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When you think of Switzerland in this country, first-class chocolates, the finest cheeses and high-precision watches inevitably spring to mind. But the Swiss Confederation has even more to offer. More specifically, the Bicycle Manufacturing Company, or BMC for short: in the recent past, the small town of Grenchen has repeatedly launched racing bikes with innovative ideas onto the market. The most recent example is the new Urs, which made its debut in 2019 and continues the tradition as an adventurous gravel bike. The Kaius, a proven expert for fast gravel rides, has also played a pioneering role since its launch in 2022. Why? Our double test of the respective top models shows.
Performance meets exploration: The in-house categorisation of the two gravel bikes gets to the heart of the matter, as there is a thick dividing line between the candidates. On the one hand, the Kaius 01 LTD is a pure racing machine that can also be ridden at a fast pace on tarmac and outpaces many a road bike. On the other hand, the Urs 01 One takes a more leisurely pace and ultimately invites the rider to go on an off-road adventure in rough terrain.
BMC Kaius and Urs as counter-designs
As with our first test of the BMC Kaius 01 One the almost identical LTD version also put a big grin on the faces of our test riders. Sporty and ambitious road cyclists will feel right at home on the race gravel bike. Thanks to its low weight of just 7.7 kilograms and first-class stiffness, the Kaius can be accelerated with ease. The extended wheelbase and plenty of fork travel stabilise the signal red BMC noticeably. For a gravel bike, the riding position is also quite sporty and aggressive and the handlebars are slightly narrower. However, with a width of 400 millimetres, this is somewhat more moderate than on the Kaius 01 One.
The BMC Urs 01 One is the stark contrast to this. The striking sloping geometry, huge brake discs, countless mounting points and, last but not least, two suspension elements clearly position the Unrestricted, or Urs for short, as a specialist for adventure. The weight is remarkable: at 8.9 kilograms, the Swiss interpretation of a bikepacking model is quite light; comparable specialists are usually heavier and come close to the ten-kilo limit.
The highlight is the enormous comfort: thanks to a sprung stem, the Urs is one of the few bikes with curved handlebars that absorbs bumps better at the front than at the rear. With a test load of 40 kilograms, this results in a suspension travel of around 15 millimetres. The system is comparable to the Future Shock technology that Specialized uses on the Roubaix marathon bike or at the Gravel bike Diverge STR installed. The stem, a co-production of BMC and component specialist Redshift, works like a rocker. Two integrated elastomers allow the spring effect to be adjusted to the rider's weight, with a total of five degrees of firmness. A mouldable plastic is also used at the rear, positioned at the junction of the seat stays and seat tube.
However, the so-called micro-travel technology (MTT) is not entirely free of criticism. Although the Urs is not a sprint expert, the spring cockpit does give way when pedalling, which means that the horsepower can be applied less precisely to the gravel track. There is no lockout function, but the elastomer inserts of varying hardness can be adjusted. The rear suspension is better tuned. According to BMC, this is due to a special rubber compound that is also used in the automotive industry. The comfort character is rounded off by the tubeless tyres, which expand to 45 millimetres on the wide carbon rims from Zipp. With a maximum possible 47-millimetre tyres, the Urs finally follows in the footsteps of a hardtail mountain bike.
Race bike or adventure bike?
The combination of a small chainring and huge MTB cassette is a further indication that the Urs can be pushed up almost any incline even with a full load. There is plenty of space for luggage thanks to countless mounting points. Compared to its predecessor, a storage compartment in the down tube offers space for a puncture repair kit. Thanks to a cable duct integrated into the fork for a hub dynamo, the BMC is also prepared for night rides.
The Kaius, on the other hand, is much more minimalist. In keeping with its racing character, heavy suspension systems are not used, which means that the "Red Lightning" naturally reacts more directly to bumps. The handlebar/stem unit in particular can be quite bumpy on bumpy roads. However, tyres up to 44 millimetres wide can be retrofitted for more comfort. The frame set is also spartan, with only a small bag that can be attached to the top tube.
Conclusion on BMC Kaius and Urs: Two concepts - both top
After our tests in the lab and in practice, the bottom line is that both gravel bikes are currently among the best bikes on the market and have earned top marks. We have never awarded the BMC Kaius a 1.6 according to the current measurement method, with the BMC Urs following directly behind with a gap of two tenths. There is one catch: the high prices of both models. At € 11,999 each, the Kaius and Urs are among the most expensive off-road bikes. Inexpensive basic models are also in short supply. The cheapest Kaius from the current model year is listed at 5999 euros on the Swiss website, while the Urs starts at 3799 euros. Interesting detail: The Swiss have also listed a version of the Kaius 01 One with the new Sram Red XPLR - at the same price as the LTD version.
Facts & figures about the BMC Kaius 01 LTD
- Price: 11,999 Euro >> available here
- Weight of complete wheel: 7.7 kilos
- Frame sizes: 47, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61
- TOUR grade: 1,6
Geometry
- Seat/top/head tube: 499/580/144 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 578/402 millimetres/1.44
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 644/576 millimetres/1.12
- Wheelbase/caster: 1025/71 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gear shift: Sram Red XPLR AXS (1x12; 42, 10-44 t.)
- Brakes: Sram Red HRD (160/160 mm)
- Tyres: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40 mm (eff.: 42 mm)
- Impellers: Zipp 303 Firecrest
- Impeller weights: 1392/1883 grams (v./h.)
Measured values
- Weight of complete wheel: 7680 grammes | Grade: 1.3
- Driving stability: 9.6 N/mm | Grade: 1.0
- Rear comfort: 106 N/mm | Grade: 1.7
- Comfort front: 106 N/mm | Grade: 3.0
- Ride/ bottom bracket stiffness: 64 N/mm | Grade: 1.0
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: very light, powerful
- Minus: little spring comfort in the cockpit, very expensive
Facts & figures about the BMC Urs 01 One
- Price: 11,999 Euro
- Weight of complete wheel: 8.9 kilos
- Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
- TOUR grade: 1,8
Geometry
- Seat/top/head tube: 437/570/140 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 587/404 millimetres/1.45
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 662/562 millimetres/1.18
- Wheelbase/caster: 1070/86 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gear shift: Sram Red AXS/XX SL Eagle (1x12; 38, 10-52 t.)
- Brakes: Sram Red HRD (180/160 mm)
- Tyres: WTB Raddler 40 mm (eff.: 45 mm)
- Impellers: Zipp 101 XPLR
- Impeller weights: 1572/2005 gram (v./h.)
Measured values
- Weight of complete wheel: 8850 grammes | Grade: 2.7
- Driving stability: 8.6 N/mm | Grade: 1.3
- Rear comfort: 97 N/mm | Grade: 1.3
- Comfort front: 28 N/mm | Grade: 1.0
- Ride/ bottom bracket stiffness: 54 N/mm | Grade: 2.0
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: Excellent spring comfort, great additional benefits
- Minus: front suspension bobbles when pedalling, very expensive
Julian Schultz
Editor
