Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
The floodgates have opened, and bicycle brands and framebuilders have been hard at work designing bikes around the latest and largest wheel size: 32 inches. What at first felt like a silly or hyper-niche idea has evolved into something that’s actively shaping into a new standard. Of course, only time will tell whether 32-inch wheels will be a short-lived fad or something… bigger.
For 32-inch wheels to really take off, the platform needs broad acceptance from makers of components like forks, rims, and tires. Up to now, it’s been a slow burn, with only a few 32-inch tires and wheels publicly available. Most of us learned about the 32-inch platform at the Taipei Bike Show in 2024, where Maxxis displayed prototype versions of the 32 x 2.4” Aspen tires. It felt like a turning point with the larger brand taking the platform seriously—it’s probably going to be something, right?
Before diving into the lore of 32-inch bikes, let’s address the big question many readers might have: who and what are 32-inch wheels for? As with many innovations in the cycling industry, racing has played an important role in its recent development. Eerily similar to how 29-inch wheels entered the market, it’s believed that 32-inch wheels can roll faster and more efficiently than smaller-diameter wheels. There isn’t a lot of hard data out there yet, but a few studies, such as this one from Pinkbike, confirm marginal but noticeable speed gains. Then there’s the obvious appeal for taller riders, who could benefit from a more proportionally sized bike, wheels included. From a bikepacking perspective, the 32-inch platform could excel at Tour Divide-style gravel/mixed-terrain riding, though it’s doubtful the larger wheels will offer many advantages on low-speed tech. After all, they generate some serious momentum and want to carry it.
The History of 32-Inch Bikes
When you dig into the history of 32-inch bikes, you’ll learn that in 2014, Walmart was behind one of the first production 32-inch bikes: a cruiser bike kitted out with 48-spoke wheels, an aluminum frame, and a price tag of just $229. In 2015, Josh and Roger of Unicycle.com released a 32-inch version of their rims and tires; Innova made the latter. In 2016, David Folch at DirtySixer welded his first 32-inch frame at a UBI titanium frame class, using the unicycle wheels that had been released a year earlier.
One of the most interesting examples of 32-inch wheels in the race scene was in 2017, when Giant professional racer Carl Decker cut and sewed a couple of 27.5-inch tires together to make 32-inch tires for a custom Retrotec. In 2021, DirtySixer’s David commissioned VeeTire to make a 32-inch version of the 36-inch T-Monster. By the end of 2025, the Maxxis Aspen, teased a year earlier, was available to the public and had appeared on many of the new 32-inch bikes we’d seen released since.
With the release of the Maxxis Aspen tire, we’ve seen a few more bike brands release 32-inch-equipped bikes. Smaller builders were first to the punch, with several options shown at the 2025 MADE bike show in Portland. Since then, Singular, Neuhaus, and Sour Bicycles have all announced 32-inch bikes, and more are on the way. Schwalbe and Vittoria have both teased 32-inch tires at various trade shows, though we’re still waiting for an official launch.
We asked Vittoria for an update on their work behind the scenes, and they shared that they plan to offer 32-inch MTB and gravel tires by 2027. They also explained that the 2.4” width has been favoured, at least in race settings, because the larger diameter tire results in a proportionally narrower casing. Finding the right balance of weight and durability with this larger size is the biggest hurdle right now.
Complete List of 32-Inch Tires
As mentioned earlier, 32-inch bikes will require broad acceptance across other components to truly take off, but tires are among the most important considerations to early adopters. Tires are consumable, meaning they will eventually need to be replaced when worn out or damaged. If there are only a few options available, consumers will be less inclined to purchase a 32-inch bike to begin with.
We thought it would be interesting to get ahead of the wave and share a list of currently available 32-inch tires, their key specs, and some 32-inch tires that have been teased and are expected to be available soon. This will be a living resource that we’ll update as more tires become available. If you see any prototypes kicking around online or know of any tires we’ve missed, let us know in the Conversation below, and we’ll get them added.
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Coming Soon: Maxxis Aspen ST 32 x 2.15″
- Size: 32 x 2.15"
- Diameter: TBD
- Tubeless: Yes
- TPI: 120
CloseThe upcoming Maxxis Aspen ST is another 32-inch tire with very limited information available. We know it’s a 32 x 55mm (2.15″) gravel tire for hard-packed surfaces, and it uses Maxxis’ HYPR-X rubber compound that fills the gap between their road and mountain bike compounds, apparently reducing rolling resistance by 25%, while providing 19% better grip in corners. See more here.
- Weight: 710 grams (25 oz)
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Coming Soon: Maxxis Disssector 32 x 2.4″
- Size: 32 x 2.4"
- Diameter: TBD
- Tubeless: Yes
- TPI: TBD
CloseEarlier this year, Dirty Sixer released the 32-inch version of a full-suspension DH 36er they teased at Eurobike and raced the Megavalanche. The DirtySixer 32er MonsterEnduro had a lot going on, but what caught our eyes was the yet-to-be-released 32 x 2.4″ Maxxis Dissector tires that Dirty Sixer is planning to spec the bike with. Although they aren’t available yet, it’s exciting to see more aggressive mountain bike tires in the 32-inch platform. Stay tuned for more.
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Coming Soon: Maxxis Forekaster 32 x 2.4″
- Size: 32 x 2.4"
- Diameter: 814mm / 32"
- Tubeless: Yes
- TPI: 60
CloseWe don’t know much about the forthcoming 32-inch Forkaster from Maxxis, but what we do know is that it is a 32 x 2.4″ with a 60 TPI construction, and some sort of new MaxxTerra rubber compound designed for trail and enduro riding. The one online resource lists a weight of 945 grams per tire.
- Weight: 945 grams (33.3 oz)
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Coming Soon: Schwalbe G-One 32 x 50mm
- Size: 32 x 50mm
- Diameter: TBD
- Tubeless: Yes
- TPI: TBD
CloseThe G-One RX PRO is one of two 32-inch tires that Schwalbe has teased over the last year. The G-One RX PRO is a gravel tire, but there isn’t much to share yet. In Schwalbe’s tests, they said, “32-inch tires offer significant advantages. In practice, test riders report noticeably more stable handling and an increased sense of safety.” Tires are expected to be available in 2027. You can read more about Schwalbe’s lab testing here.
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Coming Soon: Schwalbe Race Rick Pro 32″
- Size: 32 x 2.4"?
- Diameter: TBD
- Tubeless: Yes
- TPI: TBD
CloseIn February 2026, Sour Bicycle in Germany released the new Sour Pasta Party 32″, which builds on their regular Pasta Party platform, but it was designed from the ground up to accommodate 32-inch wheels. It was also one of the first production 32-inch mountain bikes to come specced with the yet-to-be-released 32-inch Schwalbe Race Rick Pro tires. We’re not exactly sure how wide they are, but 2.4″ is a safe guess. Stay tuned for more!
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Coming Soon: Vittoria Peyote 32 x 2.4″
- Size: 32 x 2.4"
- Diameter: TBD
- Tubeless: Yes
- TPI: TBD
CloseIn February 2026, Vittoria teased the Peyote 32 x 2.4″ at the Ice Bike show in the UK. We don’t know much about it yet, but it appears to have a tread pattern similar to the 29-inch version, with a fast-rolling center strip and medium-sized outer knobs. Vittoria seems committed to the 32-inch tire size, with more MTB and gravel options coming in 2027.
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$96
Maxxis Aspen 32 x 2.4″
- Size: 32 x 2.4"
- Diameter: 814mm / 32"
- Tubeless: Yes
- TPI: 120
CloseAt the Taipei Bike Show in 2024, Maxxis displayed prototype versions of the 32 x 2.4” Aspen tires. Maxxis started with the Aspen because it’s their most popular XC race tread. The initial testing was highly positive, so they went ahead with mass production of a 32 x 2.4” Aspen in their XC casing and MaxxSpeed rubber compound. There were three 32-inch bikes displayed at the MADE bike show in 2025, and all three were sporting the new 32-inch Aspen. By the end of the year, they were available to purchase. According to Maxxis, they have plans to release more tread options in 2026.
- Weight: 770 grams (27.2 oz)
- Price: $96
- Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
- We highly encourage you to buy from a local shop when possible, but if you're going to buy online, you can use our affiliate links. We'll get a very small kickback that will help support this site. Available at: Neuhaus
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$105
Nimbus Nightrider 32 x 2.25″ Lite
- Size: 32 x 2.25"
- Diameter: TBD
- Tubeless: No
- TPI: 60
CloseThe Nimbus Nightrider is technically a unicycle tire, and according to Unicycle.com, its 2-ply construction makes it one of the lightest 32″ tires on the market and is rated to an impressive 65 PSI. It has a semi-slick tread pattern that looks ideal for pavement, but likely won’t be a popular option for cyclists.
- Weight: 1.16 kg (2.56 lbs)
- Price: $105
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
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$83
Vee T-Monster 32 x 2.4″
- Size : 32 x 2.4"
- Diameter: TBD
- Tubeless: No
- TPI: 26
CloseLong before the 2025 MADE bike show and the Maxxis Aspen came the Vee T-Monster. The T-Monster was the first production 32-inch tire, commissioned by DirtySixer Founder David Folch in 2021. It wasn’t until 2025 that the T-Monster 32-inch tire became available to consumers, featuring a fairly aggressive tread pattern, a wire bead, and 26 TPI construction. At ~1,600 grams, it’s a beast of a tire, but 32-inch tires had to start somewhere.
- Weight: 1.6 kg (3.53 lbs)
- Price: $83
- Manufacturer's Details: Link
Can I Convert to 32-Inch?
The argument for using 32-inch tires over 29-inch or 27.5-inch comes down to rollover and speed, the same reasons 29-inch wheels caught on and have reigned supreme for so long. But, just how much bigger is a 32-inch than the rest, and what does this mean in the real world? We compared a few actual tire diameters to find out. While the results aren’t mind-blowing, the diameters are useful for determining if 32-inch tires can fit in the bike you already own.
I asked Sam at Singular Cycles to measure the diameter of his 32 x 2.4” Maxxis Aspens installed on 30mm internal width rims, and he got 814mm, or about 32 inches. There are other reports online stating the same numbers. Most 29 x 3.0” tires measure just over 770mm, or about 30” to 30.5”. And 29 x 2.6”, probably the most popular tire size in this comparison, measures in at around 750mm or 29.5”. The closest other option is the 29 x 3.25” tire, which measures 30.8”.
Looking at these numbers, it’s safe to say that some rigid forks with 29+ clearance will be able to accommodate 32 x 2.4” tires, but the frames will not. Bikes like the Jones LWB that have clearance for 29 x 3.25” tires are likely some of the best contenders for a direct swap to 32-inch wheels and tires. Jelle Tienstra from JustPedal bike shop in the Netherlands, an owner of a Ti Jones Diamond frame, swapped his bike to 32 x 2.4” tires (which measured out to 31.8” diameter) and shared some photos on Reddit (see above). As he mentioned in his post, the Jones already has a very low bottom bracket, so the additional height isn’t as much of a concern as it could be on other bikes. There are also some reports of fat bikes capable of running 29+ being set up with 32-inch tires, but clearance is tight. For those running a squishy fork with limited clearance, one option is to swap to an inverted suspension fork, since there is no lower fork crown to interfere with tire clearance.
Tires are Just the Beginning
Although this Gear Index focuses on 32-inch tires, we’re aware that tires are only one piece of the puzzle. It will take manufacturers offering new forks, potentially hubs (is super boost coming back?), rims, and, of course, 32-inch-compatible frames to achieve broader acceptance in the industry and among consumers. Smaller brands and framebuilders have led the charge, so to speak, and now it’s up to larger frame manufacturers to decide whether designing 32-inch bikes is worth their time. No doubt, if and when we see some big brands release 32-inch bikes, there will be a surge of components and additional tire options. It’s only a matter of time.
As I mentioned, if you hear about any 32-inch tire prototypes or teasers online, let us know in the Conversation below so we can add them to this Gear Index. We’d also love to hear everyone’s thoughts on 32-inch bikes in general. Is this the beginning of a new standard? Or will this be a short-lived distraction to drive sales?
