BMC Road Bikes Guide : Which Model is For You?
Based out of Switzerland, BMC (Bicycle Manufacturing Company) was founded in 1986 by Bob Bigelow. It was a wholesale distributor of Raleigh bikes and shifted its focus to build bikes in 2001 after Bigelow lost his Raleigh distributor license.
Businessman Andy Rihs took over BMC in 2000 and built a production capacity in Grenchen, Switzerland. From there, the BMC Impec bike was born. Today, the Grenchen facility no longer manufactures but houses BMC’s R&D and Engineering teams, called the Impec Advanced R&D Lab.
While BMC manufacturers bikes for all types of cycling disciplines, we will focus solely on road bikes in this article.
BMC Road Bikes in Pro Racing
As one of the leading road bikes brands today, the BMC bikes have been a mainstay in professional cycling with BMC Racing Team. They made their first Tour de France appearance in 2004 with Phonak Cycling Team.
The Teammachine SLR01 is their top racing bike with Cadel Evans (2011 Tour de France), Philippe Gilbert (2012 Road Race World Championship), and Greg van Avermart (2016 Olympics Road Race, 2017 Paris Roubaix).
The AG2R Citreon Team and Team Qhubeka Assos ride BMC bikes in 2021.
BMC Road Bikes Line Up
BMC’s naming convention can be confusing for some. There are three models of road bikes from Teammachine SLR (all-rounder) to Timemachine (aero) and Roadmachine (endurance).
The top of the line frames have a 01 after their names, and the lower range doesn’t. Aluminum frames are indicated by the ALR acronym.
The bike specs are specified in written numbers such as ONE, TWO, THREE, and so on, indicating their components levels. The lower the number, the better the specs.
Example : BMC Teammachine SLR01 ONE
| Model | Description | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Teammachine SLR01 | Premium, all-rounder race bike | $7,000 to $16,000 |
| Teammachine SLR | All-rounder race bike | $3,900 to $5,800 |
| Teammachine ALR | Aluminum, mid-range bike | $2,000 to $3,000 |
| Roadmachine 01 | Premium endurance bike | $7,000 to $11,000 |
| Roadmachine | Endurance bike | $3,000 to $5,300 |
| Roadmachine X | Urban bike | $2,000 |
| Timemachine Road 01 | Premium aero race bike | $6,800 to $11,000 |
BMC Teammachine SLR01
The Teammachine SLR01 is BMC’s all-rounder, pure breed race bike. Cadel Evans won the Tour de France in 2011 on the same model, albeit an older generation model. At first glance, the naming convention of the Teammachine SLR01 can be confusing and looks to be all over.
The top of the line model is the Team model, which is the same bike ridden by the AG2R Citreon Team. It’s then followed by the ONE, TWO, THREE, and FOUR models. The ONE and TWO models overlap each other in pricing range due to the different wheelsets used. One of the TWO models is more expensive due to it being specced with the ENVE SES 3.4 Wheelset.
There are seven models in the Teammachine SLR01 lineup based on its choice of the groupsets.
- Teammachine SLR01 Team ($16,000) – Campagnolo Super Record EPS
- Teammachine SLR01 ONE ($11,000 to $11,500) – SRAM Red eTap AXS
- Teammachine SLR01 TWO ($11,000 / $12,500) – SRAM Red eTap AXS / Shimano Dura Ace Di2
- Teammachine SLR01 THREE ($7,700) – SRAM Force eTap AXS
- Teammachine SLR01 FOUR ($8,000 / $7,000) – SRAM Force eTap AXS / Shimano Ultegra Di2
Our Value Pick : BMC Teammachine SLR01 TWO with SRAM Red eTAP AXS ($11,000)
BMC Teammachine SLR
The SLR is a mid-range carbon race bike at more accessible pricing levels. It’s very similar to the SLR01 except for one big difference; the absence of hidden front-end cabling. Unlike the SLR01, the SLR has exposed brake hoses on the front end due to the non-integrated, two-piece cockpit design.
Similar to its elder sibling, the naming convention of the Teammachine SLR looks to be all over and with overlapping pricing. This is due to the combination of wheelsets and/or groupset that is specced with the bike.
There are seven models in the Teammachien SLR lineup based on its groupset options.
- Teammachine SLR ONE ($5,500) – SRAM Force eTap AXS
- Teammachine SLR TWO ($5,000 / $5,800) – SRAM Force eTap AXS / Shimano Ultegra Di2
- Teammachine SLR THREE ($3,800) – Shimano Ultegra
- Teammachine SLR FOUR ($2,900 / $5,000) – SRAM Rival eTap AXS / Shimano 105
- Teammachine SLR FIVE ($3,900 / $5,000) – SRAM Ultegra R8000
Our Value Pick : BMC Teammachine SLR TWO with Shimano Ultegra Di2 ($5,800)
BMC Teammachine ALR
The ALR is an entry-level, aluminum road bike (hence the ALR acronym) at prices below $3,000. With the same geometry as the SLR and SLR01, the ALR is a solid bike by itself. For it to be budget-friendly, BMC specced all the models with mechanical Shimano drivetrain and aluminum wheels.
There are four models in the Teammachine ALR lineup with two each for the ONE and TWO. The difference lies in the choice of wheels.
- Teammachine ALR ONE ($3,000) – Shimano Ultegra
- Teammachine ALR TWO ($2,000 to $2,300) – Shimano 105
Our Value Pick : BMC Teammachine ALR TWO with Shimano 105 ($2,300)
BMC Roadmachine 01
The Roadmachine is BMC’s top-of-the-line endurance bike. It has a more relaxed geometry compared to the Teammachine and has a carbon fiber layup that is geared towards more comfort especially over rough roads at the expense of high performance and stiffness.
There are six models in the Roadmachine 01 lineup with prices ranging from $7,000 to $12,300. All models are specced with electronic shifting only. The frameset is also available separately.
- Roadmachine 01 ONE ($11,000) – SRAM Red eTap AXS
- Roadmachine 01 TWO ($12,300 / $10,000) – SRAM Red eTap AXS / Shimano Dura Ace Di2
- Roadmachine 01 THREE ($7,700) – SRAM Force eTap AXS
- Roadmachine 01 FOUR ($7,800 / $7,000) – SRAM Force eTap AXS / Shimano Ultegra Di2
Our Value Pick : BMC Roadmachine 01 FOUR with Shimano Ultegra Di2 ($7,000)
BMC Roadmachine
The Roadmachine is the cheaper version of the Roadmachine 01. They both have the same frame geometry, same carbon fiber but the Roadmachine doesn’t come with hidden cables. The front and rear brake hoses are exposed and enter the frame at the top left of the fork and downtube.
The highest specced Roadmachine is specced with either a SRAM Force eTap AXS or Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset. Mechanical Shimano 105 is used on the cheaper models.
- Roadmachine ONE ($5,300) – SRAM Force eTap AXS
- Roadmachine TWO ($5,800 / $5,000) – SRAM Force eTap AXS / Shimano Ultegra Di2
- Roadmachine THREE ($3,700) – Shimano Ultegra
- Roadmachine FOUR ($5,000 / $2,800) – SRAM Rival eTap AXS / Shimano Ultegra
- Roadmachine FIVE ($3,800) – Shimano Ultegra
- Roadmachine SIX ($3,200) – Shimano 105
- Roadmachine SEVEN ($3,000) – Shimano 105
Our Value Pick : BMC Roadmachine FOUR with Shimano Ultegra ($2,800)
BMC Roadmachine X
The Roadmachine X is designed for adventure rides, daily commutes, or light-duty touring. The aluminum frame with a carbon fork has a relaxed geometry focusing on comfort, wider tires, and mounting points for fenders and rear bike racks.
There is only one model of the Roadmachine X with SRAM Apex and retails for $2,000.
BMC Timemachine Road
The Timemachine Road 01 is BMC’s fastest bike to date. Designed for all-out speed, the tubes are aerodynamically shaped and cables fully hidden and integrated achieving a very clean front end. All models are specced with deeper 50mm wheels.
There are for models in this line up with prices from $7,400 to $11,000. The option for frameset only is also available.
- Timemachine Road 01 ONE ($11,000) – SRAM Red eTap AXS
- Timemachine Road 01 TWO ($8,000) – SRAM Force eTap AXS
- Timemachine Road 01 THREE ($7,300 / $6,800) – Shimano Ultegra Di2 / SRAM Rival eTap AXS
Our Value Pick : Timemachine Road 01 THREE with Shimano Ultegra Di2
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is BMC’s warranty?
BMC bikes come with a 3-year warranty for the frames and 2-year warranty for the paint. You can extend the warranty from 3 to 5 years by registering on the BMC website within 30 days of purchase.
Does BMC make women-specific road bikes?
BMC doesn’t make a women-specific bike nor has models with women-specific components such as narrower handlebars and saddles. Their smallest size is 47 which will suit someone between 5’ 3” to 5’ 5” (160 to 166cm).
Read More : 5 Major Differences Between Men and Women’s Road Bikes
Where are BMC bikes made?
BMC bikes are made in Taiwan since 2014. Initially, the bikes were made in Grenchen, Switzerland, but BMC decided to move production to Taiwan to keep the cost down to stay competitive. The Grenchen facility today is their R&D center.
Why are BMC bikes more expensive than others?
BMC prides itself on its design and engineering technologies such as Impec, TCC, and ACE+. Their bikes are generally priced higher than others for similar specs.
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