While walking around in the bike-nerdy paradise that is the MADE Show, I ran into Jeffery Frane of Wilde Bikes, and this lugged beauty. You remember we covered their new Rambler SL back in April. Anywho, he was displaying a new Gravel Bike with an amazing paint job by NYF Paint.
Here’s the kicker, the new gravel bike was built on a lugged steel frame… but, with modern gravel geometry and modern features. Jeff was telling me that this new lug set was designed by Chris Bishop of Bishop Bikes and is solely designed for the purpose of building a lugged gravel bike with modern geometry.
The Lugged Wilde Gravel Bike
This lug set may be the first of its kind. The downtube-to-headtube lug is steeper, allowing for a taller fork and lower bottom bracket height. The show bike was equipped with Wilde Bikes’ own Wayfinder Carbon fork.
Its top tube lugs are available with the option to run a horizontal top tube or a 5-degree sloping top tube.
This bike is such a cool blend of modern and that classic “skinny frame tubes and chrome lugs” of the old Italian frames of yesteryear. Then blending that look with modern geometry made this bike one of my favorites of the show… throw in the Jen Green, sterling silver head badge and it completes the complete classiness of this bike.
Oh, so shiny!
Tech Specifications and Retail Pricing
According to Jeffery, this bike will retail for a $3500 frameset price with a standard painted finish. We’d call that a steal for this gorgeous bike.
Or why not go all out, for $5500 to get this amazing show finish – in real chrome and subtly sparkling paint.
This show bike was AXS wireless specific and could fit a 700x45c rear tire, and up to a 700x 2.1″ up front. It was built up with White Industries hubs and headset, Sim Works bar & stem, and a complete SRAM Red AXS drivetrain.
My photos don’t really do the bike justice, the bike was beautiful.
Take a look at the other offerings by Wilde Bikes below.