Bikes of SPOKEN 2024
Custom Bikes, Titanium Dreams & the Next Chapter of Wondercross
First Time on the Big Stage
After four years of building, refining, riding, and learning, it felt like the right moment to step out of the workshop and into something bigger. This year marked our first time exhibiting at SPOKEN 2024, Melbourne’s premier handmade bike show. Formerly known as the Handmade Bike Show Australia, SPOKEN has become a meeting point for the people shaping the future of cycling, from independent builders and designers to riders who simply appreciate what goes into a truly well-crafted machine.
For us, this wasn’t just about putting bikes on display. It was about sharing what Wondercross has become, a brand built from a weekly ride, shaped by community, and driven by a curiosity to explore what custom bikes, titanium frames, and gravel bikes can really be.
A Room Full of Ideas
Walking into SPOKEN, you immediately feel it. Not just bikes, but intention. Every stand tells a story. Every detail, from welds to paint, has been considered. You start to realise quickly that this isn’t about mass production or trends. It’s about people pushing ideas forward, one frame at a time.
Across the room were some of the best builders in the game. Handcrafted frames, experimental materials, and beautifully executed builds that blurred the line between engineering and art. It’s the kind of place where you slow down, take a closer look, and appreciate the work that often goes unseen. Each bike felt like a reflection of its maker, a combination of function, personality, and purpose. From ultra-refined titanium road machines to rugged, adventure-ready gravel bikes designed for bikepacking, there was a shared thread running through it all:
👉 These bikes were built to be ridden, but also to be understood.
Bringing Wondercross to Life at SPOKEN
Heading into the show, we knew we didn’t want to just stand behind a few bikes and call it a day. We wanted to bring a piece of Wondercross with us. We ended up showcasing three builds:
2 x Wanderers - each built differently to highlight the versatility of the platform
1 x Rambler All-Road - a reflection of where we’re heading with performance, feel, and design
The Wanderer has always been about adaptability. One bike that can handle road, gravel, trails, and long days out exploring. By building two completely different versions, we were able to show how a single titanium frameset can be transformed depending on how you ride. That’s the beauty of custom bikes. There’s no single “right way” to build them. Just the way that suits you. The Rambler, on the other hand, leans into a more responsive, all-road feel. Still capable, still comfortable, but with a sharper edge. It represents the evolution of what a gravel bike can be when you refine geometry, materials, and intent.
Why Titanium Still Matters
There’s a reason titanium kept popping up across the show floor. It’s not just about weight or durability. It’s about feel. Titanium has a way of softening the rough edges of a ride without losing connection to the road or trail. It absorbs chatter, smooths out long days in the saddle, and keeps going year after year. For riders who are thinking beyond short loops and quick spins, it becomes more than just a material, it becomes part of the experience. At SPOKEN, it was clear that titanium continues to play a major role in the future of gravel bikes and bikepacking builds. And for us, it reinforces why we’ve invested so heavily in developing our own titanium platforms.
One of the most rewarding parts of the weekend was talking to people. Not just about specs or components, but about how they ride. Where they go. What they’re carrying. What’s worked and what hasn’t. Because ultimately, that’s what drives everything we do. The bikes we build aren’t designed for showroom floors. They’re designed for:
• Early morning gravel loops
• Multi-day bikepacking trips
• Long road rides that turn into something else entirely
• Getting lost, finding new routes, and pushing a little further
That’s why versatility matters so much in our designs. Clearance, mounting options, geometry, it all feeds into one simple idea: 👉 The bike should never limit the ride.
Doing Things Our Way
As it was our first show, we didn’t want to just blend in. So we built something a little different.
Le Boozette - a slightly ridiculous, entirely necessary mini musette designed to carry your drink while wandering the show. It wasn’t part of the plan originally, but it quickly became one of the most talked-about pieces on our stand. And that felt right. Because Wondercross has never been about taking things too seriously. It’s about creating things that make sense, that bring a bit of joy, and that reflect the people around us.
Looking Ahead
Walking away from SPOKEN, there was a strong sense of momentum. Not just for us, but for the industry as a whole. Custom bikes are growing. More riders are looking for something tailored, something considered, something that reflects how and where they ride. Gravel bikes are continuing to evolve, pushing into new territory between road, mountain, and adventure riding. And bikepacking is opening up new ways to experience the world on two wheels. For Wondercross, it feels like we’re just getting started.
SPOKEN 2024 was more than just our first show. It was a milestone. A moment to step back and see how far we’ve come, while also looking forward to where we can go next. To everyone who stopped by, asked questions, shared stories, or simply took the time to look a little closer, thank you. We’ll be back. And we’ll bring a few more ideas with us next time.
