[WILDE Rambler SL] A New Bike for a New Cycling Life as Spring Arrives

Warm days one moment, cold snaps the next — the classic seesaw of late winter. Once this passes, spring will be just around the corner.

As if it had been waiting for spring to arrive, a new bike has just been completed, so let me introduce it.

The owner of this bike is a longtime Circles customer who often goes cycling with coworkers on days off. Cutting through town, riding along the riverbank, and tackling the gravel on the levees for fun. And commuting to work by bike almost every day. That's the cycling life this owner leads.

They had been riding an ALL CITY Space Horce Disc, but wanted something that would cover longer distances more lightly and comfortably, so we carried over some of the Space Horce Disc's parts and completed this Rambler SL.

Moving to MICRO SHIFT Sword

The groupset is all new. The Space Horce Disc ran MICRO SHIFT's Advent 1×9, but with the new frame came an upgrade to SWORD.

The owner wanted a few more gears than Advent for comfort on long rides, and on top of that was drawn to the look of the levers, so we went with a new setup. The Advent is taking a break until the Space Horce Disc gets rebuilt.

Converting the Hubs to Thru-Axle and Carrying Over the Wheels

We decided to carry over the wheels built with CHRIS KING R45D hubs and VELOCITY Aileron rims. However, this Rambler SL uses thru-axles, while the Space Horce Disc used quick releases. They can't be used as-is, so we converted them to thru-axle using the R45D conversion kit that CHRIS KING offers. They've been reborn as 100 x 12mm front and 142 x 12mm rear hubs.

We also took this opportunity to disassemble and overhaul the hubs. They had been used carefully and maintained regularly, so nothing needed replacing, but the wide range of small spare parts CHRIS KING keeps available just in case is one of the reasons we recommend their products.

THOMSON for the Stem and Seatpost

The owner was already using a THOMSON stem and seatpost. The seatpost moved over as-is, but since the frame geometry changes, we fitted a new, shorter stem.

THOMSON products have long been a staple at Circles. THOMSON is an aluminum parts maker with deep expertise and experience in computer-controlled (CNC) machining, and builds its products on a foundation of reliability and strength-focused design — trusted enough to supply parts for aircraft from the two largest companies in the aviation industry. Their products are the benchmark for high-quality stems and seatposts.

A WTB Rocket Saddle

The saddle was visibly worn out, so it got replaced. The owner chose the WTB Rocket. The Rocket has been a staple in WTB's lineup since the early 2000s, and was redesigned into its current shape last late summer. The look changed a lot, but somehow both the old and new shapes happen to be just my taste.

It uses WTB's new Fusion Form Base, which optimizes the saddle's base structure for each model to improve the balance of comfort, stiffness, and durability. By adjusting the amount of nylon fiber, the base gets just the right “flex” for its intended use and fits naturally with the movement of your pelvis as you pedal. The padding is embedded inside the base, combining a clean look with a comfortable ride.

Decorated with SIMWORKS NISSEN Housing

For the brake housing we chose Clear Purple to match the frame color, and for the shift housing, Clear Mustard, the closest thing to gold, to match the CHRIS KING hubs. I worried it might end up a bit loud, but it came together in a really nice balance.

We use this housing a lot at Circles, and it doesn't just look good — it improves function, too.

Housing coils are generally made of steel, but Nissen Cable makes theirs from stainless steel for rust resistance, finished with a clear coating. There's also a polyethylene inner liner inside the coil, which lightens the lever pull. I'm sure anyone will notice how light the pull is.

WILDE BICYCLE Rambler SL / SPEC

We handed this bike over to its owner just today. They didn't want to be photographed, so we just had them lend a hand. lol

As they pedaled off, their back looked so light.

Watching them go, I felt sure they'd enjoy a rich cycling life on this new bike.