BMC Team Machine SLT 01

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.