A road that continues on, endlessly. The surface is, of course, not paved—sometimes it’s gravel, other times it’s muddy. Deep in the heart of nature, you press down on the pedals, savoring the moments wrapped only in the sound of tires rolling on the ground and the wind blowing by.
While you might think, "I'd love to ride somewhere like that someday," you also realize that such roads are hard to find in Japan. Yet, there’s something uniquely Japanese about enjoying the way you can quickly connect your favorite stretches of gravel and revel in the ever-changing scenery.
What about you? Do you have a favorite gravel route? If you felt a spark when you saw the photo above—if you’re someone who has thought, "I want to ride that someday"—then you, too, are a true gravel lover!
I have some special news today for all you gravel lovers out there.
Landing in Japan for the First Time! WILDE BICYCLE CO
WILDE BICYCLE CO is a new brand launched in 2021, spearheaded by Jeff, a.k.a. Jeffrey G Frane, one of the founders of ALL-CITY, and Josh Klauck, owner of ANGRY CATFISH BICYCLE—a composite bike shop that represents Minneapolis, the bike town that all of America is proud of, and home to SURLY.
This project is a love letter to cycling, born from their passion to create the best possible bikes without limits or constraints and to contribute to a brighter, better future for the cycling world.
Frames from the WILDE brand have now arrived, marking their first landing in Japan!
The Ultimate Solution for Gravel Bikes / Earth Ship
The model that has arrived is the Earth Ship, developed as a steel all-rounder that hits the trifecta of being light, fast, and comfortable.
Capable of clearing tires up to 700 x 50c / 650b x 2.2", this bike can handle any terrain, making it a versatile performer that can take you anywhere on Earth, as its name suggests.
Thanks to its taller stack height, it excels in the endurance-style gravel rides that have been gaining popularity recently, such as UNBOUND GRAVEL (formerly DIRTY KANZA) and THE MID SOUTH, allowing you to cover long distances in comfort.
Here in Japan, we are seeing more opportunities to enjoy gravel riding, starting with GRINDURO and more recently with events like NISEKO GRAVEL. It’s truly gratifying to see more bikes with this approach appearing.
Comfort is the Secret to Speed
The top tube and down tube are a mix of Reynolds 853 and Columbus Life. The seat stays and seat tube feature custom tubing from Fairing. Additionally, they use a tapered head tube and uniquely designed chainstays from Nova Cycles, choosing the right material for the right application.
Compared to standard gravel bike geometry, the higher stack height allows for a higher handlebar position, giving the impression of a design that prioritizes stability for long hours on rough roads and high-speed descents. While mindful of gravel racing, this unique design philosophy focused on comfort is rarely seen in other gravel bikes.
For Jeff, one of the goals for the Earth Ship was to maximize the aesthetic appeal of a bike with high handlebars. This bike embodies his idea that "comfort is the secret to speed."
While it is designed with gravel racing in mind, it is versatile enough to be used for pure gravel riding, bikepacking, and touring. Personally, I believe this is what a modern drop-bar bike should be. The frames are handmade in Jeff's home state of Wisconsin, USA.
Who is the Earth Ship for, exactly?
My own journey into riding on rough roads was spurred by the many cyclocross races I entered at the time—I wanted to get comfortable on unpaved surfaces—and also by participating in the RAPHA / GENTLEMEN’S RACE, which was the predecessor to today's RAPHA / PRESTIGE.
Back then, before "gravel bikes" existed, I would put the fattest, toughest tires I could find—like 700x28c—onto my road bike, or mount wider slick tires on my CX bike, just hunting down every unpaved road I could find to ride on. It is no exaggeration to say that the birth of the gravel bike genre and the ability to run even wider tires has broadened my world.
If you don't currently own a bike in the gravel category, but you want to ride various types of roads and feel limited by the tire clearance on your current bike, this machine is the optimal solution.
And for those of you who already ride a gravel bike and, like me, have become obsessed with the joy of riding on unpaved roads, and are planning to upgrade by transferring your components to a new frame—the Earth Ship, designed with heart by Jeff (who has a wealth of experience from his days at ALL-CITY and is an undeniable bike geek), will undoubtedly be the best partner to further expand your perspective on gravel riding!
【WILDE BICYCLE CO】 Earth Ship Steel Frameset
Sizes: S / M / L
Price: 393,800 JPY (excl. tax)
The Man at the Heart of WILDE: Jeff
The heart and soul of the WILDE brand is, of course, Jeff.
As a founder of ALL-CITY, he spent 11 years with the brand, but even before that, he was organizing alleycats and grassroots cyclocross races under the name "BIKE JERKS." He is an indispensable figure in Minneapolis cycling culture.
Jeff says that speed, innovation, integrity, and versatility are the reasons he loves cycling. WILDE BICYCLE CO was born to pour all of his experience, knowledge, and passion into his love for all forms of cycling and his belief that bikes have the power to change lives. He sent a message to everyone in Japan, so let me share it with you!
Hello, this is Jeff Frane. Check out my Instagram at @bikejerks. I am so happy to have my new brand, WILDE, available in Japan at Circles.
I believe Japan's bicycle culture has had a massive influence on the world, and the friends I met during my visits to Japan during my ALL-CITY days are what sparked the fire in my heart. WILDE is my love letter to cycling. I see this as my chance to create the best bicycles possible, working with my friends and putting all my hopes, dreams, experience, and passion into them. We are blending wonderful, long-standing traditions with new elements to create great bikes that will be loved across generations, so I hope you’re excited!
Hello, this is Jeff Frane, find me at Bike Jerks on Instagram. I am so happy to have my new brand Wilde available in Japan at Circles. Japan’s bicycle culture influences the world and the friends I’ve met during my travels there have touched my heart. Wilde is my love letter to cycling. My chance to create bicycles that please my sensibilities, to work with my friends, and to create the finest bikes we possibly can using all of my hopes, dreams, experience, and passion. Blending the old and new traditions of cycling into a pleasing package that should stand the test of time.
