British heritage bike brand Pashley has launched its latest steel-framed gravel bike, the Wildfinder. It’s the latest addition to the Finder range, which already includes the Roadfinder and Pathfinder models. The new Wildfinder offers a more rugged, almost drop bar mountain bike aesthetic and aims to appeal to those wanting to undertake long rides off-road as well as bikepackers. 

The new frame can accommodate 60mm (or 2.4in) tyres as well as 180mm brake rotors and a 120mm dropper post. There are three suggested builds starting at £2,795 although you can buy the frameset separately at £1,695. 

The Finder range

Pashley Wildfinder SRAM GX AXS 3q front s
Pashley Wildfinder SRAM GX AXS 3q front s (Image Credit: Pashley)

The Finder range was initially launched last year, with the Pathfinder the first model to be released. They were defined as “discipline-crossing machines” by the brand, with the idea being people could use them in town as well as on country lanes and bridleways.

Then came the Roadfinder earlier this year, and the brand was careful not to use the term, ‘all-road’ when describing the bike – even though it is designed to cover, well, all-road. 

So the new Wildfinder presumably fills the gap, and is a full-on steel gravel machine. Except it almost transcends traditional gravel, and heads straight for a new category of super-gravel, or drop bar mountain bikes.

“I like to call it a grountain bike”

Pashley Wildfinder wild 25 s
Pashley Wildfinder wild 25 s (Image Credit: Pashley)

The Wildfinder isn’t just wild by name, it’s wild by design. Riders get the option to run a Reynolds 853 bladed rigid fork or a RockShox SID SL fork – which gives additional off-road performance. 

It’s UDH compliant, comes with external cable routing and a BSA bottom bracket. It’s stripping back everything you don’t need (read: internal cables through a headset that require two hours of labour just to change brake cables), and keeps what you do. 

Mark Lloyd, Pashley Project Design Lead said: “We have designed the Wildfinder to be a drop-bar mountain bike, blurring the lines between gravel and mountain genres (I like to call it a ‘grountain’ bike) primarily designed to be a capable machine for long distance, multi-day off-road bikepacking expeditions.

“Even if you aren’t on an epic multi-day expedition, the bike is equally at home exploring the gnarlier end of gravel and even singletrack, inspiring the rider to go beyond the confines of a conventional gravel bike, follow that trail you didn’t think possible and find out where it leads…”

Combining modern technology with classic design

Pashley Wildfinder wild 5 s
Pashley Wildfinder wild 5 s (Image Credit: Pashley)

Just as it has done with the other bikes in the Finder range, Pashley has used 3D printing to its advantage with the new Wildfinder frame. You’ll find a 3D printed seat stay/top tube junction and again in the chain stay yoke which provides extra clearance for tyres up to 60mm/29 x 2.4in. 

The dropouts are also 3D printed which allows for brake rotors up to 180mm, something you might want to consider if you’re going to take the ‘grountain’ term liberally and chuck it down some mountains. 

There are plenty of mounting points for bags, cages, racks, banana holders, whatever you want to carry on your bike. And, the steel frame has been coated for corrosion protection followed by powder coating for more durability. 

The builds

Pashley Wildfinder wild 22 s
Pashley Wildfinder wild 22 s (Image Credit: Pashley)

Pashley has designed three different recommended full builds, but it’s possible to customise however you see fit. Within reason, of course. 

There are five sizes (XS-XL) and two colours to choose from: Ember or Tempest. 

If you’re after a drop bar build, there is the Shimano GRX or SRAM Rival GX AXS builds, which cost £2,995 or £3,995 respectively. 

The flatbar build option comes with a Shimano SLX groupset and Schwalbe Rick XC tyres. This costs £2,795.

And the option to buy a frameset on its own also exists, at a price of £1,695. Both drop bar builds come with the option to swap to the RockShox SID SL fork and the Pro Koryak 120mm dropper post. Custom colours can also be chosen from £75.

The Wildfinder is available to order now on Pashley’s website, but more importantly… do we think ‘grountain bike’ will catch on?