32" Maxxis Aspen - is it what 32" unicycles need to become mainstream?

Now if only we could get a more aerodynamic rim and some road tires

Don‘t forget aero spokes, aero seat posts and aero cranks. Also, an aero frame with a narrow bearing pitch would be nice.

Considering the force that wind can have on a wheel over 27.5” I’d say making it a little more aerodynamic is a good thing, not to mention a more road focused tire could give us the smoothness of a road tire hopefully without the weight of our current 36”-32” wheels (excluding the aspen

I admit, I had my usual riding speed in mind, at which aerodynamics aren‘t too much of an issue. Today I had an average speed of 12.7km/h over a distance of about 8km on.my 29er. And I was quite happy with that, given that I had to overcome some inclines.

I can get about 13mph on my 32” when going slightly above what I consider “coasting speed”

Mmm, 32” Velocity rims? Well… I’m suddenly thinking it would be cool to build a 32” wheel to go in my 36” Oracle frame. Just an idea out of the blue, totally :woozy_face:

That’s quite exactly 21km/h - pretty much in the realm that I can ride with the G29 on the flat (before starting to push rather hard). But my average with the G29 (or the 36er) is always considerably lower - usually around 17km/h.

To be fair, I’m not sure it is a big deal. Yes, it can make best riders even stronger. However, it is usually said that most of the air resistance is due to the rider themselves, not their uni/bike. I’d be quite curious to see data on a 36er, though. Maybe I’m wrong and many more people that I expect would benefit from such aero wheels?

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I think that ensures long-term availability of 32” MTB tyres.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/32-inch-wheels-will-be-permitted-in-uci-xc-racing-in-2026.html

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Excellent news. That’ll no doubt push any hesitant manufacturers over the edge who were considering producing 32” but waiting on this announcement.

Availability wise, R2 bike is now listing as available in 1-3 days, not quite sure what that means: https://r2-bike.com/MAXXIS-Tire-Aspen-32-x-24-WT-MaxxSpeed-TR-EXO

Velocity Blunt 32” rims are also now available through their dealers. About 400g lighter than a Nimbus Dominator 32”. Marginally narrower:

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From the pinkbike article

UCI will not impose a cap on wheel size in 2026, thereby allowing use of 32" wheels in competition.

So 36” is now also legal? :smiling_face_with_horns:

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But no tyres outside of the uni-versum available. Not sure those would be a good choice. Maybe Maxxis should make a 36" version of their Aspen. That could be what’s needed to make 36" the standard unicycle size :wink:

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Right. “Make and race 36”, cowards!"

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Now listed as “no delivery date”.

I guess general availability probably won’t be until the start of 2026 then.

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Re. aero spokes and rims, these are generally designed to (a) decrease resistance to the wheel turning in still air, (b) gain thrust from a sidewind - i.e. hold the wheel by its axle, blow air at it sideways and it turns in the “forwards” direction.

I’d argue (a) is not significant for a unicycle, at uni speeds and with rider typically more upright than a bicycle; (b) comes at a cost of the wheel catching more sidewind - this can be hard to handle on a bike if winds are high, and much worse on a unicycle….

So I wouldn’t bother, but of course, this is the wrong thread….

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Well the guy amenities are an option, if done right I’m sure they could be viable for at least two or three races before being relegated to regular use and training due to wear. Though if your careful you might be able to safely do a few more races