BMC

GranFondo GF01/Shimano Ultegra Di2 Complete Road Bike

Trouee d'Arenberg. Mons-en-Pevele. Le Carrefour de l'Arbre. These ancient byways of broken medieval stone that punctuate long sections of over 250 kilometers of road between Paris, France and the Roubaix Velodrome are some of the most storied in all of cycling. Granted, these cobblestone sectors were never intended for bicycles, but that is part of what makes the "Hell of the North" so incredibly epic. It is a singular day in Spring that is much more than a bicycle race; perhaps a professional pilgrimage for its riders. BMC recognized the distinct advantage of giving its pro team riders a tool capable of battling long hours on these fearsome roads, and thus the granfondo GF01 was born.

A cursory glance at the granfondo GF01 speaks volumes -- the frame and fork are nothing like anything BMC has produced, yet as a whole, it still carries a distinct BMC flavor in its dramatic tube shapes and seat cluster -- the latter of which is about the only thing that looks even remotely like the BMC flagship race bike, the SLR01. BMC engineers have created zones in each tube (even the seatpost) where the material and shapes are carefully designed to provide a degree of compliance while maintaining the torsional and lateral stiffness you need for uncompromising performance and steering precision. And speaking of 'precision,' the granfondo GF01 headtube houses a massive, tapered 1 1/2-inch lower bearing to keep the bike tracking confidently at speed, regardless of what you're rolling over. 

All of these frame zones are collectively referred to as BMC's Tuned Compliance Concept, which is essentially intended to maximize vertical compliance while maintaining lateral and torsional stiffness. In other words, easier on bumps, but still extremely stiff when cranking out the watts. Pedaling efficiency is important to the granfondo GF01, but so is reducing rider fatigue on longer parcours. TCC is the means on which powerful classics riders like Thor Hushovd, Phillipe Gilbert, and Alessandro Ballan depend for delivering podium results -- like Ballan's third-place finish aboard a granfondo GF01 in the 2012 edition of Paris-Roubaix. In fact, after extensive internal testing, BMC found the this bike to be a full 20% stiffer at the bottom bracket than the SLR01. But through TCC, which provides the frame's unique tubing kinks at the chain stays, seat stays, and the offset fork, this frame design is significantly more vertically compliant, delivering a full 10mm of flex for when the going gets rough.

TCC is a very big deal to BMC. That's why they lavish so much attention on tube shapes, something you can see. It's also why they are obsessive over carbon-fiber layup, something that you can't. They're looking to optimize weight along with lateral stiffness and vertical compliance. That way, the bike goes with the flow in terms of how it responds to the road while resisting rider-actuated force, which helps transmit more force to the cranks, thus driving the rear wheel. TCC also plays a large role in maximizing traction, and ensuring the back of the bike remains stable and confident even when skipping from stone to stone, or when transferring from pavement to gravel at high speeds.

Just as you would prepare for a long race day or 'fondo with sections of questionable terrain, BMC has equipped the granfondo GF01 accordingly, starting with wide 28mm tires. Capable Easton components comprise the cockpit, and the Paris-Roubaix-proven Easton EA90 RT wheelset rounds out the build. Other epic ride amenities like an integrated chainkeeper just above the bottom bracket shell is equipped with interchangeable bits to allow for complete compatibility with both double and triple chainring cranksets. By default, BMC's Dual Transmission Integration on the GF01 routes all the cables externally for mechanical shift kits, but should you choose to upgrade to an electronic shifter setup, the cable stops and internal cosmetic covers may be removed for fully sealed internal routing.

The granfondo GF01 is set up with endurance in mind. For all-day comfort, its geometry is slightly slackened from that of BMC's Team Machine, resulting in a more upright saddle position. If you prefer a more racy positioning, akin to what Hushovd or Gilbert might ride into Roubaix, your race results might benefit from simply running a longer stem and a deeper setback setpost -- the latter of which is available directly from BMC. 

The BMC granfondo GF01 is available in Team Red and comes in six sizes: 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, and 61cm. It utilizes pressfit bottom bracket bearings to enhance drivetrain stiffness and reduce weight. The wide, BB86 platform was designed in part by Shimano for Shimano and the bearing tolerances are machined to match exactly that of a Shimano crankset. If you have another crank you prefer, this frame is 100% compatible provided that you use the correct adapter. Please Note: The BB86 bottom bracket bearings do come with the frameset and are for Shimano cranks only.