Trail
bikes are fun to ride when you’re fit. Big wheels, 130mm of travel,
BMC’s Advanced Pivot System, you can go places easily. The BMC Speedfox
AMP expands your range. It features a pedal-assist motor to go along
with while keeping the ride very firmly in the BMC tradition. You’re
very much riding a BMC, just as a stronger version of yourself.
BMC wasn’t going to get into creating an eMTB platform unless the
bike would ride like a BMC. And a big part of that was finding the
right motor that could integrate into their design parameters. Shimano’s
Steps E8000 was the right motor. It is a compact unit that surrounds
the bottom bracket and features a battery they could integrate into the
downtube. The gearbox is capable of 250 watts and is governed by a
four-setting switch at the handlebars, and also connects to a display
that shows speed, mode, and battery life. There’s off, Eco, Trail, and
Boost. This isn’t a throttle system, but a pedal-assist: you pedal, it
kicks in, you coast, it does nothing. Eco is the setting that offers
the lowest assist and highest range. It’s basically on just enough to
overcome the extra weight of the system—the bike weighs about 47lbs. It
should last about 55 miles on a charge. Trail is the middle setting and
can last about 40 miles, and Boost, the third or highest level of
assist, can last about 20.
The battery can go from empty to full in about five hours; the
battery can get to 80% in about two-and-a-half. It should be good for
500 charge cycles before storage deteriorates. And, as the system is
designed with Shimano E-Tube programming, anyone who has the
coordinating diagnostic tools for Di2 can also work with Steps. That
includes updating firmware.
As this is BMC, the bike also has to look good. They designed the
front triangle to fit the battery seamlessly into the frame and also
braced it so that the frame wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the addition.
The battery sits largely inside the Twin Hollow-Core Tube Design, and
the battery secures in between the sides and makes up the bottom. At
first blush, it looks like a big downtube with integrated armor. The
triangle is also braced for the extra weight and force.
They still deploy their Big Wheel Concept thinking with the
Speedfox. The smaller sizes roll on 650b wheels, while the larger on
29ers, and the geometry is adjusted accordingly. 430mm stays for the
small sizes and 445mm for the larger. You’re still sitting very much in
the frame rather than on top.
And because of the weight, BMC tweaked just about all the design
elements to give the resulting ride a feel just like the regular
Speedfox. To do this, they dropped the bottom bracket a bit to
compensate for the extra weight, keeping it low. They moved pivot
placement and upsized the links: the links themselves are 60% wider and
the bearing diameters have gone up by 27%. They also went with wider
rims and heavier tires, also to better work with the greater bike
weight. Bigger rotors and stronger brakes also help keep the bike
feeling like it’s just an AMPlified version of itself.
When you needs outstrip your fitness, the BMC Speedfox AMP is waiting to meet those needs.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Bottom Bracket Shimano
- Brake Calipers Shimano Deore
- Brake Levers Shimano Deore
- Cassette Shimano SLX, 11-46
- Chain Shimano HG601
- Crankset Shimano XT E8000, 34t
- Fork RockShox Revelation RC, 130mm, 148x12
- Frame Material Carbon Front Triangle. A1-13 Triple-Butted Aluminum Rear Triangle, X-12 Boost Axle
- Front Derailleur None
- Handlebar BMC MFB 03, 750mm
- Headset Integrated
- Pedals Not Included
- Rear Derailleur Shimano SLX, Shadow Plus
- Rear Suspension RockShox Monarch RL, 130mm
- Rotors Shimano, 200mm
- Saddle WTB Volt Comp
- Seatpost BMC MSP, 31.6mm
- Shifters Shimano SLX
- Stem BMC MSM 03
- Tires Maxxis Forekaster TR, 29x2.35
- Wheel - Front Alex MD30 or Jalco Rim, Navatec Hub
- Wheel - Rear Alex MD30 or Jalco Rim, Navatec Hub
