All-road bike closes the gap between endurance road and gravel categories
(Image credit: Jérémie Reuiller)
BMC has today unveiled the latest iteration of its 'road plus' bike offering. More specifically, it has launched the 2022 Roadmachine X, which is the Swiss brand's off-road-capable road bike aimed at bridging the gap between endurance road and gravel riding.
For an in-depth look at the new bike, read Graham Cottingham's early BMC Roadmachine X One 2022 review, after putting the bike to good use in Switzerland over the past week.
At its original launch in 2018, the Roadmachine X was a clear evolution of the brand's existing endurance-road-ready Roadmachine, but with a 'cross' consideration, otherwise explained as an ability to handle a little more of the rough stuff. It was an early indication of things to come in the industry and, in the years since, we've seen more endurance road bikes adapted for road-plus or all-road use.
Best gravel bikes: Fun and fast adventure bikes for your next off-road ride
However, with its alloy frame and SRAM's fourth-tier Apex 1 groupset, that bike was undoubtedly aimed at the budget end of the market. In contrast, for today's launch, BMC has overhauled the Roadmachine X platform with performance in mind, upgrading to carbon fibre, SRAM's wireless XPLR groupsets and more.
The Roadmachine X 2022 range will consist of three models: the first two will be made from carbon fibre and will ship in April, and an alloy model - the Roadmachine X AL One - will follow in May.
For the two carbon fibre models, the geometry is borrowed from the road-going Roadmachine, as is the entire front triangle of the frame, the D-shaped carbon seat tube and seatpost, the dropped flat seatstay design, and the TCC (Tuned Compliance Concept) carbon layup, which is said to reduce road vibrations and 'take the edge off' the roughest roads.
However, the rear triangle and fork have been adapted to accept tyres up to 34mm in width, with the fork getting a specially constructed TCC layup to aid with off-road traction.
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(Image credit: Jérémie Reuiller)
Both will be specced with SRAM's wireless XPLR AXS groupsets. The top-tier model, priced at €5,999, will get Force level eTap components, as well as carbon fibre CRD-321 wheels built in-house by BMC. The second-tier model, priced at €4,699, will get Rival level eTap components, paired with BMC's alloy XRD-522 wheels.
Both get BMC's ICS1 stem, which means brake hoses will route externally, before entering the frame at the top of the down tube. A mount for a top tube bag can be found just behind the stem, however, this is as far as extra mounting points go. In a nod to the performance orientation of this bike, there are no mounts for mudguards or additional bottles, which will disappoint anyone looking for a capable winter commuter or an ultra-endurance race bike.
The alloy model will feature a round seatpost, rather than D-shaped. It will be priced at €2,299 and will ship with a two-by Shimano GRX groupset and alloy wheels.
All three models will be tubeless-ready and specced with tubeless-ready WTB Expense 32mm tyres.
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Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton.
Josh has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews. On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years.
He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000.
These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
