BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 SORA review – riding bike fast (with Mert hand, and concession to comfort)

To keep up with the SO’s race bike riding and on her special request, I needed something to ride fast.

  • Now (edited Dec 2017), this has been superseded by a carbon road bike modification where I modified a Shimano Ultegra brake and shifter lever set for use [link]
  • With recent develoments (updated March 2021), I sold the BMC bike and got, instead, a VELOFAKTUM bicycle with what to me appeared to be better specifications [link]

Here, a fixed prosthetic arm adapter with a permanent position on the handlebar for the whole bike ride had been available at the time I performed this choice of materials and modifications.

The case for flat handle bars

There are somewhat uncomfortable iliosacral joint issues that many bikers around my age have. There is the issue of having to move the shifters and levers to the left side on the handlebar. So the BMC Alpenchallenge with its conventional sitting position and a horizontal handle bar seemed like the obvious choice. Rather than a race or road bike setup.

The shop sales person the advised me to get the Shimano SORA version. So this made my choice a BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 SORA. Not the belt variation. So the Shimano SORA was definitely the right choice.

Gear ratio

The BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 SORA comes with a 3550 50/34 chainwheels and a HG50 11-32 cassette. Thus, a 50/11 gear ratio for the Shimano SORA  contrasts with a 50/19 as maximal gear ratio for the belt drive. So the conventional and not very expensive SORA transmission clearly wins the speed question.

Now, BMC introduced the Alpenchallenger line specifically for road bicycle riders that wanted the conventional “Herrenvelo” format. This is definitely a real bicycle (not some motorized gadget). It wanted to go just as fast as we rode our good old Swiss Allegro “Herrenvelos” back in the days: fast as hell. In other words, the Alpenchallenger was introduced as a commuter bike that can serve to chase e-bikes.

So to sum up in a nutshell, the bike is fast as hell.

Handling

It handles incredibly well.

The way these are used is as follows: you use the fastest gear that the bicyle has, ever, you only use that gear. Then you stand up (from the saddle). Then you will pull the handlebar and crank the pedals with the fullest torque. The most power that has been given to you ever. This will invariably result in the rider/bike-combo’s top speed, always. That is how I went (or, rode) to school back in the days. That is how to be as fast as one can ever be.

Attempting that with the BMC Alpenchallenger AC01 SORA is possible. It will require that one sets the springs in the Mert hand connector to a very high setting. So one can give the handle bar a full pull. And doing that then allows you to really maximize loading on these bikes.

Photo series

Some images of that new acquisition and modifications:


Cite this article:
Wolf Schweitzer: swisswuff.ch - BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 SORA review – riding bike fast (with Mert hand, and concession to comfort); published 02/03/2015, 18:38; URL: https://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=4396.

BibTeX 1: @MISC{schweitzer_wolf_1738958474, author = {Wolf Schweitzer}, title = {{swisswuff.ch - BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 SORA review – riding bike fast (with Mert hand, and concession to comfort)}}, month = {March}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=4396}

BibTeX 2: @MISC{schweitzer_wolf_1738958474, author = {Wolf Schweitzer}, title = {{BMC Alpenchallenge AC01 SORA review – riding bike fast (with Mert hand, and concession to comfort)}}, howpublished = {Technical Below Elbow Amputee Issues}, month = {March}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=4396} }