racing bikes: Test drive: BMC Roadmachine 01 – Traditionally modern

Test ride: During last week's Eurobike Media Days we had our first opportunity to take on the new all-round racer from Switzerland, the BMC Roadmachine. A few extensive test laps with the top model Roadmachine 01 later, we are sure that BMC has really hit the ground running.

A few weeks ago we had the new BMC racer on Velomotion, which goes by the catchy name Roadmachine, presented in detail. With the new all-rounder, BMC is in many respects returning to the origins of the racing bike, pursuing a back-to-the-roots approach that is only astonishing at first glance. Just 10-15 years ago, a racing bike was a racing bike – a bike for the road, for longer journeys, for fast sprints, on both good and bad roads. In the recent past there has been an increasing specialization, with the comfortable endurance racers on the one hand and uncompromising racers on the other. A look at the professional area reveals that there is still a lot more in between: It is not uncommon for the teams to switch between four or five different bikes - depending on the type of rider, route and orientation.

However, many hobby and amateur cyclists are not willing to buy several road bikes: why should they, after all, most cyclists just want a racing bike - no matter what the route looks like. Here, however, potential buyers encounter a problem with many manufacturers' portfolios: There is more than enough choice, but usually you have to decide between the different areas of application: If you want a comfortable endurance bike for long journeys, a lively lightweight for the Alpine passes or a stiff racing vehicle for the next sprint? So far, the Swiss from BMC have had the race bike Teammachine and the long-distance specialist granfondo. Right in between is the new Roadmachine. Into a niche that isn't actually a niche, but the foundation of what most other modern day hits are built on.

BMC Roadmachine: Traditional approach, modern implementation

Endurance, race, aero, all-round - for many, all this is nothing more than gray theory and what is the difference between these different racing bike categories? Leaving aside modern phenomena such as disc brakes, it is primarily the geometry that influences the respective handling. Without going into too much detail at this point, one can say, roughly simplified: the rider of an endurance bike sits more upright - this is usually caused by a longer head tube and a shorter reach. In order to further improve comfort, wider tires usually fit through the rear triangle and fork, seat stays and fork flex more and absorb the impacts of the ground. A race bike, on the other hand, is longer, stiffer, lighter and more agile.

If you now compare the data of the BMC Roadmachine with its two counterparts Teammachine and granfondo, the new, old approach of the newcomer at BMC becomes clear. We have compared some striking geometry data of the three models in frame size 56:

While the Teammachine is designed for propulsion and agility with short chain stays, a small wheelbase and a small steering angle, the granfondo focuses more on comfort and good-natured handling with a 177mm long head tube and significantly longer chain stays. Unsurprisingly, the new Roadmachine is right between the two previous top dogs in almost all areas.

However, just because the general orientation is based on models from the past does not mean that the BMC Roadmachine is not a modern road bike, quite the opposite. The top model Roadmachine 01 comes with an extremely light carbon frame, which, in combination with the stem developed by BMC, enables completely integrated cable and line routing from the handlebars to the end point. The integrated support clamp and the disc brakes also underline the modern character of the bike.

More information about the BMC Roadmachine 01

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Test drive with the BMC Roadmachine 01 – does the concept work?

As we all know, the truth about a bike's qualities does not lie in geometry charts or manufacturer promises, but solely on the road. So during our test ride on the roads around the cycling paradise of Kirchberg in Tirol, we wanted to form our own opinion about the new, classy racer. For our test we got the top model BMC Roadmachine 01 with electronic Di2 gears, light carbon frame, carbon wheels from DT Swiss and the new BMC stem. Cost point: €9.999 – a steep price for a road bike, even in 2016.

Model overview BMC Roadmachine 01

Our first impression is very positive: the Roadmachine is a real feel-good bike. The seating position is balanced and, in our opinion, tends a little more towards comfort, but without allowing that 'touring bike feeling' to arise. The propulsion is phenomenally good, also thanks to the great wheels: The BMC is a lot of fun, gets along well on different terrain and also does excellently on climbs. The slightly shorter chainstays compared to the endurance counterpart granfondo are noticeable during faster descents on road surfaces that are sometimes not quite ideal: the bike can be maneuvered wonderfully around tight corners, but if you are used to the straight-line stability of modern endurance racers, you have to be a little more aware of it more agile, but at times somewhat nervous handling of the Roadmachine.

BMC Roadmachine 01 - Conclusion

Experiment Back to the Roots: Successful! This is perhaps the best way to summarize the BMC Roadmachine. The traditional geometry works, the features and equipment of the new BMC all-rounder are successful and for many it might just be the bike they have been looking for for a long time: not too special, but still high-quality and modern. Only the high price could deter one or the other.