Are 32-Inch Wheels the Next 29er? The Return of the MTB Wheel Size Wars

So, the one question that has been on lots of mountain bikers' minds this summer is: are 32” wheels going to be the new 29”? Many of us MTBers have been enjoying the last few years of peace with regards to wheel size. During the time of the long, dark winter of the wheel size wars, your choice of 26”, 27.5”, or 29” said more about you than just your wheel size preference. Just like how by putting a political yard sign out on your lawn, it shows not only your support of a local electoral candidate, but also what kind of person you want to be seen as. If you showed up to a trailhead with a 26” in 2015, it said a lot about how you wanted to be perceived as a person. Luckily, the cycling community has been able to enjoy a few years of bliss when it comes to wheel size; practically all the adult mountain bikes that I have sold in the last few years have had 29” wheels. It has been nice not having to have the conversation with every customer whether 29” vs. 27.5” wheels are more in line with their personality traits. But, just like how every summer is temporary, this monument of agreeing on a wheel size may be coming to an end.

I have been watching 32” wheels gain more and more traction with caution, but ultimately, I thought that we were still a ways away from seeing a 32” bike ready for competition. However, at the official practice for this Cross Country World Cup, there was a BMC 32” prototype bike being ridden around the course. Reports are that the team is not ready to ride this bike on race day yet, but it does seem like that day may be coming sooner than we may have originally thought.

Most riders that I have spoken to are happy with their 29” bikes and are suspect of the benefits being impactful enough to outweigh the negatives of the larger size. Although, if we think back to the early 2010s, most cyclists at the time were saying the same thing about their 26” bikes, and here we are all riding around on 29ers.

So, is there a way to tell if a new trend is going to be a gimmick, or if it will be here to stay? Unfortunately not. We can each weigh the pros and cons and come to our own conclusion, but one factor that cannot be dismissed is the ambitions of the companies and individuals in the cycling industry. If you wanted to make a product to revolutionize mountain bikes, the most obvious place to invest your efforts right now is in 32” wheels. There are big financial and power incentives available to be taken by the first companies who make a compelling product that uses 32” wheels, and for this reason, we should expect to see lots of innovation in this space over the next few years. This means if you are a mountain bike rider, you should start thinking right now if you are going to be a 29” person, or if you are going to be an edgy 32” supporter.