April 1/26 8:57 am - UCI Bans 32" MTBs from International Competition

Posted by Editoress on 04/1/26
 

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has announced a ban on 32" wheeled bicycles in internationally sanctioned mountain bike events, with immediate effect. The 32" wheel size is the latest trend in wheel size, with proponents claiming the oversized wheels improve traction and rollover from smaller sizes.

This is not the first new wheel size to hit the mountain bike market - 29" was introduced to take the place of the original 26" wheel size, and then an intermediate 27.5" size came along, as manufacturers looked to differentiate their offerings in the market. All three sizes are currently allowed by the UCI in XCO (cross-country) racing, but the UCI seems to have decided that the 'size war' has gone far enough.

Apart from the brief declaration on the ban, there is very little information on why the UCI decided to make this restriction; the reasoning is expected to follow shortly. However, a UCI source told Canadian Cyclist that there are both biomechanical and aesthetic reasons for the decision"

"For smaller riders, especially female ones, there was already an issue with the 29" bikes, and the ability for shorter riders to have access to this size. The 32" ones would make this even worse, and we need to ensure a level playing field for all riders."

"Plus," our source added, "these bikes look ridiculous and out of proportion for all but the largest sizes. We are not interested in monster trucks..."