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<\/a>(Photo\/Dicky)<\/p>\nWhen talk of a 32-inch wheeled XC (and all MTB disciplines) mountain bike first started bubbling up, it was easy to write it off as internet noise or just bikes for really tall people. At best, we thought it might be a cool thought experiment destined to stay in prototype purgatory. But it seems that 32-inch wheels are rolling fast to the floor of your local shop\u2026<\/p>\n
Who Is Rich \u201cTeam Dicky\u201d Dillen?<\/p>\n Dicky is one of those characters in the cycling world you instantly recognize. He embodies the joyful, sarcastic, obsessive heart of the sport. A long-time endurance racer and single-speed fanatic, Rich writes with equal parts humor and brutal honesty about gears, trails, and the absurdity of chasing the next big thing on two wheels. His\u00a0Team Dicky\u00a0blog<\/a>\u00a0has been a landing place for deep thoughts and industry rants. Whether he\u2019s debating wheel sizes, swapping gears, or simply trying to wrap his head around the latest cycling trend. Rich\u2019s voice is unmistakably that of a rider who loves bikes, loves riding, and loves sharing the ride with anyone who\u2019ll listen.<\/p>\n I sat down with Dicky and asked all the pertinent questions, like \u201cWhat the hell are you thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n Bikerumor: What pushed you to start the journey to build a 32\u201d bike?<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cWhen the 32 X 2.4 Maxxis Aspen showed up at the Taipei Bike Show<\/a> in March \u201825, I could feel my inevitable future slapping me up the backside of my head (children of the \u201870s feel me).\u00a0Not such a long time ago when 29\u201d bikes started, many of the single speeders that I was racing against at endurance events had already jumped on board.\u00a0I spent 2006 with my heels dug in with my \u201cforever bike,\u201d but when I witnessed the magic of big wheels as they would roll over everything while leaving me in the dust, I decided stubbornness was not always a good look. I converted in 2007, and although those early bikes were challenged from a geometry perspective to say the least, the benefits of a larger wheel could not be ignored. There were a lot of growing pains and reluctance in the industry, which hindered much-needed progression, but we learned a lot of lessons, and that learning puts us in a better place to give bigger wheels a go.\u201d<\/p>\n BR: Was it tough to find the gear and kit? Run us through a \u2018Dicky Pro Bike Check\u2019 of what you have here.<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cThat was my biggest concern when Tom from Vassago asked me if I was serious about getting a 32\u201d mountain bike after all my ranting and general bear-poking on social media.\u00a0I told him that if he could sort out the wheels with deep hopes that Industry Nine would get in on this, source the not-yet-available Maxxis tires, and design a frame that would fit me (and most importantly, handle the way I wanted it to), I was ready to financially commit.\u00a0A couple of weeks later, I opened my wallet, the frame was designed, and parts started getting ordered.\u201d<\/p>\n Vassago titanium 32\u2033 frame, prototype\u00a0<\/p>\n 32\u2033 Industry Nine Hydra 2 wheels on Nextie Unicorn carbon rims\u00a0<\/p>\n Maxxis 32X2.4 Aspen tires\u00a0<\/p>\n ENVE carbon fork and 780mm M6 bar, 35mm alloy stem\u00a0<\/p>\n Fox Transfer dropper post w\/PNW Loam lever\u00a0<\/p>\n Shimano XTR BL-M9220 \u2013 BR-M9200 Brakes\u00a0<\/p>\n Old and no longer available Ergon SMR saddle\u00a0<\/p>\n Race Face ERA 175mm cranks\u00a0<\/p>\n Cane Creek Hellbender headset and bottom bracket\u00a0<\/p>\n Shimano XTR pedals\u00a0<\/p>\n ESI Racer\u2019s Edge grips<\/p>\n BR: Is the frame fully custom? What considerations did you and the builder take into account in creation? Did you tweak the geometry numbers much to accommodate the larger wheels?<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cThis frame was essentially fully custom, but Tom is currently working on stock geometry for an early \u201926 release.\u00a0 It was meant to feel as much like my current Vassago 29er frame as possible, while accommodating the larger wheels.\u00a0The design isn\u2019t suspension-corrected because the big fork manufacturers are being tight-lipped about anything they might have in the works, and I didn\u2019t want to wait for them to shit or get off the pot.\u00a0Obviously, the chain stays are longer, but the wheelbase only grew 30mm compared to my 29er, and that includes going from a 44m offset to 52mm using the flip chip on the ENVE fork.\u201d<\/p>\n BR: What was your first impression?<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cI took it to a very familiar trail where I\u2019ll be racing at our local winter series for five weeks.\u00a0I hit the first turn, and I honestly started to grin in the hardest \u2018no fucking way\u2019 manner.\u00a0 I took the first lap cautiously, waiting for something hinky to happen, but the second lap? I just went for it.\u00a0 The stability, traction, predictability\u2026 the way that I could get away with whatever I was willing to in the corners just gobsmacked me.\u00a0Go high on a berm in the chatter or take an inside line over a loose-as-marbles surface.\u00a0It was, for lack of a better word, nuts.\u00a0At the A-Line (very technical)\/B-Line (longer and not technical) climb options, I managed to get up the A-Line, not with enough consistency to use it in a race lap after lap, but it was the first time I\u2019d made it up on a single speed since 2020. On the third ride, I took it to the twistiest, rockiest, rootiest, obviously built back in the day trails in the area. Nothing about the wheels held it back, although riding rigid is always going to be an acquired taste.<\/p>\n BR: Looking at your bikes, you have a very similar-looking 29\u201d bike in the stable. How does this compare to your 29\u201d race bike? Are there give-and-takes for each?<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cBefore I got the 32\u201d bike, I had three way too similar titanium single speeds, rigid, 130mm, and 140mm.\u00a0The redundancy became apparent when I only rode the more aggressively oriented 140mm bike seven times in 2025.\u00a0It had to go, but that made room for me to make this wonderfully rash decision.\u00a0 I do find that I \u201cneed\u201d my rigid bike a few times a year, because rigid single-speeding is always going to be part of what I do. It\u2019s less of a give-and-take and more horses for courses, so they are all \u201crace bikes\u201d as much as they are pleasure boats.\u201d<\/p>\n BR: How tall are you? We see that 32\u201d is getting a bill as a \u201ctall person\u2019s option\u201d, but that\u2019s not exactly what you\u2019re saying. Do you feel that a 32\u201d bike can service the entire bike population (within reason) and not just the tall folks? BR: You recently raced some STXC on the new 32\u201d big boy bike. What are your impressions after having some more time on the bike? How did it handle at race speed compared to the 29\u201d?<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cBeing that it\u2019s a single speed on a course I know well, I thought I had the gearing all figured out. That said, my exit speed out of the corners is faster, the bike doesn\u2019t get hung up when things get lumpy, and the momentum rolling into the climbs is greater, so I geared it higher (in terms of roll out) than I would on a 29\u201d wheel.\u00a0That aspect really surprised me.\u00a0I guess you can also throw out any preconceived notions about slow acceleration as well, because somehow this 130lb old man got it up to speed off the start line and into the woods with only one rider ahead of me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a rainy go at the course the first week, and the Aspens wouldn\u2019t be my first choice in the baby diarrhea mud we have in Charlotte. That said, all of the other advantages still had me grabbing the 32\u201d bike as opposed to one of my other two single speeds that could have sported a more aggressive tread pattern.\u201d<\/p>\n BR: Do you see 32\u201d as a progression of 29\u201d? Will 29\u201d go the way of 26\u201d?<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cIt obviously has sizing limitations, and some are still just going to stick with 29\u201d regardless of any benefits of going bigger.\u00a0There will always be those who want to go anaerobically fast and others who want to huck their meat through the air, so choose the right wheel size for the riding you prioritize.\u00a0Granted, people were saying 29ers weren\u2019t \u201cflickable,\u201d that is, until they were. My bike is just a hard tail, but designing suspension into the mix is going to limit just how tall you must be to get on this ride.\u201d<\/p>\n BR: The industry seems to be getting behind the 32\u201d craze quicker than the 29\u201d one. Do you feel that the industry is pushing 32\u201d because some don\u2019t want to come late to the game? Or is there a measurable advantage to this wheel size that World Cup XC riders will need?\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0 \u201cPardon me while I put on my flameproof suit\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n As far as UCI XC racers\u2026 oof. Those who can manage to ride a 32\u201d wheel on the super gnarly courses are going to get an advantage. The least that the UCI could do is get rid of their pointless rule against mixed wheel sizes in XC, because what\u2019s the point?\u00a0I\u2019m not saying a mullet is going to get you 50% of the advantage that\u2019s available, but I think it will make a difference. I\u2019m heavily considering a mullet for my personal \u201cPisgah bike\u201d once forks are available, although it would be nice to keep a bike that fits in a travel case without removing the tires. I know there are inverted Euro options, but I\u2019m not going down that road.\u201d<\/p>\n BR: What are your predictions on 32\u201d gravel bikes? (kinda joking here, but\u2026you never know with this industry right now).<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cIt will happen, but I have no idea how small the frame can get before you have toe overlap.\u00a0I\u2019m nowhere close to it on my 32\u201d mountain bike, but my 700c gravel bike is already pretty tight, and I have friends that I ride with who just \u2018deal with it.\u201d\u00a0Maybe gravel bikes will go down the longer front end\/short stem road, but I know enough about gravel bike geometry to fill my navel and leave enough room for an elephant to run around.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n BR: What\u2019s next for you? Are you eyeing up any more 32\u201d builds, maybe a full suspension bike?<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cJust a possible mulleted single speed for aggressive riding. I\u2019ll regretfully buy another full suspension bike when I feel as old as I really am, but I can\u2019t imagine my taint can handle the 32\u201d in the rear as it\u2019s closing in on my backside.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n BR: Give us 32 parting words about the future of 32\u201d bikes.<\/p>\n Dicky: \u201cIf you asked me to tell you my name in thirty-two words or less, you would find my name at the bottom of the page.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been riding mountain bikes since the late \u201880s, and when I started living the family life a few years later, I reduced my number of hobbies to one. I\u2019ve been geeking out on the minutia of the sport ever since.\u00a0Now that I\u2019m fifty-seven, I realize that if I wait for the industry to give me the chance to try big wheels out myself (and have an informed opinion), it\u2019s going to be a long while.\u00a0I see 32\u201d bikes being an option in the near future, but that\u2019s all it is, an option.\u00a0There seem to be two groups that are most vocally opposed to 32\u201d wheels, and the Venn diagram of them has more overlap than an extra small 32\u201d wheel gravel bike.\u00a0You have those that say we\u2019re making mountain biking too easy, neutralizing the challenge they so desire.\u00a0Unless they\u2019re riding a 26\u201d rigid single speed with V-brakes, I think there\u2019s a lot of challenges they\u2019re missing out on.\u00a0Then there are those who are complaining that the industry is just trying to create a new standard to make money. I\u2019m guessing they\u2019re all still enjoying their Bridgestone MB-1s if they are really that entrenched in the \u201cdesperate marketing disguised as technological improvements\u201d camp.\u00a0I\u2019ve been around long enough to hear all the arguments. \u201cWe don\u2019t need clipless pedals, front suspension, rear suspension, threadless headsets, disc brakes, tubeless tires, 29 \u2018wheels, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 speeds..\u2019 Well, I don\u2019t \u201cneed\u201d a microwave, a cordless drill, or indoor plumbing\u2026 but I do quite enjoy them in my world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do my best to live my life without yucking anyone\u2019s yum while also tuning out any yucks that are bleated in my general direction.\u00a0 Options are nice. Ride a 32 or don\u2019t. Select from the menu and enjoy…Was that 32 words?\u00a0 Big wheels have apparently warped all my senses.\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n You can follow Dickys\u2019 32-inch journey on his site<\/a> and on his socials.<\/a> <\/p>\n \t<\/a>(The Team Dicky Blog, you place for things like\u2026bike things. Photo\/Team Dicky Blog)<\/p>\n<\/a>(Photo\/Dicky)<\/p>\n<\/a>(Photo\/Dicky)<\/p>\n<\/a>(Photo\/Dicky)<\/p>\n
Dicky: \u201cI\u2019m only 5\u2019 6.5\u201d (my physician doesn\u2019t want to give me the extra .5\u201d, but I\u2019m taking it). I honestly do not think a 32\u201d wheel will work for everyone.\u00a0I have a longer inseam than most people my height, but this bike is intended to be my go-fast\/stay-low machine.\u00a0As most of the online critics are eager to point out, I can buzz my butt with the rear tire easily when things get extra XC rowdy.\u00a0This is not only due to the larger wheel size. I\u2019m also 35mm lower in the frame than my 29er due to the increased bottom bracket drop.\u00a0I will eventually take this bike to Pisgah for shits and giggles, but I can already picture which trails are going to be a challenge as far as clearance goes when things get steep.\u00a0I\u2019ve reduced the dropper from 180mm to 160mm, but I can still put my rear end in all the bad places.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a>(Photo\/Pisgah Paparazzi<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/a>(Photo\/Dicky)<\/p>\n
Dicky: \u201cIt\u2019s both.\u00a0The move to 29ers proved that you don\u2019t want to be late to the game.\u00a0I remember when Specialized said they would never make a 29er. How did that work out?\u00a0Oh, they\u2019re still in business? Color me surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>Schwalbe is working on some new 32\u2033 <\/a>gravel<\/a> tires.<\/a> (All photos\/Schwalbe)<\/p>\n<\/a>(Q: Will it fit on the car, or will we need 32\u2033 bike racks? A: \u2013 Photo\/Dicky)<\/p>\n