BMC takes an unconventional approach for Markus Zberg’s Racemaster SLX01.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Zberg is a two-time Swiss national road champion.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The lower half of the frame – including the down tube, seat tube, and chain stays – is made of butted and hydroformed aluminium.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
But the head tube, top tube and seat stays are made of carbon fibre for a more comfortable ride and lighter weight.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
All of the aluminium-carbon junctions are bonded in place.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The seat tube is radically flared at the bottom bracket for extra rigidity.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Both the down tube and chain stays make full use of the 68mm-wide bottom bracket shell.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The tall aluminium chain stays are shaped for stiffness.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The carbon seat stays are bonded to aluminium dropouts.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The dropouts are heavily relieved.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The top tube bears BMC’s trademark T-shaped profile.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The matching fork uses carbon blades but an aluminium steerer tube.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The proprietary seatpost uses an clever internal wedge system in lieu of a conventional clamp.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Cables are internally routed as is BMC’s preference.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Zberg and the rest of his BMC team are using Campagnolo’s new Record 11 group.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The rear derailleur not only handles eleven cogs now but has been stiffened up for snappier response.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The new Campagnolo crankset uses more narrowly spaced chainrings that have been hard-anodised for durability.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
These wheels are badged at DT Swiss but the rims are carryovers from Easton since DT Swiss still doesn’t offer a deep-section tubular.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
DT Swiss does, however, make the 240s front and rear hubs.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Zberg apparently prefers a rather unusual lever placement.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Zberg runs a rangy 130mm-long Easton EA90 stem.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Yes, even the race number holder is carbon fibre.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Zberg enjoys the privilege of a custom paint job owing to his Swiss national title.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Bottles are held by Elite’s Custom Carbon cages.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
A Cateye Strada Wireless computer keeps track of the miles.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Markus Zberg’s BMC Racemaster SLX01 isn’t the lightest bike in the pro peloton at 7.41kg (16.2lb) but BMC says the primary goal in designing their latest road frameset wasn’t shedding grams but maximising stiffness.
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How did they do it?
While most other companies concentrate on tweaking their carbon construction methods, BMC has reverted to using aluminium for the SLX01. Hydroformed and triple-butted 7005 aluminium is used for the seat tube, bottom bracket shell, chain stays, dropouts, and majority of the down tube. To make for a more rigid backbone, the down tube runs the full width of the bottom bracket shell, the seat tube is similarly flared at its base, and the tall chain stays are widely set.
BMC does use carbon for the Racemaster’s top half, which includes the seat stays, T-shaped top tube, head tube, and part of the down tube in order to shave a few grams and add some rider comfort. Save for the bottom bracket shell, all of the other joints are bonded in place and the complete package is distinctive, especially when wrapped in the special paint job to celebrate Zberg’s Swiss national road title.
The Racemaster may be impressively rigid but its weight is less inspiring: the frame alone is roughly 1400g and the matching fork adds another 520g.
Zberg’s premium build package keeps the overall weight respectable, though, owing in no small part to Campagnolo’s brand-new Record 11 group. In addition to being lighter than in years past and adding an extra cog out back, Campagnolo has also given its Ergopower levers a curvy new shape and unique multi-density ‘Vari-Cushion’ hoods for what is quite possibly the most comfortable perch in the peloton. Interestingly, Zberg prefers his levers positioned a long way down on the bars.
Campagnolo has also revamped the front and rear derailleurs for additional rigidity – making for snappier shifts – and a new coating on the more narrowly spaced chainrings add durability. Though narrower, Campagnolo says the new chain is stronger, too.
These wheels are badged at dt swiss but the rims are carryovers from easton since dt swiss still doesn’t offer a deep-section tubular.: these wheels are badged at dt swiss but the rims are carryovers from easton since dt swiss still doesn’t offer a deep-section tubular.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Zberg’s bike features DT Swiss-badged Easton deep section carbon rims
Fitted at either end is a set of carbon deep-section tubulars conspicuously tagged with enormous DT Swiss logos and wrapped in Continental Competition Pro Limited Allround tires. The only problem is that DT Swiss doesn’t actually offer deep-section carbon rims and these are, in fact, Easton carryovers from last year. DT Swiss does make the superb 240s front and rear hubs as well as the Aerolite bladed stainless steel spokes.
Easton also provides the semi-anatomic EC90 SLX3 carbon bar and forged aluminium EA90 stem, while seating arrangements come courtesy of Selle Italia’s ubiquitous Flite Team Edition and BMC’s own Streampost 73.5 carbon seatpost, which foregoes a conventional clamp in favour of a clever internal wedge.
Rounding things our are Speedplay Zero Titanium pedals, decadent Elite Custom Carbon bottle cages, an FSA integrated headset, and a Cateye Strada Wireless computer.
Zberg’s BMC Racemaster may not be ultra-light but the added weight didn’t seem to hold him back much in the Tour of California’s eighth stage. There he crested Millcreek Summit with a ten-man breakaway and the frame’s rigidity may have come in handy as the group jockeyed for position on the finishing circuits of Pasadena. But it wasn’t ultimately meant to be as the Swiss rider missed the decisive move and finished fourth on the day.
Marcus zberg’s bmc racemaster slx01
Full specification
Frame: BMC SLX01 Racemaster, 54cm
Fork: BMC Custom
Front brake: Campagnolo Record D-Skeleton
Rear brake: Campagnolo Record D-Skeleton
Brake levers: Campagnolo Record 11s Ergopower Ultra-Shift
Front derailleur: Campagnolo Record 11s
Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Record 11s
Shift levers: Campagnolo Record 11s Ergopower Ultra-Shift
Cassette: Campagnolo Record 11s, 11-25T
Chain: Campagnolo Record 11s
Crankset: Campagnolo Record 11s Ultra-Torque ST, 172.5mm, 53/39T