BMC's new Roadmachine 01 AMP X is best described as an all-road e-bike, filling the gap between pure road and pure gravel. BMC says that this "premium road e-bike allows riders to extend their reach and go their own way". It features 38mm of tyre clearance, TQ's new 360Wh drive system and is available in two models. The top-spec 12.9kg 'ONE' has an RRP of £8,100 whilst the 13.3kg 'TWO' retails for £7,200.
What do you get?
BMC says that its new bike is designed for a fast and forgiving ride that takes the edge off the roughest roads to push harder and ride further with the ultimate balance between comfort and performance. That's the story.
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Despite shipping with 35mm rubber, the AMP 01 X has space for up to 38mm tyres. It also has full mudguard mounts, an integrated computer and light mounts on the handlebar.
The new bike sports BMC’s ICS MTT x Redshift Suspension Stem, which aims to offer riders increased comfort and 20mm of tuneable suspension. The package weighs in at 330g for an 80mm stem.
The brake hoses are integrated under the stem and then down through the head tube as we've seen on BMC's aero-inspired road bikes.
A 2in display is integrated into the top tube. This shows battery life and the selected assistance mode. You can choose from three.
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At the rear, you'll find an integrated rear light (shown below) that is connected directly to the battery for extended life.
Drivetrain
The Roadmachine 01 AMP X uses the "revolutionary" TQ-HPR50 drive unit. This isn't the first time we've seen this motor being used; it recently appeared on Trek's new Domane SLR+ ebike.
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BMC says that the TQ-HPR50 system provides a "powerful, light, and near-silent ride, with a seamlessly integrated drive unit for an uncompromised look and powerful support." The UK version of the bike will offer assistance up to the legal limit of 25km/h (15.5mph) but is capable of up to 45km/h (28mph) for the US market.
The TQ-HPR50 system uses a harmonic pin-ring transmission, accompanied by a 360 WH battery, a 2in fully integrated display, and a handlebar remote. TQ say that this is the lightest e-bike system in its class, weighing 3.9kg altogether.
BMC doesn't make a runtime claim as this will vary a lot on external factors such as rider weight, assistance level, terrain, and temperature, to name just a few. What we do know is that with the same 360Wh system, Trek claimed that we can expect around 60 miles in Eco mode and around 90 miles with the optional 160Wh range extender (which adds around 900g and is also available for the BMC).
Geometry
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The Roadmachine 01 AMP X is available in six sizes (47, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61cm) and BMC says that the new bike has "a relaxed endurance geometry for more comfort." The stats and figures back that up.
The Swiss brand says that the Roadmachine will help you "get that extra something out of your ride with a taller stack height, clearance for wide tyres and short chainstays for extended manoeuvrability and a relaxed seating position."
We've requested a bike for review to see if that is indeed the case.
Availability and pricing
Two models of the Roadmachine 01 AMP X will be available, with bikes expected to hit the shelves this month (November 2022).
- Roadmachine 01 AMP X ONE (£8,100)
The ONE will be the highest-spec offering, weighing in at 12.9kg, and will only be available in this Ice Blue colourway, it gets a 12-speed Sram Force AXS XPLR groupset (44T x 10-44T) with Rotor eVegast cranks.
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BMC ship the bike with its own-brand handlebar and seatpost, the stem made in collaboration with Redshift as mentioned earlier, CRD-400 SL carbon tubeless wheels, 35mm Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H tyres and a Fizik Terra Argo X5 saddle.
- Roadmachine 01 AMP X TWO (£7,200)
The second-tier bike receives the same frame, drivetrain, seatpost, stem and 360Wh battery as its big brother with the only difference being component choices. The TWO also gets the same 35mm Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H tyres, Rotor crankset, and Fizik Terra Argo X5 saddle and the bike has a claimed weight of 13.3kg.
The TWO, as you might expect, comes specced with Sram's lower tier 12-speed Rival AXS XPLR groupset, aluminium XRD-522 tubeless-ready wheels and is only available in this lime yellow and black colour scheme.
Would you go for an electric all-road bike rather than a pure road or gravel? Let us know in the comments section below...
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4 comments
I'll say that it looks nice (well, not so enamoured with the yellow livery) but absolutely no way that I'll purchase an e-bike if I can help it. Casually stating that the motor will be limited to 25 km/h but is the same unit as the 45 km/h version sold in the States is an open invitation to warranty-breaking and uninsured riding though.
Assuming this comes from the press release (rather than being the result of painstaking sleuthing by our journalist... ) you do have to wonder why they put that info out there. Marketing people don't waste words, there is always a message in what they say.
I put together an all-road bike in February, looks like a normal road bike but will take tyres out to 40mm, and have hugely enjoyed riding it this year. I think the all-road concept is a valid one in that it extends the range of surfaces you can tackle. These BMCs look lovely, my worry would be that I'd enjoy the assistance so much that I'd never ride an unpowered bike again...
A lady I know who is a former national age group track cyclist has an electric assist Domane. She absolutely loves it; she reckons she works just as hard if not harder because she rides further, harder, more often.