Hey all,
I’ve been looking at a new bike to celebrate graduation this summer. I have mentioned it on the forum before here, but our team has been racing Scott bikes for several years now. The problem is, almost all bikes everywhere are sold out all through the year and until next calendar year. I could not get any new Scott bike until probably January or later next year. My current race bike is a light rim break scott, and I was hoping to go for something aero focused. But to do that I would be waiting an entire year
However, I can get a top end BMC team machine for an amazing price. That is available today. So my question is, do I go for the lighter team machine and throw on a set of deep aero wheels for my races this year? or hold off to get the Scott foil next year?
Besides hoping for state and national TT actually happening, my race focus for this year is LOTOJA… A 200-mi road race where I’ve realized aerodynamics play a bigger role than weight, hence my desire to go the aero frame route.
What would you do? new BMC and deep dish wheels this year? Or wait until the Scots are available next year? I am aiming to win LOTOJA and I am already hitting better numbers now than I did the last two years that I raced it (my four hour power is up something crazy like 40 watts over last year’s best).
Guess it depends whether riding a BMC is going to be frowned upon by the team. If not, and if all else is good (price, your budget, fit, etc) then I’d go for it. Both great bikes, but a great bike you can get now is nearly always better than a great bike you have to wait a year for!
I think I already wrote this somewhere on this forum. If you want a new bike, get the Teammachine or whatever is availble. BUT, if you want the Scott (Foil) get the Scott. Because if you really want a Scott Foil you will buy a BMC and you will still want the Scott, so eventually, you will sell the BMC and get the Scott.
Also consider if buying and selling the BMC later will be a big financial loss. If not, you might as well go for it.
The bike is so cheap because it comes from the team (they know bikes aren’t available so rules are lax)…and my TT bike is a Scott so that’s what matters. I don’t know anything about BMC bikes, which is why I’m asking. I wanted to make sure I’m not getting myself into it crap bike lol
Also, I should have mentioned, I want the Scott because it’s aero, and I want the aero because of performance. If I’m not missing out on performance there would be no buyers remorse. At the end of the day, I want to be able to do my best and potentially win the race
They’re definitely not crap, I know a couple of people riding them and they’re really nice bikes. Main criticism I’ve seen of them is the price (comes with the territory for Swiss manufactured goods!) but sounds like you don’t have that problem.
Thankfully, the price is not an issue at all. like I said, it ultimately comes down to performance. But if they’re great and a good price I’m starting to see no reason in waiting!
If the BMC has an integrated cockpit and a good wheels, you are getting 95%+ of the aero benefit of a dedicated aero bike (in most cases)…and the remaining 5% is pretty minimal vs. the total drag of the bike AND the rider.
That said, can the shop get you the BMC Time Machine, which is their aero road bike? If not, I’d get the BMC Team Machine w/ no regreats.
Between the two new ones, I’m not sure. but considering my current bike is several years old, non aero, and has exposed cabling, aero focus could save a tremendous amount of time/energy over 8.5-9 hours. It could be the difference between a successful late attack and rolling in off the podium. There are plenty of windy flat sections where aero would trump weight.
Unless we’re talking over a kg weight difference, or you’re racing up Cat 1/HC climbs, the fact that one bike is lighter than another is almost an irrelevance. The bike + rider combination that is most aerodynamic will be the fastest. That comes down to fit, as well as components.
I remain to be convinced that exposed cabling alone will make much of a difference in a road race (rather than a TT).
Edit: I’m also going to throw in my old man’s 0.02 about (relative) comfort and power generation. A position that you can hold without undue fatigue will save energy in the long run. A position that is more aero in the (hypothetical) wind tunnel but which costs you 5% of your FTP may well turn out to be a false economy. Which bike feels better under you?
Are you paid to ride a Scott bike? Do you get the Scott for free or at a huge discount? If no for either of those and the BMC makes you happy, then go get the BMC.
I was on a team a few years ago and was not a fan of the bike brand we got a nice discount on so I bought another bike which I liked more. I’m not a pro athlete and if a group of MAMIL’s tell me I need to have a specific bike and it’s not free and/or I don’t love that bike then I’m not getting it.
I have testridden many bikes and the BMC Teammachine is spectacular, easily in my personal top 2 together with 3T’s Strada. It loves corners, is very comfortable, has aero features, and blends sportiness with comfort and stiffness in a way that none of the other bikes I have ridden do. Think of the BMC Teammachine like a Porsche 911: on paper it loses out to many cars, the engine is in the wrong place anyway and it isn’t cheap. But on the track it consistently beats competitors with more horsepower and/or lighter weight. Yet, unlike a Ferrari or a Lamborghini you can use a 911 as your daily driver. That’s the Teammachine. It should be perfect for races, especially once you put deeper wheels on it. And depending on the built you go for, even the stock wheels are nothing to sneeze at. You might not have to swap them at all.
Also, availability is a major concern. I ordered a 3T Strada beginning of this month, and my bike shop told me it will take 3 months for them to deliver a frame. And that was with much negotiation — in the end I will get a RTP frame at no extra cost and they’ll paint it for me (in a custom color, yay!). I think I’ll be able to ride my new bike in April. But I am ready to accept that this may be pushed back a few months.
Lastly, regarding weight, like you wrote in almost all situations aero advantages beat lower weight. That’s also and especially true for wheels.
You should have a look at the sponsorship agreement, whether you are allowed to ride other bikes or not. Perhaps you “only” get what the TR guys call the pro deal. However, in the very worst case, you can sell the BMC. If you time it right, I doubt you’ll lose a lot of money. In any case, we’d be talking next about year.
I’m lucky that I can generate all my power in a very aero position (spent lots of time tweaking and working on it for TTs and road races with a professional fit team). I know the BMC will be heavier than my older Scott, but the modern lines and integrated cockpit together would add up to more than marginal gains.
Thanks for the comparison-that resonates with me as a petrol/gear head racing fan. The BMC is ready to go now, so…very available the wheels it comes with are shallow and light, hence the need for deep dish. The price is low enough that I probably could sell it early next year and come out close to even. Great idea!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for aero over weight. But, I guess until there is some better way to define real world savings (maybe in Kj’s for me) I just don’t know how you’d decide w/o better data? Where I’m going with this is be patient. If you want and think aero is the way to go I think the Foil is worth the wait. If you really think the Team Machine will be an advantage over your current bike AND can afford to take a hit selling later for the Foil…then do that. The Team Machine is similar to the Addict RC which I bought as the Foil wasn’t available which is similar to the Time Machine.
IDK…these types of threads are difficult as we have no idea the others experience, knowledge, skill, fitness, etc…I’ve owned 4 Scott road bikes (CR1SL, Addict 1st gen, Foil 2nd gen and now the Addict RC). While handling was slightly different I’d be hard pressed to say one bike saved xxx Kj’s over xx hours. If I could get the CR1SL with eTap and disc brakes I’d choose that. That was a great bike.
In between those bikes I had a chance to build up a Felt F (traditional tube) and the AR (aero) with the same components, wheels, tires and I actually used the same Quark/cranks (switched back and forth). After a year of riding and testing I sold the AR. The F just got me where I needed to be in the race better than the AR. Once out in the open the AR aero savings in terms of speed or power were really really hard to tease out.
Anyways, long story short, there is more to a bike than aero and weight that determines performance. Best of luck…this was meant to be helpful! Ha
the wheels it comes with are shallow and light, hence the need for deep dish. The price is low enough that I probably could sell it early next year and come out close to even. Great idea!