Swiss bike brand BMC has revealed an all-new triathlon bike, the Speedmachine, which has been developed over five years in partnership with Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT).
As the name and partnership with Red Bull suggests, this bike was built to go fast, but a lot of thought and time has also gone into other key pillars, too.
That includes everything from reduced weight and clever storage solutions to practical packing and, notably, confident handling.
The science of speed and classy handling
It’s that last aspect that BMC is pushing to the front of its marketing. The aim was to “perfectly align stability, aerodynamics, fit and integration to produce the fastest bike in the world”.
So how does the brand believe it’s nailed the brief regarding handling? Well, the Speedmachine’s “radical” head tube angle, rake and trail dimensions help, BMC says. As does the bike manufacturer’s partnership with RBAT.
RBAT is the engineering company that was born out of Red Bull’s multiple championship-winning Formula 1 team.
Partnering with them gave BMC greater access to technology-led research and improved testing – both in the wind tunnel, with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and, vitally, in the real world.
Specifically, the two teams looked at how they could carry ‘driver feel’ from F1 into cycling, delivering a greater understanding and confidence in how the bike would react on the road.
The result is said to be better predictability and better handling. In fact, BMC goes as far as saying this “is a bike you can ride in the aero position with the same level of confidence you have on your road bike”. And with that confidence comes speed, according to the brand.
Of course, aerodynamics has also played a big part here, with the tube shapes, head tube leading edge, extra-wide forks and the ‘SharkFin’ spoiler beneath the fork crown all playing their part in disrupting airflow, reducing drag, producing a downward force and reportedly improving handling as a result.
The partnership with RBAT also brought about a new steering geometry, which is said to improve confidence and predictability. The weight distribution has also been optimised to help you stay on the aero bars for longer, thus improving times.
The Speedmachine is optimised for disc brakes and 28mm tyres, but can take up to 30mm.
What about storage?
Integrated storage is a vital part of any triathlon bike and it’s not something that’s been ignored here.
The most notable feature in this regard is the brand’s hydration unit, which has been named the Speedmachine Fueltank 1200.
As you might have guessed, that number denotes the capacity for fluids, with 1,200ml of volume available. That can be accessed via a hydration tube that runs up the top of the downtube and through the bike's head tube to sit between the aero bars.
In addition to its obvious benefit of keeping you hydrated, BMC also says it aids handling and aerodynamics due to its low position just above the bottom bracket.
On the top tube, you’ll also find mounts in case you want to add additional storage such as a bento box for any gels, bars or other cycling snacks.
There’s also additional storage on the rear of the seat tube, which has been designed to take a flat kit without any aerodynamic penalty.
Meanwhile, on the back of this storage unit you’ll also find an LED light emitting 20 lumens to help keep you visible no matter what the conditions, though battery life is only said to be up to three hours.
Fit and adjustability
The Speedmachine comes in just three sizes – small, medium and large – but further customisation is possible thanks to a choice of two base bar options (flat and low), plus adjustable risers, armrests and extensions.
You can see the geometry chart in the image above.
BMC has also made sure the bike is compatible with the Profile Design interface so you can customise the cockpit to your liking using aftermarket parts.
Travelling with a triathlon bike is no easy feat, but BMC hopes to make it easier by ensuring only four bolts are needed to turn the bar assembly for packing, while an ‘efficient’ vertical clamp is said to make the seatpost easy to remove, as well.
BMC Speedmachine models and pricing
The BMC Speedmachine will be available from November in the following guises:
Speedmachine 01 LTD
- Price: €16,999
- Groupset: SRAM RED eTap AXS
- Wheelset: Zipp 858 NSW
Speedmachine 01 TWO
- Price: €10,999
- Groupset: SRAM Force eTap AXS
- Wheelset: DT Swiss ARC 1650
Speedmachine 01 Module
- Price: €6,999
- Frameset only
