Until now, 32-inch gravel bikes have almost exclusively been produced by small niche companies. Now Bulls is also stepping out of the shadows and unveiling its first prototype with 32-inch wheels. Gravel bikes featuring the new wheel standard are currently being tested to assess the pros and cons of the larger wheels. Bulls is part of the ZEG Group, Europe’s largest network of independent specialist retailers. This includes over 1,000 affiliated shops – that’s a massive number! If Bulls opts for 32-inch wheels, we could soon be seeing other gravel bikes with 32-inch wheels too.
Conclusion
The fact that a brand like Bulls – with a large dealer network and impressive sales figures – is experimenting with 32-inch bikes shows me that the new standard is really gaining momentum. There’s still plenty to explore when it comes to gravel bikes with giant wheels, but they’re definitely on their way. Will we soon see a Bulls Grinder on 32-inch wheels? - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
The Bulls 32” gravel bike in detail
- Working title: Bulls Grinder Thirty Two
- Intended use: Gravel
- Wheel size: 32”
- Frame material (prototype): aluminium
- Prototype wheels: Mavic
Gravel Bike Study
Bulls describes the bike shown as a prototype only. Nothing about the bike is close to production or even ready for production yet. The planned model variants, specification options, prices and geometries remain to be confirmed. Like so many bike manufacturers, Bulls is currently in the testing phase for the new wheel size. There is still a lack of compatible parts, such as wheelsets, tyres and forks. The Bulls gravel bike prototype gets round the issue of parts availability by using a carbon rigid fork from Enve. To compensate for the longer installation length, a negatively angled stem is used.
The Bulls Grinder Thirty Two is fitted with rims bearing the Mavic logo. According to Bulls, it remains entirely unclear whether the wheelsets might be launched on the market in this form or something similar. The rim profiles were not 32-inch-specific products, but simply slightly larger standard models. The wheelset was built solely to test the new wheel size.
Ready-to-ride 32-inch gravel bike
The 32-inch prototype is based on an aluminium frame, though according to Bulls, this is no indication that the new bikes will eventually go into production with aluminium frames either. It is simply easier, quicker and more cost-effective to build prototypes from aluminium, according to the German manufacturer. The road-ready concept bike can be used to test key development aspects, such as the optimal geometry for a 32-inch gravel bike.
So far, these are just prototypes. We simply want to show here that we’re working on the 32-inch concept – not just in theory, but in practice as well. - Friedemann Schmude, Bulls
What do you think: how long will it be before 32-inch gravel bikes go into mass production with the major manufacturers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Jan Timmermann
Editor
