Starling Cycles presents the Big Bird, its first mountain bike with a 32-inch front wheel – not just a concept bike, but a small series handcrafted in Bristol. The 32″/29" "mullet" concept combines a huge front wheel with a classic 29-inch rear wheel, 120 millimeters of suspension travel at the front and rear, and is designed to roll confidently over roots and scree on the trail without delivering completely unfamiliar handling.

Opinions are divided on the new 32-inch mountain bikes. Some see them as an unnecessary new standard introduced at a bad time for the cycling industry, others as yet another bike with a tractor-like feel, and still others as a powerhouse for elite athletes and trail riders. This tension was also the focus of the high-profile panel discussion at Cycle Week in Zurich. The debate is now available as a replay video.

The bike world is working on a new wheel size. But hardly anyone has dared to go public with 32-inch wheels. Now Stoll Bikes is entering the arena with its own 32-inch prototype. But how do such large wheels ride, sluggish and boring or perhaps even fast and fun? Ride was given the opportunity to take an exclusive test ride with Thomas Stoll.