BIKE CHECK: Julia’s WiLDER

My first full suspension bike, bought after a long apprenticeship on my trusty Kona hardtail, was a beautiful red and silver Giant Anthem. A Cross-Country racing whippet with carbon bars, top spec components, and made for going fast, and I absolutely loved it.
That bike and I had a lot of history together. It travelled all over the UK with me to adventure races, MTB Orienteering events, and mountain bike marathons. It won the 24 hour solo category at Mountain Mayhem, and even took me from Lands End to John O’Groats off road on a 3 week adventure (before “Bikepacking” was even a word I’d heard of!). I rode it in the Alps and even Whistler, (before realising many years later that a bigger travel bike might be more comfortable in those places!), and competed in the Cape Epic multi day XC race in South Africa.

It was also the first bike on which I realised I could add upgraded components to make it even lovelier. I blame my late husband Gareth for this, who was somewhat of a magpie when it came to bikes and components, assuring me frequently that new purchases were “essential safety upgrades”!
I was easily convinced, and vividly remember my first Hope components, a set of red quick release wheel skewers bought as a birthday present, and soon followed by my own further upgrades: red chainring bolts, a red quick release seat clamp, and eventually red Hope brakes. By the time it came to the end of its life with me, it was a bit of a trigger’s broom, with pretty much only the frame remaining original. I really did love that bike!

Eventually though, as my riding, and bike technology, evolved, I found that bigger travel bikes suited me and the kind of riding I liked to do better, and I moved away from the world of XC bikes into more all-mountain steeds.
These days, as an MTB Guide working out in the Alps, the bike I spend the most time on is a Juliana Roubion, a 150/160mm travel full suspension bike. It can be pedalled all day, climbs reasonably well for a big bike, and of course is brilliant fun on the descents. BUT…..I guess since that Giant Anthem, I’ve always had a soft spot for a fast, nimble XC bike, and when the opportunity came up to get hold of one of the new breed of modern XC bikes, I couldn’t resist!

Say hello to my Juliana Wilder!
Cross-country (or is Downcountry? I can’t keep up?!) these days looks very different from in 2006 when I bought the Anthem. XC races are more technically challenging and so the bikes have changed to cope with the demands of this, while still remaining fast and light. While I have absolutely no intention of racing on this bike, it’s amazing to see how far things have come in the XC world, and how capable, fun and appropriate these bikes are for everyone, not just racers!

This little beauty climbs better than my gravel bike, accelerates like it has a motor (it doesn’t by the way!), and yet descends like it has much more suspension than it actually does. There’s no more sketching slowly down techy or steep descents like used to be necessary on a small travel bike, this one wants to have fun and it’s incredibly playful and a joy to descend on. The Hope Tech 4 X2 brakes and centre-lock rotors provide all the stopping power I need, and I know that the proven reliability and durability of all the other Hope components it’s built up with will mean minimal maintenance and that I can just get out and ride on it.

It’s the perfect bike for rides from my door, where there are woods, moorlands and all kinds of terrain to play on, but often a bigger bike feels a bit overkill. I’m excited for those short blasts from home, as well as some long epics once the Spring comes around and there are more daylight hours.
I love riding bikes of any kind, but this one has got me excited for a whole load of different adventures and personal challenges again, and I can’t wait to start making memories together!