Gravel bikes keep evolving year after year.
Watching scenes from gravel races overseas on social media, every time a new bike comes out, I get the sense that it has evolved in pursuit of “speed.”
Of course, I think that's the kind of evolution you need to win on the racing stage.
But as I watched those scenes, one thing started to bug me.
“So what exactly is that ‘speed’?”
In a race, you're expected to go even one second faster.
But on gravel, the surface changes from moment to moment.
Isn't being able to keep rolling over rough ground without slowing down also a kind of “speed”?
At gravel races overseas, you really do see a lot more bikes on fat tires like these.
It used to be that if you wanted “speed,” you went with skinny tires. But looking at the race scene lately, it feels like that thinking is gradually changing.
Keep rolling steadily without slowing down, even on rough surfaces. And as a result, you can ride a long race faster.
I think that way of thinking is slowly becoming the standard.
Right as I was sensing that shift, WILDE BICYCLE released its new gravel bike, the Heighliner.
Riding fast, even on fat tires.
And not limiting how you play.
I think the Heighliner is a bike that gives shape to exactly that idea.
The frame is double-butted titanium. Beyond being light, a supple ride and durability you can live with for years are what make a titanium frame special.
I currently ride a titanium gravel bike myself, the SEVEN CYCLES A-Frame Gravel 743.
It doesn't wear you out even over long distances, and the way it turns your pedaling effort straight into forward motion is, I feel, something only titanium can give you.
That's exactly why I was so intrigued when WILDE announced the Heighliner as its first production titanium model.
On top of that, it adopts the standards a modern gravel bike calls for, including a T47 bottom bracket, UDH compatibility, fully internal cable routing, and a design dedicated to electronic groupsets, while offering generous tire clearance of up to 29×2.25 inches.
Of course, when you hear it takes up to 29×2.25 inches, some of you may wonder, “Would I ever really run tires that fat?”
But that extra room isn't just for running extreme tires.
Most days you ride light and quick on 700×44C or 50C, and when you feel like heading out onto rougher forest roads and trails, you choose 29×2.25 inches.
Being able to pick your tires like that to suit the day's terrain and how you want to ride is, I think, one of this bike's biggest draws.
“Big clearance” isn't just a spec. It's room that expands the ways a rider can play.
In his introduction to the Heighliner, Jeff wrote something that stuck with me.
While recent gravel bikes have specialized in going straight, he wanted the Heighliner to be a lively, playful bike.
More and more recent gravel bikes prioritize stability at high speed, with slacker head angles and larger trail figures.
Of course, the benefits are huge, giving you confidence on rough descents and when cruising at speed.
Looking at the geometry, though, you can tell this isn't a bike that simply chases straight-line stability.
Jeff describes this bike as “lively, nimble, and playful.”
I haven't ridden one yet.
Even so, looking at this geometry and tire clearance, it's a bike that honestly makes me think, “I want to ride it soon.”
For me, the appeal of a gravel bike is how much it can take on.
With one bike you can hit the road. You can head onto gravel. You can load it up and go on a trip.
You don't have to limit where you go or how you play; you can enjoy it freely, however you feel that day.
Maybe “speed” and “freedom” really can go together.
The Heighliner is a bike that makes me think about that all over again.
WILDE BICYCLE
Heighliner Frame Set – Marbled Green
Size : S
Price : ¥537,900 (tax included)
Circles Tailored has received just one S-size frame & fork set.
If you've had your eye on it, or think the size might fit you, please come see the real thing in store.
The distinctive paint, pairing brushed titanium with marbled green, and the impressive clearance for up to 29×2.25-inch tires are hard to fully capture in photos.
We'd love for you to come to the store and get a feel for it in person.
