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BMC Kaius 01 mixes aero & tuned compliance into ultimate gravel race bike

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, riding
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This all-new BMC Kaius is what you get when you cross a BMC Teammachine SLR aero road bike & a URS gravel bikepacking bike. It’s a lightweight carbon aero all-gravel and road bike designed to take on the fastest and most competitive gravel racing with no limitations… “A gravel-racing machine that accesses unbound speed.”

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike

The all-new Kaius 01 is officially BMC’s “first gravel performance racing bike”, and it really does look like a proper mashup of their top Teammachine & URS bikes. The aero gains and racy feel of the aero road racing bike. The big tire clearance, off-tarmac durability, and just enough compliance of the gravel adventure bike.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, complete
all c. BMC

How do you best mix aero speed & gravel capabilities?

Lightweight & aerodynamic

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, frameset

BMC calls the new Kaius 01 the perfect blend for gravel racing.

You get a premium lightweight and stiff carbon frame at just 910g with a 400g fork (claimed) thanks to a high dose of hi-mod fibers. But it also tough enough to withstand regular gravel strikes and off-road shocks thanks to selective reinforcement of key exposed areas. And with careful shaping and a complex layup of various fibers it still promises gravel-tuned compliance over rough terrain, falling in the middle of BMC’s Tuned Compliance Concept Race Technology range.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, Aerocore bottles

From an aerodynamic perspective, the BMC Kaius strikes almost the exact profile as the Teammachine SLR – the only real exceptions being slightly deeper fork legs, a slightly sloping toptube, more robust seatstays, and a small rear wheel cutout to fit big tires into short chainstays. Tube shaping into the wind features the same chopped Kamm tail profiles. The Kaius gets the same proven Aerocore integrated water bottle cages that blend into the downtube, and the same ICS (Integrated Cockpit System) that completely hides all cables inside through the headset.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, ICS Carbon Aero handlebar

In fact, the top-spec build of the BMC Kaius 01 One features the all-new 315g one-piece ICS Carbon Aero handlebar similar to on their aero road Teammachine SLR, but with narrow 36cm width at the hoods and a generous 12.5° flare to the drops to come out to 42cm wide at the drops for all-terrain control. The Kaius 01 Two & Three feature separate bars & stems, but still with full ICS hidden cable routing.

Gravel-capable

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, angled

To balance lightweight and aero speed, the Kaius 01 gets new gravel racing geometry and room for up 44mm wide fast gravel tires. The geometry blends hard surface speed & precise handling with a longer frame Reach and shorter stems, “shifting the front wheel forward to improve stability and increase traction.”

BMC ICS MTT suspension stem x Redshift

And on the more off-road gravel rider comfort front, the bike can also get built up with BMC’s latest integrated cable routing MTT Suspension stem with Redshift damping tech inside.

Tech details

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, seatpost

The Kaius gets a proprietary D-shaped aero seatpost but…

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, dropper post

…you can also swap in an insert for a standard round post that makes the bike compatible with a dropper seatpost, even routed internally through the hidden ICS cable setup.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, toptube bag

The bike is compatible with 1x & 2x drivetrains and has a set of recessed top tube bolts for a clean bolt-on snack bag setup.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, drivetrain

It gets a PF86 bottom bracket, flat mount disc brakes, 12mm thru-axles, and ‘stealth’ dropouts.

BMC Kaius 01 – Pricing, options & availability

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, riding

Conrad Glassey, BMC’s Head of Product Management describes the new Kaius 01 as “an ultra-lightweight gravel bike built to go fast when the terrain gets rough”.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, geometry

The BMC Kaius 01 gravel bike comes in six stock sizes (47-61cm) and three models, all of which are available now through your local BMC dealer.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, ONE
2022 BMC Kaius 01 ONE

Kaius 01 ONE complete sells for $11,999 / 11,499€ with SRAM Red eTap AXS + Force XPLR 1x, Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels & the one-piece cockpit.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, TWO
2022 BMC Kaius 01 TWO

Kaius 01 TWO complete sells for $8999 / 8499€ with Force eTap AXS 2x, Zipp 303 S wheels, and a two-piece ICS cockpit.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, THREE
2022 BMC Kaius 01 THREE

And Kaius 01 THREE complete sells for $5999 / 5499€ with Rival eTap AXS 2x, carbon wheels & two-piece cockpit.

BMC Kaius aero carbon gravel race bike, riding

BMC-Switzerland.com

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Ernest Fitzgerald
Ernest Fitzgerald
1 year ago

Slightly OT but I can’t wait for the gravel fad to fade.

Dinger
Dinger
1 year ago

Why? More options = more participants. Doesn’t matter to me if others don’t choose to ride the same way I do, just that more people ride so we have a stronger voice in things that matter to us.

Usman
Usman
1 year ago

Not a fad. Infact, many should be riding gravel bikes more than road bikes. Easier gearing and more capable for varying road conditions.

Dockboy
Dockboy
1 year ago

In my area it’s just what we do for road rides. Not a lot of options if you stick to pavement, so gravel is just the good option for drop-bar bikes.

Collin S
Collin S
1 year ago

Gravel has really expanded cycling in the past 5-10 years. Road riding is fading as tons of people are (rightfully) afraid of heavy traffic and distracted drivers. You can get a similar style of riding to road riding but with almost zero interaction with drivers. Because of this, gravel is less intimidating than road to brand new riders. The bikes themselves are still fine for riding on the road, so it gives the rider more options. Unless someone is racing road or doing the fastest group rides in the area, the argument for a traditional road ride is fading.

Usman
Usman
1 year ago

As much as I’d love to get this beautifully crafted bike, I can’t justify the cost or redundancy. This looks very much like the BMC Teammachine (as the article states). I already have one of those.

I was thinking the other day how I’d never take it on gravel and see it get scratched and chipped. With the lowest price in the range 6000+ with tax, that’s too high. I could see why someone into gravel racing would want such a bike though.

For someone who’s a big fan of BMC, but rides gravel casually, I’d much rather get an aluminum URS. If they ever have them in stock that is… BMC hasn’t done a very good job of having their stuff available during these pandemic years. I know it’s not only them, but true nonetheless.

myke
myke
1 year ago
Reply to  Usman

Obviously, this bike is not a casual gravel bike! This is the bike BMC should have made first. Not many racing wanted the URS. The URS is a comfort-focused gravel bike with a lot of compromises.

This issue for BMC is if it is too late. I don’t think they nesscerly are but there are other options for people who need something now. If this is anything like the Twostroke it will be impossible to get for the first two seasons.

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