Faction Bike Studio is Back with Another 32″ Prototype, This Time it’s for Gravel

Faction Bike Studio has once again captured attention, this time by leaking images of a new 32-inch wheel prototype, reportedly from Easton, designed specifically for gravel applications. This follows their previous foray into the oversized wheel market, signaling a continued push to explore non-standard wheel diameters. The images, surfacing via Bikerumor, indicate a potential shift in component development towards larger, potentially more stable, wheel platforms for off-road riding.

This development is significant as the industry has largely settled on 700c (29er) and 650b (27.5er) for gravel and mountain biking, respectively. Faction's repeated experimentation with 32-inch wheels suggests a belief that there's a performance advantage yet to be fully exploited, perhaps in rolling efficiency or obstacle clearance, challenging the established norms. It echoes past debates over 26-inch versus 29-inch wheels, hinting at another potential paradigm shift or, at the very least, a niche market opening.

While the industry often chases marginal gains, Faction’s persistent exploration of 32-inch wheels for gravel suggests they might be onto something, or perhaps just enjoying the attention of being consistently outside the box. Either way, it’s certainly keeping the engineers at other brands on their toes.