【WILDE】 Ripping through OMM BIKE on the Dark Star!!

2025/8/1 澁谷和宙

Hello! This is Shibuya!

I participated in the OMM BIKE event held in Hakuba, Nagano on July 26th and 27th ⛰️

I only own track bikes, but I wanted to have a bike that could handle trails to fully enjoy OMM BIKE, so I took this opportunity to build a WILDE BICYCLE Dark Star 💫

I competed as part of a 3-person team with John from Circles Tokyo and a customer from our Nagoya store!
We were all on WILDE BICYCLE bikes!

My first time on an MTB ⛰️

I’ve wanted to ride an MTB since I was in high school, and I used to watch videos of the trials rider Fabio Wibmer on YouTube all the time. However, as a teenager and in my early twenties, it was financially difficult for me to buy an MTB, and my interests shifted toward simple track bikes.

After joining Circles, and seeing the chance to participate in the OMM BIKE event I’d been interested in for a while, I decided to build a Dark Star from scratch!

So many different standards

Since this was my first MTB build, I struggled just researching the standards and necessary parts...

What components should I use? Which hub should I choose? How do I install this part? I hit many roadblocks with these types of questions, but with my seniors teaching me one by one, I finally managed to complete it.

Racing through the trails of Hakuba!

The OMM BIKE venue features various surfaces, from paved asphalt to gravel roads and mountain trails.

My team aimed for "70-point" checkpoints on the first day.
Since 80 points was the maximum total for all checkpoints, 70 points was the second-highest scoring goal.

The fun part about OMM BIKE is that high-scoring checkpoints = difficult access.

To reach the 70-point checkpoint, we had to take a route that went right alongside the ski slopes.
We pushed our bikes up the climbs and raced down steep trails only wide enough for one person.

The perfect balance of 29-inch wheels and a rigid fork

For tires, I used GOODYEAR Peak Ultimate Tubeless Complete 29 x 2.4″. (The GOODYEAR tire lettering looks super racy, which is awesome!)
For the front fork, I chose the WILDE BICYCLE Future Proof Fork.

I picked tires and a fork suited for OMM BIKE, which involves switching between paved and unpaved roads. It turned out to be an incredibly well-balanced choice.

Because it's a rigid fork, no propulsion is lost, and it glides comfortably on asphalt and gravel roads. I was initially worried if a rigid fork would be okay on rough trails, but that worry vanished immediately.

Thanks in part to the long wheelbase, it was stable even on rough descents, and since I could also maintain speed, I was able to fully savor the OMM BIKE trails.

A few years ago, when I asked a certain bike shop for advice on buying an MTB, they told me, "At first, it’s better to learn how to use your body with a fully rigid MTB."

I see now. Through the various trails at OMM BIKE, I truly realized that a fully rigid MTB forces you to use your own body as the suspension, which really hones your bike handling skills.

In addition, the WILDE BICYCLE Future Proof Fork is compatible with racks and fenders, making it easy to set up for bikepacking and touring.

It’s extremely reliable for road riding, too—when I shift to a heavier gear and put the power down, it accelerates firmly.

I often see the SURLY Karate Monkey🐒 assembled as an MTB tourer, but I think the Dark Star⭐️ is just as capable and will excel in a wide variety of scenes.

Yoshimoto-san from Circles Tokyo wrote a blog post diving into the details of the Dark Star's geometry, so please give that a read as well!

[Circles Tokyo] What kind of bike is the new WILDE Dark Star?

Getting a dropper post was the best decision

I also felt that a dropper seatpost is a must for trail riding. On steep trails, if you don't lower the seat, your weight shifts forward, and you feel like you're going to flip over easily.

I installed a THOMSON Black & Gold dropper post to match the bike's color. Finding one with this color scheme, an internal cable routing, and the right stroke length for my saddle height/frame size was quite a challenge...

Since the Dark Star allows for internal cable routing through the seat tube, it also looks nice and clean✨

For the handlebar bag, frame bag, and saddle bag, I went with OUTER SHELL. (Camouflage patterns are my current trend)
The "OUTER SHELL Expedition Seatpack" I actually used attaches via straps to the saddle rails and Velcro to the seatpost, so it works perfectly even when the dropper post is lowered.

Even with the seat at its lowest point, the bag didn't interfere with the tire at all😮‍💨

You can even go single-speed!

The Dark Star features sliding dropouts, so you can set it up as a single-speed! (The hardcore style)

As someone who appreciates simple and stoic things, this design is fantastic. I really find it elegant that they left room for customization like that.

If I have another chance to participate in OMM BIKE, I want to try and go for the highest score, no matter how tough the path might be.
I suspect the top-scoring checkpoints will require tackling steep mountain climbs, but for a more primitive experience, I want to challenge it with a single-speed Dark Star.

I think track bikes and MTBs share the common trait of "creating your own fun."

In track bike culture, you might try tricks or organize alleycats. For MTBs, you might maintain trails and ride them, or sprint through various forest roads.

I love bicycle culture and the DIY spirit that breathes within it.

Hardcore punk, which I love, is also full of DIY culture

I look forward to riding many more trails with my Dark Star.🚵

Complete bikes available in-store!

We also have Dark Star complete bikes in-store, so please come by and take one for a test ride!

They are also available on our Web Shop; when purchasing, please refer to the geometry chart on the product page.

We have many complete bikes on display, but that beautiful frame color exudes a presence that is truly one-of-a-kind🧘‍♀️