Get ready. It looks like a new tire size might be lurking around the corner. OK, not so much new as finally gaining some momentum. Both new 32″ tires and rims have been spotted at the Taipei show, hinting that even bigger MTB wheels may be here soon.
The 32″ wheel size dates back at least to 2014, when Walmart of all brands introduced a cruiser with 48 spoke, 32″ wheels and knobby cruiser tires.
Just a few years later, DirtySixer showed off a prototype with 32″ wheels – going smaller than their typical 36″ wheeled monsters for NBA players and the like. A year later at NAHBS, DirtySixer showed off 32″ road and gravel bikes built by Ventana USA. Sourcing high-quality tubeless tires seemed to be one of the main bottlenecks, and it wasn’t until 2024 that we saw gravel bikes with custom DirtySixer VeeTire T-Monster 32 x 2.4″ tires mounted to the brand’s own double-wall alloy rims.
Vee Tire Co. has always been impressively fast to work with builders like DirtySixer to introduce custom tires. But when a brand like Maxxis shows off a prototype, it tends to raise an eyebrow or two. Before we get too excited, we should point out that our source at the Taipei Show has been told that the 32 x 2.4″ Aspen XC tire shown in Taipei is a hand-built prototype and that production molds have not been opened. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but it’s important to point out that Maxxis isn’t producing these just yet.
Aside from brands like DirtySixer making bicycles for the exceptionally tall, the rumor is that certain XC or gravel race teams are asking for the bigger tires so they can test them compared to 29″. Just like the promise of 29 x 27.5″, the bigger 32″ wheels and tires would have better roll-over and a bigger contact patch than 29″, but there would be an obvious weight penalty and slower initial acceleration.
Is that enough to justify opening new molds and tooling? That remains to be seen, but you know that racers are going to do everything possible to gain an edge, even if it means running comically large wheels.
32″ Rims, Too
You can’t run 32″ tires without a 32″ rim. While DirtySixer has been making their own, a few other brands have shown off 32″ rims at the Taipei Show. OEM supplier Jet Set Rims had a wide, low-profile aluminum rim at their booth, which allowed for a comparison between 29″ and 32″ rims.
As you can see in the pictures, it’s a pretty substantial difference. Throw some tires on there, and then it’s really apparent.
In addition to the Jet Set Rim, the Maxxis tire itself was mounted to an unmarked carbon fiber rim. We’d assume that if XC or gravel racers are interested in the 32″ tires, this is also the rim they’d be interested in.
32″ Frames & Forks?
Assuming that XC racers would be testing out 32″ wheels and tires, they’d need appropriate frames and, most likely, suspension forks. Prototype frames can be built pretty easily, but the forks will likely require collaboration with a major suspension manufacturer to make custom prototypes.
Or, they could use an existing fork like the inverted fork from Wren that DirtySixer uses for their 32″ MTB builds. Wren doesn’t show 32″ as an option for their fork on the website, but it clearly can be done with the right chassis and tuning.
Are 32″ Mountain Bikes Coming?
Outside of the extremely tall, it seems like a bit of a stretch to introduce an entire new wheel size. Then again, maybe there is more demand for bigger wheels and bigger bikes than we’d guess, and this is just the start?
