Swiss bike firm BMC has launched its all-new Speedmachine, a five-year project with Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) to produce what is being as… ‘the fastest time-trial and triathlon bike in the world.’
According to BMC, the new bike features fewer parts, less weight, more speed and a 500g weight reduction from its Timemachine 01 Disc bike. A faster and simpler assembly and disassembly process also make for easier travelling.
Building on five years of design, research and testing, and following a prototype launched in May 2022, the new 2023 Speedmachine combines the know-how of the RBAT team and Red Bull athletes to produce what is billed as the ultimate time-trial (TT) and triathlon bike.
Handling – first and foremost
The engineers at BMC’s Impec Lab originally started the TT and triathlon bike project with a focus on aligning stability, aerodynamics, fit and integration. The all-new Speedmachine was then reappraised to produce revamped handling characteristics via… ‘radical head tube angle, rake and trail dimensions.’
The integrated hydration unit aids handling and aerodynamics, positioned low above the bottom bracket junction, with internal, easy to clean hydration tube routing, enabling the rider to stay in position and aero. The hydration bottle is supplied in two sizes, with a removable 1.2L reservoir, leaving the UCI-compliant 400ml tank in position and accessible whilst tucked.
Triathletes will benefit from the built-in rear storage and light both positioned behind the seat tube which are integrated and designed with aerodynamics in mind.
With a wider range of options between base bars, extensions and stack, athletes can remain in their preferred aero position for longer, and this added stability also provides the opportunity to ride deeper section wheels.
F1 knowhow
Working with RBAT, the engineering company born out of the multiple F1 world championship winning Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team, extensive research and testing went into the new BMC Speedmachine – combining real world testing and the wind tunnel.
BMC noted that… ‘RBAT engineers have years of experience exploring ‘Driver Feel’ and how the driver is connected and feels at one with the car in top level motorsport. Through the partnership with RBAT, BMC was able to take this research and apply it to the bike to explore the connection with ‘Rider Feel’.
‘Feeling a connection with the bike and understanding how it is going to react on the road leads to a fundamentally better predictability and handling for the rider, resulting in more confidence in speed.’
In the new bike, particular attention has been paid to controlling airflow via tube shapes, the head tube leading edge and the unique airflow spoiler beneath the fork crown – a technology resulting directly from the RBAT collaboration – designed to control air flow from the front wheel. Extra-wide fork legs complement and complete the through-flow.
Real world testing
When tested in the challenging conditions of Lanzarote by the BMC Pro Tri team, the athletes fed back that the feel of the bike provided stability, power transfer and drew comparison with riding a road bike.
Max Neumann, professional triathlete for BMC Pro Triathlon Team, said “After spending a good few weeks now on the new Speedmachine you really can’t ask for more in a TT bike. The biggest noticeable difference from the Timemachine is how stable the Speedmachine is at speed, up climbs and in cross winds.
“The team at BMC have been able to strip significant weight off the Speedmachine and now it climbs like a road bike but also TTs on the flat quicker than any bike I’ve ridden.”
Ben O’Connor, professional cyclist for World Tour team AG2R Citroën, added that “The new Speedmachine from BMC is incredibly impressive – it’s really a game-changer for me. The main positive point is the manoeuvrability and stability, which are significantly improved, especially on the descents.
“But this is also the case on the climbs, because it is more rigid and responsive – very important for a good time-trial bike where the courses often include technical turns with more rolling descents and climbs.”
Lighter frame, practical packing
The all-new design comprises just 20 components, seen as a major factor in reducing frameset weight by 500g.
Packability and frequent travelling have been addressed, with only four bolts required to turn the bar assembly for bagging or boxing. A simple vertical clamp also makes the seatpost easy to remove and pack.
The new bike is on sale from November 2023 in the following models:
- 01 LTD – € / US$ / CHF 16,999
- 01 TWO – € / US$ / CHF 10,999
- 01 MOD – € / US$ / CHF 6,999
www.bmc-switzerland.com
www.redbulladvancedtechnologies.com
