With all of the hype surrounding 32-inch wheels and tires, we’re anticipating to see loads of big-wheeled bikes being raced in cross-country competitions all over the world this 12 months. The primary style of what may probably be the upcoming 32-inch XC revolution got here only a few days in the past on the Absa Cape Epic. Swiss racer Felix Stehli of Workforce Honeycomb 226ers is racing his Stoll Bikes P32, making him the primary to race 32-inch wheels on the Absa Cape Epic. That is arguably the highest-profile race the place we’ve seen anybody using the massive hoops thus far.
Fortuitously, the Absa Cape Epic is huge on media of every kind, and so they’ve been pumping out the content material, together with a motorbike test with Felix and Thomas Stoll, the proprietor of Stoll Bikes. Along with the Stoll P32 being a light-weight carbon full-suspension bike with 100/100mm of journey and 32-inch wheels, one factor that actually caught our eye on this video is the Flight Attendant-equipped Intend fork and shock. That is the primary time we’ve seen RockShox’s proprietary Flight Attendant system in use on one other model’s suspension. We have now questions!!!
Along with this bike test, the Absa Cape Epic media crew has been very lively on the social channels. Simply the opposite day, they posted a comply with cam video of Felix using his P32 down a quick and flowy part of the course. Appears like he’s shifting fairly rapidly.
Present Standings
As of right now, Workforce Honeycomb 226ers is sitting in fifteenth place out of 42 groups within the Elite Males’s class. Given the depth of the sphere, I’d say that they’re doing fairly darn effectively. Whether or not or not the 32-inch wheels of Felix Stehli’s Stoll P32 are offering him with a efficiency benefit stays to be seen, however it’s telling that the younger Swiss rider selected to experience it in such a grueling occasion just like the Absa Cape Epic.
What’s the Stoll Bikes P32?
Stoll Bikes is a Swiss model that designs and manufactures a small vary of light-weight carbon fiber bikes in Europe. The model’s lineup contains gravel, street, hardtail MTBs, and full-suspension MTBs. Final October, Stoll Bikes introduced Undertaking 32 (P32) and its dedication to creating a motorbike for the 32-inch wheel measurement. And only a few weeks in the past, in late February, the model introduced that the P32 was going into sequence manufacturing, and with 32-inch forks and wheelsets changing into extra frequent, they’re able to order.
Stoll Bikes appears fairly satisfied that 32-inch wheels are the long run, saying: “The brand new wheel measurement will essentially rework mountain biking and push boundaries. The 32-inch wheels are a lot sooner that no performance-driven athlete can be in a position to withstand them. Our check rides, from cross-country terrain to alpine excursions, have completely satisfied us.”
Stoll’s Perceived Efficiency Advantages
Rolling resistance on free floor is noticeably decrease.
Improved traction pays off each on the climb and on the descent.
The reserves in tight and technical terrain are breathtaking.
The rider’s integration into the bike elevates efficiency to a completely new stage.
Body Design and Particulars
Stoll Bikes focuses on light-weight carbon fiber frames, together with the brand new P32. The body weight is listed at a claimed 1,880 grams with full bike weights beginning at 10.2 kg (22.5 lbs.). That’s VERY gentle, lighter in truth than many 29-inch wheeled XC race bikes. Like so a lot of these XC race bikes, the P32 has a light-weight single-pivot flex-stay suspension design, but it surely has comparatively unique-looking angular tube shapes and a cutout within the high tube across the higher shock mount.
Stoll provides the P32 in two variants. The “Race” model will get 100mm of rear journey and is paired with a 100mm fork. The “Path” model will get 120mm of rear journey that’s matched with a 120mm journey fork. Geometry particulars are very sparse and restricted to succeed in, high tube, and seat tube measurements. The attain is 468mm on the medium and 500mm on the massive body.
The model provides the P32 in 4 full builds in each journey configurations, starting from CHF 9.500 (~$12,000) to CHF 14000 (~$17,800). Stoll additionally provides the P32 as a frameset with a shock for CHF 5000 (~$6,400).
Taking Orders
Stoll Bikes says that Medium and Giant body sizes can be found and will cowl riders between 170 and 195cm. The model states that an extra small body measurement is feasible however doubtless nonetheless just a few months out. Stoll Bikes is at present taking orders for the P32 with a deposit securing a manufacturing slot. The present lead time is listed at 3 to 4 months.
stoll-bikes.com
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