Swiss brand BMC unveiled their new top of the line carbon hardtail mountain bike, the Teamelite TE01, with a confusing array of possible build options.
Made with their highest grade of carbon, here’s what BMC says about it:
The brand new Teamelite TE01 stands for pure efficiency. With its race-tested geometry and innovative TCC, the hardtail responds at lightning speed and provides a secure and controlled ride every time. This bike offers uncompromising lightweight design, as BMC only uses the best quality carbon for the iSC frame. The teamelite TE01 is a snappy combination of minimum weight, aggressive geometry and the highest degree of stiffness.
Check out the (possible?) build specs and more photos after the break…
UPDATED: Explanation of the various builds and options from Cam at BMC posted at bottom.
Decked out with top- or near-top-of-the-line parts all around, the BMC TE01 should serve most top level racers, leaving the sponsored folk to outfit it with XX (or XTR, depending on how you roll). This one’s decked with SRAM XX 2×10, Easton EA90 wheels with color-matched hubs, Selle Italia saddle and Schwalbe Rocket Ron tires.
The Fox FRL Fit fork is set at 100mm of travel, and BMC’s Tuned Compliance Concept frame helps to keep the rear end tracking well without beating your arse. The seatpost is also part of the TCC structure, which together with the seatstays provide a bit of vertical flex.
The chainstays meet the bottom bracket at its full width, the seat tube squares and flares thre and the downtube is heavily shaped into a hexagonal-like form. All together, it looks like it creates a very, very stiff BB area.
But wait, what’s this? An XX/Sid equipped version? Yep, BMC offers two builds, the standard one at the top and this Swiss Assembly model with the above mentioned changes, Mavic wheels.
It gets better. Their website lists this one as built with full XT Dynasys and custom DT Swiss wheels. So, how this thing ends up on the showroom floor is really anyone’s guess at this point. I guess it depends on whether you trust the catalog or their website.
Us? we believe anything we read online.
UPDATE: Here’s the official word on the various build options for this bike (and other BMC models):
“Basically, we have two types of market: Distributor or Direct.
Distributor markets exist where we have appointed an exclusive importer for our bikes in any given country.
A Direct market is one in which we directly own and control the distribution [Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Italy and USA].
Distributor markets get a “Standard” specification, as it’s much easier to manage one specification for our 20+ distribution partners!
Direct markets offer a range of specification options (on selected models). These customised bikes are assembled in our factory in Switzerland – hence “Swiss Assembly” – according to the customer’s request and shipped to the dealer ready to ride.
A final and important note: though we own BMC USA, we’re not able to offer “Swiss Assembly”. I hope that we might become successful enough to have a separate options program in the USA in the future!”
