The mountain bike world is once again on the brink of change. As 32-inch wheels move from concept to reality, riders and builders alike are asking what this new platform will mean for bike performance, geometry, and suspension design. Recently on the Blister Podcast “Bikes & Big Ideas,” Manitou Product Manager Phil Ott joined Reynolds Director of Wheel Development Todd Tanner to pull back the curtain on what it takes to make 32-inch bikes work in the real world. What became clear in that conversation is that this development isn’t happening in a vacuum. Manitou has been actively prototyping suspension solutions for 32-inch wheel bikes, with early versions appearing “in plain sight” on test rigs and early development frames. The goal isn’t simply to scale up existing designs, but to use Manitou’s deep suspension expertise to create solutions that work in concert with frame engineering, wheel dynamics, and rider expectations.

One of the biggest themes of the podcast was the collaborative nature of this development. Suspension isn’t just something that can be designed in isolation from the rest of the bike. Frame geometry, fork offset, tire clearance, and even braking systems all influence how a suspension system performs. That’s why Manitou’s approach to 32-inch development emphasizes close work with OEM frame partners and other component specialists. By sharing early prototypes with partners, Manitou ensures that suspension solutions evolve alongside frames and wheels in a way that minimizes compromise between component objectives. This is not new territory for Manitou. From the earliest days of mountain bike suspension to the creation of class-leading trail and enduro forks, Manitou has always believed in engineering grounded in real world testing and cross-discipline feedback. That same philosophy now drives the 32-inch wheel initiative, a project met with genuine eagerness and thoughtful engineering from Manitou’s talented product team.