This is the Bright XCO 32, the first fork designed from scratch for 32” wheels

The Italian brand Bright Racing Shocks has just presented what can be considered the first suspension fork developed from scratch for 32” wheels, a component that does not arise as a provisional adaptation, but as a specific platform designed to compete at the highest level.

Bright XCO 32: specific platform, ACAD9 cartridge, and 100% racing focus

The appearance of bicycles with 32” wheels no longer seems anecdotal; it is expected to increase by 2026, and we can confirm that the interest in this new standard is serious. In this context, the Italian company Bright Racing Shocks has decided to move quickly, transferring its experience in inverted forks to a completely new format.

Although at first glance it resembles its F929 XC fork, the new Bright XCO 32 does not share a simple dimensional evolution. The chassis, structural sections, and internal relationships have been redesigned to work with the larger wheel diameter, the new inertias, and the additional loads that this format implies. The architecture of inverted bars is maintained, with sliding upper mouths and all the hydraulics concentrated in the left leg, but the assembly responds to different criteria than that of a 29”.

RECOMENDADO

The Decathlon Ford Racing team is betting on the Spanish brand Damoff for the maintenance of its bikes

Pidcock presents the new 2026 kit of Pinarello-Q36.5

For the first time, SRAM matches Shimano in sponsorships for World Tour teams

Overbooking at Teide: Pidcock heads to Chile for the first altitude training camp

Has the new Cannondale CAAD14 been leaked?

How to change the pedals of any bike in 5 steps

The declared weight is 1,720 grams, a striking figure considering the wheel size it is intended for, reinforcing its clearly competitive focus.

One of the key points of this fork is the new ACAD9 cartridge, developed to offer greater control of bobbing while pedaling and a more progressive response under load. The idea is to allow the rider to take advantage of the rolling capability of the 32” wheels without penalizing efficiency or precision on technical sections.

In addition, there is the ASC (Active Sag Control) system, a proprietary technology from Bright that acts on the static and dynamic sag of the fork. The goal is to maintain a more constant front height when speed or terrain demands increase, avoiding geometry losses and improving front-end support, which is especially relevant with such large wheel diameters.

The Bright XCO 32 will be offered with travel options of 80 and 110 mm, a range clearly oriented towards faster XC and XCM, as well as the first prototypes that are seriously exploring the use of 32” wheels. This is not an experimental concept, but a product that is already in production and ready to be mounted on fully functional bicycles.

The first public appearance of this fork took place at the Craft Bike Days 2025, mounted on the Dead Rabbit XCO 32, an aluminum MTB with 97/100 mm of travel and specific geometries to balance the large wheel diameter. The assembly was already fully rideable.

Bright Racing Shocks continues to operate as an independent laboratory closer to artisan work than mass production. All its suspensions are designed and assembled in Italy, with a philosophy based on essential mechanics, unconventional technical solutions, and a clear priority for real performance in racing. Previous experience with extreme projects, such as a rigid fork for 36” wheels, partly explains the ease with which the brand now approaches the leap to 32”.

With this new fork, Bright not only responds to an emerging trend but accelerates it, putting a concrete and ready-to-compete solution on the table.

The price of the Bright XCO 32 fork is expected to be 1,700 euros (excluding VAT).