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

Here’s the clearance for my 32x2.25 in a pre 2023 KH36. Theres approx 11mm either side and 55mm to the top of the fork.

I may secretly be a 32” evangelist :wink:

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In my opinion, if the industry wants to push 32” onto early adopters, they have to get it right and sexy on first launch. We all know how the industry works: create a new segment, make it look like it’s the best thing on earth and watch early adopters, then mainstream, fall for it. We’ve seen it with 27.5” which is purely a commercial gimmick but everyone who’s a bit serious about mtb couldn’t stick to a 26 and look like a loser from previous season. I don’t think 36” will ever catch because it makes bikes way tooooo big and not nippy. But 32” has a good chance to become the new 27.5”. Which is great for us unicyclists!

Funny coincidence, I got my 32” out of the barn a few days ago and I had forgotten how much I love this size.

@Maxence maybe you can sell me you NR light tire… :wink:

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Let’s wait for my G32er to be built before thinking about selling its parts for buying others :stuck_out_tongue:
But I’ll keep the idea if you’re still interested in a few months.

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That’s how mine used to be, before I got the carbon 36” rim and went all out 36er. I don’t think I’ve even got the 32” rim laced up at the moment.

With 32” carbon rims also on the horizon, maybe I’d better start digging around the sofa cushions and see if I can afford one.

We’ll have to get all of the UK 32” riders together at some point.

Definitely - i’m still rebuilding skills/endurance after being away from unicycling for about 6 years but a group ride would be amazing…

Looking at the website, the built wheels Clydesdale sells are either Dominator rims or a slightly narrower carbon rim so guessing that either would get 2.4”. On the other hand how are 2x built Dominator wheels £630???

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These guys built a 32” bike to try it with these tyres, so you can see someone running them on various surfaces, albeit on a bike.

I took my 32” out of the shed several weeks ago and discovered the flange had broken out (aluminium hub) which was a bit of a bummer as it hasn’t done very much. Since I will have to rebuild the wheel I did have a notion to get hold of a 32” Nextie rim and hold out for one of these tyres. I saw a PinkBike video which mentioned another 32” carbon rim. I didn’t see what rims they used for this 32” bike build though.

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„You‘ve lost a wheel!“
„Actually, …“

After I bought my 36er I wasn‘t sure if it was the right decision or if I should have gone the 32“ route. Meanwhile I got accustomed to the big wheel. While I don’t regret my decision, the itch to try a 32“ hasn‘t entirely died yet. So, was it really the right the decision? Sure, ‘cause if I went with the smaller wheel, I would now long for trying the bigger one :man_shrugging:

EDIT: Also, I think it‘s a pretty interesting video. My favourite part isn’t related to the wheel size, though.
Have a look at those cranks!
Cool thing is, they can‘t be expensive with so little material left, can they?

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such itches always result in new unicycles for me. If only I was immune to them

My 32” is my “go to” daily unicycle. My 36” is for longer distances (like the NYC 5 Boro Bike Tour), but for tooling around the city, the 32” is perfect. I aso have a 29” which I rarely ride because, to me, there is no “sweet spot” between city uni and sidewalk uni.

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Maybe here you find more information

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Love that they showed getting the parts from UDC

According to David, Schwalbe is the next big brand to unveil a 32-inch tire, and more are on the way.

Will we finally get a 32" version of the G-One Speed? :eyes:

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Would be great but I guess their first goal would be the MTB market.

I’m not sure. I have read a lot about 32ers for the past days, and it seems they are expected to be a great upgrade for gravel as well. So, there are chances that we’d see a 32er gravel tire to be soon unveiled :crossed_fingers:

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can you just put any mountainbike tire on a unicycle rim? I thought unicycle rims were slightly wider than bike-rims. Naturally there is a lot of variation.

Unicycles have been equipped with rims slightly wider than what the MTB tires they come with are designed for basically forever and performed fine. Why should that suddenly stop at 32” inch unicycles? It has some effects on the shape of the tire, but unless you go super extreme it works.

So, I got a reply from Schwalbe:

Bonjour,

Nous vous remercions pour votre e-mail et pour l’intérêt que vous portez à notre marque.

Nous ne pouvons malheureusement pas divulguer tous les projets de développement en cours ou à venir, mais sachez que Schwalbe s’efforce de répondre au mieux à la demande et aux nouvelles tendances du marché du cycle, orchestré par les plus grandes marques.

Cette réponse est floue, je vous l’accorde, mais nous ne pouvons malheureusement pas vous donner plus d’informations.

Nous vous remercions de votre compréhension.

Bonne réception.

Cordialement,

Which translates to: “Thanks for your inquiry, but we can’t comment on that subject for the moment. We try our best to stay up-to-date with the trends, based on the biggest brands’ orientations. This is unclear, but we really can’t say much more.”

So, let’s wait for an official communication on the subject.

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It seems the bike industry needs money and needs to invent something new. I don’t really see the point of 32" for bikes. It went from mountain bikes, from 26" to 27.5" to 29". Now that 29" has become the standard, something new has to be introduced. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 10 years some smart aleck decides that 26" is the best and gives all sorts of reasons. It would certainly be a boon for unicycling if 32" became a mass product.

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I totally agree with you. However, for us unicyclists, it is a bonus to have a wider selection of 32-inch tyres. So to speak, we are the laughing third wheel.:slightly_smiling_face:

It’s quite funny to see the same comments for this transition to the 32ers as we’ve had for the transition to the 29er.
Sure, the industry has to sell new things to survive and that may be one of the reasons why they are trying to push this new size.
However, it seems that some pro cyclists have asked for a bigger wheel size than 29er to go even faster, and the industry has settled on the 32er. So, this is not just about money. It is also about performances… As the 29er transition was about performances as well.

Now, we have to wait for the UCI to authorize or ban 32ers. That’ll be a really important decision for us, unicyclists.

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