Swiss bike manufacturer BMC has announced that its URS range of adventure gravel bikes has been updated to increase its adventure-ready credentials. The new URS range consists of four models including the URS AMP a TQ motor-equipped e-bike.
The URS range of bikes sits alongside the Kaius in BMC's stable. The URS is the more bike-packing and adventure-focused platform, whilst the Kaius is aimed purely at gravel racing. The latest updates to the URS range move the URS further into the direction of adventure bikes with increased tyre clearance and compatibility with a dropper post and suspension fork.
- Read our BMC Kaius 01 review
- Read our review of the outgoing BMC URS
BMC has released four models all with a distinct characteristic differentiating them from one another. Alongside the URS are the URS 01, URS 01 LT, and the URS AMP electric gravel bike, which BMC claim all feature the brand’s “legacy of precision, performance and technology and tunes it to the spirit of exploration, adventure and boundary-pushing.”
BMC URS
In the press release issued ahead of the range’s launch, BMC said, “The URS offers the purest way to experience unrestricted gravel riding through its perfect blend of progressive geometry, low weight, and easy maintenance.”
In an attempt to increase the URS’s confidence on more challenging terrain, the head angle has been slackened to 69.5 degrees. This has the benefit of lengthening the wheelbase, making the bike more stable at speed and more balanced on steeper descents. BMC’s Gravel Fit geometry is similar to that more commonly found on mountain bikes, with a longer reach frame paired with a shorter stem. For more responsive handling in part to compensate for the slacker head angle.
The URS frameset is Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) compatible, future-proofing the frameset and allowing the use of the new SRAM Red groupset and Transmission derailleurs to allow for super wide ratio cassettes to be used. Tyre clearance has also grown on the new URS with the bike shipping with 44mm gravel tyres as standard but with room for up to 47mm rubber to be fitted. This aligns with the current gravel trend which is seeing riders want to fit wider and wider tyres to increase traction and comfort.
Although BMC has opted to use a D-shaped seatpost on the URS it is dropper-post compatible. Along with the potential for a dropper to be fitted the seatpost is also compatible with the brand's D-fender mudguard to keep dirt and rain away from the bike and rider.
Keeping up with current trends the URS now includes integrated downtube storage ideal for keeping spares and repairs so you are never caught out without them on a ride. For bigger adventures, the URS frameset has a plethora of mounting options for bottle cages and bikepacking bags.
BMC URS Builds and Pricing
Available in a five-size run from XS through to XL the URS comes in two build options. The URS TWO (€4,499 / $4,499) comes fitted with a 'mullet' SRAM Apex XPLR AXS / Eagle AXS groupset that allows for a 10-52 tooth cassette mountain bike cassette to be fitted.
The more affordable model in the URS range is the URS THREE (€3,799 / $3,799). This uses the same hybrid groupset concept as the URS TWO but uses SRAM’s Mechanical Apex Eagle rear derailleur rather than the electronic AXS one found on the pricier model.
BMC URS 01
The URS 01 range is available in three builds all of which feature passive suspension damping at the rear and a stem-based suspension unit at the front. The seat stays of the URS 01 frameset feature MTT (Micro Travel Technology) XCell damping technology. This uses an exclusive elastomer material to help dampen out high-frequency vibrations on rougher terrain. The damping qualities are not fixed and can be adjusted to a rider's weight and preference by using different damper densities. The inclusion of the seat stay damping is claimed to have ‘virtually no weight penalty’ and ‘all the torsional stiffness of its siblings fully rigid design.’
Teaming up with the XCell damping at the rear is a suspension stem that has been a collaboration between BMC and Redshift a brand known for its innovative suspension stems and seatposts. The ICS MTT stem offers riders 20mm of travel at the bars helping to isolate the rider from the surface below whilst retaining the integrated cable routing you would expat from a BMC ICS stem. BMC says that the MTT suspension on the URS 01 range gives, “More control, more speed and less muscular fatigue while experiencing more adventure and more freedom.”
In addition to the suspension units the URS 01 also comes as standard with side-loading X bottle cages to help keep your valuable hydration safe whilst riding over challenging terrain.
BMC URS 01 Builds and Pricing
Available in three builds the URS 01 starts with the URS 01 FOUR (€5,999 / $5,999) which uses a hybrid SRAM Rival XPLR AXS / SRAM GX Eagle Transmission groupset.
The URS01 THREE (€8,499 / $8,499) climbs SRAM’s groupset hierarchy with a mix of SRAM Force XPLR AXS and SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission.
Topping off the URS 01 range is the URS 01 ONE (€11,999 / $11,999) which interestingly uses a combination of SRAM RED XPLR AXS and SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission rather than a complete complement of the newly released SRAM Red XPLR AXS 13-speed groupset.
BMC URS 01 LT
Building on the URS 01 platform the LT steps things up a notch with the inclusion of an MTT gravel suspension fork that offers 20mm of tuneable travel. The suspension fork designed in collaboration with HiRide allows riders to dial in their desired suspension characteristics based on weight, terrain and riding style.
The URS 01 LT features the same frame as the URS 01 with the XCell MTT seat stay damping unit.
BMC URS 01 LT Builds and Pricing
The URS 01 LT is available in two builds that are the same as the URS 01 FOUR and THREE in regards to spec.
The URS 01 LT TWO (€6,499 / $6,499) comes with a hybrid SRAM Rival XPLR AXS / GX Eagle Transmission groupset.
The range-topping URS 01 LT ONE (€8,999 / $8,999) uses a combination of the brand's Force XPLR AXS and X0 Eagle Transmission groupset.
BMC URS AMP LT
The final bike in the URS range is the URS AMP LT as the name suggests this features the same design and suspension as the URS 01 LT, however, the URS AMP LT adds some additional assistance in the shape of TQ’s HPR50 motor.
The motor offers up to 300 watts of peak power allowing riders to go further with the added support of the HPR50’s assistance. BMC say that the URS AMP LT is, “A bike made to tackle anything the gravel revolution throws at a rider.”
BMC URS AMP LT Builds and Pricing
The URS AMP LT TWO is the only model available in the AMP range at launch at €9,999 / $9,999 it features SRAM’s hybrid Force XPLR AXS groupset and X0 Eagle Transmission groupset along with the MTT/HiRide suspension fork and MTT chainstay damper.
