2019 BMC Speedfox AMP Three MTB

Trail bikes are fun to ride when you’re fit. Big wheels, 130mm of travel, BMC’s Advanced Pivot System, you can go places easily. The BMC Speedfox AMP expands your range. It features a pedal-assist motor to go along with while keeping the ride very firmly in the BMC tradition. You’re very much riding a BMC, just as a stronger version of yourself.

BMC wasn’t going to get into creating an eMTB platform unless the bike would ride like a BMC. And a big part of that was finding the right motor that could integrate into their design parameters. Shimano’s Steps E8000 was the right motor. It is a compact unit that surrounds the bottom bracket and features a battery they could integrate into the downtube. The gearbox is capable of 250 watts and is governed by a four-setting switch at the handlebars, and also connects to a display that shows speed, mode, and battery life. There’s off, Eco, Trail, and Boost. This isn’t a throttle system, but a pedal-assist: you pedal, it kicks in, you coast, it does nothing. Eco is the setting that offers the lowest assist and highest range. It’s basically on just enough to overcome the extra weight of the system—the bike weighs about 47lbs. It should last about 55 miles on a charge. Trail is the middle setting and can last about 40 miles, and Boost, the third or highest level of assist, can last about 20.

The battery can go from empty to full in about five hours; the battery can get to 80% in about two-and-a-half. It should be good for 500 charge cycles before storage deteriorates. And, as the system is designed with Shimano E-Tube programming, anyone who has the coordinating diagnostic tools for Di2 can also work with Steps. That includes updating firmware.

As this is BMC, the bike also has to look good. They designed the front triangle to fit the battery seamlessly into the frame and also braced it so that the frame wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the addition. The battery sits largely inside the Twin Hollow-Core Tube Design, and the battery secures in between the sides and makes up the bottom. At first blush, it looks like a big downtube with integrated armor. The triangle is also braced for the extra weight and force.

They still deploy their Big Wheel Concept thinking with the Speedfox. The smaller sizes roll on 650b wheels, while the larger on 29ers, and the geometry is adjusted accordingly. 430mm stays for the small sizes and 445mm for the larger. You’re still sitting very much in the frame rather than on top.

And because of the weight, BMC tweaked just about all the design elements to give the resulting ride a feel just like the regular Speedfox. To do this, they dropped the bottom bracket a bit to compensate for the extra weight, keeping it low. They moved pivot placement and upsized the links: the links themselves are 60% wider and the bearing diameters have gone up by 27%. They also went with wider rims and heavier tires, also to better work with the greater bike weight. Bigger rotors and stronger brakes also help keep the bike feeling like it’s just an AMPlified version of itself.

When you needs outstrip your fitness, the BMC Speedfox AMP is waiting to meet those needs.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Bottom Bracket Shimano
• Brake Calipers Shimano Deore
• Brake Levers Shimano Deore
• Cassette Shimano SLX, 11-46
• Chain Shimano HG601
• Crankset Shimano XT E8000, 34t
• Fork RockShox Revelation RC, 130mm, 148x12
• Frame Material Carbon Front Triangle. A1-13 Triple-Butted Aluminum Rear Triangle, X-12 Boost Axle
• Front Derailleur None
• Handlebar BMC MFB 03, 750mm
• Headset Integrated
• Pedals Not Included
• Rear Derailleur Shimano SLX, Shadow Plus
• Rear Suspension RockShox Monarch RL, 130mm
• Rotors Shimano, 200mm
• Saddle WTB Volt Comp
• Seatpost BMC MSP, 31.6mm
• Shifters Shimano SLX
• Stem BMC MSM 03
• Tires Maxxis Forekaster TR, 29x2.35
• Wheel - Front Alex MD30 or Jalco Rim, Navatec Hub
• Wheel - Rear Alex MD30 or Jalco Rim, Navatec Hub