Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
The new Wilde Dark Star is a steel hardtail mountain bike with clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tires, sliding dropouts, multiple mounting points, and geometry suitable for 120 or 130mm travel forks. Find everything you need to know about it and their new Future Proof MTB Fork here…
Until now, getting a hardtail mountain bike from Minneapolis-based Wilde Bikes meant forking out the cash for a US-made custom titanium hardtail, the Yo Jeffy! At $4,900 USD, it’s not exactly everyone’s cup of tea, and we were curious when Wilde would add a Taiwan-made production hardtail to the mix. This week, Wilde answered that question and opened up pre-orders for the Dark Star steel hardtail.
The steel Wilde Dark Star frame is designed around a 120-130mm travel suspension fork and features UDH-compatible sliding dropouts and clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tires. The frame has top tube mounts as well as one (SM/MD) or two (LG/XL) sets of bottle bosses inside the main triangle. There are three-pack mounts under the downtube but no rear rack mounts. The Dark Star also has internal dropper post routing and external brake/shifter routing under the downtube. It can be paired with Wilde’s new Future Proof Fork for a rigid setup.
The Dark Star is made using Wilde’s own custom, heat-treated BOSS Premium Steel Super Tubes. The lack of gussets is achieved using asymmetrically butted downtube at the headtube junction, resulting in a lighter-weight frame. The frame features a 73mm threaded bottom bracket, 148mm Boost hub spacing, and can accommodate chainrings up to 40T. As for geometry, the Dark Star has short 425mm chainstays, and a low bottom bracket, and 66.5° head tube and 74.5° seat tube angles across the entire size range. At first glance, it looks like a slightly shorter Esker Japhy.
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Tube(mm) | 407 | 427 | 443 | 463 |
| Eff. Top Tube (mm) | 591.5 | 619 | 642 | 660.8 |
| Head Tube (mm) | 100 | 110 | 120 | 130 |
| Chain Stay (mm) | 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 |
| Bottom Bracket Drop (mm) | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Head Tube Angle(°) | 66.5 | 66.5 | 66.5 | 66.5 |
| Seat Tube Angle(°) | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 | 74.5 |
| STACK (mm) | 603 | 612 | 621 | 630 |
| REACH (mm) | 425 | 450 | 470 | 486 |
| WHEELBASE (mm) | 1130 | 1161 | 1186 | 1205 |
| RIDER HEIGHT | 5’2″-5’6″ | 5’5″-5’11” | 5’10”-6’1″ | 6′-6’4″ |
Wilde Dark Star frames are available for pre-order now, with expected delivery in April 2025. A frame costs $1,200 and comes in one color inspired by the 1999 Black and Gold Bassboat Homegrowns. Reserve yours at WildeBikes.com.
Wilde Future Proof Fork
Released alongside the Dark Star is the new Wilde Future Proof Fork. Amid endlessly changing standards and obsolete bikes, the Future Proof Fork expands the versatility of the Dark Star or any compatible mountain bike, making it ideal for urban transportation or bikepacking.
It has a 501mm axle-to-crown that’s perfect for replacing 120mm forks, features segmented construction, has clearance for 29 x 2.8″ tires, and has a straight 1 ⅛” steerer. There are three-pack mounts on both fork legs, an additional mid-blade mount, fender and rack mounts, and a fork crown hole for racks, lights, or other accessories.
The Wilde Future Proof Fork is also available for pre-order with the same April 2025 delivery as the Dark Star. It costs $250 USD and can be reserved at WildeBikes.com.
Further Reading
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