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BMC Unveils Roadmachine 01 Amp E-Bikes: Ride Any Road With Electrified German Power

Whenever a cycling giant hits the scene with something fresh, I'm the kind of person that likes to bring that something to light. Well, BMC unveiled its two newest road machines, and of course, they're electric. With a name like Roadmachine 01 Amp X, you can begin to understand what's in store here.
Roadmachine 01 Amp X 19 photos
Photo: BMC Switzerland AG
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If BMC is familiar to you, there's a high probability that you have explored the cycling scene over in Switzerland and/or Europe. If we consider this team has been building bicycles since 1986 and under the BMC name since 1994, they've had more than enough time to expand internationally and have clearly done so. These days, BMC bikes can be found on nearly every continent, and above all, they're often straddled by some of the world's top athletes.

Nonetheless, they build bicycles for the average folk too. Average may be saying a bit much because the new Roadmachine lineup features two bikes, of which the cheapest comes in with a price of €7,500 ($7,770 at current exchange rates), the X Two, so not very average if you ask me; these are bikes for diehard cyclists.

But, before you lose your cookies over the fact that these things cost so dang much, let me point out that there are obvious reasons why BMC is asking you to drop this much on their fresh and delicious wonders, and one of those things is the fact that these two-wheelers are electric. I know you wouldn't say so by looking at that sleek and tasty carbon fiber frames, another reason the wonders are priced as they are.

Roadmachine 01 Amp X One
Photo: BMC Switzerland AG
If you look closely at the images in the gallery, you'll notice a motor integrated into the BB. While many European bicycle manufacturers typically employ Bosch or Fazua e-systems, BMC decided they want to be at the head of the pack with one of the freshest electric drivetrain manufacturers on the current market, TQ, short for Technologie in Qualität.

Why is this puppy such a big deal? Simply because TQ has designed a system that functions similarly to a rotary motor. The Harmonic Pin Ring (HPR) it's called, and not only does this system trinket weigh nearly half as much as what's on the market, but it's also quieter and squeezes out an amazing 50 Nm (37 ft-lb) of torque to help you dominate hills and fly on descents. While it may not seem like a whole lot of power, even Trek has recently released a lineup that uses this motor, and it's strapped to a full-suspension MTB, their 2023 EXe family.

Roadmachine 01 Amp X One
Photo: BMC Switzerland AG
TQ has also made some progress since the last time I wrote about them, as the Roadmachine is equipped with a controller, display, and battery from this crew. The rest of your cash goes to nothing more than top-shelf gear from SRAM, a Rival AXS setup. Brakes are part of this brand and lineup, too, with Centerline X rotors bearing a diameter of 180 millimeters (7.1 inches). XRD rims also hold onto a pair of Pirelli Cinturato Gravel tires, telling us that these two-wheelers are more than just Roadmachines. Considering other industry giants rely on the TQ HPR to work wonders off-road, too, it's really expected. Oh, and let's remember that this sort of cycling style is growing fast. The more expensive of the two, the X One, is selling for €8,500 ($8,800) due to carbon CRD rims, so start skipping lunch if you want one of these.

Exploring the new lineup, I couldn't find how much these buggers weigh. The only information comes in the family's weight limit, 120 kilograms (264 pounds), bike included. But if we consider that BMC created one of the world's lightest road bikes - the Masterpiece - before all this Roadmachine stuff, you know darn well that a lightweight construction is part of what you're paying for. Grab a helmet and enjoy the ride.

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Editor's note: Images in the gallery include both Roadmachine 01 Amp e-bikes.

About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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