Tour de France pro bikes 2019: Steve Cummings' BMC Teammachine Disc

Steve Cummings was something of a surprise call-up to Team Dimension Data this year after a certain high-profile sprinter from the Isle of Man was omitted from the team. Here is his Teammachine with a couple of unique touches.  

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The Teammachine is BMC’s all-round race bike for going fast over any distance, so they say. It's a bit lighter than their Timemachine aero road racer and a little snappier than the endurance-focussed Roadmachine. It’s also had plenty of success over the years, with Cadel Evans riding a Teammachine to overall victory in the 2011 Tour de France.

Fast forward to 2019 and the latest hydraulic disc brake version is lighter and stiffer than ever, with all the cables routed internally for the cleanest look possible. BMC have applied their ACE, or accelerated composites evolution, technology to calculate the ultimate balance of stiffness, low weight and compliance, using pre-programmed performance values that BMC want out of their frame and applying it during the manufacturing process.

BMC have also worked hard to make sure the bike is as smooth as possible with their tuned compliance concept, with the carbon layup optimised to dampen road vibration and the dropped seatstays improving power transfer efficiency at the rear.

Cummings’ Teammachine is the top-of-the-range SLR01 Disc, and it’s been further upgraded with a special, more delicate paint job that saves a further 80g of weight off the frame – you can actually see some of the carbon weaves if you look close enough.

All the Dimension Data riders are on disc brakes for this tour, and BMC say the disc brake frame is just 25g heavier than the rim brake version.

Cummings is a big lad at 6 foot 3 inches tall, and is riding a 58cm frame. To add some extreme extra reach he’s opted for a whopping 150mm stem, the longest we spotted this year’s Tour. This stem comes part of BMC’s integrated cockpit system made specifically for the Teammachine, and although it’s as clean as any one-piece bar and stem combo out there, it’s actually in two parts to allow for plenty of adjustment.

There’s also an integrated out-front Garmin mount, and the bar tape is courtesy of Joystick. 

Dimension Data use Shimano Dura-Ace shifters and brakes, and the Rotor InPower chainset with an integrated power meter complete with a classy gold KMC chain. Cummings is running 53/39 chainrings, with an 11-28 Dura-Ace cassette at the rear.

Enve provide wheels for Dimension Data, and Cummings has opted for the SES 5.6 carbon rims on his Teammachine. The front wheel is 54mm deep and the rear 63mm, to provide plenty of aero benefits but some extra stability in crosswinds compared to very deep section rims. Mounted to those wheels are a set of Vittoria Corsa tubular tyres in a width of 26mm.

Completing the run-down on Cummings’ component choices, he’s running Shimano Dura-Ace pedals and has opted for the Selle Italia Superflow saddle with carbon rails and a central cut-out. 

What do you reckon to this bike? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out all our other Tour tech articles!