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BMC Shows Off New SLR01, Reveals ACE up their Sleeve

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SLR01_DADi2_Team_Red

When it came time for BMC to revamp their pro-level race bike, the Teammachine SLR01, they faced a big challenge. The previous Teammachines have quite the pedigree of victories in the past decade, so in order to stand as the new flagship of the brand, the new SLR01 had to be something special. As more and more of the industry seems to be turning to FEA, rapid prototyping, and wind tunnel testing for taking designs to the next level, so too has BMC. Claiming an industry first, BMC replaced traditional prototyping with an all new Advanced Composites Evolution (ACE) computer modeling program that allowed for a staggering 34,000 possible frame configurations before the first prototype was made.

By focusing on the frame’s structure, tube cross sections, and carbon layup all in ACE’s modeling programs, BMC believes the new SLR01 is the result of a perfect combination of weight, stiffness and vertical compliance. A combination that will continue to lead their teams to victory.

More details, models, pricing, and availability next.

ACE technology

ACE

As a design process that is rapidly becoming more and more advance and prolific in the industry, FEM (Finite Element Method) or FEA (Finite Element Analysis) essentially uses super powerful computers to model real world interactions in computer modeling. FEA grew out of the aerospace industry due to the need for accurate stress analysis, but is now used in many industries for structural/stress analysis, fluid flow, heat transfer, electromagnetic fields, and more.

With ACE at BMC engineer’s fingertips, and the right know how, BMC was able to wade through 34,000 prototypes to get an accurate idea of how they would perform without ever leaving the virtual world. Of course, the technology is only as good as the engineers involved so it’s not a magic wand, though the resultant SLR01 makes it look like BMC knew what they were doing. As a result of the design process, the final SLR01 is 15% lighter than the 2013 SLR01, yet it is 25% stiffer. Stiff and light are great, but at the end of a grand tour stage compliance counts for something too which is why the SLR01 continues the use of BMC’s Tuned Compliance Concept (TCC). Introduced on the first generation Teammachine SLR01, TCC uses optimized tube shapes and carbon schedules to provide compliance while maintaining stiffness where needed. According to BMC’s numbers, the new SLR01 is more vertically compliant than the 2013 model, though not surprisingly still a ways off from their GF01 gran fondo bike.

Resulting from the prototyping and design of the bike, the SLR01 has asymmetrical chainstays, triangular seat stays, a D-shaped seat post, an oversized downtube, wider top tube, and a stepless steerer fork all designed to increase compliance and stiffness while keeping the design as light as possible.

Added Weight

That weight? The frame weighs 790g. When BMC lists the frame weight they go as far as specifying that measurement is for a painted 56cm frame with full hardware. The 1380g frameset weight includes seat post, headset, and fork. The weight is low enough that as with any tour level super light frameset, weight needs to be added to make the bikes UCI legal. We’ve seen any number of creative ways to make weight from alloy seatposts to weights glued to the down tube, but these added weight plates that fit neatly under the bottle cages are pretty trick.

Models:

Initially the Teammachine SLR01 will be offered in 4 complete models and a frameset. The Di2 is pictured first, with the specs following.

BMC SLR01 Di2 Spec

The Di2 SLR01 model will retail for $12,999.

SLR01_DA_Team_Red

BMC SLR01 DA Spec

Dura Ace is a few grand less at $9,999.

SLR01_Red_white

BMC SLR01 Red Spec

SRAM Red equipped models will retail for $7,999.

SLR01_Ult_Stealth

BMC SLR01 Ultegra Spec

While likely the most popular model based on the stealth looks and price will be the $5,599 Ultegra Stealth. There will also be a frameset (frame, seatpost, clamp, headset, fork) offered for just $4,999.

Frameset Features

  • ACE technology full carbon frame, fork and seat post
  • DTi cable routing, compatible with mechanical and Di2 group sets.
  • Frame weight: 790 g including all hardware (size 56 cm)
  • Frameset weight: 1380 g including fork, seat post, headset (size 56 cm)
  • Hardware includes: derailleur hanger, cable guides and seat clamp

Bottom bracket – BB86 Shimano Press fit
Fork

  • ACE technology full carbon fork
  • 1-1/8” to 1-1/4” tapered stepless steer tube
  • Fork weight 330 g

Seat post

  • ACE technology full carbon seat post
  • Standard set back 15 mm, available in 30 mm set back
  • Seat post weight 180 g

Sizing

  • 6 sizes
  • 48 cm – 61 cm

SLR01 Geometry BMC

SLR01 Geometry chart BMC

Availability

Some of BMC’s team members have already been riding the SLR01 with more jumping on at the Dauphine and the Tour de Suisse. At the start of the Tour de France, team riders will be seen on the Team Red version, which will be available in shops with a DA mechanical spec during the first two weeks of the TdF.

 

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27 Comments
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Jose
Jose
11 years ago

The question is, will BMC warranty the frame when it eventually cracks? Or is this just supposed to be a one season disposable frame?

ROOX
ROOX
11 years ago

Oh Jose, you so crazy!

ethics
ethics
11 years ago

“There will also be a frameset (frame, seatpost, clamp, headset, fork) offered for just $4,999.” Just? That’s close to an 8th of the U.S. medium income for like 1/3 of a bike!

Velo
Velo
11 years ago

Gorgeous with some very nice details… but very $$$

Velo
Velo
11 years ago

The U.S. median *household* income is about $50K. Individual incomes are less.

Adam
11 years ago

While I love companies pushing boundaries, when does a bike become too light, especially if our cycling government has weight limits in place? At what point do we stop seeking out the lightest bikes, but instead the most well rounded, best handling, lightweight, aero bikes?

Matt
Matt
11 years ago

Just not aesthetically pleasing to look at. That whole seat post, seat stay triangle area is disjointed looking at best with to many angles going on.

ethics
ethics
11 years ago

no problem Zach, it’s obvious now. thanks for the story!

Dan
Dan
11 years ago

So, $5K for the frame, or get it a complete bike for $5.5K. Who comes up with the pricing?

Ventruck
Ventruck
11 years ago

yeah did I right that right? $600 over the frameset gives you presumably complete ultegra and well.. bike?

Greg
Greg
11 years ago

I really wonder how well they tested this deign. FEM is just a approximation, there is always quite a bit of error associated with the calculations. It would be very hard to correctly model the layup of the carbon fiber and the actual strength at the joints (tube being much more uniform); not to mention the variation at the joints every different bike has. It will be very interesting to see long term testing and reviews especially with fatigue failure and crack propagation in mind.

Gummi
Gummi
11 years ago

So, if you want a frameset is it cheaper to buy the Ultegra bike and sell everything you don’t want!!!

Something ain’t right here..!

Mindless
Mindless
11 years ago

Where are the disk brakes?

Mindless
Mindless
11 years ago

Gluing weights under the tube? What is wrong with making a stronger, stiffer frame instead?

Mike
Mike
11 years ago

Honestly it’s about the same price as most other super bikes, so just live with it. Nice bike.

greg
greg
11 years ago

@the other greg,
they dont solely use fem/fea, if theyre anything like other bike companies. they do lab and real world testing to validate their modeling, which then goes to refine the programming, etc. more advanced programs definitely account for ply direction, bond lines, multiple fiber types, etc..

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
11 years ago

Note that people not racing UCI rules governed races don’t need to add on the special made weights. There is as yet nothing to indicate the frame isn’t strong enough and stiff enough, but I know such things don’t compute for armchair critics.

Zach, can you double check the Ultegra equipped bike price and the frame price?

Electrofuzz
Electrofuzz
11 years ago

Lighter and thinner so it can explode out of the box!

Chris 68
Chris 68
11 years ago

It’s not only BMC, you can also see the same pricing from Cervelo (frame/Ultegra bike).
@Zach: please send me the adress to buy Ultegra & wheels aso. so cheap! I will get another good frame 😉 with better pricing.
@BMC, Cervelo,…: you will sell MORE frames at affordable price tags gaining your R&D costs even earlier, beside more BMC on the roads (marketing!)
@SLR01 well done frame I would like to have – if only I can afford it. BMC are building beautiful and technical bikes for a long time. And supporting road racing!

Mindless
Mindless
11 years ago

@Psi Squared: People not racing UCI sanctioned races are fooling themselves if they think they need to save an extra pound at the expense of a flimsier disposable frame.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
11 years ago

Who says a lighter frame is flimsy and disposable? Nothing. There’s nothing objective at all in those terms. Further, need has nothing to do with it. No one needs a CF frame and more than 7-8 gears or is it 5-6 gears or is it 3-4 gears. No one needs a bicycle that costs more than $500. There are a lot of things that no one “needs”, but as I said, need has nothing to do with it. You don’t need your bike. You likely could get buy with something less expensive, heavier, and with fewer gears. We all could.

Since it’s unlikely that anyone here was on the design team or engineering team that produced this bike, I’m willing to bet that no one here is fit to judge the character of the bike’s stiffness or durability. Engineering from pictures on the internet, especially when you can’t see lay-up or any internal features at all, is a futile and worthless exercise.

Mindless
Mindless
11 years ago

Who says? Experience of thousands of riders.

There is no need for this bike to exist. Pros need more weight and stiffer frame, and amateurs are better suited by allocating extra half pound to reliability. Better add disk brakes and through axles.

1Pro
1Pro
11 years ago

Holy Crop! .022″ wall SS and .024″ wall DT/TT? while I am sure the ride is just fine, if you wind up in the cat5 sunday crit pile up, you will be trying to exploit the crash replacement policy I am quite sure. That is one waffer thin mint there.

plum
11 years ago

Dem stays look CRAY! Looks savagely uncomfortable.

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