My first ride on the new BMC Teammachine 01 AMP Road bike was on a brutally windy day in the Tuscan countryside. The day was windy enough that nearly everyone heading out for a ride was eyeing the ebikes to help power through the wind.
Having not been given any primer on the new bike, I simply figured out the controls and set off. I was immediately impressed by how smooth and quiet the power delivery felt. As soon as you ride out of Tenuta Il Cicalino, you are greeted with steep hills and with the wind intensely buffeting, the extra assist was welcomed.
There was a specific point that I remember looking down at the speedometer and thinking, “damn. 26 mph. This thing is flying!” It wasn’t until the next day that I realized that this is a European model, so the assist cuts out at 25 km per hour, or 15.5 mph. I was pedaling an ebike solely under human power, doing 26mph into a headwind. What?
Most ebikes have enough weight and drag from the motor that you don’t want to be pedaling them around without assistance. The BMC Teammachine 01 AMP is not that bike. Instead, the motor is there to simply give you a bit of assistance when you need it, and disappear when you don’t.
As BMC puts it, “Look like a pro. Ride like a pro. Feel like a pro.”
Technical Details
The key to the Teammachine 01 Amp is the integration of the TQHPR 40 motor, which offers 200-watts of power and 40Nm of torque. Not big numbers, but that’s the point – it just needs to provide enough assistance to help you up the hills.
But BMC didn’t simply take the stock HPR40 system and design around it. Instead, they determined that they could make the mount lighter with better cooling while also providing better access for service. So they created their own custom motor brackets, which allow it to easily drop out if you ever need to remove it.
These ultra-light motor mounts, combined with a pro-level carbon build results in impressively low weights. The top model weighs a claimed 9.4kg (20.72lbs), positioning it among the lighter options in the e-road bike category.
BMC also made modifications to the motor software to prevent a sharp drop-off in power when the bike switches from assistance to human power. That’s why I didn’t even realize I was pedaling under my own power that first ride.
The electrical system centers around TQ’s motor and battery technology, but with BMC’s own Smartbox junction that enables Shimano shift levers to control motor assistance through hood buttons, while providing extra wiring for a front light, USB charger, etc (to be added by the consumer). Shimano drivetrains were chosen due to increased compatibility with TQ so that a single battery can power the drive unit, rear light, and drivetrain components. The bike includes a high-resolution OLED color display that connects via Bluetooth and ANT+, plus an integrated Stvzo certified rear light providing 20 lumens with a 180-degree beam pattern. The rear light turns on and off automatically, but you can also operate it manually.
Like other TQ motors, the PR 40 is gloriously quiet and provides pedal assistance up to 25 km/h. The bike includes a 290 Wh battery that can support an 80 kg rider for distances up to 130 km when used in Eco mode. BMC offers an optional 160 Wh TQ Range Extender to increase the total battery capacity for longer rides, heavier riders, or more demanding terrain.
Even with the provision for the battery and motor, the 01 AMP features the same stiffness levels as BMC’s flagship Teammachine SLR 01 and R 01 models, while incorporating the company’s Tuned Compliance Concept for vertical flex that increases rider comfort and control.
The Teammachine 01 AMP utilizes BMC’s Pro Race Geometry, maintaining the same reach as WorldTour bikes, but adds 20mm of stack height because, well, you’re not a pro. Aerodynamic features include the AeroShape seatpost, ICS Carbon Evo integrated cockpit, optimized tube profiles, and (included) AeroCore bottle cages compatible with range extenders. The bike accommodates 34mm tires, but sadly is equipped with only 28mm tires from the factory (more on that below).
Models & Pricing
The Teammachine 01 AMP will be offered in three models, each with the same motor and premium 01 carbon fiber. The bike starts out with the Shimano 105 Di2-equipped Teammachine 01 AMP Three at $7,999, followed by the Ultegra Di2 Teammachine 01 AMP Two at $9,499, and the top-end Dura Ace Di2 Teammachine 01 AMP One at $13,499.
First Impressions
As outlined above, my first impressions of the Teammachine 01 AMP were quite good. Until I got a front flat, anyway. Our demo bikes were set up with 28mm tires and tubes – I had just assumed they would be set up tubeless like almost every bike these days.
As I was descending at the farthest point from the start, there was a stretch of road where the entire pavement from one side to the other was just destroyed. With nowhere to go, I tried to pick the best line. I’m confident that with it set up tubeless, I would have been fine, but the tube pinched and that was that.
The Teammachine 01 AMP does come with tubeless-ready wheels and 28mm tires, but honestly, I wouldn’t even set them up. I’d take off the 28mm tires immediately and replace them with at least 30mm, but probably 32 or 34mm tires. This bike is already so light that adding a few grams to the tires seems like it would be worth it for more comfort and better durability (I ride tires that big on my non-motorized road bikes!). It is an ebike, after all (though BMC calls it a road bike with assistance).
The tire was repaired the next day, and I got it back out for another ride. Even though I knew that the bike had a 15.5mph cutoff for the assistance, I still didn’t quite believe it. So this time I paid close attention to the screen on the top tube that shows you the amount of watts you’re putting in vs. the motor.
Sure enough, as I neared that 15mph point, the motor watts started dropping off, eventually replaced with 100% human watts. Without the motor providing assistance, the Teammachine 01 AMP feels like any other 20lb carbon road bike. It really is shocking how well this bike rides past the assistance cutoff. What’s interesting here is that with the 15.5mph cutoff, I was riding under my own power most of the time. It was only on the climbs where the motor kicked in some assistance. As a result, with three levels of assistance, I kept it mostly in the highest setting.
As good as the Teammachine 01 AMP is, it won’t be for everyone. Obviously, there is the price to begin with. The $8k entry point will put this bike out of the reach of many. But more importantly, this bike is not for the crowd that wants a high-powered e-bike to whisk them up the climbs with little effort on their part. This feels like a normal road bike, but one that you just happen to be having your best day on.
And that’s the point. You could show up to a group ride on this thing, and short of the screen on the top tube, no one would realize you were riding an ebike. For road bikers who need some assistance and want to feel like they’re riding a bike, not an ebike, the Teammachine 01 AMP is pretty incredible.
BMC-switzerland.com
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