BMC Launches New Roadmachine Line

BMC Roadmachine Designed to Fill Gap Between Teammachine and Granfondo.

Billed as a one bike, do it all platform, BMC has launched a new BMC Roadmachine to fall into its Endurance Line. The BMC Roadmachine will be available in three levels, the Roadmachine01 with hi-mod carbon, a more economic carbon Roadmachine02 and an alloy Roadmachine03 with a full carbon fork. Builds range from an $11,000 Di2 01 to a $2,000 Tiagra 03, with an 01 frame available for $4,700.

peloton/Images courtesy BMC

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All the new Roadmachine’s will have disc brakes and through axles with a very clean new flat mount option, while the hi-mod carbon version will have an integrated carbon cockpit. The bike’s fit falls in between the Teammachine and the Granfondo, with a special spacer called a ‘Dual Cap’ on the carbon frames that allows a lower stem position, closer to the Teammachine and a taller position, similar to the Granfondo.

A smooth ride has been dialed in with the usual BMC technologies, the Tuned Compliance Concept and the Angle Compliance Concept, with the added benefit of clearance for 32mm tires and a new comfort seat post BMC categorizes a ‘D’ compliance. Both the fit and ride have been designed to fall between the Granfondo and the Teammachine, not quite as aggressive as the Teammachine, but not as laid back as the Granfondo. It is a little stiffer than the Granfondo, but not as stiff as the Teammachine.

The integrated cockpit on the carbon bikes seems a curious choice. While the ‘Dual Cap’ system and five stem lengths should provide fit options for most riders, the endurance world was hardly clamoring for cables routed through bars, stem and head tubes to shave a few watts or clean up the aesthetics. BMC does claim this internal routing is simple to build and service friendly – of course that is what every maker of an integrated cockpit claims and it has never been the case. To be fair, BMC sees the Roadmachine as a race bike and two BMC riders plan to race it at the Tour de Suisse, so perhaps there is some justification for an integrated cockpit. We’ll have to wait until we get our hands on the bike to weigh in.

Of course, another concern is the fit and performance gap between the Granfondo and the Teammachine – is it wide enough to justify another bike? The Teammachine has always been a truly comfortable race bike with unbelievable acceleration and road manners. The fit in low mode is very close to the Teammachine, certainly with the 54 and 56cm bikes. A single spacer can bridge the gap. Of course, there is no disc version of the Teammachine and with this new bike, perhaps there never will be. In hi-mod, the bike fit is quite close to the Granfondo, slightly longer in the the small sizes and slightly shorter in bigger sizes. The Granfondo is already a disc bike and offers very similar tire clearance, 35mm to 32mm.

In many ways the gap this bike is designed to fit feels quite narrow, perhaps the Granfondo platform will be mothballed in the future. We’ll have to wait for a long term test bike to answer these questions.

For more info check out: BMC