Noticed some really good deals around on the BMC Twostroke hardtail. They look very good for a 100mm travel XC hardtail, looks to be light and efficient for longer XC rides. Anyone own/ridden one that can give feedback? Potentially interested in the carbon fibre frame version.
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Sorry haven't got one so can't comment on if any good but I always liked the look of them for an XC bike.
They seem a bit overpriced though spec wise and even with reduction not brilliant value. Get the impression they don't really sell so you may not get many responses...
A friend has one, he's very quick on it and it does look good in the flesh.
Only downsides I've seen are it took forever to get a replacement dropout/axle when it had a fault and the seatpost isn't round so fitting a dropper is more difficult (needs a shim from BMC and a 27.2 internal routed dropper). And the pricier builds are unashamedly for XC racing (SID SL).
Personally I'm tempted by the entry level alloy versions with round posts, buy it for the frame, put all the cheap parts on a commuter. And build it up with light-ish parts. I'd probably go slightly more 'trail' than the stock builds with SID-35's and a dropper. But then it wouldn't be so light.
I had a mid range carbon one for a while. It annoyed me on day one because I had to completely redo the tape on the wheels - can’t remember what they were now but the build generally was pretty meh for the money. Personally I thought it looked better than it rode. I ended up swapping it for a Scale and massively prefer the later.
BMC - worked for Pidcock.
A Raleigh Burner would work for Pidcock.
BMC – worked for Pidcock.
He may have had a slightly better one that the stock ones available.
There is a Bike radar video where they compare a carbon and alloy Twostroke and build them up both as a XC race bike and an all day trail bike respectively.
I've got the carbon one. Went for just the entry level one at first as my way back into mountain biking and pleased with it. Rides well, feels quick and good for a blast about. Have changed the forks to some DT Swiss and the groupset from Deore to XT. No problems with the wheels, but will eventually change these too.
Only downside is the seatstays are quite wide so if you have massive calf muscles you may rub against them
I bought the frame only carbon 01 about 3 month ago, (it replaced a new scale world cup, due it problems/warranty) the BMC is built up with Roval carbon wheels, Sid 35 ultimates set at 110mm travel, XX1 AXS drive train etc so very good spec, and i really like it, well made, good geo and nearly as light as the scale was, and id say it rides better, i think if you can get frame only, you can build a good bike, better than full bikes as the specs and prices for full bikes aren't that great, i'd deffo recommend one.
All I can say is MrsF has a fourstroke FS03 - few years old with SLX and XT, but it's flipping light for a full suspension 100mm travel on an alloy frame. Shame it's way too small for me.
Interesting feedback thanks. I noticed the spec is quite poor for the price, several bikes around the £2k mark with Recon/Judy forks and lower end components. Might see if I can go frame only as there are some brilliant parts deals out there, for sure I can build a better bike from parts for £2k currently.
Not much help but I nearly bought one - they look amazing. The 1st carbon model has a round post and the ones with a d shape post a believe ship with a shim for 27.2.
I went for an Orbea oiz in alloy in the end as it was the same price and I wanted something significantly different from the xc hardtail I already had.
If I was looking for an xc hardtail it's what I would go for as it has the most progressive geo of any I could find.
I bought an alloy one for a cheap XC race bike. I wanted a Chisel but the frame cost more than I paid for the BMC full Deore build. I put the drivetrain onto my winter hack and sold the wheels and fork. Its now 25lb and good enough for me as a mid pack XCer. It's slack enough to be fun on the downs and fast everywhere else. I love it and the alloy frame is all standard fittings.
Will post pics when I'm not on mobile
Anyone know where I could buy a frame only (XL)? or would it be a case of buy complete and strip the part off to sell and replace with better? The forks are poor/heavy for the price range.
There's also the Team Marin 1 which I've seen on sale recently, looks good and has more "trail" geo than most xc bikes.
Here's mine, to be fair there is not much original on it because I wanted frame only but that's not an option, worked out cheaper than a Chisel, the frames were a grand at the time but I think you can pick up the full bike for that now. I paid a grand for this in Deore spec but it was nearer 30lb.
SIDs are Select 120mm (35mm stanchion) dropped to 100mm
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I would probably go with this (in fact wish I hadn't;t seen it as now tempted!). Good reduction from £2000 to £1000.
Funnily enough Kerley that's what I found yesterday (the exact same bike on the same site) and will likely go for the Chisel 🙂 Chisel looks to be more bike for £1K than the BMC and it's a standard frame rather than the "D" shaped seat post the BMC has (and the requirement for a shim and thin dropper)