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hat if your commute didn’t feel like a chore? What if those trips to buy groceries put a smile on your face? What if towing the kids behind you was less of a workout, and more a joy for everyone involved?
The company’s DNA spirals just like a double helix from the race bikes of the Tour de France to urban bikes like this, and while race bikes may seem wildly different to anything from the 257 range, the underlying aim of both is, through appropriate design and engineering, to be the best possible bike for the situation you’re in. The 257 range, encompassing both standard and electric assisted ‘AMP’ models in 14 different guises shares more than you’d think with a bike designed to compete for the top step of the race podium.
The sleek design is likely what will catch your eye first, the minimalist paintwork, powder coated for maximum durability, mirrors the look of the brand’s race bikes in many ways, but with flashes of orange on the integrated fenders to add not only a sense of fun to proceedings, but also greater visibility, and therefore safety.
The 257 range is split into two, with four tiers of standard model (each available in a step-thru version), and three tiers of 257 AMP electric models, also each coming in a step-thru version. Each features an aluminium frame, a material which offers a sweet spot of low weight and durability, and the AMP models feature industry leading Bosch motors, with the maximum speed of assistance varying depending on location; the AMP US version for example is a Cat 3 e-bike, capable of providing assistance up to 28mph. Regardless of where in the world you are, the 625 watt-hour battery will allow you to get around without any power-panic.
Need a little more comfort? There are suspension stems on some models to add compliance. Live somewhere with bad weather? Internally geared hubs will keep your maintenance costs down by a noticeable margin. There’s no excuse for not getting out there and riding to extra time.
Once you start seeing your utility rides as leisure then the city opens up. The ride to run some errands becomes a chance to explore some new routes that you couldn’t do with a car. The school run becomes quality time, and a chance to share your love of cycling with the next generation, and improve their environment in the process. Commuting doesn’t have to be A to B in the shortest possible time; once it becomes another part of your riding experience then you’ll be more inclined to explore what ‘C’ has to offer.
Underneath the sleek, minimalist exterior still beats the heart of a BMC. We all know the brand as one that creates high performance racing machines, and just because you’re not riding in the Tour de France doesn’t mean performance isn’t important. Performance takes many forms, and in some situations it means not only speed and agility, but comfort, reliability, and visibility.
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The hours you spend riding out of necessity suddenly become leisure, and leisure time is free time; you get those hours back. The new BMC 257 range distils the essence of what makes a BMC, that being an engineering focus with a keen eye for design, and mixes it into a range of urban focussed machines that offer you something above that which you’d get from a standard commuting bike.
While ‘sleek design’ is fundamentally a Swiss trait (search ‘Mondiane watch’ if you need convincing’), it’s also a by-product of creating an integrated bicycle, as is much more common with those designed for racing. Many models in the range feature integrated lighting, along with kickstands and racks designed to work as a seamless system, meaning there’s no stress about whether aftermarket accessories will fit.
Perhaps the most subtle similarity between the 257 range and those bikes we’re more used to seeing from BMC, is the versatility. Modern race bikes ride over glass-smooth tarmac and the hellish cobbles of northern France in the same season. If you want to explore your city you’re going to find a similar variety of surfaces. Maybe it’s a newly paved cycle path one day, but a gravel track shortcut the next. In any eventuality the 42mm tyre clearance means you’re covered for anything the urban landscape can throw at you.
A premium aluminium
frameblends clean looks,
durability and
lightweight style
Tech Writer, Cycling Weekly
Rupert Radley
bmc-switzerland.com
BMC DNA with a new focus
BMC 257 range
A CHANGE
OF PACE
bmc-switzerland.com
https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/257-urban-bikes?utm_source=cyclingnewsadvertorial&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=257