Beautiful Bicycle: A Ripping BMC Fourstroke LT

When it comes to custom bike builds, I’ve been known to go all in. Trail, gravel, road, you name it. But cross-country (XC) builds? That’s where my true passion lies. They’re my bread and butter, the kind of project that gets me genuinely excited.

Cross-country, But The Fun Way 

For my latest two-wheeled creation, I wanted something as fast on the down as it is on the up. Last year, I built a Santa Cruz Highball, one of my favorite bikes in the quiver. With its ability to climb like no one's business while acting as a true cross-country rocket, it made me realize that a traditional cross-country race bike is a bit too close in character to my hardtail. For my next XC rig, I wanted something that would lean towards a trail bike, with better descending capabilities. Ultimately, this meant a bike with real linkage.

These days, most cross-country bikes rely on a flex-stay suspension design. While that setup works well and keeps weight low, it does sacrifice a bit of mid-stroke support and braking traction. The BMC Fourstroke, on the other hand, uses their twin-link APS system. Very similar to the VPP design found on Santa Cruz mountain bikes, BMC's twin-link APS enables better control of the axle path, along with a more progressive ramp-up. All of this adds up to a cross-country machine that can descend almost like a lightweight trail bike. So, I built the rest of the bike to match, without any extreme weight-weenie parts here. That’s what the hardtail is for.

Cleared for Takeoff: Cockpit Design

On my cross-country bikes, I like to keep the cockpit design consistent, running the same set-up based solely on my body position. Specifically, I run a 80mm -20° FSA SL-K stem, and a 680mm wide carbon bar. But in this instance, my tried and true setup felt too aggressive for this build, and would hold back the descending capabilities of the bike. A slightly higher front end goes a long way for alleviating descent fatigue, so my solution was to combine three distinct elements: 1) stiffness and control, 2) price, and 3) weight. A Race Face Turbine R stem in a 60mm 0°, and matching Race Face Next SL 35mm handlebar cut to 720mm, hit the nail on the head. 

A "Wicked Smahht" Bike, Both Fork & Shock

While I love the entire build, the main attraction on this bike is the RockShox Flight Attendant system, a computer-controlled, automated fork and shock that empowers the bike to be as efficient as possible--without any rider intervention. No matter what the trail is doing--up or down, smooth and flowy or rowdy rock garden--the suspension is fully optimized, without any of the classic tradeoffs (i.e., inefficient pedaling, or not enough travel). I also love the how scarlet red on the fork and shock really tie the bike together--not unlike the rug in The Dude's front room.  As a fun side note, as far as Contender is aware, based on our (thorough but unofficial) research, this is quite possibly the only BMC Fourstroke built out with Flight Attendant suspension-a good reminder that even if a bike doesn't come stock with this technology, we can work with customers on an upgrade kit for both new and existing bikes. 

Spin Me Right Round: Wheels & Tires 

Staying true to my theme of cross-country parts that don't compromise on capability, I opted for Zipp HiTop S wheels. With a 30mm width, these wheels are built on a theory of more compliance than a traditional cross-country wheel, and a wider bead to prevent pinch flats. Not to mention, they are rated for a 130mm trail bike, which was right in line with my vision for this bike. Top this off with Maxxis's "down-country" tire, 2.4 Forekasters front and rear, and a Vittoria Airliner in the rear, this bike is ready to get rowdy. 

Groupthink: Drivetrain & Brakes 

The goal here, yet again, is high performance paired with reliability. SRAM X0 and XX are very similar in weight, but the biggest difference is the cranks, with XX constructed from carbon, and X0 made with alloy. With this guiding principle in mind, going with an X0 full groupset with XX cranks delivered the best gram for buck ratio. Rounding things out, Level Ultimate 4-piston brakes with HS2 Rotors provide stop-on-a-dime braking power, with the thicker rotor and extra pistons on this bike proving their worth time and time again. 

Conclusion: A Bloody Ripper of a Bike

Overall, this is a bike that punches up the climbs, rips the descents, and makes long days in the saddle downright comfortable--all with a little flair.  For those who prefer a single mountain bike in the quiver, a build like this would more than suffice. For me, the BMC Fourstroke platform has proved itself as an extremely capable bike, and the Flight Attendant is the exquisitely red cherry on top. Speaking of RockShox's Flight Attendant fork, be sure to circle back to the Contender Journal sometime in June, as we'll be featuring a deeper dive into this fantastic technology, including a full ride review. 

Learn More

Interested in learning more about this BMC Fourstroke LT, or Contender's custom program? Feel free to drop by the shop, send us a message, or give us a call at (801) 364-0344.