Many are probably curious why we didn’t kick off our Throwback Thursdays series with the 1982 Toe Flips. This is ok – I know, I know, the Toe Flips were WTB’s first product. Many things were tinkered with and modified by individual members of WTB’s founding fathers, but the toe flips were the first ones by the collective referred to as WTB, which formed in 1982.
The Toe Flips are a perfect first product for WTB. They embody what Wilderness Trail Bikes was all about – seeing what was needed in a burgeoning sport unsure of itself, and, making that potential product into a reality. Got a sweet new (new as in not really existing previously) mountain bike and noticed that when you jumped on the saddle and cruised down the driveway, you cruised right into a parked car while trying to flip your foot into the upturned clip pedal? Well, in 1982, the Toe Flips were the solution to that rather unfortunate problem you faced. Now, you didn’t have to ride into parked cars. You didn’t have to stare down in a state of rising alarm, hunting for foot in pedal cage moment of engagement. Anything was possible with the Toe Flip, you were going places. And going places was a whole lot better than sitting next to a bruised brand new entity, a mountain bike, overcome by stationary menacing enemy, the evil bumper of that parked car you ran into while fumbling for footing.
So, here’s to the spirit of innovation, evidenced by a beautifully crafted moment of realization that may or may not have been influenced by the aforementioned story. Either way, it’s great to know that the thinkers at WTB have your best interest in mind. So next time you ride your bike, think about how much fun riding is rather than crashing into parked car bumpers and do yourself a favor, go out and buy a lovely WTB product.
Until next time… don’t look down while clipping in.