Btchn Alpina 32" Hardtail: California Steel, 92mm BB Drop, Limited Parts Ecosystem
Btchn's Alpina is a ground-up 32" hardtail with a 92mm BB drop and California build. Here's what the geometry actually does—and the ecosystem tradeoff.
Btchn is building 32" hardtails in California, and the new Alpina isn't just a 29er with bigger hoops bolted on. Tyler Reiswig's crew designed this thing from the ground up around the larger wheel size—Reynolds steel, tig-welded in partnership with Falconer Bikes, with a 92mm bottom bracket drop that puts you in the bike instead of perched on top of it.
The spec that matters: 315mm BB height across all three sizes (M–XL), chainstays from 439mm to 459mm, and clearance for 32 x 2.6" tires on super-boost spacing (12 x 157mm). Stock build uses a WREN inverted fork (upgradeable to Intend BC), Madrone derailleur with SRAM transmission cassette, and Astral alloy wheels. You can upgrade to Btchn carbon hoops with White Industries CLD hubs if you want to drop 1.7 lbs and add to the $6,800 starting price.
The theory is sound: larger contact patch, better rollover, fewer mid-trail corrections. A 32" wheel should track rough ground more predictably than a 29er, which matters if you're linking technical sections at speed or spending long days in the backcountry where efficiency compounds. Frame weight is around 2,380g (Medium), and the complete bike comes in at 29.17 lbs stock, 27.44 lbs upgraded.
Here's the catch: 32" is still a niche format. Tire selection is limited—Maxxis Aspen in 2.4" width is your stock option, with 2.6" as the ceiling. Fork choices are even narrower. If you flat in the backcountry or need a replacement part, you're not walking into any shop and finding what you need. And while Btchn claims the geometry keeps pedal clearance practical despite the 92mm drop, I can't verify how that plays out on off-camber rock gardens until someone logs real trail time.
If you're 5'7" to 6'4", prioritize stability over playfulness, and don't mind being an early adopter on wheel size, this is a legitimately different tool. Just know you're buying into a platform that doesn't have the ecosystem backup of 29" yet.
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