#fixedgear #bikecheck

[@tuongqle]

Thanks for immortalizing my Wabi Thunder 😎🥳 edit: I counted and it's 48/17.

[@donntrotter]

Hell yeah. I found a 47t front to go with my 17 rear. Was the middlest ground I could find for all rounder riding.

[@tuongqle]

@@donntrotter That’s definitely the chainring size I’m most likely to replace mine with eventually (but I’m lazy so it’ll stay 48/17 for the foreseeable future)

[@donntrotter]

@@tuongqle word. It’s not particularly fancy. Could only find one that I like from origin8. Solid as hell though

[@blaquekyd]

This bike is amazing lol probably my favorite bike I've seen on the channel. I am an actual dad, tbf.

[@newoldsteel]

This is legit a sick build. I LOVE taking the narrow, less traveled path with bike builds. I don't have a fixed gear setup at the moment, but for example my sti shifters ALL are externally routed shift cables and love the people getting triggered by it XD (All in good fun though as we're all riding regardless)

[@stevekelly6544]

That’s my favorite model- I have a Ribble Urban 725s that’s triple butted Reynolds 725 with 40mm tire clearance- got some velocity quill wheels and went tubeless with Schwalbe G1 all arounds- I love it, it has the capability of a gravel bike and smooths out the roughest roads and paths, and is still pretty fast.

[@adhunt1]

Love it! My current fixie has got 650bx42 tires, a bell, leather saddle, front rack, and porteur bars. I sense a kindred spirit in this man

[@CarlinTran]

As a verified >30 year old, i freaking love this. I just finished building a Soma Grand Randonneur bike last week with 43mm tires, fenders, more upright stem and baller wheels/components 😂😂😂 its so comfortable. I look for crap to ride over.

[@donntrotter]

How are you liking the Soma?! They’re gorgeous

[@bobanndersonn3510]

I love how this bike is so personal to him. Everything he wants is on this bike. He must enjoy it so much!

[@jackferris999]

Sheldon Brown school of fixed gears

[@roydrink]

One of the highlights of my bicycle life was riding with Sheldon Brown on our fixed gears.

[@jacobatherton8339]

If you haven't put beach cruiser bars on a fixed gear, try it! You will see for miles over the top of cars

[@B_COOPER]

I’ve tried that actually, but aggressive geometry didn’t pair well with the upright handle bars.

[@kyddshine]

I have a commuter, comfortable all day rider, that I built fixed day one. It so nice and truly a great bike. Simplistic bikes

[@S4F1C3]

What a gorgeous and functional ride that looks like! If the Thunder was in stock when I was buying a Wabi I would have absolutely gotten it, it's so versatile to anything you wanna throw on it, and this build is testament to that!

[@sketchy0078]

I love everything on this bike. The silver fenders are the cherry on top. Sick bike dude!

[@alienrefugee51]

Nothing wrong with that build. Ride what you like and feel comfortable with. Who cares what the foos say? I thought about throwing a rear break on mine as well because I live in Switzerland with extremely high grades, but won’t give up that fixed feeling. It’s just on the crazy descents that I get paranoid my front brake cable fails and I can’t skid to safety. I guess there’s always the shoe over the rear tire as a last resort, but I’ve never actually tried that.

[@HWEder]

Nice to see something so different and practical. My current build is a mix of On-One frame/parts and Swobo parts. I've got fenders and an adjustable stem. Currently 44 x 18 ratio to make the hills around here easy and I use a triple pannier on a seat post mounted quick release rack for heavy grocery shopping. Would love to see more bikes like this.

[@roydrink]

Hey, I’ve been riding fixed for nearly 50 years and I like his setup. I’ve many of the things noted on my other bikes, the quad lock phone mount on all.

[@XswooterX]

I'm 31 lol. I switched from 23 wheels to 35s and its been so smooth lol. I also added a front brake back on. Im over skid stopping lol. Its made my fixie commuting so much better.

[@topherpie]

Also Zach, I’ve had my Santafixie raval for about a year now, before your review. I still have NEVER encountered a single issue with it so far. Only problem with it is having ‘fixie’ written along the downtube lol

[@mrmrlee]

Very nice build! Interesting how he has right/front and left/rear brake setup.

[@VanillaB1ack]

That's how the late, great Sheldon brown recommended we set up our brakes

[@StanfordLeeStrong]

and Kickstand is a must!!!!!!! Go T.

[@brianmaldonado3723]

Total dad mirror. However I am tired of doing loops at intersections cuz I can't see behind me. Be careful that kickstand bracket doesn't dent chain stays. Super nice bike, thank you for sharing it with us😎

[@dannystarkridesfixed]

lookin good. like how different it is compared to most builds. all the wabi' s look great haven't ridden one. its like the roadie dads gone fixed gear bike haha. i need to geta bar set up like that. since i have been hit by a car lol which messed up a parts of my body also already had problems with my back from high school from skateboarding. so i feel it on wanting to be as upright as possible. didn't care before i was hit but now do haha but id make the bars slightly shorter.

[@user-du7ty2sk9i]

T is the kinda guy I appreciate as an older rider who still loves riding SS/FG. Comfort > speed.

[@SyLens1]

Im a die hard roadie. I recently got a elops long distance bike from decathlon. Its geared, thick tires, suspension, fenders, lights, kickstand…. Man i love that thing. Its convenient it has a built in lock so people cant just ride off with it. In europe its normal to not tie your bike up to a pole. For a commuter bike its amazing but also just for a quick ride when i dont feel like changing my clothes

[@kixb4632]

Dope set up!

[@StanfordLeeStrong]

I'm loving them Paul Canti Levers!

[@SingaporeUntold]

Bro is wiser beyond his years. It takes decades to reach this don’t give a f what others think😅

[@ypaut]

Love it!

[@martinmagnia314]

truly a masterpiece

[@wchu702]

Super nice!

[@Tommyhearnsrighthand]

One of my mates is this guy... Even had a happy stem at one point. Massive townies but rides hard. Insists on racks even though uses a backpack and fenders even though Australia is dry AF. He is the HC'est hipster out of all us. No wabi though. Has a Steamroller of course. Also Do Yanks say 'dang' alot or is it just just Cali? Or just zach??? I've only really heard Joe Dirt and Flanders say it otherwise. But this guy says it heaps. Like you could drinking game it on his solo vidz

[@donntrotter]

I have that bottle cage on my Special as well! I bike commute 25 miles a day as well as fun rides on days off in Texas heat. Those cages hold up to a half gallon!

[@moto_rad]

Been thinking about this exactly. I have a full rigid mtb 10 speed with fenders and racks with 26x2.3 street tires. I commute with that usually, it is comfy and whatnot. I enjoy my fixed gears more. I want to rebuild my 10spd into a low inch fixed gear, should be the perfect sleeper fixed gear! And I love wheel building

[@Cobwobbler]

That's a sweet ride.

[@sketchy0078]

Deda Elementi Loop black and red will match the toshi straps.

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

Nice build :)

[@SafeDang3r]

33 years old and this is scarily close to my build. The Brakes are something I need to look into. I'd also love a Fender Install tutorial bc Orange Velo are such a nightmare for me and do not provide a great guide. Great Bike though!!!

[@michaelbondad3912]

I love those arundel looney bins

[@Iamwel]

This bike reminds me of my 26er single speed commuter. It had fixie prowheel cranks, hubs & KMC Peanut Chain. So simple yet so comfy. Sadly it was stolen Nov 2021.

[@koyapol]

commuter fixie? i've been meaning to build a 650b so i can rock a wider tire. this inspires me

[@alexrogers3913]

T and I have similar taste. My fixed gear bike is a ‘72 Schwinn Speedster, bone stock other than the fixed hub laced into the original S6 rim on the back in place of the factory Sturmey Archer hub. I have a garage full of vintage bikes, but the old green Schwinn fixed gear is my favorite one to ride. Age must have something to do with it because I’m 37.

[@PrabuddhaDasGupta1966]

That's a super nice build. I love cantilever brakes. Mudguards make a lot of sense. Are those 650B wheels?

[@tuongqle]

700c for this one, 650bs are great though!

[@0xtechno]

clean bike

[@FernandoHernandez-jw4yy]

I am 37 and I am not even close to going that route

[@joesantiso6495]

Hey Zach - what do you think about extra narrow (26 cm) road bars ? Also - biggest tire on a Mercier Kilo?

[@benjaminkadron]

All this needs is a rack/basket to be perfect.

[@Littleweenaman]

lemme just say for anyone who lives on crappy roads 40mm+ tires are goated such a massive improvement

[@BlueSuedeAsics]

Dream bike

[@packproductionsco]

Them skates wizard frames W

[@gregorysteffensen3279]

Been in the Netherlands this week and this feels like a Dutch commuter bike as built around a Wabi frame -- alas no fixies for me on this occasion, though I've been renting an extremely janky single speed with a coaster brake that hardly works. seen some gorgeous fixed-gear bikes on the road here though!

[@marcusjslee]

So. Sick.

[@event4216]

Why two brakes? Kudos for KoolStop pads, those are great for braking and nice to rims.

[@jatsking9278]

Is it true the small the chainring the easier to skid?

[@speedikat6822]

The Wabi Thunder is designed for a kickstand? Whoa. This is beginning to sound like a Riv.

[@michaelochoa3628]

similar how i have my thunder set up for netherlands weather

[@33billbert]

Just checkout the bikes in Amsterdam where bikes rule over cars, all upright, all comfort and practicality.

[@jasonparrish5204]

That bike is so dorky it’s cool.

[@mine68]

hybrid 💯

[@DrGIzmoBRad]

48 tooth chainring from the screen capture :)

[@Sam-mv6rp]

Basically the original fixed gear

[@joshuabrown5057]

Flashbacks of Ricky from this bike

[@pressaltf4495]

make him try the reflective bar tapes (they only come in violet/purple color) 💀

[@greatmouflon]

The front break looks like its not even when you applied it though .

[@event4216]

On FG bike brake is for peace of mind and that rare emergency occurrences when legs are ridden into bits and brake just saves from crashing.

[@russeltroyjocson2248]

Try a enemy saddle (BMX) +++++ comfort

[@JayJo13]

Broo please do a video on how to ride downhill🙃

[@topherpie]

As soon as I heard ‘E-bike’ my heart dropped

[@tuongqle]

E-bikes are still great for scooting dogs around town 😎

[@anotheryoutuber_]

fun build and the grips will get darker the more you ride....

[@tuongqle]

Good to know!

[@mrmrlee]

I count 46/17

[@Koen030NL]

At this point your almost at the point that you should buy a Dutch style bicycle. Fenders, panniers, a kickstand, upright riding position, brakes, integrated lights… buy a Dutch bike.

[@Dellvmnyam]

I'm 32 and single.

[@anonemoustroll6008]

Kickstand? Seriously? Instead of a lock and kickstand, hire some armed guards. They can use a truck to follow you around and protect the bike. (also good to bring you r totally messed up carbon footprint back on track :-) ) Someone stole my Brooks saddle, guards could have prevented it.

[@B_COOPER]

We’re years past this ‘fixie faze’ can we stop with the stupid trends like brakeless and slammed stems?

[@pedrobarros4837]

Nice bike, but the stem/handlebar combination is hideous. A slammed stem with a MTB/BMX high-rise bar, or even beach cruiser bars, would look way better while maintaining a upright and confortable position. Either way this might be ultimate commuter bike setup.

[@justinwalker9056]

Comment

[@lucretiuscaro]

I am a little bit confused. Is that like a slap in the face to all the purist fixed-gear riders or something?

[@WCIIIReiniger]

That is one ugly bike for a lot of money, but I am sure it is fun to ride. These colours, man....

[@tuongqle]

Valid

[@fernando722]

Very disappointing fix gear