{"id":51190,"date":"2025-08-07T20:09:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T20:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/51190\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T20:09:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T20:09:13","slug":"meet-big-ben-faction-studios-32-inch-wheel-prototype","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/51190\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Big Ben: Faction Studio\u2019s 32-inch wheel prototype"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s no logo on the downtube. No price tag. No launch date. Just a code name and a concept: Big Ben. But behind the anonymity lies something bold: a full-suspension mountain bike built around 32-inch wheels, designed and prototyped by the quiet powerhouse that is Faction Bike Studio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Unveiled as a concept at Eurobike 2025, Big Ben isn\u2019t about market-ready polish. It\u2019s about asking the kind of questions most brands don\u2019t have the time, or resources, to ask.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea wasn\u2019t to launch a polished product,\u201d says Faction product manager Adam Robbins. \u201cBut to challenge what\u2019s possible and expand the way we think about performance, traction and comfort in off road cycling. Where does possibility end and can we go further?\u201d<\/p>\n

And after a month of trail testing in Bromont, Que., that question is already turning into answers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From sketch to trail-ready<\/p>\n

Faction\u2019s prototype speed is no joke. The Big Ben went from a rough idea at Sea Otter in April to a fully rideable trail bike by June. That\u2019s typical for the Quebec-based design studio, which handles everything from strategic planning to in-house testing under one roof.<\/p>\n

Their roster of projects remains mostly confidential. The studio\u2019s known for its behind-the-scenes work with some of the industry\u2019s biggest brands. But Big Ben represents a rare public-facing experiment.<\/p>\n

Rolling over everything<\/p>\n

So far?\u00a0 Big Ben works. Testers immediately noticed a smoother, more planted feel. On rough trails, the 32-inch wheels steamroll over roots and rocks with less feedback and more stability. Descending felt composed. Climbs, surprisingly, felt better too.
Acceleration felt lighter than expected, though most riders recommended gearing adjustments, smaller chainrings especially, to keep things snappy.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Room for refinement<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say it\u2019s perfect. The prototype was built around a short-travel XC platform, and on steep descents it showed some front-end dive. Steering was a touch slower in tight terrain and the big hoops demanded more rider input for manuals and line changes.<\/p>\n

A studio that doesn\u2019t seek the spotlight<\/p>\n

With just over 30 employees, the studio has quietly become one of the most effective innovation engines in the cycling world. Even if most riders have never heard the name.
They\u2019ve built frames for world cup racers<\/a>, solved production issues for startup brands and now, they\u2019re casually developing one of the first modern 32\u201d mountain bike platforms without making a fuss about it.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for Big Ben?<\/p>\n

For now, Big Ben remains a one-off. But based on the early feedback, it\u2019s likely not the last 32-incher we\u2019ll see rolling out of Bromont.<\/p>\n

Whether it becomes a new standard or fades into niche curiosity, the project represents what Faction does best: building bikes that challenge assumptions. Not because a marketing department told them to, but because that\u2019s how progress happens.<\/p>\n

Big Ben isn\u2019t for sale. But its ideas just might end up in the next generation of bikes. Whether you know it or not.<\/p>\n

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