The hand-polished Transalpes hid almost shyly among the sometimes brightly coloured competition. But appearances are deceptive. The BM 650B has it all. At just 12.3 kilos, the bike is one of the lightest in the comparison and impressed the test riders with its very balanced handling. You sit integrated in the bike, feel the low centre of gravity and can rely on the plush rear suspension with RockShox Monarch Plus shock. The cockpit also fitted all riders like a glove. Despite the not too slack steering angle, the Transalpes is stable on the downhills. Lifting the front wheel requires a little more effort due to the relatively long chainstays. To keep the weight of the rotating mass low, the wheels were built with lightweight No-Tubes Crest rims. As with Cannondale and Morewood, the choice of tyres with milk is a good compromise, but limiting for the high demands of racing on the Lago.
ConclusionThe surprise candidate with consistently successful handling. Light, unobtrusive and fast.
TuningTelescopic seat post with 150 millimetres, lightweight No-Tubes ZTR Crest rims, tyres with milk.
