【BikeToFishing】WILDE Supertramp

Just as there is a world of custom-made bicycles, there is actually such a thing as a custom-made fishing rod, and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to acquire one.

With a bicycle, you can build a one-of-a-kind machine based on your personal physique—such as height and weight—as well as your preferences for what kind of tires to use and what kind of surfaces you'll be riding on, choosing the appropriate materials and geometry.

In fishing, you can create a rod to your own specifications by choosing the material, length, and stiffness of the "blank"—the core (shaft) of the fishing rod—depending on the target fish species, the field, and your fishing style.

We met at WONDER HOPPER Vol.2, held early this spring. We hit it off over our shared love for both cycling and fishing, and it turns out that Shin-san builds his own rods, so he crafted one that perfectly fits my BikeToFishing style.

If you compare this to cycling, it might be easier to think of it as welding and assembling a frame yourself. It requires very delicate work, but he kindly accepted the challenge and brought my vision to life.

Shin-san recently built up a new bike for this year’s OMM BIKE, successfully assembled at HAPPY&SLAPPY in Hamamatsu, run by Happy-san, so we headed out for a BikeToFishing trip together.

Master Oe, a fishing (and pottery) artist who happened to be holding an event at HAPPY&SLAPPY, joined us along with Happy-san. In the height of summer, we set out early in the morning while the heat was still bearable.

It was way too hot to wear waders, so everyone wore quick-drying pants with BEDROCK SANDALS. I wore my Yama-to-Michi Light 5-Pocket Pants thinking I might need waders, and just waded right into the water; they were dry before I knew it, so I really recommend them for summer waterside activities.

As for the results, thanks to Shin-san's expert guidance, everyone caught a fish. It was actually a species I'd never caught before, which led to various new discoveries and I feel like my fishing repertoire has expanded. Above all, I was able to put a bend in a rod made right in front of my eyes by its creator, making for a truly great trip.

WILDE Supertramp x BikeToFishing

So, here is a bike check of Shin-san’s newly completed bike.

He chose the WILDE Supertramp with his regular BikeToFishing trips and OMM BIKE participation in mind.

He chose the Ramble Bar, a masterpiece born from SimWorks x Golden Pliers. Its unconventional width is reassuring for riding on rough roads, and it’s also great for lashing on fishing rods or securing extra gear. At the same time, the exquisite back sweep allows for an upright riding posture.

For an angler, this position is perfect—it’s the ideal setup for pedaling while keeping an eye on the water conditions. The goal is to leverage the bike's mobility to efficiently scout promising spots and increase the catch (lol).

He went with SimWorks' SuperYummy tires for a good balance on both on- and off-road. Personally, I think this is the optimal choice for the Supertramp. Of course, when you want to build it more for trail riding, you can switch them out for tires with a block pattern.

By the way, the WTB / Devo Pick Up, famous for its integrated handle, is incredibly useful for BikeToFishing, whether you're loading it from a car or grabbing it to approach a fishing spot.

The Supertramp is arguably a modern all-terrain bike that captures WILDE's vision of an "all-terrain" machine. Its off-road capability for mobility and its versatility on and off the road are huge assets for enjoying BikeToFishing, so if you've been thinking about getting into it, I highly recommend considering this bike.

Bonus

One of my favorite things about the rod he made for me is that the thread used to secure the guides is colored to match the Doppo ATB—a stylish touch from Shin-san. Being able to be picky about such fine details is what makes custom gear different from mass-produced products. You want to ride a bike with your favorite frame color, right? Thanks again, Shin-san! Let's go BikeTo fishing again!