The UCI Gravel World Championships are taking place this weekend, in a little (and I mean little) place called Nannup in Western Australia, where the population of 538 is about to be considerably swollen by an influx of bike riders, mechanics, teams and fans or at least the ones who can get themselves there, which is no mean feat in itself.Outside of Perth, Western Australia (which could swallow most of Europe and still have room for a stubbie and snag) is pretty damn remote. Move away from the gorgeous coastline by more than a mile or two, and you might as well be on Mars. I once covered a car rally that went right across the state, and one night we were hosted by a young family who looked after a property that was bigger than England, and aside from about a million goats (literally), they were the only ones living there. But its not just the sense of agoraphobia that the worlds best gravel riders are going to have to contend with this weekend. Its also the terrain. Specifically the pea gravel. Which I am willing to bet even the likes of defending world champion Florian Vermeersch and elite riders such as Marianne Vos have not come across before. (Image credit: SWpix.com)In what now feels like a different lifetime, I lived in Australia for over a decade and for several consecutive years I competed in the four-day Cape-to-Cape mountain bike race. I say competed in reality I didnt see much of the front pack, which regularly included Aussie Olympians like Rebecca Henderson and Dan McConnell, after the starting line each day, but we all rode the same trails. And what trails. Tracing what seemed like endless dreamy miles of sublime singletrack, the route went from Cape Leeuwin on the edge of the Great Australian Bite, through the Margaret River wine-making region to Cape Naturaliste, pausing at a boutique brewery or vineyard each night.Everything, from the wildlife and wine to the wending trails, was stunning, but after stage two, when we first encountered it, all anyone would talk about post-ride was the bloody pea gravel. In more recent years, a whole new network of community-constructed singletrack trails have been built and incorporated into this race, specifically based around this unique surface material. And this is where the World Champs are happening, in Nannup.A post shared by UCI (@uci_cycling)A photo posted by Organisers and locals are bigging up the fact that the event is happening on real gravel. And I cant argue with that theres none of this root-and-mud, or chunky stone nonsense that counts for gravel in the UK and England. This terrain is covered in billions of pea-sized, semi-spherical pieces of stone, such as you might see in a cartoon or slapstick film deployed by crafty kids to make people pursuing them skid all over the place and fall on their arses. Pea gravel is as loose as a goose to ride on. Even on mountain bike tyres, berms become terrifying, any use of brakes only results in uncontrolled skidding and the minute you stand up out of the saddle and pedal, your back wheel spins out and you come to a near stop. It is going to be very interesting watching how the elite riders known for their climbing prowess get on. I caught up with reigning British gravel champ Jenson Young shortly after hed arrived in Western Australia and done a recce of the first 30km of the route, and the very first thing he wanted to talk about was the pea gravel. It's nothing like the gravel I've been on before, he told me. It's really fine. It looks like it'd be grippy, but actually there's not much grip at all. The slippage is at the point where, as soon as you get out of your seat on a climb, your back wheel is just sliding everywhere, which is something I've never really had in British gravel events, where the gravel is chunkier.Young has decided to make some technical changes, to deal with the pea gravel. "I've gone with a lighter set of wheels than I'd normally use, and I'm using a mountain-bike tyre that's sort of in-between the slick and the grit," he tells me. "But it's weird it's so fast rolling on some bits, and there's no chunky gravel, so you don't really need the puncture protection, but you definitely do want the grip on the corners, where it's really loose. You have to keep some weight on the back wheel. It doesn't really suit the fast climbers. I actually think the heavier riders might do well."I dont know about that. I was once put in the Clydesdale Class when I entered a bike race in Australia (theyre not known for their tactfulness Down Under) and I still slid all over the place on the pea gravel. But one thing is for sure, it will certainly make for an interesting couple of races on Saturday and Sunday.

Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has hit once again in the transfer market. Transfer number 10 of the winter is XDS Astana's Davide Ballerini, a winner at the Giro d'Italia this year and another leader for its cobbled classics campaign. The Swiss team announced the signing of Ethan Hayter earlier...

Enduras Scottish homeland gets every kind of weather, even sunshine. Far more common, though, are the seemingly infinite combinations of blustery, bracing, and wet that give the Scots language its uncommonly rich collection of weather words.We should expect nothing less of a country ribbed with ancient hills reminiscent of Appalachia, flowing into rugged seascapes worthy of Coastal California, and bathed in the light-sucking drizzle of Southeast Alaska. Cyclists, of course, will recognize all those places for their world-class roads, gravel and singletrack. Which brings us to the quandary that gave us Enduras lineup of foul-weather kit: When the trail is braw, but the weather is dreich, what is a cyclist to do?Suit up and ride, of course*. With the proper Endura kit youll finish your trail day well and fully chuffed, and nae the least bit oorlich.*Assuming the trails arent closed; always follow the direction of your local trail Org.AllTrack Race CapeThe AllTrack Race Cape packs serious rain protection into an ultralight shell built for road and gravel duty. How serious? The cape sports a 20,000mm waterproof rating, which is how scientists say it can hold back a 65-foot column of water. That plus fully taped seams means this compact and packable bit of foul weather kit goes anywhere and is ready for anything.Shop NowSingleTrack Windproof GloveThe SingleTrack Windproof Glove blocks the chill with a softshell backhand and lightly brushed lining for knuckle protection without bulky insulation. A zero-padding synthetic-leather palm and silicone grip preserve bar feel, while the Velcro cuff locks down the fit.Shop NowEndura AllTrack Rout PantBuilt for riders who dont need their trail pants painted on, the AllTrack Rout Pant uses four-way stretch fabric and a relaxed fit with room for knee pads. Articulated, tapered legs keep things pedal-friendly, while a DWR finish, adjustable waist, and zipped pockets handle everyday trail duty.Shop NowEndura AllTrack Roam WP JacketThe AllTrack Roam WP Jacket adds a bombproof outer layer to Enduras AllTrack line of relaxed ride-anything-anytime gear. Stretch construction gives you room to move on technical trails, keeping the rain and smirr at bay without the restrictive feel of a race shell.Shop MensShop WomensEndura MT500 Burner FleeceMore technical midlayer than bulky winter top, the MT500 Burner Fleece warms your upper body and sleeves with Polartec Alpha insulation. Pit zips dump excess heat, while the four-way stretch and relaxed Roam fit give you freedom to move when the trails get touzie.Shop NowEndura MT500 Roam Insulated JacketFor those pure Baltic trail days, the MT500 Roam Insulated Jacket backs up a two-layer, water-repellent DWR outer with breathable Polartec Alpha insulation. Underarm vents allow excess heat to escape, while articulated sleeves, roomy front pockets, and an adjustable hood make this a versatile layer for those unforgettable winter rips.Shop NowAllTrack Roam FleeceConstructed of breathable fabric and a soft fleece interior, the AllTrack Roam Fleece wraps you in a warm embrace without smothering hard efforts, while articulated sleeves maintain riding mobility. A relaxed Roam fit and zippered valuables pocket provide the sort of style and practicality that will make this midlayer a favorite on and off the bike.Shop NowEndura AllTrack Ride L/S JerseyPart jersey, part adventure shirt, the AllTrack Ride L/S blends a lightweight merino-knit body with stretchy ripstop sleeves for added trail durability. Articulated sleeves improve riding fit, while three rear drop-in pockets and a zippered security pocket provide road-jersey utility without the road-racer aesthetic.Shop MensShop WomensThis article is sponsored by Endura.

Our Reader's Rig of the week comes from Mer in Arkansas, who shares the 1996 DEAN Colonel she bought for $200 and thoughtfully rebuilt into a showstopper that balances budget-friendly and boutique bits. Meet Mer and see her DEAN here...The post Readers Rig: Mers 1996 DEAN Colonel appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Theres no shortage of aftermarket wheels out there, so thats forcing brands to figure out ways to stand out in the crowd. For NOBL, that means hand-building wheels in Cumberland, BC, for Canadian customers or in Bellingham, WA, for the Americans. While those wheels cover a wide range of disciplines and styles, NOBL seems to be planting its flag as a premier builder of ultra-lightweight wheels with the help of BERD spokes. Wheels like the Ethos SL would certainly qualify. Which makes it even more amazing when you consider that these arent even the lightest that they offer. Built with a 29 rim that measures 30mm internally and 20.5mm deep, the Ethos SL gets a pair of NOBLs own TI70 hubs that were designed in conjunction with BERD and Erase Components out of Belgium. The hubs are hooked so they offer a perfect mount for the looped BERD spoke ends and provide 5.14 of engagement. The Ti part of the name hints at the titanium freehub, and the 70 references the 70t ratchet. Hubs are offered in either 6-bolt or centerlock with HG, MicroSpline, or XD freehub options. Each wheel is built with 28 BERD Polylight Dyneema spokes which loop around the hub and attach to a rim with standard Sapim Alloy Secure Lock nipples that thread onto the stainless steel threaded section bonded to the end of the spoke. The BERD spokes are a big part of the lightweight story, but far from the only part. Compared to the NOBL Ethos XC wheelset, which is said to have a reinforced layup that is 21% stronger, the Ethos SL rims opt for an ultralight carbon layup with T800 and T1000 carbon fiber (and a 2mm taller rim profile than the XC rims). Calling them their lightest rim ever, the 270g SL rims are hookless with a 2.9mm-wide rim bead thats angled and reinforced with a flexible material to make them more durable and impact-resistant. On our scale with rim tape and NOBLs own valve stems installed, the actual weights come out to 489g for the front and 590g for the rear. Just 1079g for the pair. If you need something lighter, the Ethos SL180 drops to a claimed 993g for the pair thanks to DT Swiss 180 hubs. Unfortunately for us, by the time these wheels showed up, the bike I had intended to use them on had to go back, and the freehub wasnt right for any other bike I had to test them on, so we didnt get any time on them before the wheels themselves had to go back to NOBL. Overall, though, the NOBL Ethos SL wheels are a very interesting option if youre looking for an insanely light set of 29 wheels. Like the old adage goes, light, strong, cheap, pick two you will definitely not find the Ethos SL to be cheap. The SLs sell for $2,399 for a set, with options for glossy white, gold, silver, and black decals included. The Ethos XC wheels are only $100 less for a 1,175g claimed weight, but with a stronger rim as mentioned. Or go the other way with the Ethos SL180s priced at $2,799. All NOBL rims include a lifetime warranty for the original owner, so long as it fails while being used as intended.noblwheels.com

CyclistIn the Drops: Customisable G8 insoles, snazzy DMT gravel shoes, umlaut Kostme kit, chromed-out Cane Creek finshing kit and Hill ClimbsGood day sailors. With autumn accelerating apace its trousers today for the first time in five months theres actually been a load of tech news and launches to keep on top of this week. Old Will Strickson has been off in Tuscany checking out Colnagos new gravel whip, the G5-X. Sure, Tuscan gravel might be hard to come by in the UK, but the bike is very much available. Similarly, Look has added another gravel bike to its roster, the G85 Cezal, and Ridley has made its climbing bike the Falcn RS 2.0 even lighter than before.Tech editor Sam Challis did a deep dive on the team at Prova in Australia and that Dream Bike feature from the magazine has now gone online. Slightly closer to home, my trip to XO bikes on Blackfriars Road is now online too, detailing a bike workshop with a difference.If youre looking at the ominous horizon and sensing your kit stashes might be a bit low, then fret not. Our winter kit guide has also danced over from the magazine to the website and shows you everything worth buying this winter.Weve got a run down of how kit made by women for women is actually improving the performance apparel situation for female riders. Our profile of former pro Geraint G Thomas is also now live on the website as is Robyns preview of Il Lombardia in advance of Sunday.That should be plenty to be getitng on with. Drop the needle on the drops.G8 Pro Series 2620 InsolesRather than changing your shoes entirely, one way of elevating your current footwear and improving the fit is to invest in some carefully thought-out insoles. The 2620 Pro Series are thin, light and customisable, meaning the four different size options can be cut down to the shape of your specific shoe. G8 says they should fit inside more or less any shoe and they make insoles for different disciplines too, so its not confined to cycling.To complete the customisation its a case of adding the relevant supports depending on the height of your arches. The 2620 insoles enable the riders feet to move around, rather than remaining totally rigid, which G8 claims improves forefoot flex, bloodflow and power transfer. With continued use, G8 says they can strengthen a riders feet and help to alleviate injuries.Ive got a massive set of arches so installing the G8 insoles has made a big difference when using some shoes that dont quite provide the right internal shape to support my feet. To my mind, that means that they can have the biggest impact on more entry level shoes as Ive found that the higher up the premium shoe tree you go, the more attention is paid to insoles, metatarsal buttons and the like.Buy now from G8 (110)DMT IAAN Gravel shoesThough probably best known for sponsoring Tadej Pogaars feet in recent years, DMTs latest release is a fancy off-road shoe. The IAAN Gravel shoes no relation to Eastenders Mr Beale before you ask use the so-called Dimple Tech to bring the party to the trails. Dimple Tech is said to improve aerodynamics via its rough texture while also improving breathability and remaining light weight. To the touch it feels both scaly and slippery an interesting contradiction but dirt does still brush off quite easily.In addition to this rough exterior, the toe box is reinforced with extra material to protect the downstairs digits against any root or rock strikes. The outsole is chunky too, with the SPD cleat embeded within and fortified by platformed grippers to make walking around and re-clipping in that bit easier.For closure, the Iaans get the top of the line Li2 Boa dials, which means you can incrementally loosen as well as tighten the shoes, without releasing all the pressure.Theres no doubting they look smart, but the colour schemes are surely tempting fate a little bit. DMT has added a sliding scale of basic emotions on the heels off side, presumably because youre only ever one missed manhole or hidden swamp away from disaster when youre out on the gravel trails.Buy now from DMT (285)Kostme #EDIT008 cargo jerseyKostme, the Bristolian brand with a unique pre-order, minimum-waste model, has brought out another of its kit edits, in the wake of Sarah Ruggins world record attempt to ride from Tarifa, Spain to Nordkapp, Norway in record time. (Thats the length of mainland Europe for those of you without an atlas to hand. And yes she rode the 6,000km in under 14 days to smash the record.)Ruggins used Kostme kit and it had to be ready for everything, from extreme heat through to brutal chills and beastly winds. The cargo jersey pictured here uses a recycled fabric that protects riders from 98% of UV rays, plus it has a bonkers array of pockets that are ripe for stuffing. In all there are six pockets, including a zipped one for valuables and a stretchy meshy outer layer for stashing overlayers in.As an aside, Im already a convert to the Kostme bibs. No matter how many brands I try, Im still pretty adamant that the Kostme bibs are the most comfortable and have the nicest gripper design no pinching, no bunching, just a delightful modualted pressure that doesnt slip.Jerseys are perhaps a less vital bit of kit in my opinion at least but the #EDIT008 is super practical, good for pasty lads like me in hot weather and Im a fan of the bold design too.Buy now from Kostme (125)Cane Creek HCR systemAfter deciding that the current crop of internal routing stems and headset systems were all fragile, unattractive and hard to work on, says Cane Creeks Will Hart, we wanted to see what we could produce if we left aerodynamics at the door and instead made something traditional-looking, user-friendly and formed from long-lasting materials.The result is the HCR system, an all-metal arrangement that hides cables like integrated cockpits but is made of separate pieces, so retains adjustability like normal two-piece setups. The aluminium HCR stem comes in five different lengths and is said to weigh just 160g dependent on length.The weight is helped by the simplicity of having no internal routing or integrated covers, says Hart. Cables run in an open channel along the underside of the stem.Though the stem can be used with other front-end setups it fits on a normal round steerer Cane Creek will point you in the direction of its HCR spacers and headset as natural bedfellows. The spacers are aluminium and shield the cables while maintaining access, and the headset is made with the brands robust Hellbender bearings.Theres a cable seal above the top bearing, where the cables enter the head tube, thats made from very dense rubber, says Hart. The various holes are just the right size to allow cable installation but create a tight seal that keeps out grime.Also pictured here is the GXC seatpost in alloy with steel hardware, which Cane Creek says makes it durable and very resilient to the elements. It also uses a neat custom front bolt that can be adjusted in three different ways ensuring you can always make tweaks to your saddle position without needing to remove the whole thing.Buy now from Extra (Headset 159.99, stem 99.99, spacers 29.99)What were into this week: Hill climbsUnfortuantely, this will be me on Sunday. Unequivocally the nail, not the hammer. Ive been tricked into riding the Catford CC hill climb for the magazine and its a swift editorial turnaround, so you will be able to see the fruits of my sucking-pound-coins, vomiting-on-the-finish-line endeavours in no time at all.Safe to say, I dont expect to trouble the scorers, as they say in the cricket. Ill be happy with an obscure finishing time that is barely worth commenting on. Handily, Ive still got the Specialized Aethos 2 kicking around, fresh from a few Big Rides and Classic Climbs in far flung Europe. So long as Ewan Wilson hasnt left me with a sneaky slow puncture to deal with, I wont be able to blame the bike for anything.If youre in the area, come and say hello.Find out more at CTTThe post In the Drops: Customisable G8 insoles, snazzy DMT gravel shoes, umlaut Kostme kit, chromed-out Cane Creek finshing kit and Hill Climbs appeared first on Cyclist.

Michael Matthews is one of the riders in the current peloton that has spent the most time racing at World Tour level, but his motivation hasn't faded. Second at the recent World Championships and off the back of a serious injury, the Australian admits that he had doubts he'd ever return to his true...

Neil has used tons of bags and gear-hauling systems over the years. From his days as a racer to his recent exploration of modern design, he has bins full of bags and racks that show how carrying stuff has changed since he started bikepacking. In his latest video, he digs through his boxes of bags and explains what worked, what didn't, and why. Watch the full video below...The post Gear Overload: Unpacking 13 Years of Bikepacking Bags appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Almost the last chance of the season to land a big win, only now its also the first chance for many to win Lombardia given five-time winner Tadej Pogaar is out.The CourseBergamo to Como, the long way with 239km, not the hardest route going but still 4,600m of vertical gain. If the start and finish have alternated over the years, the route in between has been more varied. Plus Como will host the finish for the next few years too. This time no Muro di Sormano, instead this vintage resembles the 2022 edition. Its uphill from the start with the climb to Gavarno via the Colle dei Pasta, a gentle ascent and descent. The Selvino is next, a well-engineered climb with hairpins galore midway. There are no traps on the climbs of the Berbenno, Valpiana and Giovenzana, often big ring climbs.With 70km to go the climb of the Madonna del Ghisallo begins. Its in two parts and the hardest part is the start out of Bellagio with some 10-15% sections. It levels out through Guello before a more tame rise over the top to pass the chapel where the bells will ring for the race and then then a twisty descent down to Asso after which the road heads for Como.There are three final climbs. The road to San Fermo della Battaglia is climbed, then theres the ascent to Civiglio, then San Fermo again. Of the two climbs, Civiglio is harder but it opens with a long straight ramp up before the ten hairpins starts. San Fermos not easy, a tight turn to start with puts anyone ten wheels back in trouble to start with before the narrow road twists up through the woodland.The FinishAnother time up to San Fermo, a series of 7% ramps winding up to the 5km to go point and then followed by a regular descent with tight bends which flattens out with just over 1km to go.The ContendersAbsent Tadej Pogaar its a far more open contest, would it have been worth doing a preview if he was going to start? Isaac del Toro (UAE) makes for an obvious stand-in, the Mexican is in form even if he has talked about a knee injury this did not stop him going on the attack in Thursdays Gran Piemonte. Brandon McNulty is a form pick but while he could drift away to open up a gap in the worlds, now his rainbow jersey means hell more marked. Jan Christen fits the archetype but his form isnt as obvious.Second in Emilia last weekend and the Tre Valle Varesine in the week, Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) looks like a good podium pick and he can sprint well from a group to take the win. At 27 hes the teams totemic rider but will see competition on the roster next year with new signings and now would be a good time to land his first Monument.Giulio Ciccone is likely to be a Pidcock team mate but has a shot now for Lidl-Trek. Smarting from his loss in the Euro road championships, he has a fast sprint and will like the hilly finish but can he put it all together? This would be his biggest win by far. Quinn Simmons thrived in last years edition, one of the few to try and resist Pogaar and looks to be in form. Juan Ayuso races, under the radar.A year ago Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) was a very promising seventh. Now he faces the direct question of how to win? Render the race as hard as possible and then wear down rivals on the final climbs. His team will do their part to sap the field.Without Pogaar Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is a deductive pick, the best of the rest on paper and hes in form. But as we saw the worlds, he is beefier now than July and was beginning to struggle on the climbs; a challenge here with a course backloaded with harder climbs. But hes far from ruled out, theres no Sormano to shred the field. Its just he might have to race tactically, getting ahead of rivals before they trade attacks on the Civiglio; or hoping things regroup. Giulio Pellizzari brings more options but looks to be coming off the boil, theres a a strong team with Jai Hindley and Primo Rogli.Visma-LAB have Matteo Jorgenson and Davide Piganzoli as leaders and Louis Barr and Ben Tulett as outsiders. Jorgensons difficulty is winning from a sprint but this course is selective enough to rarely see a group contest the win. Piganzoli could well be the most improved rider of the year but even so, landing a Monument would be massive.Enric Mas (Movistar) was second here in 2022 with the very similar route. As good as his forms been, he can almost be excused for celebrating his Vuelta triumph. Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana) is consistently good but can he win at this level? EF Education-Easyposts Ben Healy is a long shot pick but does deliver from time to time. Bahrain have a cohesive team with Pello Bilbao as their leader in his last race, Lenny Martinez has punch, Jakob Omrzel just one to watch and Antionio Tiberi in form but probably deployed to help. Lotto-Intermarch have Lennert Van Eetvelt who is suited to the course and Jarno Widar whos just won the Tre Valli Varesine. A late season race in Italy means Marc Hirschi cant be ruled out but this is probably too hilly for him. Oscar Onley (Netcompany-Ineos) is an outside pick. Now that Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X) has found winning ways he ought to land more but this is a tall order.Del Toro, PidcockEvenepoelSeixas, McNulty, Jorgenson, Ciccone, ScaroniOnley, Widar, Healy, Piganzoli, Simmons, Pellizzari, BilbaoWeather: weak sunshine and 20C, a pleasant autumnal day and almost no wind to mention.TV: live from start to finish. KM0 is at 11.00am and the finish is forecast fro 5.00pm CEST. The Ghisallo climb will start around 3.00pm and the finishing climbs around 4.15pm.Its on RAI Sport then RAI 2 for locals and VPN users, otherwise Eurosport in Europe, Flobikes in north America and SBS in Australia which is also in English for any VPN users too.The post Il Lombardia Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.

32-inch wheeled bikes are progressively going mainstream, with an increasing number of bikes available to buy and, crucially, a wider selection of compatible components.Many 32in bikes remain prototypes, designed to garner attention and test the waters, but theres an increasing number of fully-fledged 32-inch bikes available to purchase.Weve highlighted six 32in XC hardtails and gravel bikes were excited about, some of which weve already reviewed. Other 32in bikes remain announcements for future launches or, particularly for mainstream brands, prototypes or one-offs only. You may like: We hoped they wouldnt be as good: what the bike industry really thinks about 32in wheelsSingular Pterodactyl Warren highlighted the Pterodactyl's speed, smoothness and brilliant handling in his review. Scott Windsor / ourmedia Warren reviewed the titanium Singular Pterodactyl gravel bike back in July, concluding that it has everything I want from the best gravel bikes: speed, smoothness, brilliant handling, and a breathtaking way of keeping momentum thanks to those huge wheels. He added that the ride was epic on every surface, including technical trails, rolling over impacts that would slow you down on 700c wheels.Its available in sizes L, XL and XXL and, Warren concludes, is a bike that would only work for taller riders fortunately he fits the bill.Thats where this large wheel size can do what its supposed to do, says founder Sam Alison, without excessive stack height, slow handling, or toe overlap.The Pterodactyl uses MTB standards: a Boost front hub with a flip chip axle and SuperBoost at the rear, as well as a wider MTB-style bottom bracket. With the larger wheels, the low-sounding gearing is comparable to a 700c gravel bike too.Sour Cycles Pasta Party 32 The big wheels help the Pasta Party hold momentum and find traction on loose or stepped climbs, while also smoothing out trail chatter. Scott Windsor / Kelsey Media A 32in steel XC hardtail mountain bike, the Sour Cycles Pasta Party 32 we reviewed was fitted with a prototype Manitou fork. There still arent that many 32in suspension forks or other components such as wheels and tyres available to buy.As with the Pterodactyl, reviewer Tom found that the larger wheels allowed him to retainspeed, pedal more smoothly and roll over trail noise, thanks to the smaller angle of attack when hitting a bump.Tom found that the extra inertia of the wheels and tyres affected handling on more technical stretches though and it was more difficult to back-weight on steep descents.Baum DBM 32 We're yet to ride the Baum DBM 32, but the option to fit massive tyres should complement the rollover of the 32-inch wheels. Baum Another 32in titanium gravel bike, the Baum DBM 32 also offers massive 2.6-inch tyre clearance. Again, this has meant adopting MTB standards for the bottom bracket and hub spacing.While other brands highlight the ride characteristics mentioned above, Baum reckons 32in bikes are a great solution for tall and very tall riders. Its first bike was made for a 200cm (6ft 7in) rider who had struggled to find a proportionally correct bike.According to Darren Baum: A 32er is not going to work for everyone because of the extra standover and reach. A bigger wheel size allows us to build a bigger frame with better proportions, which is something that has really been missing from the market.As with other brands, Baum cites the paucity of component choices as having held it back from launching its 32in bike, but reckons thats changing sufficiently to make the wheel size a viable option.Perhaps the most surprising thing has been how quickly everybody has been able to adapt to the bigger wheels. They roll really well, offer lots of grip, and they are very stable, which is exactly what we were all saying when we started using 29-inch wheels, Baum says.Mason Macro32 Mason expects to sell the Macro32 from 2027. Mason Cycles Mason launched its 32in Macro bikepacking adventure bike at Bespoked Dresden in September 2026. While mainstream brands have been dipping their toes in the 32-inch water, Mason says the Macro is not a concept and claims it is the first 32in bike of its kind from a UK brand, and probably the first like this in the world.Dom Mason, the brands founder, says hed been holding back due to a lack of components, but now "we are seeing a really usable selection of 32in tyres in various widths, from most of the big makers, along with the emergence of suitable suspension forks from brands like DT Swiss".The bike is fitted out with 32-inch wheels with Boost axles from long-time Mason partner Hunt Wheels.For the moment, the Macro is available as a 29er, but Mason is making final tweaks to geometry and features and expects to add the 32in wheel size to the range for 2027.Scott 32in Unbound prototype Scott bills its 32in gravel bike as a prototype, despite a win in the 2026 Unbound XL. Scott Bikes Scott rolled out two examples of its 32in gravel bike prototype in May, ahead of Unbound 2026. They were ridden at Unbound 200 by 2025 winner Cameron Jones and in the 350-mile / 560km Unbound XL by Robin Gemperle.Prototype wheels came from I9 and were fitted with 50mm-wide Schwalbe RX 32in tyres, while Jones used a Shimano GRX and Gemperle a SRAM Red XPLR AXS groupset.Ahead of the 2026 race, Gemperle stated that he felt that 32-inch wheels were the size that gravel racing and Unbound, in particular, were waiting for, while Jones claimed that: This bike makes you feel like you're levitating over the surface. I'll be experiencing a road race while everybody else is racing gravel!Jones finished Unbound 200 10th in 2026, while Gemperle won Unbound XL, despite needing to walk around 21km due to the excessively muddy conditions.Scott says that its 32in gravel bikes are pure prototypes and will never be released on the market, which seems a shame given their showing at Unbound.Van Rysel RCR-XC The Van Rysel RCR-XC is fitted with 32in wheels from Zipp. The latest brand to jump on the trend is Van Rysel. Its first mountain bike, the RCR-XC, skips straight to 32in wheels.The company says it analysed two years of race data and concluded that the larger size would provide its new Decathlon Ford team with a real-world advantage in cross-country races.Van Rysel is the first major brand to announce a 32in bike, which is a major development, but we'll still have to wait until next year before its released to the public.The bike also provided an insight into what might be on the horizon from two other brands. The press images show the RCR-XC fitted with unreleased 32in wheels from Zipp and an unreleased RockShox SID fork.