Galfer equipa de serie los discos Shark en la nueva Orbea Rallon DH – CiclismoIn a groundbreaking move at the 2026 UCI Downhill World Championships in Val di Sole, Belgian rider Martin Maes is set to compete on a prototype Orbea Rallon DH featuring a 32-inch front wheel paired with a 27.5-inch rear wheel—a configuration known as a “mega mullet.” (pinkbike.com)
Innovative Design and Engineering
This unique setup is the result of extensive collaboration between Maes, Orbea’s OOLAB (Orbea Open Lab), and component manufacturers like Oquo and Schwalbe. The prototype’s aluminum frame deviates from the standard Rallon DH, incorporating several adjustable features:
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Geometry and Suspension: The frame offers two main pivot positions, allowing Maes to experiment with different suspension kinematics. Currently, he is utilizing the higher mid-pivot setup, which negates the need for a chain idler pulley. (pinkbike.com)
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Bottom Bracket Position: The bottom bracket is housed within a bolt-on structure, enabling easy adjustments to its position without the need for a new frame. (pinkbike.com)
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Stiffness Customization: The underside of the downtube features a long slit accompanied by multiple inserts, suggesting the potential for adding stiffness plates to modify the frame’s rigidity. (pinkbike.com)
Wheel and Fork Adaptations
To accommodate the larger 32-inch front wheel, several modifications have been made:
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Front Wheel: The 32-inch wheel, labeled “UNCODED” by Oquo, is laced with 32 spokes to a DT Swiss hub and fitted with a Schwalbe Magic Mary Gravity Pro tire. (pinkbike.com)
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Fork: The Fox 40 fork has been extended to provide sufficient clearance for the larger wheel, while maintaining 200 mm of travel. (pinkbike.com)
Potential Impact on Downhill Racing
While the 32-inch front wheel is a novel concept in downhill racing, it has been previously tested by Neko Mulally, who won the Sea Otter DH on a bike equipped with a 32-inch front wheel. Maes’s participation in this configuration at a UCI-sanctioned event could pave the way for future innovations in downhill bike design. (pinkbike.com)
Looking Ahead
Orbea emphasizes that this prototype is part of their OOLAB program, aimed at testing new technical solutions. There are no current plans to commercialize this specific configuration. However, the data gathered from Maes’s performance in Val di Sole will provide valuable insights into the viability of larger front wheels in downhill racing. (pinkbike.com)
As the 2026 UCI Downhill World Championships unfold, all eyes will be on Martin Maes and his innovative “mega mullet” setup, marking a significant moment in the evolution of downhill mountain biking.