Known for super-stif XC bikes, they’ve added micro suspension to their new race machine – but never fear, they reckon it’s faster than ever
WHY IS THIS A SUPERBIKE?
-Developed with BMC’sWorld Cup XC riders, the Teamelite 01 is a super-stif and lightweight carbon fibre race machine designed for the highest level of competition
-It may look like a hardtail but it actually has 15mm of rear travel to filter out trail buzz and increase grip. It’s rare for any manufacturer to add grams to their top XC race rig so BMC must think their Micro Travel Technology is worth the weight penalty
-Top-of-the-range SRAM, Shimano and Fox components should add up to flawless, lightweight, race winning performance
BMC are calling their new Teamelite 29er “a racing evolution”. This lightweight XC race machine has been built for maximum efficiency – and not just through light weight, but also through a ‘softail’ rear end designed to improve traction and soak up trail chatter without losing the direct drive feel hardtails are known for.
Big softie
The idea of adding a few millimetres of rear travel to a hardtail by utilising tube flex rather than pivots and linkages isn’t new – think back to bikes such as the Trek STP (Soft Tail Pro) and KHS Team ST of the early Noughties, or the Ritchey SoftTail of the mid Nineties. While many of those early softails used mini rear shocks, adding weight and complexity, BMC have simply sandwiched an elastomer between the seatstays and seat tube of their carbon frame.
Dubbed ‘Micro Travel Technology’ (MTT), this set-up gives around 15mm of (crudely) damped vertical rear wheel movement. Combined with the compliance built into the frame through the carbon lay-up process, this helps smooth out the ride, improving traction and comfort, and, ultimately – according to BMC’s testing – making the bike faster.
Best of both worlds
So, how did this design come about? BMC’s Product Marketing Manager, Thomas McDaniel, told us: “The elite XC race team came with a request – they asked the design engineers for compliance in and out of the saddle without a compromise in torsion or pedalling performance.” In layman’s terms, they wanted a hardtail that was more comfortable without any lateral flex.A tough task by anybody’s standards!
Two years of development at the Swiss company’s Impec Lab later and the evolution of the MTT design was complete. The biggest component is the ‘XCell’ elastomer – essentially a slice of shockabsorbing rubber – which sits in a cutaway at the seatstay bridge and is held in place by two anodised studs threaded in from the front of the seat tube through a pair of bushings. Careful shaping of the chainstays and seatstays ensures the rear end flexes vertically but not from side to side. In fact, BMC claim there’s been no loss of lateral stiffness compared to the previous rigid frame, so pedalling is just as efficient. The elastomer comes in three varieties and can be changed to suit different rider weights and riding styles. BMC say the system comes with just a 140g weight penalty over the old Teamelite frame.
No looking back
Elite XC racers Ralph Naf, Lukas Fluckiger and, of course, Olympic gold medallist Julien Absalon tested this bike at the latter end of the 2015 season, with Absalon saying: “To be honest, when I first tried out the new bike with this system I was anticipating a compromise, but I’m convinced it climbs just as well as last year’s bike, with a little extra something for the descents, which we definitely need.”The team will be using the Teamelite 01 at this season’sWorld Cup races.
This is no pro-only bike though – the Teamelite 01 is available to buy, with a choice of three specs. The second-from-top XX1 model seen here comes with a 100mm (3.9in) travel Fox Float 32 FIT4 Factory fork with remote lockout, a SRAMXX1 drivetrain, Shimano XTR brakes and DT Swiss XR 1501 SPLINE ONE wheels – all parts that wouldn’t look out of place at aWorld Cup race
JonWoodhouse, from our sister website BikeRadar.com, was one of the first journalists to have a play on the BMC and came away impressed.“The limited travel doesn’t affect cornering response or pedalling efficiency,” he says. “It just gives a tiny little bit of extra leeway when it comes to grip and comfort, both uphill and down.”
Some modern XC hardtails are so stiff that racers choose to reduce tyre pressures in search of a little extra comfort and traction, putting themselves at extra risk of a race-ruining puncture. BMC’s approach avoids the need for this, and they reckon it creates a faster bike too. The cross-country sprint-off may have just got even quicker!
DEGREE NOT REQUIRED
BMC recommend that the elastomer is cleaned and greased every 30 hours of riding. We managed this in less than five minutes with just a screwdriver and a 6mm Allen key, despite being fairly ham-fisted
SELECTION PACK
The Teamelite 01 uses 29in wheels to maximise rolling speed and traction. World Cup XC racer Ralph Naf raced on a number of wheelsets in 2015 to help pick the ones to be specced on production bikes, where they’re paired with low-profile Continental Race King tyres.
NO POWER LOSS
The chainstays have been designed with efficient power transfer in mind, so racers can finish the sprint-off without wasting energy.
FAST BUT FUN
The relatively slack head angle, low bottom bracket and short chainstays (for a 29er XC bike) produce a nimble, playful feel – there’s got to be some fun in XC, right?
HEADS UP
With a 70-degree head angle, the Teamelite 01 is slacker than most other 29er XC race bikes. The more relaxed steering provides extra stability and control on descents without compromising its climbing ability. BMC call this “purposeful geometry”!
PRICE: 7050$