Rohan Dennis' Tour Down Under winning BMC Teammachine SLR01(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A fi'zi:k Arione with Ki:um rails sits on a 15mm lay-back BMC post(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A closer look at the 'team-issue' 3T components - beyond graphics these are the same parts you an buy from a store(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A flat surface to the BMC 'Ace' seat post means number plates can be stuck on(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Segmented brake housing is used for better brake feel, while the nearby Di2 wire is shrink wrapped for a clean look(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 is featured on Dennis' bike. Note the really neat Di2 wire exit point (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The most common power meter in the peloton - BMC Racing use the SRM Shimano 11-speed(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
BMC Racing have special 'team-issue' 3T components for clearer logo placement (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Gear cable ports go unused on this BMC Teammachine SLR01(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
BMC once told us - "Turn off the lights in a room full of 100s of bikes, you'll know when you find the BMC". This additional brace is mostly cosmetic these days, but it's now part of BMC's DNA(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
With Cadel Evans retiring, Rohan Dennis is the new generation of Australian general classification contenders (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Glued to a pair of Shimano Dura-Ace C50 wheels, the Continental Competition ALX LTD in a 25mm width remain a rather exclusive item(Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Rohan Dennis (BMC) lofts his bike above his head on the podium(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Rohan Dennis (BMC) opens his 2015 account with BMC(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
With Cadel Evans as the team leader on his last stage race before retirement, Rohan Dennis' race lead after winning the third stage of the Tour Down Under came as a surprise to all. Nonetheless, the 24-year-old hometown local proved to have the better legs and convincingly held it together against a charging Richie Porte of Team Sky, winning the race by a mere two seconds.
Dennis got his start on the track; as part of the 2010 world championship winning pursuit team with the likes of Jack Bobridge. With an attempt at the Hour Record coming up on February 8, it sure seems that Dennis has the speed to take the record.
Just like the rest of the team, Dennis rides a Teammachine SLR01 for most of the races, including the Tour Down Under. As a recent recruit to the BMC Racing team, Dennis' bike is a perfect showcase of ‘team-issue' spec.
BMC pitches the Teammachine is the 'perfect combination of weight, stiffness and vertical compliance' – something that in our testing has proven to be pretty close to the truth.
This frame doesn't claim is aerodynamics, but like so many other brand's Grand Tour type frames, it seems to remain a less important quality.
Amongst the bikes of the peloton, BMC's are easy to spot with the distinctive cross brace between the top tube and seat tube. Where this concept originally offered some reinforcement and force distribution, it's realistically now a defining cosmetic feature of the Swiss bikes.
It's common for frames to use the same cable port for gear housing or Di2 wiring, However, BMC does it differently with a little port near the rear brake housing entry-point for Di2, creating an extremely clean look with minimal wire to poke out vulnerably. In the case of Dennis' bike, the gear cable port behind the head tube remains unused and cleanly covered.
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With the team sponsored by Shimano and SRM, there's little surprise in the full Dura-Ace Di2 9070 groupset and matched SRM power meter crank. Dennis doesn't use any additional sprint or climber's shifters, instead sticking with the single point of shifting from behind the brake lever.
The brakes on Dennis' bike felt completely dialled, with much credit to the rear brake setup with segmented compression-free housing.
Stuck to the Shimano Dura-Ace C50 wheels are Continental Competition ALX LTD 25mm tubulars, something that is commonly seen in the pro-peloton but extremely hard to find otherwise.
Much like Team Sky has done with its PRO components, the 3T parts on BMC are special 'team-issue' versions of otherwise standard items – purely done to make the Italian brand's logos clearer.
Complete bike specifications Frame: BMC Team Machine SLR01 – size 56cm Fork: BMC Team Machine SLR01, 1–1/8 to 1–1/2in tapered Headset: Sealed (unbranded) Stem: 3T ARX II Team, 130mm, -6 degree (team issue) Handlebar: 3T ErgoSum Team, 44cm (c-c) (team issue) Tape: 3T Team Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070 Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 FD-9070 Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 RD-9070 Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070 Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-9000, 11-28T Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000 Crankset: SRM Shimano 11-speed, 172.5mm, 53/39T Bottom bracket: C-Bear Ceramic Pedals: Shimano 9000 Dura-Ace Wheelset: Shimano Dura-Ace C50 tubular Front tyre: Continental Competition ALX LTD, 25mm Rear tyre: Continental Competition ALX LTD, 25mm Saddle: fi'zi:k Airone Classic Seatpost: BMC Team Machine carbon, 15mm offset Bottle cages: Elite Custom Race (2) Computer: SRM Power Control 7 (not pictured)
Critical measurements Rider's height: 1.82m (5ft 11in) Rider's weight: 71kg (156lb) Saddle height from BB, c-t: 767 mm Saddle setback: 89mm Seat tube length (c-t): 555mm Tip of saddle to center of bar: 595mm Saddle-to-bar drop: 110mm Head tube length: 163mm Top tube length (effective): 560mm Total bicycle weight: 7.03kg (15.47lb) (w/o SRM Power Control 7 head unit)
