BMC URS One gravel bike on test: Expensive gravel bike in a class of its own

Test: With an incredibly versatile frame, a great look and high-quality equipment, the BMC Urs One does almost everything right as a gravel bike - but that comes at a price.

BMC URS One: The facts

Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size(s): 700c
Maximum tire clearance: 45 mm
Axle dimensions (v/h): 12 × 100/142 × 12
Mudguard Eyelets: Ja
Luggage carrier eyelets (v/h): No Yes
bottle holder: Down tube up, down tube down. seat tube
Other: Eyelets on top tube, cable routing for hub dynamo

Weight wheels v/h/total (with tires and brake discs): 1.410g / 1.515g / 2.925g
Weight complete bike without pedals (size M): 8,31kg
Price: 8999 Euro

Versatility without compromise

In our last gravel bike test Not even two years ago, the Swiss from BMC were already represented - but still with the Roadmachine, a gravel bike that was heavily based on the Roadmachine racing bike and was correspondingly restricted in its field of application. Of course, BMC was also aware of this; and at the beginning of last year presented the Urs, the first "real" own gravel bike. Urs does not (only) stand for a popular first name among our Swiss neighbors, but is also an abbreviation for Unrestricted and sets the direction for the BMC gravel bike: It should be unlimited, versatile, universal. All of these are characteristics that make a modern gravel bike for us.

Of course, such a concept stands and falls with the frame - the BMC Urs is correspondingly sophisticated. With all four equipment variants, it is the same except for the color and has some features on board that can confidently be described as unique. First there is the Micro Travel Technology (MTT) in the seatstays. In the transition to the seat tube there is a kind of elastomer that absorbs shocks and vibrations from the rear wheel to a certain extent and is supposed to deliver up to 10mm of spring travel without negatively affecting pedaling efficiency. The race hardtails from BMC have been used successfully in the World Cup for a number of seasons with this feature.

With the MTT, BMC is already clearly focusing on comfort on the Urs, and the bike has also been given a special carbon layup that is also supposed to help filter unpleasant bumps from the ground. Of course, you need all of this above all if you not only ride the bike on tame gravel paths, but also occasionally take "real" terrain under the gravel tires.

For those who are particularly interested in these off-road qualities, the frame has remarkable features: On the one hand, special attention was paid to designing the transition from the head tube to the down tube in such a way that the powerful fork crown of the Fox 32 AX Gravel suspension fork can easily be accommodated. The frame is also prepared for retrofitting a retractable seat post (diameter 27,2mm). To ensure that off-road excursions like this don't leave too many unsightly marks on the bike, precautions have also been taken: in the area of ​​the bottom bracket, a stable protection has been applied to the down tube and the dropouts of the fork are also protected in this way.

However, anyone who suspects that BMC sacrificed the everyday use of the Urs for this off-road suitability is wrong - quite the opposite: In addition to the mudguard eyelets, which are now almost obligatory on modern gravel bikes, the bike also has attachment points for a luggage rack and - hold on - the fork has it even a cable passage for a hub dynamo.

However, the geometry then points much more clearly in the direction of off-road. Although it is also far from not being suitable for everyday use, sporty riders in particular - regardless of whether they come from MTB or racing bikes - should feel comfortable here. This is undoubtedly the target group for such an expensive gravel bike. With a fairly slack steering angle, long main frame and wheelbase, the handling should be trimmed towards smooth running, whereby the rather short chainstays should retain a little bit of agility.

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Equipment without significant weaknesses

At just under 9.000 euros, the BMC Urs One is not only one of the most expensive gravel bikes on the market, but also one of the most expensive bikes in general. In addition to the frame packed with features, there is also equipment with the best components that money can buy at the moment. So it's no wonder that the Urs One in size M weighs just 8,31kg.

An essential reason why the bike makes an extremely high-quality impression at first glance is its extremely clean look. No line, no cable, no train disturbs the striking lines of the noble gravel racer. This is made possible, among other things, by the built-in Sram Red eTap or Sram XX1 Eagle AXS groupset: It works completely wirelessly, does without a front derailleur, but thanks to the 10-50 cassette it still has a huge range. Thumbs up: A 38 chain ring is installed on the crank, which we think suits the area of ​​application perfectly - definitely better than the 42 chainrings on many competing bikes, which we think are too big.

Wireless shifting okay – of course, the Sram Red HRD disc brake still doesn’t do without cables. The fact that apart from the STIs and the brake calipers we don't see any disturbing lines is due to the ICS stem, which accommodates all cables or cable housings at the bottom and leads directly into the inside of the frame. Furthermore, it offers an elegantly integrated mount for bike computers or an action cam. We also really like the Easton EC70 AX handlebars and with a 16° flare, they are not too flared.

Another component that underlines the great look of the Urs and at the same time delivers very good performance are the wheels from DT Swiss. The GRC 1400 is very light, has wide, slightly higher and of course tubeless-compatible carbon rims and durable hubs - not much more is possible here. Mounted on it are 42mm wide WTB Resolute tires whose skinwall look goes nicely with the beige of the frame.

Last but not least, a few words about the seating area: This is where the in-house D-Shape seat post does its job, which, thanks to its special shape with a flattened rear part, is supposed to offer a lot of flexibility and thus a high level of comfort. If you want, you can of course also install a conventional 27,2mm post using the adapter supplied.

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Let's Gravel: The BMC URS One

At first glance, the BMC URS One, with its super clean look and elegant design, is not only of very high quality, but also extremely expensive at just under 9.000 euros. Of course, we were particularly curious to see whether the price difference to the rest of the test field could also be experienced in terms of performance.

Let's start with the balanced geometry, which should appeal to many riders and we really like it. The slightly sloped top tube softens the otherwise quite sporty geometry and offers the possibility to set a more relaxed position.

The first-class comfort on the BMC URS One ensures even more "relaxation". Because of its lowered seat stays with Micro Travel Technology (MTT), you even get up to 10mm of spring travel on the rear triangle and can thus mitigate or even hide various bumps and bumps with flying colors. But this is also necessary to live up to its name Unrestricted. Of course, the URS also reaches its limits on more extreme sections, because this is still a gravel bike after all. Nevertheless, some trails can be mastered with this Gravler and even with a lot of driving fun.

Despite the MTT elastomer and comfort, the BMC URS One is by no means a leisurely vehicle. Quite the opposite: on the track, it also proves to be a real speedster and impresses us with its sporty driving characteristics. The good stiffness in the bottom bracket area, including successful power transmission, gives you great acceleration. In connection with the direct handling, the URS appears very agile, which not only gives us a lot of pleasure on the technical trails, but also ensures a sporty driving experience.

The great overall performance is rounded off by the high-quality equipment, which does not give much to complain about. The DT Swiss Gravel wheels ensure sporty handling on asphalt and gravel, the Sram circuit ensures the best wireless switching pleasure and is also comfortable to hold. The same applies to the handlebars, which fit in well with the overall concept in terms of ergonomics and are easy to hold.

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