BMC’s pleasingly easy vary of highway bikes lists simply the Teammachine beneath ‘racing’. The Roadmachine is listed as endurance. The Teammachine vary is then cut up into three teams, the R 01, SLR 01, and the SLR, every obtainable with totally different builds and specs.
Each inch of the BMC Teammachine R 01 is constructed for pace.
(Picture credit score: Future/Richard Butcher)
BMC describes the R 01 as ‘probably the most full race bike we’ve ever made’ and there’s no doubt this Teammachine, with its family tree stretching again to 2002, is designed purely for racing. Each a part of the bike has been streamlined and the eye to element all through is spectacular. So, when you do not thoughts spending £13,499, and also you’re on the lookout for a motorcycle to hold you to victory in a couple of native races, learn on. If lengthy days out on the bike are extra your factor, learn on by all means, however take note this bike was not put along with you in thoughts.
Development
Whereas a substantial quantity of effort, expertise, and data went into constructing this body – BMC designs, builds, and assessments all its prototype frames in its Grenchen HQ in Switzerland – it was the out-front head unit mount that first caught my consideration.
A top-of-the-range carbon body from a well-established producer is all the time going to impress – plus you recognize it’s backed by a guaranty and customer support – so what will get my goat is when a buyer who elements with £10k or extra then has to spend £30 on a pc mount. This BMC is the primary bike I’ve examined that comes with one. High marks.
It’s possible you’ll assume that’s petty, however what this little addition nods to is the eye to element lavished on this bike. The BMC Aerocore bottle cage on the downtube is one other working example. It sits flush to the tube and retains the bottle out of the wind. Much less aerodynamic, however simply as pleasing, is the rubber cowl for the stem clamp bolts, which itself is plugged into the clamp so it gained’t fall out.
There’s an enormous quantity of clearance both aspect of the entrance wheel for aero effectivity. We measured a minimal 9mm hole throughout the entrance tyre.
(Picture credit score: Future/Richard Butcher)
Pleasing particulars might be discovered across the body as effectively. It comes with the well-used, wind-cheating options of an hourglass headtube, dropped seatstays and truncated seat pin. The stand-out design characteristic nonetheless is the Halo fork. Whereas the Specialised Tarmac has gone again to a decent, slimline design, BMC has gone wider than ever with the widest level measuring 125.5mm. There’s a minimal 9mm of clearance across the 26mm Pirelli tyres and much more on both aspect of the edges. All to permit higher airflow.
Different components resemble TT frames, just like the Mariana backside bracket, so known as as a result of it’s BMC’s deepest ever, and the rear of the seat tube that follows the curve of the rear wheel. The geometry is what you’d count on on a race bike too with a stack on this 54cm body of 548mm, and attain of 386mm. For comparability a Specialised Tarmac is listed with a 544mm stack and 384mm attain whereas a Pinarello Dogma comes with a 551mm stack and 385mm attain. All are inside millimeters of one another.
So with little to distinguish within the geometry, we’ll return to the main points when assessing the trip.
The construct
All of the bells and whistles because the bike comes with a Quarq Energy metre as a part of the chainset. This paired seamlessly with my GPS good watch on each trip.
(Picture credit score: Future/Richard Butcher)
The R 01 comes with wi-fi SRAM Purple AXS 12-speed with disc brake (160mm rotors), a Quarq energy meter on the 34/48t chainset and 10-28t cassette. The deep-section wheels are from DT Swiss. These ARC 1100 dicuts include 24-bladed spokes with two-cross lacing together with ceramic, sealed bearings. Inside rim width measured 20mm which meant our 26mm Pirelli Zeros measured 27mm when blown as much as 80psi.
Deep part DT Swiss Dicut 1100 wheels are shod with 26mm Pirelli Zero Race TLR SL tyres.
(Picture credit score: Future/Richard Butcher)
Unsurprisingly, BMC builds the Teammachine with its personal ending package of seatpost and ICS built-in bar and stem. The bars measure 38cm on the hoods and flare out to 42cm on the drops. The form means the brake hoods slope gently inwards which sees you naturally drop your forearms down and relaxation them on the highest of the bars. On lengthy straight roads, I did this on autopilot, and the place turned fairly snug the extra I bought used to it. On the hoods, the width takes somewhat getting used to, however as quickly as you develop into accustomed, dealing with is nimble and predictable, instilling confidence on descents.
The Journey
The short-nosed Fizik Argo Vento fits the character of the bike completely.
(Picture credit score: Future/Richard Butcher)
There’s no getting away from it, this bike isn’t constructed for tough roads. That’s not a criticism, it’s a reality. It’s simply not designed with the small, nation lanes that I trip in thoughts.
Whereas I wouldn’t name myself a hardened rider, I’ve develop into accustomed to those roads and the way take a look at bikes really feel on them. It’s my new regular, sadly. I used to be subsequently stunned on one trip once I hit a brief patch of completely laid tarmac. For round seven seconds on a delicate descent I used to be immediately floating, I couldn’t even really feel the bike beneath me. It was on this temporary however superb second that I realised what this bike was constructed for. Completely laid, completely maintained Swiss roads.
Get this bike onto these and it’ll merely purr alongside beneath you, making it really feel such as you’re using on a skinny layer of air. If the roads round me have been all like this I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest the Teammachine for longer rides. Alas, it was only a temporary glimpse of using Nirvana.
Each bottle cages have been designed to suit seamlessly onto the body to maintain the traces clear and maintain the bidon out of the wind. The rear cutout tracks the wheel superbly.
(Picture credit score: Future/Richard Butcher)
Most of my rides are round one to 2 hours, and on these, the bike is nice enjoyable to trip and luxury isn’t a difficulty. It’s quick and responsive (it will be extra responsive if it got here with 170mm cranks. The 172.5mm cranks it got here with are what contributed to a really slight lack of acceleration.) and virtually not possible to trip on the hoods and not get in a low tuck place.
It’s maybe no shock then that bike got here into its personal in time trials. After all of the body resembles a TT bike virtually as a lot because it does a highway bike. And because it lowers you right into a streamlined place the temptation is all the time there to push on. This can be a race bike, designed for individuals who need to trip laborious. If that’s what you’re on the lookout for, and you may afford the worth tag, you may’t actually go flawed.
Worth and conclusion
The ‘Mariana’ backside bracket is so known as as a result of it’s BMC’s deepest but.
(Picture credit score: Future)
When you’ve bought £13,499 burning a gap in your pocket and also you’re on the lookout for a race bike that may can help you get right into a low, slender and subsequently aerodynamic place, the Teammachine is a good possibility. Each inch of it’s constructed for pace, and no element has been missed – from the slender aero handlebars to the downtube that curves into the proprietary bottle cages. Solely the rear mech might be accused of protruding into the wind and ruining the bike’s virtually good aerodynamic type. What this bike isn’t designed for is epic rides or poor highway surfaces roads. If both of these sounds acquainted, I’d transfer on.
Specs
- Body: Premium carbon
- Fork: Premium carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Purple AXS 12 spd, 35/48t, 10/28t inc. Quarc Energy Meter
- Stem / handlebars: ICS one-piece
- Seatpost: Premium carbon
- Saddle: Fizik Argo Vento
Wheels:DT Swiss Dicut 1100 (62mm) - Tyres: Pirelli Zero Race TLR SL