It’s day two of big wheels and we’re ready to admit Dave Rome might have had a point.
Suvi Loponen
“You’re going to be so sick of those big wheels by day three,” Dave Rome said to us ahead of the Sea Otter Classic 2026, when the press announcements of new large-diameter tyres, wheels and bikes started to flood into our inboxes.
It is now day two of the show, and perhaps Dave had a point. There is hardly a conversation that goes by at this year’s edition of the annual North American cycling expo without some mention of the larger wheel size – and it has its advocates, its sceptics, and no shortage of brands eager to demonstrate they are ready to serve customers in that format.
Teravail and Salsa go big with 32″ wheels, tyres and bikes
The QBP brands come together to offer a 32″ bike that fits even smaller riders.
Some argue that the format has nowhere to go but up right now, while the opposition questions whether the new size is sensible for most riders and whether the current enthusiasm is a reflection of rider demand at all.
The product is arriving regardless, and so we will cover it. Here are new 32″ tyres from Maxxis, a brand that is going comprehensively into the size across its mountain bike range, and Vittoria, which was showing prototype tyres that are, despite not yet being available, already being described as the fastest in the category.
Maxxis Aspen, Forekaster and Dissector 32″ tyres
Maxxis, which last year introduced the first performance 32″ mountain bike tyre, takes the crown for the brand with the most 32″ tyres at one booth, as it used Sea Otter to introduce a full 32″mountain bike family.
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