The 32” hype train is up to speed and shows no signs of slowing down, but component availability is still one of the major factors impacting development and production. And now we have confirmation that it’s not just mountain bikes! Tires are a critical part of the equation, of course, and at present, the Maxxis Aspen and Vee Tire Monster-T are a couple of the only ‘commercially available’ MTB options in the 32” size. We’ve also seen that Maxxis has a 32” Dissector that appears ready to ride, and we imagine the other major players in the industry are gearing up, too.
While much of the discussion surrounding the 32” wheel size has centered around cross-country bikes and XCO World Cup racing, gravel bikes seem like one of the best and most obvious applications. But as far as we can tell, 32” gravel tires are even more rare, with most of the big-wheeled gravel bikes we’ve seen relying on the aforementioned mountain bike models.
Which is why we were stoked to stumble upon the latest post on the Schwalbe blog, titled Schwalbe Gravel Tires. This post informs us of the goings on in the Schwalbe Lab, as it relates to 32” tire testing and development. Of course, with the amount of hype that the 32” wheel size is currently getting, it seems quite obvious that Schwalbe would be hard at work on some tires. Still, we appreciate the small but insightful glimpse behind the testing and product development curtain.
32″ Schwalbwe G-One RX prototype gravel tire
The Schwalbe LAB is, not surprisingly, where the brand develops and tests new technologies and products. Also not surprising, “One topic currently under intense discussion is 32-inch tires,” says Schwalbe. “We have been working with this tire size at Schwalbe LAB for some time, extensively analyzing and field-testing it to objectively evaluate its benefits for as many riders as possible.”
Statement of results of Schwalbe’s Practical Tests (from Schwalbe):
- “Our tests show that 32-inch tires offer significant advantages. In practice, test riders report noticeably more stable handling and an increased sense of safety.“
- “On varied, root-covered, and rocky terrain, 32-inch tires provide more grip and allow for higher cornering speeds while also increasing comfort.“
- “The naturally higher weight has had virtually no noticeable negative effect on uphill performance in our tests.“
- “In addition, our laboratory measurements confirm that 32-inch tires offer measurable advantages in rolling resistance on uneven terrain.“
Interestingly, Schwalbe does not list any downsides or limitations to 32” wheels/tires in this post. But when Faction Bike Studio shared their initial ride impressions of Project Big Ben with us back in July, they had both positive and negative things to say. Perhaps the difference here is that Schwalbe is testing 32” gravel tires, where the handling and performance demands are somewhat different from those of a full-suspension mountain bike.
Regardless, it’s clear that the folks at Schwalbe are sold on the larger wheel size, saying, “32-inch tires are a promising technology with real and tangible advantages. That’s why we at Schwalbe are already hard at work developing the first generation of 32-inch tires.”
Coming Soon-ish
Based on the photos, it’s quite clear that Schwalbe has rideable prototypes of the G-One RX Pro at the very least. They’ve got a very attractive UnPaved Cycles 32” gravel frame mounted up with the prototype rubber, a bike that was also on display in Schwalbe’s booth at VeloFollies in Belgium over the weekend.
When will they be available? According to the brand, “the market launch of Schwalbe’s first 32-inch tires is planned, but will not take place before 2027 (MY28). We will announce specific models and technical details at a later date.”
Given that there aren’t very many (read: any) 32” gravel bikes to use them on yet, there doesn’t seem like a big rush to get these new tires to market. At the same time, the 32” arms race is definitely heating up in the cross-country mountain bike world, and we’re willing to bet that Schwalbe has some tires in the works. Will we see some rideable 32” Schwalbe prototypes in World Cup XC this year? I‘m willing to bet we probably will.
