2010 BMC Pro Machine

Components: SRAM Red

Wheels: Mavic Cosmic Carbon SLR

Sizes (cm): 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61

If you stripped the branding off 10 or 15 top-end road bikes it would be hard to distinguish them without getting up close. Many of today’s top road frames are almost a cookie-cutter design with only the more detailed aspects separating them. Then there’s BMC. The chiselled look, tall chain stays and trademark skeleton seat tube clusters are easy to identify, and make the Swiss bikes some of the sexiest in the world.

The BMC Racing Team, which now boasts an impressive roster including American George Hincapie and Australian Cadel Evans, can choose between a number of bikes in the lineup including the Team Machine and the Pro Machine. Both have their advantages: The Team Machine being lighter and stiffer and the Pro Machine being a bit more comfortable, yet still very much race-worthy.

For 2010, BMC has a brand new Team Machine – the SLR01, which offers a more race-oriented geometry and a stiffer design. The less expensive Pro Machine SLC01 is somewhat overshadowed by its flashier sibling, yet it’s still better than the best of the bunch from some other manufacturers and is an ideal bike for the long Grand Tours.

In Canada, BMCs are distributed by Ciclo Werks and sold as either framesets only or complete bikes – but bikes that have been spec’d and built by the Canadian company rather than by BMC. According to Ciclo Werks owner Thomas Elsaesser, this allows for more appropriate builds for this market.

The SLC01 frame features just about as much carbon as a company can squeeze into a frame. The sub-1000 gram frame has carbon dropouts and integrated carbon headset bearing seats and the matching Easton EC90 SLX fork is also completely carbon from top to bottom. Easton has played a big role in the development of the BMC line as the SLC’s tubes are made using that company’s Carbon Nanotechnology, where typical carbon resin is beefed up with microscopic carbon tubes making for lighter and stronger frame tubes. The other big technology feature in the Pro Machine is BMC’s iSC, or Integrated Skeleton Concept, which is a fancy way of saying the frame has a uniquely-shaped junction between the seat tube, top tube and seat stays making for a more comfortable ride.

Our red SLC01 frame tester was built up as a 6.8 kg (15 lb) racer with a full SRAM Red drivetrain.  Ritchey’s white WCS lineup is used for the seat post, stem and handlebar and a matching white Fi’zi:k Arione saddle continues the clean cockpit look. The wheels are Mavic Cosmic Carbone SLR clinchers, which weigh 1,595 grams for the pair and had Vittoria Open Pave Evo CG tires mounted to them, which are an excellent choice for the spring and fall when road conditions may not be ideal. The build we reviewed is available in Canada for a very reasonable $ 7,999 or the frameset only sells for $ 3,800.

For a bike that was intentionally built a bit flexy, the Pro Machine certainly doesn’t ride that way. The frame is more forgiving on rough roads than other racing-oriented bikes, but it’s still lively when sprinting. The comfort factor is most noticeable on longer rides and races when you look down at the bike computer and are surprised to see you’ve travelled as far as you have without feeling rattled.

If you’re looking at a racing or high-end bike for century rides, this a fantastic option. There’s a slight weight penalty when compared to the higher-priced Team Machine, but most riders would likely have just as much fun on the Pro Machine.

::GEARBOX
2010 Pro Machine – $7,999
BMC
12080