First, 32″ wheels in XC racing are unavoidable at this point. A World Cup XCC short track podium over the weekend further cements their viability.
The brand-new Lux WC may be 29″ today, but Canyon already admits that their athletes are testing new, bigger wheel concepts. And they’ll be testing this concept “over the next 12 months including racing or simulated racing situations“.
The inevitable higher front end as a result of the top of the front wheel being a full 7cm (2.75″) higher off the ground means that a taller rider+bike combo is going to be difficult to avoid, even with dramatic negative stem angles. So, getting the rider more aero is likely going to be more important than ever on a 32″ XC mountain bike.
