Custom bikes from Leovelo: 3 × 32-inch for MTB, single-speed and bikepacking

Frame builder Leo from Leovelo opted for 32-inch wheels as early as last year. Since then, more and more cyclists have been keen to build a bike with this new wheel size on one of his frame-building courses. At the Bespoked trade fair for bespoke frame building, Leo showcased no fewer than three bikes featuring the new wheel standard. These included his latest single-speed, rigid-fork hardtail, the Greyhound, and two exciting bikes built by his apprentices. These three bikes are currently among the most awesome 32-inch bikes around. We took a closer look at these Leovelo masterpieces.

Conclusion

Leo is a charismatic chap with a keen eye for trends and a master of his craft. It was an honour to build my own custom bike with 32-inch wheels with him. The other creations from the Leovelo workshop, with their bold looks and unique designs, are a dream come true for any cycling enthusiast. It makes me want to build my next 32-inch frame straight away! - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor

Welcome to the Leovelo family, dear Greyhound

When editor Jan Timmermann was soldering his own steel frame at Leovelo in Basel for a feature in BIKE, Leo ordered two of each of the special tubes. The frame builder was keen to build another 32-inch bike in a similar style. However, the ‘brother’ was to be by Jans “Goliath” To capture Leo’s very own personal style and the character of his beloved 29er single-speed hardtails “Jungle Hunt” be modelled on. What’s more, the frame builder simply wanted to build another absolutely brilliant 32-inch bike so that other interested riders could test ride it too. In his courses, this new wheel size is in high demand, Ever since Leo started with ‘El Grandito’, which had attracted attention as one of the very first 32-inch models ever to be available on the market.

Leo christened the result “Greyhound”. The Goliath’s twin brother features the same seat tube, which was bent by a specialist in Luxembourg to make room for the large rear wheel. This allows the Leo to achieve a compact chainstay length of just 435 millimetres, despite its 32-inch wheel size. The chainstays are supported by a wide T47 bottom bracket. The single-speed chain is tensioned via adjustable dropouts. The Greyhound features the same top tube as the Goliath: a custom-made, extra-thin tapered tube from Columbus in Italy. Its geometry and style were inspired by the Jungle Hunt. The head angle is a flat 66 degrees, whilst the seat angle is a steep 77 degrees.

Due to the limited availability of 32-inch parts from established manufacturers, Leo ordered the rigid fork and the carbon rims from a Chinese wholesaler. The frame builder had already had positive experiences with this supplier’s parts in the past. A front rack is mounted on the head tube. Paprika-Bags, a friend of his who makes custom frame bags in Leipzig, tailored the matching accessories. The cockpit consists of an old BMX stem and a 22.2-millimetre-thick titanium handlebar from Sral. Beautiful components from Tune, Bike Yoke and Cosmic-Sports complete the show-ready build for the Bespoked trade fair.

Leovelo Goliath

The Leovelo Goliath was also on display at the Bespoked trade fair for hand-built bicycles in Dresden; the story of its development was documented in BIKE. The Goliath combines radical geometry centred on a 64-degree head angle with a light weight of 11.5 kilos, despite its steel frame and large 32-inch wheels. The wheels are supplied by Bike Ahead. Editor Jan Timmermann also lent a hand with the production of the ‘Biturbos’ himself. An upside-down suspension fork from Intend provides 100 millimetres of travel. On the Goliath, Jan also dared to stage a world premiere: My first Everesting on a 32-inch mountain bike.

Bikepacking bike with an X-frame

The third 32-inch bike in the line-up was also built during a frame-building course at Leovelo. Leo himself has revived the traditional craft of the journeyman. An almost forgotten custom that took him through the workshops of various frame builders for years. Now, more young people are following his example and setting off on their journeys as bicycle mechanics. One such person is Valentin, who visited Bespoked in his traditional craftsman’s outfit. Under Leo’s guidance, he had created a gravel bike frame in an X-design. It was inspired by the old Mantis Valkyrie and retro frames from Bianchi. Custom frame bags from Paprika Bags were also used here, mounted via Fidlock fasteners. The 32-inch bikepacking bike uses a Ratio conversion kit to accommodate a mechanical mountain bike rear derailleur.

What do you think: would you like to build your own 32-inch frame? What do you reckon it would look like? Let us know in the comments.