Three years after overhauling its all-around race bike, the Teammachine, BMC is at it again, pulling the curtains back on the latest evolution of the refined race-proven steed. Arriving with a host of refinements across the board, it’s said to balance power transfer, weight, compliance and aerodynamics and we’ve covered all you need to know below.
- Related Reading: Road Bike Buyer’s Guide
1. An Evolution in Aerodynamics
Now in its fourth iteration, the latest generation Teammachine builds on the incredible Palmares of its predecessors by adding a host of aero tweaks to its now-ubiquitous dropped-seat tube frame. Much like its key competitors from Specialized and Trek, BMC harnessed the power of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to design its new airfoil profiled headtube, downtube, fork blades and dropouts.
Despite having the same geometry as the third generation Teammachine, BMC claims the new Teammachine is 6% more efficient at 45kph than its predecessor with the redesigned fork with its integrated thru-axle nut, slimmer, truncated design doing the majority of the heavy lifting here.
2. Stiffness Tweaks
It wouldn’t be a race bike release without claims of increased stiffness. In the case od the 2021 Teammachine, BMC says rear end stiffness has been increased by 20% thanks to a widened bottom bracket contact area and revised downtube shape. This rear end stiffness is reported to translate into excellent power transfer in the real world. Upfront, the revised headtube, fork and steerer are said to have improved the torsional rigidity marginally, to aid in responsiveness and agility.
3. ...Without Compromising on Weight
Despite the stiffness and aerodynamic efficiency gains, the overall weight figure of the Teammachine hasn’t been forgotten. With its featherweight ICS cockpit, new d-shaped seatpost, an optimised carbon lay-up and minimalistic paint, BMC claim the 2021 Teammachine is 9%, or 160 grams lighter than its predecessor.
Extrapolate this out to a complete build, and weights range from a UCI limit defying 6.56kg for a Size 54 flagship SLR01 One build. At the other end of the spectrum is the entry-level SLR Four, which with it’s heavier components still weighs in at a commendable 8.1kg (Size 54). The only downside to the svelte weight? For those of us that aren’t built like greyhounds, BMC states a weight limit across the Teammachine range of 110kg.
4. Integrated Cockpit Gains
As is the trend with modern race bikes, the 2021 Teammachine is loaded with integrated features which make for wind-cheating clean lines. The most significant change comes at the cockpit where BMC has overhauled its Integrated Cockpit System (ICS) and made them both backwards compatible with most older bikes in the BMC catalogue except for the Roadmachine. Available as both a featherweight one-piece unit (ICS) and as a two-piece unit (ICS-2), the integrated units feature as standard across the Teammachine range.
The one-piece ICS cockpit is said to tip the scales at a featherweight 305g, making it one of the lightest integrated bar/stem units on the market. The new ICS-2 stem, on the other hand, is said to be 15g lighter and has a broader handlebar clamp for increased stiffness and is compatible with a wide range of 31.8mm handlebars on the market.
5. Compliance Built In
Despite the apparent focus placed on power transfer, stiffness and aerodynamic efficiency, BMC claims that the Teammachine is just as compliant as the third-generation Teammachine it replaces. Much of this is achieved through the carbon lay-up of the new frame, which is said to provide vertical flex through the frame and seatpost, shielding you, the rider from road buzz and imperfections out on the open road.
6. Aero Axle Inserts and Bottle Mounts Feature
In an effort keep the 2021 Teammachine as clean as possible, BMC has moved to shield the thru-axle nuts from the wind entirely with both front and rear nuts being fully enclosed in the frame.
Continuing on the aero efficiency theme, BMC has tweaked the aero bottle mounting solution first unveiled on the Timemachine and rolled it over to the Teammachine. Dubbed AeroCore, the aero bottle mounts are said to tip the scales at 43grams for the downtube cage, and 26 grams for the seat tube cage and are available on all 2021 Teammachine SLR01 and SLR models.
7. Modern Component Specifications
As with most modern race bikes, the entire 2021 BMC Teammachine lineup is disc specific, sorry #savetherimbrake crowd. Additionally, the flagship SLR01 frame with its integrated cabling is designed explicitly for electronic groupsets, so those wanting to run a mechanical groupset will have to opt for the second-tier Teammachine SLR.
The disc brake mounts have also been tweaked, with the front calliper now featuring wider bolt spacing which is said to make centring the calliper easier. As for rotor sizing, the front is 160mm whereas riders have the option of fitting a 140mm, or 160mm rotor at the rear.
Tyre clearance has also increased, with BMC stating the Teammachine will swallow tyres up to 30mm wide, which should make for a plush ride.
8. Pricing and Availability
The new Teammachine SLR is offered in the following models: Teammachine SLR 01, Teammachine SLR and Teammachine SLR 01 modules. Sizes offered include 47, 51, 54, 56, 58 and 61cm. Check with your nearest BMC dealer for local availability.
Pricing for Australian delivered models is as follows;
Teammachine SLR01 ONE AU$14,999
Teammachine SLR01 TWO AU$13,999
Teammachine SLR01 THREE AU$10,499
Teammachine SLR01 FOUR AU$9,799
Teammachine SLR01 MOD AU$6,999
Teammachine SLR ONE AU$7,499
Teammachine SLR TWO AU$6,899
Teammachine SLR THREE AU$5,299
Teammachine SLR FOUR AU$3,999
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