This weekend, defending Unbound Gravel winner and reigning Life Time Grand Prix champion Cam Jones, alongside Robin Gemperle, will line up in Emporia, Kansas, aboard a prototype Scott gravel bike built around 32" wheels. Jones will defend his title in the 200-mile main event, while Gemperle, winner of last year's Tour Divide, will take on the 350-mile Unbound XL.
32-inch wheels have garnered a lot of attention in recent months, with more products emerging built around the new wheel size. However, most of the discussion around the larger wheel size has so far centred on XC mountain biking. The concept first broke cover in Andorra last year when Titouan Carod rode a 32-inch-equipped BMC prototype.
Dominic Geoghegan
But while XC may have been where the concept first emerged, gravel could prove to be where larger wheels make the most sense. Integrating larger wheels into a gravel bike potentially avoids some of the packaging challenges associated with suspension layouts, while the gains in rollover performance may also be more noticeable on a rigid platform where tyre volume and wheel size play a larger role in comfort and control.
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