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Third generation BMC Roadmachine adds 40mm tyre clearance, internal storage and rear lighting
BMC has updated its Roadmachine endurance bike to increase its tyre clearance to 40mm, although road specs will be fitted with 30mm tyres. There are two frame spec levels, Roadmachine 01 and Roadmachine. Both include internal frame storage and a rear light.
BMC will also sell Roadmachine X models, designed for all-road use, and the Roadmachine Amp range, fitted with a TQ motor. Prices start at €3,199 (approx £2,750) and head up to €12,999 (approx £11,150).
Greater tyre clearance, internal frame storage and more
BMC has sold two previous generations of the Roadmachine, plus before them the Granfondo, launched in 2012 and an early adopter of the endurance bike format.
The new third generation Roadmachine offers some upgrades over the previous bike, that will be familiar from many other brands’ endurance road bike launches: wider tyre clearance, internal storage in the down tube, an integrated USB-rechargeable rear light and, for the lower spec Roadmachine frameset (as opposed to the higher spec Roadmachine 01), mudguard compatibility. All the Roadmachines can be fitted with the BMC D-Fender lightweight Ass Saver-style rear mudguard.
In addition, there are gravel oriented Roadmachine X models and a range of Roadmachine 01 Amp and 01 Amp X electric bikes, powered by the compact TQ HPR50 bottom bracket motor system found in bikes including the Trek Domane+ SLR. The Roadmachine 01 Amp models will sit alongside the existing Roadmachine Amp models, which are powered by the Mahle eBikemotion rear hub motor system and will continue to be sold.
While road models are equipped with 30mm tyres, there’s clearance to fit the Roadmachine with gravel tyres up to 40mm in width.
Small changes in geometry
Wider tyres are also taller, which means that the rear centre (the distance from the bottom bracket axle to the rear wheel axle) and hence the wheelbase of a bike with wider tyre clearance usually needs to be longer, which in turn affects the bike’s handling.
BMC says that it’s kept this effect to a minimum with its Roadmachine upgrade. It’s added 5mm or less to the rear centre, which has in turn added just 1mm to 3mm to the wheelbase across the different frame sizes, which it says has a negligible effect on geometry.
Another effect of taller tyres is to raise the frame height above the ground, so BMC has lowered the frame’s bottom bracket by 5mm to compensate and preserve similar handling to the last generation bike. At the same time, it’s increased the frame stack height by up to 10mm, depending on frame size, and slightly reduced the reach for a more comfortable ride position. It’s kept the fork trail the same as in the previous bike though.
It’s also further developed the kinked seatstays that have been a feature of the Roadmachine and, before it the Granfondo, which it says work with the flex in the seatpost and the seat tube to increase compliance.
BMC says that it’s updated its carbon layup in the new bikes, while retaining the D-shaped seatpost of the previous Roadmachine generation. The claimed weight for a Roadmachine 01 frameset in size 54 is 963g, with the fork weighing 448g and the seatpost adding a further 179g.
All the bikes feature mounting points for a top tube bag and a chain catcher to stop a dropped chain from gouging your frame. They also include BMC’s stealth dropouts, which look neat and also, BMC says, have an aero benefit.
There’s an update to the integrated cockpit, with a new ICS Carbon Evo design with a shape which BMC says improves the fit on the top Roadmachine 01 models. Base model Roadmachines have a separate bar and stem.
The Roadmachine 01 X and Roadmachine X bikes include BMC’s ICS MTT suspension stem, which is based on Redshift’s tuneable vibration damping tech and provides up to 20mm of vertical compliance.
BMC Roadmachine family
The new BMC Roadmachine bike family includes an impressive range of options. There are two frameset grades, the Roadmachine 01 and the standard Roadmachine, with each offered at a range of specs. In addition, there are X gravel-oriented specs for each grade of frameset.
The Roadmachine is available in six sizes, which BMC says will suit riders from under 160cm in height up to those over 190cm tall.
BMC Roadmachine 01
Roadmachine 01 Two
- Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace
- Wheels: DT Swiss ERC 1100
- Price: €12,999
Roadmachine 01 Three
- Groupset: SRAM Force AXS
- Wheels: BMC CRD-321 SL
- Price: €8,499
Roadmachine 01 Four
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra
- Wheels: BMC CRD-321
- Price: €7,999
BMC Roadmachine
Roadmachine Two
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra
- Wheels: BMC XRD-522
- Price: €5,499
Roadmachine Four
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2
- Wheels: Mavic Open Disc
- Price: €4,199
Roadmachine Five
- Groupset: Shimano 105
- Wheels: Mavic Open Disc
- Price: €3,199
BMC Roadmachine 01 X
BMC Roadmachine 01 X One
- Groupset: SRAM Force XPLR AXS
- Wheels: BMC CRD-321
- Price: €7,999
BMC Roadmachine X
BMC Roadmachine X Two
- Groupset: SRAM Rival XPLR AXS
- Wheels: BMC XRD-522
- Price: €4,799
BMC Roadmachine X Three
- Groupset: SRAM Apex XPLR AXS
- Wheels: BMC XRD-522
- Price: €4,299
BMC Roadmachine 01 Amp e-bike family
All the Roadmachine 01 Amp models are powered by the compact TQ HPR50 motor unit in the bottom bracket and a 360Wh TQ battery.
BMC Roadmachine 01 Amp
BMC Roadmachine 01 Amp One
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra/TQ HPR50 motor
- Wheels: BMC CRD-400 SL
- Price: €8,999
BMC Roadmachine 01 Amp Two
- Groupset: Shimano GRX RX810 Di2/TQ HPR50 motor
- Wheels: BMC CRD-400
- Price: €7,999
BMC Roadmachine 01 Amp Three
- Groupset: Shimano 105 Di2/TQ HPR50 motor
- Wheels: BMC XRD-522
- Price: €7,999
BMC Roadmachine 01 Amp X
BMC Roadmachine 01 Amp X One
- Groupset: SRAM Force XPLR AXS/TQ HPR50 motor
- Wheels: BMC CRD-400
Price: €8,999
Like BMC? Read our feature: From turmoil to Tour de France triumph: The story of BMC
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