Yay, another new wheel size! Before you jump to the comments in a huff, take a deep breath and read on. DirtySixer is a small bike company that’s dedicated to building bikes for tall riders who generally don’t have many options when it comes to finding bikes that fit. The company started off building bikes with 36-inch wheels for riders up to 7’5″ (2.25m). Heck, the company’s size small 36er bike is designed for riders 6’5″ and up!
On Friday the company officially announced a new bike in the lineup based around a 32″ wheel size known as ISO 57-686. In a blog post written last week, DirtySixer owner David Folch said, “I knew all along that there was a gap between 29er and 36er…” The company’s new 32er frames will be designed to fit riders between 5’8″ and 6’8″.
David says 2-3 years ago a big box retailer actually introduced a cruiser-style bike with 32-inch wheels (technically, 31.5″.) Seeing this bike seems to have set the whole project in motion, and David ended up going to UBI to weld up a prototype 32er frame himself (in titanium no less). One of the company’s suppliers offered to create the initial rims and tires, which was the final piece in the puzzle. Note, the tires on the prototype aren’t designed for mountain biking, but David hopes to have proper tires manufactured… eventually. The fork on the prototype is an inverted MRP dual crown fork which is (hopefully) travel-limited.
DirtySixer initially launched with a Kickstarter campaign for their 36-inch wheel bikes, and the company plans to do the same for the new 32er model with delivery scheduled for mid-2017. Buyers can choose from a singlespeed, 1×11, or Rohloff drivetrain. Both bikes are billed as “all road,” which means they are good for road riding, gravel grinding, and light duty singletrack surfing. Pricing for both the 36er and 32er bikes start at $4,499.
Tall riders, what do you think: Would a bike with wheels larger than 29er be more comfortable or easier to ride?
