32-inch wheels welcome another giant: Continental announces its first tire

The 32-inch wheels continue to gain prominence in mountain biking, and major component manufacturers are beginning to prepare their catalogs for this new size. Continental is the latest brand to announce its entry into this market, and it will do so with a 32-inch version of its well-known Dubnital, a competition tire designed for XC and gravel that will be available in April 2027.

Continental Dubnital 32": a competition tire for XC and gravel

Continental has chosen one of its fastest and most versatile tires to debut in the 32-inch segment. The Dubnital, which arrived in the brand's catalog in 2025 as a replacement for the historic Race King, will have a new version adapted to the larger wheel diameter.

The choice is not casual. The Dubnital is a tire developed to roll quickly on compact, rocky terrains with a certain amount of loose material. Its design allows it to be used both in mountain biking and in some gravel configurations, two disciplines where 32-inch wheels are gaining interest.

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For this first version, Continental has confirmed a single configuration called Dubnital Race Rapid, which will combine its lightweight Race Casing with the Rapid compound, developed to offer low rolling resistance and good performance in competition.

The German manufacturer explains that it has adapted the tread pattern to the new diameter to take advantage of the characteristics of larger wheels. Among the advantages noted are a greater ability to overcome obstacles, better speed retention, and an increase in traction and stability.

Continental confirms that interest in 32 inches is growing

Alexander Haenke, product manager for MTB and gravel at Continental, has explained that the development of this new tire directly responds to the evolution that the market is experiencing.

According to Haenke, interest in 32-inch wheels is increasing, and Continental wants to ensure that bicycle manufacturers and cyclists can access its tire technologies from the early stages of this format's implementation.

The manager also points out that the new geometries of frames and user needs are changing, so the brand intends to gradually expand its offering of specific tires for this diameter.

The arrival of Continental represents another important step for 32 inches. Maxxis has already presented a range of tires specific to this format, and in the meantime, bicycle manufacturers continue to develop their own projects.

In fact, the telemetry data obtained during tests of the new 32-inch MTBs already point to interesting advantages in certain terrains, although there are also trade-offs related to weight, acceleration, and wheel behavior.

Continental has confirmed that the new 32-inch Dubnital Race Rapid will be available worldwide starting in April 2027. For now, its width, weight, and price have not been announced.