Vassago Maximus Ti 32er: The Next Leap in Mountain Bike Wheel Technology

Vassago, a pioneering force in mountain biking, unveils its latest innovation: the Maximus Ti with 32-inch wheels. This development continues the brand's legacy of pushing boundaries in wheel size, promising a new era for cross-country racing and beyond. The Maximus Ti, crafted from resilient titanium, is designed to offer riders unprecedented speed, stability, and a unique riding experience. As the cycling world watches, Vassago is poised to once again reshape expectations for what's possible on two wheels.

Vassago Maximus Ti 32er: Unveiling the Future of Cycling Performance

In a bold move echoing its past pioneering efforts with 29-inch wheels, Arizona-based Vassago Cycles, under the leadership of owner Tom Ament, has introduced the groundbreaking Vassago Maximus Ti, a hardtail mountain bike featuring revolutionary 32-inch wheels. This initiative positions Vassago at the forefront of the next evolution in mountain bike technology, targeting the high-performance demands of cross-country racing.

The genesis of the Maximus Ti stems from a collaborative spirit, particularly the curiosity of Vassago customer Rich Dillen, who sought a bike optimized for short-track races. Ament, drawing on his extensive experience in designing and building custom frames since acquiring Vassago in 2011, embraced the challenge. Following successful prototypes and a surge of interest from the cycling community, the Maximus Ti officially launched, ready to redefine race performance.

Engineered with a focus on cross-country prowess, the Maximus Ti showcases a meticulous geometry, including a conservative 67.5° head tube angle and a generous reach of up to 500mm for larger frames. Ament highlights the immediate benefits of the 32-inch wheels: superior rolling speed and the capacity to tackle larger gears, requiring riders to initiate turns with a fractionally quicker response. A notable geometric feature is the consistent 450mm chainstay length across all frame sizes, a design choice that, while presenting unique handling characteristics for smaller riders, contributes to the bike's distinct identity.

Addressing the complexities of integrating such large wheels, Vassago has ingeniously kept the bottom bracket height in line with standard hardtail mountain bikes, achieving a 316mm height despite a significant 95mm bottom bracket drop. Further innovations include short ZS headtubes to accommodate lower stack heights, with Vassago offering its own carbon fork alongside compatibility for existing rigid ENVE forks. The frame is also future-proofed, designed to fit tires up to 32x2.6 inches and featuring sliding dropouts for single-speed or UDH-compatible geared setups, reflecting lessons learned from the early adoption of 29ers.

Currently, the Vassago Maximus Ti, priced at $2,399 (with a sale price of $1,999), is in high demand, often pre-sold before production is complete. Manufactured in Taiwan, frames are expected to reach customers within approximately a month. Ament, a self-proclaimed initial skeptic turned enthusiast of larger wheel sizes, expresses profound satisfaction with the Maximus Ti, declaring it a truly enjoyable ride that heralds an exciting future for mountain biking.

The introduction of the Vassago Maximus Ti with 32-inch wheels marks a significant moment in the mountain biking world. It challenges conventional design and opens up new possibilities for performance and rider experience. This innovation reminds us that the pursuit of excellence in sports equipment is a continuous journey, often driven by the passion of individuals like Tom Ament and the curious demands of riders. As the cycling community explores the potential of this new wheel size, it's clear that the boundaries of speed, efficiency, and enjoyment on trails are constantly being redefined.