My 32 cents on 32 inch wheels
I haven't posted in a long time, but I thought I'd come out of hibernation to share my thoughts on the 32" revolution that's definitely, maybe, probably coming soon. A month ago, I got my hands on a pair of Velocity Blunt 35 from Jorrit at Munro Wheels together with some custom length Sapim spokes, I laced the wheels to some DT swiss 350 hubs (Boost 110mm in the front and SuperBoost 157mm in the back) and found some Maxxis 32x2.4 tires on R2-Bike. Wheels were the prerequisite, the rest followed.
I decided from the get-go that I wouldn't even try to get a suspension fork, I love a simple bike and suspensions are something I would love to do without. I built a 26x4" fat bike a few years back and hoped the big volume tires would provide enough plush and they did, I loved the BMX sort of vibe, the big grip, monster truck kinda feeling but the Q-factor of the cranks and the heavy/sluggish steering of the fat wheels kinda killed the fun.
When I came across the 32" wheels, it triggered that idea again. What if those bigger wheels, that were also used on stagecoaches before tires and suspensions were available, could soften the ride enough to go full rigid. I have to admit, I was skeptical, but still very curious. But then again, that's why I started a workshop in the first place, to try out stuff, to experiment.
So I built a complete bike, I took it for a ride on my local trails (Hareskov for the locals) and there is definitely something to it. I think that what I most like about the 32" wheels is that:
- There is a real rollover benefit, the wheels simply do not get stuck on roots or in rock gardens, they just roll
- The lower BB noticeably improves stability with a center of gravity closer to the wheel axles, giving you a feeling of being tucked between the two wheels
- My doubts about the handling and "playfulness" of the bike - due to a greater gyroscopic precession - quickly vanished with the use of a slightly shorter stem and a wider bar (780mm compared to my usual 740mm), the steering is not slower or heavier in any disturbing way
- My general feeling is that this wheel is great for the taller riders (>1,80m) who value improved rolling properties and enjoy the flow when riding singletracks, you can do away with any suspension and enjoy a naturally dampened feel for the ground rolling under your wheels.
- There is a "back to the roots" feeling about riding a fully rigid bike but without getting a beating or getting stuck on roots and rocks and simply enjoying the flow of the trail
- This is not a revolution, just an evolution for those who are curious to experience something else. It's a chance to go back to a fully MTB rigid setup, great for adventure rides, singletracks weekend warriors or rougher gravel mountain roads
Looking Back – Going Forward
I started framebuilding in 2008, after attending UBI's Titanium framebuilding class with Jim Kish in Ashland, Oregon. It came at a time in my life where I needed to build stuff with my hands, to escape from a desk job that paid the bills but lacked purpose. We are now in 2025. During those 17 years, I built around 200 frames: for me, for family, for friends and for the many framebuilding class students that came to visit and the occasional custom frame buyer. The truth is, that I never saw this as a business, it was mostly driven by a passion, to build, to share, to experiment. I am not a salesman, I always thought that objects or services should sell themselves, if they serve a purpose, fulfill a need or spur a dream. But the laws of economy, like the laws of physics, always bring you back on the ground and in today's world if you want to develop something in a niche market like custom framebuilding, you need to rake far and wide and let the world know that you exist. Today that means using social media, that means posting and shouting louder each time to reach people that are already drowning in a constant noise.
With the loss of my bigger brother at the end of April, I took a step back, pushed on the pause button and took the time to contemplate the past and imagine the future. The noise suddenly stopped and I realized that I don't need to sell bikes, post on social media, follow the trends or keep up with what everybody else is doing. I can open and close the workshop door whenever I want, it's there, it's paid for and it's not going anywhere. I can just go back to building bikes, for me, for family and friends and that's enough, I can close the company, close Instagram, the books, the accounts, the email, the VAT, the tax and the customs declarations. Keep the good stuff, get rid of the rest. So that's what I did.
oTmBikes is officially closed for business and opened at my leisure: to build stuff that makes no economic sense but puts a smile on someone's face, starting with my son and his new old-school BMX !
J'ai commencé la construction de cadres en 2008, après avoir suivi le cours de construction de cadres Titane de l'UBI avec Jim Kish à Ashland, dans l'Oregon. C'est arrivé à un moment de ma vie où j'avais besoin de construire des choses avec mes mains, pour échapper à un travail de bureau qui payait les factures mais manquait de sens. Nous sommes maintenant en 2025. Au cours de ces 17 années, j'ai construit environ 200 cadres : pour moi, pour ma famille, pour des amis, pour les nombreux participants aux cours de construction de cadres qui venaient me rendre visite et pour les acheteurs occasionnels de cadres personnalisés. En réalité, je n'ai jamais considéré cela comme un métier ; c'était surtout une passion : construire, partager, expérimenter. Je ne suis pas un vendeur; j'ai toujours pensé que les objets ou les services devraient se vendre d'eux-mêmes, s'ils servent un but, répondent à un besoin ou suscitent un rêve. Mais les lois de l'économie, comme celles de la physique, vous ramènent toujours à la réalité et, aujourd'hui, si vous souhaitez développer quelque chose sur un marché de niche comme la construction de cadres personnalisés, vous devez ratisser large et chercher a vous faire connaître. Aujourd'hui cela veut dire les réseaux sociaux, cela veut dire publier et crier toujours plus fort pour atteindre des gens déjà noyés dans un bruit incessant.
Avec la perte de mon grand frère fin avril, j'ai pris du recul, j'ai appuyé sur bouton pause et j'ai pris le temps de contempler le passé et d'imaginer l'avenir. Le bruit s'est soudainement arrêté et j'ai réalisé que je n'avais pas besoin de vendre des vélos, de publier sur les réseaux sociaux, de suivre les tendances ou ce que font les autres. Je peux ouvrir et fermer la porte de l'atelier quand je veux, il est là, il est payé et il n'ira nulle part. Je peux juste retourner construire des vélos, pour moi, pour ma famille et mes amis, et ça suffit ! Je peux fermer l'entreprise, fermer Instagram, la comptabilité, le mail, les déclarations de TVA, d'impôts et douanières. Garder le bon et me débarrasser du reste. Alors c'est ce que j'ai fait.
oTmBikes est officiellement fermé aux affaires et ouvert pour le plaisir : pour construire des trucs qui n'ont aucun sens économique mais qui font sourire quelqu'un, à commencer par mon fils et son nouveau BMX old-school !
