BMC Kaius

The spirit of Grav-lo-cross. No but seriously, cyclocross and gravel go here!

Moderator: Moderator Team

bikewithnoname
Posts: 1733
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:29 pm
Location: Paris

by bikewithnoname

Another road race bike with fat tyres hits the market:

https://bikerumor.com/bmc-kaius-01-mixe ... race-bike/
"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities." Oscar Wilde

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Elmersen
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:28 pm

by Elmersen

What's up with the super long reach? 397 mm on size 51. Combined with 90 or 100 mm stem, depending on model (and why is there a difference in stem lengt between models?). I get that long reach is established gravel geometry, but here it's not compensated for by using shorter stems. Effectiv reach is probably among the longest I've ever seen on a size 51/52, including pure road bikes.

spdntrxi
Posts: 5790
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:11 pm

by spdntrxi

it's great for toe overlap.. or lack of. I would not have TO on this bike = nice. Well maybe if I ran 700x45
2024 BMC TeamMachine R Building
2018 BMC TImeMachine Road
2002 Moots Compact-SL- getting aero look makeover
2019 Parlee Z0XD - "classified"
2023 Pivot E-Vault - completed project, full Xplr package

Elmersen
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:28 pm

by Elmersen

Sure, but why not spec some shorter stems on the smaller sizes?

robeambro
Posts: 1829
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:21 pm

by robeambro

- Lack of colour options (personally, only the white one is appealing - only available on the top of the range model)
- Lack of frameset option (at least for now I can't see it mentioned anywhere)
- SRAM only?
- Lack of a lower-grade carbon option
- PF bottom bracket

None of the above is a dealbreaker in and as of itself, but still, a pity because there are many interesting aspects and concepts to this bike.

sigma
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:12 am

by sigma

Elmersen wrote:
Tue Sep 06, 2022 9:37 pm
What's up with the super long reach? 397 mm on size 51. Combined with 90 or 100 mm stem, depending on model (and why is there a difference in stem lengt between models?). I get that long reach is established gravel geometry, but here it's not compensated for by using shorter stems. Effectiv reach is probably among the longest I've ever seen on a size 51/52, including pure road bikes.
Think they are starting to cater to the gravel racer sans aerobars crowd. Get long and low especailly for the less chunky races. Agree with you it's quite silly on the smaller sizes.
Lots of bikes: currently riding Enve Melee, Krypton Pro, S Works Crux, S Works Epic Evo, SL7.
In build: SW SL8

fizzaz
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2018 5:02 pm

by fizzaz

Yo 80mm of BB drop? Is that right? Is this a Flintstones bike?

Chlorophyll15
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:54 pm

by Chlorophyll15

fizzaz wrote:
Tue Sep 06, 2022 11:48 pm
Yo 80mm of BB drop? Is that right? Is this a Flintstones bike?
I'd understand the low BB on smaller bikes, since shorter riders generally also need shorter cranks, and hence pedal strike would be less of an issue, but 80mm of BB drop on the larger sizes is a bit strange.

eins4eins
Posts: 700
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 11:49 am

by eins4eins

The 01 cockpit has a shorter stem which matches head tube angle and frame reach better. Strange that they would spec it different on the lower tier models.

User avatar
wheelsONfire
Posts: 6283
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

Very funny that gravel bikes comes with all sorts of weird geometries and most race road bikes today are 562-568mm stack and 391-398mm of reach.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

satanas
Posts: 315
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 5:45 pm

by satanas

IMHO the 80mm drop is the best thing about the bike, with the integrated bars being the worst. None of the sizes would give me the correct reach to the controls, and changing everything would get expensive. The 36/42cm bars look okay, but no choice of stem length is not. :-(

User avatar
tarmackev
Posts: 899
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:59 pm

by tarmackev

That's stunning but I shudder at the price.
I paid sub £3000 for my Supersix Evo CX and £300 for my Ryet ALI Express wheels, I dount there's much between the bikes. I am running a 10-40 cassette with 44 chainring to give it beans.

Back to the BMC, money no option I'd definitely consider it. There are some stunning gravel bikes coming out.

fizzaz
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2018 5:02 pm

by fizzaz

The 80mm drop is excessive. I don't know that I fully ascribe to the new gravel geometry being entirely necessary. Most gravel events are just not that technical. What that much drop does is robs you of lots of versatility.

The rest of the geo kind of works for my weird physiology, but I don't see why they couldn't sharpen it up with a shorter rear-center. Other than that, the bike looks really good and more racey and less gravel-nerd.

sigma
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:12 am

by sigma

tarmackev wrote:
Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:52 pm
That's stunning but I shudder at the price.
I paid sub £3000 for my Supersix Evo CX and £300 for my Ryet ALI Express wheels, I dount there's much between the bikes. I am running a 10-40 cassette with 44 chainring to give it beans.

Back to the BMC, money no option I'd definitely consider it. There are some stunning gravel bikes coming out.
Which other ones are you excited about? I agree with you on the price issue 100%. The Cannondale is a much better value proposition.
Lots of bikes: currently riding Enve Melee, Krypton Pro, S Works Crux, S Works Epic Evo, SL7.
In build: SW SL8

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
TheDoctor
Posts: 195
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2017 9:56 pm

by TheDoctor

robeambro wrote:
Tue Sep 06, 2022 9:59 pm
- Lack of colour options (personally, only the white one is appealing - only available on the top of the range model)
- Lack of frameset option (at least for now I can't see it mentioned anywhere)
- SRAM only?
- Lack of a lower-grade carbon option
- PF bottom bracket

None of the above is a dealbreaker in and as of itself, but still, a pity because there are many interesting aspects and concepts to this bike.
I'm not against PF brackets as such, but I find it a weird choice that BMC went for their usual PF86 standard and combined that with SRAM offerings only, that come with a 30mm spindle. According to some (https://www.hambini.com/bb86-bottom-bra ... -crankset/) this is shall we say less than ideal. It certainly looks in all other aspects as a great N=1 bike, but while a PF bb would not be a deal breaker for me, a PF86 with SRAM might.

Post Reply