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One-off with 32-inch wheelsThe Leovelo El Grandito in the bike check

Jan Timmermann

 · 11.03.2026

The artist and his work: Leo von Leovelo with the 32-inch El Grandito bike.
Photo: Jan Bürgermeister
While the big names are still tinkering, frame builder Leo from Leovelo already has a 32-inch bike ready to ride. The "El Grandito" rocks a unique customised frame, hand-picked equipment and the new 32" wheel size. We took a closer look at the custom bike with the giant wheels. With his "El Grandito", frame builder Leovelo presented one of the world's first 32-inch bikes. Major labels are still keeping quiet, but this custom bike with a steel frame and rigid fork is already riding the trails. All the details of the Leovelo El Grandito in the bike check.
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With a unique hardtail made from filigree Columbus steel tubes, frame builder Leo from Leovelo Frameworks proves that 32 inches does not necessarily mean huge dimensions. Thanks to the curved seat tube, the chainstays remain comparatively short at 445 millimetres and the stack value is also close to known standards thanks to an extremely compact head tube. Bike Ahead supplies the first oversized wheels and there are no compatibility problems with a rigid fork. We visited the frame builder and checked out the eye-catching El Grandito bike.

With its ovalised top tube, wishbone rear triangle and countless details, such as the soldered-on hearts, the frame of the Leovelo El Grandito is a statement on the art of frame construction.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterWith its ovalised top tube, wishbone rear triangle and countless details, such as the soldered-on hearts, the frame of the Leovelo El Grandito is a statement on the art of frame construction.

Leovelo El Grandito in detail

  • Application: Cross Country / Gravel
  • Suspension travel: rigid fork
  • Wheel size: 32"
  • Frame material: steel
  • Weight: 10.48 kg
  • Special features: hand-built customised frame, integrated seat clamp, internal cable routing

>> 6 bikes with the new 32 inch wheels are shown in this article.

In overalls, of course: Leo von Leovelo is a trained bicycle mechanic and has studied the construction of bicycle frames intensively in various workshops.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterIn overalls, of course: Leo von Leovelo is a trained bicycle mechanic and has studied the construction of bicycle frames intensively in various workshops.

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Show bike ready to ride

Leovelo specialises in individual frame building courses. 32-inch bikes are now part of the portfolio. In the five-day course, enthusiasts can solder a perfectly fitting customised frame with the new wheel size themselves. The frame builder presented the El Grandito for the first time at the Bespoked trade fair for customised bikes. It is both a show bike and a study. Only a few established manufacturers are already showing their cards when it comes to 32-inch bikes. Meanwhile, Leo has already built his own bike and raves about the strong rollover behaviour and increased feeling of safety of the new wheel standard on test laps.

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>> Why 32 inches? We have already tested the new standard.

Do it yourself: If you want to follow Leo's example and build a 32-inch customised frame yourself, you can take a frame building course at Leovelo.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterDo it yourself: If you want to follow Leo's example and build a 32-inch customised frame yourself, you can take a frame building course at Leovelo.

So far, there are only a few freely available components for 32-inch bikes and hardly any public experience with geometry. To avoid compatibility problems with a triple clamp, a carbon rigid fork from Columbus is used on the El Grandito. This is 470 millimetres long and has a flip chip to vary the fork offset between 45 and 50 millimetres.

>> A first suspension fork for 32 inch wheels is available from Intend. More information under this link.

The Leovelo El Grandito comes with the new Tune Micro hubs.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterThe Leovelo El Grandito comes with the new Tune Micro hubs.

The steering angle of the Leovelo El Grandito custom bike is a slack 66.5 degrees, while the seat angle is steep at 74.7 degrees. Thanks to a head tube that is only 80 millimetres short, Leo can dispense with the use of special components. The low overall height makes a stem with an extreme negative angle superfluous. With a top tube length of 600 millimetres, the reach of 440 millimetres is noticeably short and emphasises the intended use as a fast cross-country or smooth-running gravel bike. For the seat tube, Leo opted for a length of 496 millimetres.

Built in Buggingen in the Black Forest, the Tune hub set fits perfectly into the Leovelo custom bike.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterBuilt in Buggingen in the Black Forest, the Tune hub set fits perfectly into the Leovelo custom bike.
Leo from Leovelo is one of the so-called "early adopters" of the new 32-inch wheel size. Large companies are still keeping a low profile on their 32-inch concepts. If you want to be at the forefront of the new trend, you can build your own 32-inch frame at Leovelo. Leovelo's personal interpretation is a charismatic mix of mountain and gravel bike. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
The frame of the Leovelo El Grandito consists of a special tube set from steel expert Columbus.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterThe frame of the Leovelo El Grandito consists of a special tube set from steel expert Columbus.

Quick and easy

Thanks to the choice of materials and high-end equipment, the Leovelo El Grandito remains under 10.5 kilos. The steel frame of the 32-inch bike consists of a specially manufactured Columbus tube set with an ovalised top tube. A Shimano XTR four-piston brake sits on the 160-millimetre post mount and the T47 bottom bracket houses a crank from cult brand White Industries. The highlight bike is powered by a mechanical Sram Eagle 90 drivetrain. The hands grip pink grips from Esi and the bum sits on a saddle from SQlab. The headset and bottom bracket are from Wolftooth.

Thanks to the super-short head tube, there is no need to lower the stem despite the 32-inch head tube. The Bike Ahead The Unit control centre saves weight.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterThanks to the super-short head tube, there is no need to lower the stem despite the 32-inch head tube. The Bike Ahead The Unit control centre saves weight.

A special feature of the 32-inch bike from Leovelo is the custom wheelset. Bike Ahead laminated a special set of carbon rims for this purpose. Although these are already ready to ride, it remains to be seen whether they will go into series production. They rotate around silver hubs from lightweight construction specialist Tune. The tyres are Maxxis Aspen in the dimensions 32 x 2.4 inches. Lightweight construction is also the order of the day for the seat post and cockpit. The parts from Bike Ahead, hand-built in Germany, hardly weigh anything on the scales. To spice up the look of the carbon parts, Leo had them painted purple by an artist friend.

Equipment jewels: The crank from White Industries shines with its chrome finish and retro look.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterEquipment jewels: The crank from White Industries shines with its chrome finish and retro look.

Conclusion

I am blown away by the Leovelo El Grandito. This piece of jewellery shows that 32-inch giant wheels can be aesthetically integrated into a bike. I particularly like the delicate frame made of high-quality steel and the cool paintwork. Life is too short for boring bikes! If you fancy a 32-inch one-off, you should enrol on a frame building course at Leovelo. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
He can already test ride while the big brands are still developing: Leo from Leovelo and his 32-inch El Grandito.Photo: Jan BürgermeisterHe can already test ride while the big brands are still developing: Leo from Leovelo and his 32-inch El Grandito.
Jan Timmermann

Jan Timmermann is a true mountain biker. His interests cover almost everything from marathon to trail bikes and from street to gravel. True to the motto "life is too short for boring bikes", the technical editor's heart lies above all in bikes with charisma. Jan also runs the fitness centre for our cycling brands.

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