Reviewed: BMC Timemachine TMR01
The TimeMachine’s stiff carbon layup paired with its BB86 bottom bracket provide an impressively responsive ride.
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Lab Data: 19.5/20 (.61mm head tube deflection; .19mm BB deflection)
Build: 12.3/15
Comfort: 10.4/15
Value: 12.8/15
Handling: 11.8/15
Pedaling Response: 13.7/15
Aesthetics: 3.8/5
Overall: 84.3/100
The TimeMachine’s stiff carbon layup paired with its BB86 bottom bracket provide an impressively responsive ride that was felt when powering through sprints or accelerating out of corners. It scored exceptionally well in our BB stiffness test with only 0.19mm of deflection: that’s one of the lowest scores we’ve ever seen.
While that stiffness was great for stints out of the saddle, it did lead to chatter over bumpy roads, reminding us this is, indeed, an aero bike at the expense of comfort. The BMC-branded aluminum handlebar and stem were no help in reducing this chatter and we’d recommend swapping them for a carbon bar and stem to help soak up some of those vibrations.
The Timemachine may not be your bike of choice for long rides over bumpy roads, but that comfort sacrifice is warranted when you want to go fast. The frame borrows aerodynamic tube shapes from BMC’s time trial bike, the TM01. It also includes the same aero fork and integrated brakes as the TT model, which makes the Timemachine feel stealthy on flat-out straightaway burns. These hidden brakes are a bit cumbersome to adjust on the fly, but this is nothing new in the eternal balance of accessibility and speed when it comes to aerodynamics.
The Shimano Ultegra drivetrain with 53/39 crankset is an appropriate choice for this speed machine. Racers sprinting for the line will appreciate the 53-tooth big ring in the front while the 11-28t cassette provides a (somewhat) wider range in the back for races and training rides with undulating terrain.
When the racecourse gets tight and twisty, the bike’s short 990mm wheelbase (size 56cm), and snappy 405mm chain stays make for impressively quick handling and aggressive cornering at high speeds.
The Timemachine is a sprinter’s dream for fast crits and aggressive breakaways in long road races. But don’t expect it to excel in the more mountainous races. At 17.15 pounds, the bike is no heifer, but it is no featherweight either, and it is simply better-suited for the flats.
Price: $5,000
Component Highlights: Shimano Ultegra drivetrain with 53/39 crankset and 11-28 cassette; integrated road design brakes; DT Swiss R46C hybrid wheels
Weight: 17.15 (size 56cm)
