TESTED: BMC Fourstroke FS01

You’d be forgiven for thinking that BMC (short for Bicycle Manufacturing Company) is as Swiss as chocolate and cheese. Not quite – the original company was founded in 1986 by American Bob Bigelow to distribute Raleigh Bicycles’ product, later converting to a manufacturing brand. The real chrysalis into BMC as we know it, however, came in 2000, when Swiss pharmaceutical billionaire Andy Rihs (whose name many followers of the road scene might recognise), looking for new ways to market his cochlear implant company Phonak, bought the brand outright. Within a couple of years Rihs and BMC had developed the ‘teammachine’ road bike, launched Phonak Cycling Team, and started exporting internationally. Market research showed that during this time, awareness of the Phonak brand trebled, providing a little insight into why pros like Richie Porte can afford a megavan – sponsors really do get a return on their hefty investments. Rihs himself has commented on the effectiveness of the pro cycling scene as a marketing vehicle, comparing it to the world’s most popular sport: “when you invest CHF1 (in professional cycling) you get ten-to-twenty-times the advertising effect – football is by far not as productive”, he says.

Most Aussie mountain bikers will also associate BMC with the road, as Cadel Evans piloted his BMC bikes to victory in the Tour de France. Others might have noted Julien Absalon’s 2014 World Cup success on board the bike. He raced the BMC Fourstroke for the first time to his memorable victory in the 2014 World Champs on a bumpy, rooty, and rocky track in Hafjell in Norway, causing commentator Rob Warner to reflect that “The era of full-suspension XC mountain bikes at the highest level is here”. To this day, BMC pro mountain bikers choose the Fourstroke when terrain is particularly tough, and I was amazed to see the top men’s Flow team at the Swiss Epic this year win their race, which took in all-out DH and ‘enduro’-style trails, on Fourstrokes, with few modifications: testament to this bike’s versatility, strength, and performance.

The marks of the World Cup circuit are all over the Fourstroke, clearly designed for the demands of fast and technical XCO racing on tight and gnarly tracks with climbs to match. The XX1 version AMB tested sits nearly at the top of the BMC dual-suspension range, eclipsed only by a Di2 version likely to be graced by Absalon and other team riders next year.

First impressions with the BMC Fourstroke

Even at 100 paces, there’s no mistaking a BMC Fourstroke. The bike is defined by a fat downtube, which provides an incredibly stiff and efficient foundation for the ride. Overall its look, particularly the alloy linkages and carbon frame, is sleek, strong, and very contemporary, and the fire-engine, or “super” red is the same shade you’d associate with BMC as a brand, and everything Switzerland stands for: precision, quality, and mountains.

The short 70mm stem is also quite distinguishing, one of four points in the bike’s geometry that BMC have tweaked with their ‘Big Wheel Concept’ geometry to get the best handling into a 29er frame, also shortening the chainstays, dropping the BB height, and lengthening the top tube. The frame is also stealth dropper compatible, something we may be seeing more and more of in XCO racing, even at the highest level where every gram counts, although we tested with the FS01 with a regular carbon seatpost.

The frame features a small ‘chaincatcher’ mounted into the frame behind the chainring to help prevent the dreaded chain-drop that can be a risk with single ring setups. In testing my chain stayed on, but it’s worth mentioning that in my experience my chain only falls off in high stakes moments like when I’m attacking mid-race. Many pros are running lightweight chainguides these days to prevent chains bouncing off – a small mechanical but one that costs incredibly valuable time when every second counts. There’s space for a direct-mount front derailleur if you’re interested in running a dual chainring, but unless you’re running Di2, you’ll be looking at external cabling throughout (except the dropper). The direct mount brake caliper attachment is sleekly integrated into the seat stay, and the 142×12 through-axle is assembled with direct-mount rear derailleur hangers. Overall the package is neat, precise, and perfectly finished.

The Fourstroke comes equipped with the much-anticipated Fox Float DPS Factory Kashima rear shock, providing 100mm of plush travel with an improved range of compression damping. With three ride settings (open, medium, and firm; or ‘climb, trail, descend’), the shock also now includes three clicks of low-speed compression adjust in ‘open’ mode and a really firm lockout. The shock performed admirably, particularly over small bumps, although it handled bigger hits with grace – just as you’d expect from a product of this pedigree and reputation. Up front the Fox 32 Float Factory Series FIT4 was the perfect counterpart. Fox’s lightest fork on offer, it also offers three on-the-fly ride settings (Open, medium, and lockout). The front and rear suspension is controlled with a bar-mounted, mechanical lever on the left-hand of the bars, allowing one-click unlock and the ability to toggle through the three ride settings until locked out. This is a great feature, and means that in competitive situations riders can control their shocks without taking their hands off the bars, but in reality all that cable, plus a splitter, adds up, and actuating the lever can be tough on the thumb joint. Give one a try if you don’t believe me.

But it’s the bike’s design, as much as the suspension setup, that dictates the ride feel, and BMC’s ‘APS’ suspension (advanced pivot system) claims to provide top-level performance, using the same technology found in the heftier TrailFox, but tweaked for pedalling efficiency. Julien Absalon is known for his loyalty to the hardtail, and the fact that BMC have got him on a duallie at all is testament to the designers’ skill, which, we’re told on the BMC website, “optimises kinematics and pivot placements, leverage ratios, axle paths and shock dimension”. The two short links that attach the rear triangle to the mainframe work together to absorb bumps and maintain a strong pedalling platform with very little pedal bob, some of the least I’ve experienced in any duallies I’ve tested. That said, some riders may even find the suspension action too reticent, in which case a return to shock setup will be necessary.

The promises of BMC’s ‘Big Wheel Concept’ geometry – superior handling for longer wheelbases and 29” wheels – held up. The cockpit setup, with the 70mm stem and carbon 720mm bars is combined with a steep head angle of 70 degrees, which together will take anyone used to slacker geometry a bit of getting used to. The bar and stem are incredibly stiff and the bars have a pleasing sweep. As you’d expect, the fourstroke excels in tight corners and switchbacks. On the ground, the Continental Race King and X-King tyres were serviceable, and BMC have wisely chosen to spec the bike with a more aggressively-treaded front tyre and a faster-rolling rear but, as always, tyres are always a matter of personal preference and are easily swapped to suit you and your local riding conditions – just make sure you ask your BMC dealer to set them up tubeless.

Our Take

Overall, the BMC fourstroke is a purebred race machine designed for pedalling efficiency, agile handling, and the demands of the World Cup circuit: It’s light, quick, and super-stiff. This bike is intended for use on bumpy and challenging XCO tracks, but with a few modifications, like adding a dropper and tweaking the suspension tune, it could perform really well as a lightweight trail bike for those who want the edge on the climbs. It’s equally well-suited to marathon racers, particularly those riders looking for the comfort of a duallie boiled down into the weight of a high-end hardtail.

Tester: Imogen Smith

Riding Experience: A regular AMB bike tester, Imogen has spent her adult life riding and racing mountain bikes.

Generally Rides: Bianchi Methanol 29 FS, Cannondale Caad 9 road bike

Height: 171cm

Weight: 55kg

Bike Test Track:

Engelberg trails, Switzerland

Three things you liked about the bike:

1. Very stiff, owing to fat carbon downtube and cockpit setup
2. Extreme pedalling efficiency worthy of a World-Champs-winning bike
3. About as lightweight as a duallie’s going to get

Three things you would change about the bike:

1. I prefer a slightly slacker head angle, and would be willing to sacrifice steering precision for slightly more relaxed handling
2. To like this bike, you really have to like the colour red
3. Continental tyres aren’t my favourites in most Aussie conditions, but easy to swap out

RRP: $11799

From: Advance Traders