BMC Team Machine SLT 01

Price Paid:  $4500.00 at ebay -brand new off

Favorite Ride:
bmcslto1 team machine

Bike Setup:
AMERICAN CLASSIC MAG300 WHEELSET ( THESE THINGS ARE CRAZY FAST & CRAZY LITE), SRAM FORCE GROUP, SAN MARCO SKN SADDLE - THIS IS ONE GREAT COMFY SADDLE IF YOU HAVE A BIG BUTT LIKE MINE. FSA CARBON AERO BARS/STEM COMBO. MICHELIN PRO 3 RACE TYRES .

Summary:
2007 bmc slto1 team machine RED BLACK WHITE model in a 53cm ( actually measures 55 top tube). I've owned no less than 10 bikes in 7 years. Couln't find one that was all the following in one package COMFY,LIGHT,SUPER STRONG,SEXY,FORGIVING On LONG RIDES,with INTERNAL CABLE ROUTING, all at a reasonable price. I've had LITESPEED PAVIA,GIANT OCR ZERO,NORCO ALLOY,BMC ALLOY SLO1, KUIPS, CERVELO ALLOY SOLOIST,BIANCHI. Of them all the BMC SLT01 has come closest to meeting all the requirements. I am 105kg of pure wrecking machine. I ride bikes and spit them out after a few months if they are weak as . This one ain't one of them. I've now done well over 7000 kms, and not a creak from the BB, and not a whisper from anything that even remotel looks like it is going to fail. I'm a freight train sort of rider- time trials, pacelines,out of saddle bursts and sprints, sort of riding. I hate hills, ad generally my weight and power and hills means bikes are squeeking and trashed in no time. This bike rules. It just keeps on taking the punches. What can I complain about - Mmmm. The bike ain't aero. It's a block. So if you want CERVELO type aero, this is no good. And also the easton ec90 fork. The bottom section of headset is wider than the top of the fork crown. So all that dirt and grime from the road gets flicked up straight into the bottom bearing & race. I've had no less than one almost seized bottom bearing replaced cause it was cactus. The ec90 is an aftermarket fork, so designed for everything. The bmc frame and that fork, just don't fit exactly. The fork itself is spectacular, so no need to replace it. You just gotta be a bit more maintanance focused thats all. A cut-up MTB tube as a sleeve/sock over this spot will reduce the problem a little - so try it, and pack it with plenty grease. cable rattle - don't know what the other reviewers are talking about - no problems there. But those consealed cables are THE BEST !. This is one tough frame, but damn comfy. average weight. Overall - I simply just can't find anything better to replace it with. So its staying !!!

Strengths:
SEXY, STRONG, LIGHT, N EVER SO COMFY. DID i MENTION SEXY !!! INTERNAL CABLES ARE THE BEST.AND NOT MANY IN THE PELETON. ALSO THERES GOOD COFFEE SHOP BRAGGING AND BAGGING RIGHTS WHEN THE BIKES WERE ORIGINALLY RIDEN BY TEAM ASTANA, FLOYD AND ALL HIS DOPED OUT MATES. GREAT CONVERSATION PIECE I MUST SAY. DID I MENTION SEXY!!!

Weaknesses:
BOTTOM HEAdSET BEARING PRONE TO DIRT AND GUNK ETC. AND NOT REAL AERO IF YOUR A FAST BOY. AS IT IS A BIT SQUARE IN ITS OVERALL LOOK, IT MAY DATE. Mmmm - thats debateable, as also it has that crosslock which kind of makes it 'FACTORY' looking, almost time-less cause there aint anything else like it. Individual call on this point i suppose.

Similar Products Used:
TRIED EVERTHING THERE IS IN THAT PRICE RANGE, AND THIS WAS ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

Price Paid:  $4300.00 at Competitive Cyclist

Favorite Ride:
The long ones

Bike Setup:
Ultegra SL everything
Deda Newton anatomic 46" handlebar (alum).
Oval R700 stem
Adamo ISM racing saddle
Easton EC90 fork, EC70 post
CycleOps 2.4GHz PowerTap
Exustar Carbon Fiber cages
Reynolds Solitude wheelset
Michelin Pro2 tires (yellow)

Summary:
I'm relatively new to bicycling and multi-sports in general. At the suggestion of a coworker I signed up to ride in the 2007 Tour de Okinawa here in Japan and bought an aluminum Trek as a cheap commuter/training/beginner bike. After showing my dedication and completing the 200-mile, 2-day tour, my wife agreed to let me buy a high-end bike. Being a personal Floyd Landis fan, I soon fell in love with the look of the BMC the more I saw it in pictures and videos. Through a lot of research, bargain hunting, and patience with our military base mail system, my BMC finally arrived.

This bike absolutely screams. From the first clip in, this bike has been a pleasure to ride and I can truly say that I am spoiled to ride such a bike.

Strengths:
Super lightweight. Even with my heavy tires and a full load of accessories, the bike is less than 16 lbs.

This bike begs for punishment and taunts me when I can't push it like it wants to be.

Super soft on the bumps. Coming from aluminum, riding this bike on bumpy roads is like walking on the red carpet. But it's not so damp that you can't feel the road like other carbons I've tried.

And this bike oodles sex appeal. Now if only I could say as much!

1 to 2-year old models can be had for very cheap relative to the posh Cervelos, Pinarellos, Treks, etc.

Steering and descending are pure gold. Like being on a rollercoaster tightly bound to the track.

Weaknesses:
Frames run larger than expected. I rode a 56cm Trek and opted for a 55cm BMC. And even though it fits, it simply feels large. Thankfully this feeling passed after the first month.

Having ridden a BMC, you'll be at a loss in 5+ years when deciding on which latest model to upgrade to.

And of course, your family will begin to miss you as you spend more and more time pounding the pavement.

Similar Products Used:
Scattante, Trek, Specialized, various non-brands

Price Paid:  $2500.00 at Competitive Cyclist

Favorite Ride:
Uphill

Bike Setup:
Ultegra RD
Dura-Ace FD
FSA SLK Compact Crankset
Roval Pave' Wheels
Ultegra brakes/shifters
Ultegra 9spd Cassette (soon to be 10 spd)

Summary:
Having previously ridden on Aluminum...I didn't want something that absorbed too much road vibration...I like to 'feel' the road when I'm riding, but not so much that I'm aching at the end of a ride.

Enter the BMC SLT01 Team Machine. It's the perfect balance of rigid and absorbing.

It truly is a machine; and expects a lot out of its rider...demands to be ridden fast, especially out of the saddle.

* NOTE: $2500 was for Frame/Fork/Seatpost

Strengths:
#1 is Look. You won't find another frame out there that looks like the BMC...very distinct features that gets stares each time I'm on it. But it's not a case of design over function...the bike is like a Swiss watch; beautiful but more importantly functional.

Weaknesses:
It's not the lightest Carbon frame out there...but still, you can easily get it around 16.5 pounds without spending too much on the lightest-weight componets

Price Paid:  $4600.00 at Scotland

Favorite Ride:
Airbourne MP

Bike Setup:
Record 10, Easton bars, stem, forks, bars.

Summary:
Bought the SLT0 after alot of searching for the right bike. Had Ti bikes before and raced the Airborne for a few seaons (not very well!) The SLT01 is a significant step up. It loves the hills and god does it move when under the hammer - great.

Strengths:
Very very rigid. Responsive. Great thro corners and decents. All out race machine

Weaknesses:
The cables (all of them) rattle like an ol washing machine. They are a curse to thread thro should you need to replace. I tried the plastic sleev over the cable to prevent rattels but no joy. Sizing is also deeply problematic. I ride a 56 normally - went for the 55 and its way too big. Be very careful!

Price Paid:  $1800.00 at Racer's Edge Boca Ra

Favorite Ride:
BMC SLT team machine

Bike Setup:
BMC SLT Team Machine
D-Ace group set
FSA K-Force megaExO crank
Campi Record Seatpost
Sella Italia SLR saddle
VeloMax circut rims

Summary:
This frame is incridiable, coming from an alum. frame and upgrading to this one is one of the best investment I made. The frame is very stiff and strong no flex. whatsoever but yet this is a great ride for a long distance also. In the last 3 monthes I've put arount 3000 miles on this frame and it's just getting better. I've done a few crits as well and it performed really strong. one of the first things you notice is the ability of the frame to responed to excelration, it doesn't take a lot to speed up (try sprinting). great product.

Strengths:
extremly stiff, every curb and line in the frame has a popuse to it. light frame. comfortable ride.

Weaknesses:
the only thing here is the internal routing of the brake cable. The cable rattle against the frame when going over a rough road. the FIX: have your LBS put a plastic tube a long the cable and problem solved no more noise.