#32-inch-wheels

#32-inch-wheels

German steel bike maker Sour has just given their popular Pasta Party XC hardtail a 32″ upgrade. Dubbed simply the Pasta Party 32, it reimagines their versatile cross-country bike for even faster speeds and better rollover with the up and coming bigger wheelsize. Alluding to how their customers build up their Pasta Parties for everything from backcountry bikepacking rigs to racy trail shredders, Sour describes the bike as "bigger wheels, same party energy".

If there's one thing we learned in 2025, it's that 32-inch wheels, tires, and mountain bikes are coming in 2026. Maxxis seemingly opened Pandora's box back in the spring with the introduction of the 32-inch Aspen at the Taipei show. Since then, we've seen prototypes from Faction Bike Studio and BMC, along with numerous hand-built 32er frames at the MADE show. Components brands have created 32-inch-specific negative rise stems and lightweight carbon wheelsets.

32" wheels have been accepted by the UCI and are welcomed in XC racing next year. BMC has been prototyping a full suspension cross country bike with 32-inch wheels, Dirty-Sixer has a production 32" wheel-equipped hardtail and gravel bike, Zinn Cycles has a host of 32" (and 36") wheeled full bikes, Maxxis has been making 32" tires to facilitate the growth, and now, Stoll Bikes has unveiled the P32, a carbon full suspension XC bike with 32" wheels.

The 32″ BiTurbo RS(?) wheels feature Bike Ahead's iconic 6-spoke carbon design, scaled up for the new wheelsize, where they might make even more sense than ever. And while you can't get them yet, bike makers who want to work on their own 32″ R&D projects now can. While we wait for the big fork makers to get on board, these wheels could be the best option to test new 32″ bikes without the downsides of heavier, slower wheels.

BMC is testing 32" mountain bike wheels with a prototype called Project Fahrenheit, aiming to see if they are viable for cross-country racing.

The future of DirtySixer may lean towards 32'' wheels for production bikes, given the wider market and fewer compromises compared to 36'' wheels.