The new BMC URS gravel bike range includes conventional rigid, full suspension and ebike versions, with a geometry inspired by mountain bikes, wide tyre clearances and integrated downtube storage.
The URS 01 features BMC’s MicroTravel Technology (MTT) stem, incorporating Redshift ShockStop suspension technology, and ride-smoothing seat stays.
The URS 01 LT comes fitted with an MTT suspension fork developed in partnership with HiRide, with a slightly refined design compared to the previous bike.
The URS AMP LT features the same ride-smoothing technology of the URS 01 LT, but it includes a TQ HPR50 motor system and integrated battery.
Bikes are available from today, starting from $3,799 / €3,799 (UK prices and model availability are TBC) for a SRAM Apex 1 / Apex Eagle specced URS Three.
This rises to $11,999 / €11,999 for the URS 01 One, which is built with a SRAM Red XPLR AXS / XX SL Eagle Transmission.
How does the BMC URS ride? You can read our first impressions here.
Horses for all courses
BMC says the new URS bikes provide a “near limitless range in terms of topography, geography, landscape and possibility for all riders”.
All the gravel bikes feature carbon frames and BMC’s ‘Gravel Fit’ geometry, which it says offers the rider a confidence-inspiring ride while maintaining sharp handling.
Borrowing from mountain bike geometry, it pairs a long frame reach with a short stem. The slack 69.5-degree head angle will also improve stability at high speeds or on steep terrain.
The latest URS has been lengthened by 5mm for the rear-centre measurement, and 3mm for the front-centre. The trail has also been lengthened to make the steering more stable on rougher trails.
BMC recommends 47mm as the maximum tyre width on the URS, but that figure leaves 6mm clearance between the tyre and frame, which it says is in line with ISO standards for mountain bike frames.
Like BMC’s Roadmachine X endurance road bike, the new URS features down tube storage, with a proprietary storage bag supplied.
BMC has also adopted the SRAM UDH dropout standard, citing improved shifting performance. This also means it’s compatible with SRAM’s latest ‘full mount’ drivetrains.
Befitting a platform designed for gravel riding on the adventure end of the scale, the frame features protection on the down tube and dropouts.
There is a bento-style box mount on the top tube and triple boss cage mounts on the fork legs. Mudguards and a pannier rack can be fitted via a removable bridge supplied with the bike.
The fork also sports a routing port for a dynamo hub. The seat tube has three bottle cage bolts, offering low and high mounting positions, or the option to fit a three-boss cage for larger items.
The latest URS design continues to use a D-shape seatpost, using the same clamp as the BMC Twostroke mountain bike. BMC says the frame is also compatible with 27.2mm diameter dropper posts via a shim.
BMC has specced an inline seatpost to maximise the rider’s pitch over the bottom bracket, while pushing weight forward for front wheel traction. A 15mm setback model is also available as an aftermarket option.
BMC URS and URS 01
The URS is positioned as the brand’s rigid adventure gravel bike, featuring a standard stem and fork.
The URS 01 (in BMC parlance, ‘01’ signifies its premium bikes) features suspension in the form of the brand’s MTT stem and seat stays.
The MTT stem – which is compatible with BMC’s ICS internal routing system – uses RedShift’s ShockStop technology, offering up to 20mm of suspension travel.
Two elastomers are fitted as standard but three more are supplied with the bike to adjust to suit the rider and riding style.
70mm stems are supplied with bikes as standard, but 80-110mm long versions are available aftermarket.
The previous generation URS featured the MTT stay design, which delivered up to 10mm of travel, but the latest version has been refined.
Inside the tubes, the compression cylinders have been oriented more horizontally to better support the frame’s natural flexion direction. The design now incorporates a cargo strap on the interior face of the frame’s main triangle.
The damper is also adjustable. BMC says size extra small, small and medium bikes come with the softest damper. Large and extra-large bikes feature a medium-density insert.
A high-density damper is available as an aftermarket purchase.
BMC URS 01 LT
An MTT suspension fork replaces the traditional rigid fork on the URS 01 LT. This was developed in tandem with HiRide Suspension.
The fork delivers up to 20mm of travel, via an internal spring.
A lockout dial is positioned in place of a top cap. BMC says it’s improved this dial with a new aluminium construction.
The fork uses a 1-¼ inch oversized steerer tube, which prevents BMC from including the MTT stem (this fits a standard 1-⅛ inch steerer, as found on the rigid fork).
BMC also says it worked to optimise the aesthetics of the fork-head tube interface, with a smoother junction between the fork and URS head tube.
BMC URS AMP LT
The URS AMP LT wraps up the URS 01 LT’s ingredients but incorporates a TQ HPR50 mid-drive ebike motor.
This is said to deliver up to 300 watts peak power (250 watts average) and 50Nm torque. TQ claims it’s the lightest, quietest and smallest motor in its class.
Naturally, the frame has been modified to accommodate the motor, 360Wh ebike battery and control system, but BMC claims the geometry is unchanged from the non-assisted bikes.
The two top tube mounts make way for the TQ control unit, but the underside of the tube has gained three. The down tube has five.
BMC says these can be used to fit an auxiliary battery plus a bottle.
The down tube-housed battery replaces the storage compartment.
The SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission rear derailleur is powered by the TQ battery system, with a SRAM dummy battery taking up the slot usually filled by an AXS battery.
BMC URS availability, prices and specifications
The BMC URS bikes are available from today, and all feature SRAM mullet drivetrains, which the brand says is reflective of the bike’s mountain bike-inspired design.
There are two models of the URS – the URS Two and Three, the latter of which is the cheapest of the selection at $3,799 / €3,799, with a SRAM Apex 1 / Apex Eagle groupset.
The URS 01 comes in three flavours, topped by a SRAM Red XPLR AXS / XX SL Eagle Transmission ‘One’ build at $11,999 / €11,999. This is the most expensive bike of the range, with ‘Three’ (SRAM Force XPLR AXS / X0 Eagle Transmission) and ‘Four’ (SRAM Rival XPLR AXS / GX Eagle Transmission) underpinning it.
The URS 01 LT comes in two builds: the ‘One’ with a SRAM Force XPLR AXS / X0 Eagle Transmission drivetrain ($8,999 / €8,999), and the ‘Two’ kitted out in SRAM Rival XPLR AXS / GX Eagle Transmission ($6,499 / €6,499).
There is a single URS AMP LT build, featuring a SRAM Force XPLR AXS / X0 Eagle Transmission build, for $9,999 / €9,999.
At launch, UK-specific prices and model availability are still to be confirmed.
BMC URS Two
- Price: $4,499 / €4,499
- Frame: URS, carbon
- Fork: URS, carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Apex XPLR AXS / X1 Eagle AXS
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: DT Swiss G 1800 Spline, alloy
- Stem: Standard, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
BMC URS Three
- Price: $3,799 / €3,799
- Frame: URS, carbon
- Fork: URS, carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Apex 1 / Apex Eagle
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: DT Swiss G 1800 Spline, alloy
- Stem: Standard, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
BMC URS 01 One
- Price: $11,999 / €11,999
- Frame: URS MTT, carbon
- Fork: URS, carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Red XPLR AXS / XX SL Eagle Transmission
- Power meter: Yes (Quarq)
- Wheels: Zipp 101 XPLR, carbon
- Stem: MTT stem, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
BMC URS 01 Three
- Price: $8,499 / €8,499
- Frame: URS MTT, carbon
- Fork: URS, carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Force XPLR AXS / X0 Eagle Transmission
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: BMC CRD-400, carbon
- Stem: MTT stem, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
BMC URS 01 Four
- Price: $5,999 / €5,999
- Frame: URS, carbon
- Fork: URS, carbon
- Groupset: SRAM Rival XPLR AXS / GX Eagle Transmission
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: DT Swiss G 1800 Spline, alloy
- Stem: MTT stem, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
BMC URS 01 LT One
- Price: $8,999 / €8,999
- Frame: URS, carbon
- Fork: MTT Suspension Fork x HiRide, carbon, 20mm travel
- Groupset: SRAM Force XPLR AXS / X0 Eagle Transmission
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: BMC CRD-400, carbon
- Stem: Standard, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
BMC URS 01 LT Two
- Price: $6,499 / €6,499
- Frame: URS, carbon
- Fork: MTT Suspension Fork x HiRide, carbon, 20mm travel
- Groupset: SRAM Rival XPLR AXS / GX Eagle Transmission
- Power meter: No
- Wheels: BMC CRD-400, carbon
- Stem: Standard, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
BMC URS AMP LT Two
- Price: $9,999 / €9,999
- Frame: URS AMP, carbon
- Fork: MTT Suspension Fork x HiRide, carbon, 20mm travel
- Groupset: SRAM Force XPLR AXS / X0 Eagle Transmission
- Power meter: Yes (with TQ system)
- Wheels: BMC CRD-400, carbon
- Stem: Standard, alloy
- Seatpost: BMC D-Shape, carbon
- Tyres: WTB Raddler, 700x44c, tubeless ready
