Wheel sizes are always a calm, fun, and open-minded topic of debate in the mountain bike community. No one really has a strong opinion on the matter, and everyone who rides mountain bikes is always open to discourse surrounding a new industry standard. This is all common knowledge, and the growing popularity of 32″ wheels on mountain and gravel bikes is just a testament to that fact.
Just kidding. Everyone has something to say about it, myself included, and rather than curse the changes, I’m excited, but this new wheel size is not just on the horizon anymore – it’s right here.
Deven McCoy
The Ouroboros That Is the Bike Industry
If you were around when 29” or even 27.5″ wheels started making noise in the bike industry, you’ve likely heard the same things being said about 32” wheels. They’re too big. No one is going to ride them. Frames won’t accommodate them. They’re too flexible. It’s all been said before, and people died on the hill that 29” would never catch on. Now, here in 2026, 29” is still very much alive, and honestly, the standard on most bikes. In fact, it’s quite rare to see a bike with anything smaller than at least a 29” wheel in the front – although it still exists.
Revel Bikes
Why 32” Is Not as Scary as You Think
With all the new tech dropping at the Sea Otter Classic this week, it’s safe to say that 32” is the new 29” and, in turn, the new boogeyman that everyone is doubting the legitimacy of. Frankly, I’m tired of hearing the same things repeated over and over. It’s the same argument that we saw with the rise of 29” wheels. If we know anything about the bike industry and the comments section, opinions are often held as fact by the beholder. Wait. Isn’t that all I’m doing right now?
Sure, 32” wheels are bigger (duh), and things will need to change to accommodate them. But that is what the mountain bike industry is driven by. It’s all about change and progress, but it’s been proven that 32” is more than just a fad at this point. Many major brands are in, and that’s proof that these larger wheels are about to become a lot more common.
BTCHN' Bikes
I’m all for it. I’m 6’2” and am keen to see how these bigger wheels ride. Sure, they are going to be different, but different can be good. I imagine super-boost will finally have a say in the conversation, and frame manufacturers are going to have their work cut out in trying to squeeze a bigger diameter wheel into frames that will fit the masses, but that is already being done, and was already done (with pretty great success) for 29” wheels.
On the other side of the coin, 32” wheels won’t be for everyone. 29” sure wasn’t for everyone, and we still see bikes with 26” and even 24” wheels from time to time. It’s not about replacing what is already commonplace; it’s about more options that better suit a specific application or individual.
Stoll Bikes
Deven McCoy
XC is a great place to start, and that’s where we have already seen success with 32” wheels, and I’ll wager that we’re about to start seeing a lot more success with 32” wheels in other genres of the sport. Gravel bikes, trail bikes, and even enduro bikes will all be coming with 32” wheels. So get ready, or get your fists balled up and prepare to hunker down on your hill.
If you think that just because there’s a new standard, your bike will all of a sudden become obsolete is scary, but it’s also not true. If that were the case, then everything would have internal cable routing, and mechanical shifting would be a thing of the past. We still have external routing, and we still have some of the best mechanical shifting we’ve ever had, which proves that just because innovation happens in one direction, it doesn’t mean innovation in another direction ceases.
Personally, I’m excited to see what happens in this ever-evolving industry that brings so much freedom to our lives.