Beautiful Bicycle: BMC Teammachine SLR01 VAR0

The Gist (key takeaways)

• Rare and Exclusive: with tariffs starting to impact premium bike imports, including the BMC Teammachine SLR01 VAR0 (the subject of this Beautiful Bicycle), Contender is fortunate to have nearly a full run of frame sizes in stock of this very same bike.
  

• Performance Gains, Rainbow Style: this custom build pairs SRAM Red AXS with a waxed chain, CeramicSpeed OSPW, and rainbow cassette, chain, and pedals; a drivetrain that’s as efficient as it is eye-catching.
  

• Highly Aero, Highly Durable Wheels: Reserve 42/49 Turbulent Aero wheels bring wind-tunnel speed, real-world stability, and a lifetime warranty.

Introduction

Custom builds always start with one rider’s dream, but in some cases, the dream is getting harder to come by. With the uptick in tariffs across the bike industry, we're now starting to see a downtick in some brands exporting certain frames and complete bikes into the U.S, or halting exports altogether. 

Among those increasingly rare bikes is the BMC Teammachine SLR01 VAR0, which is BMC’s highest level, lightest weight race bike (released back in June), and the subject of today’s Beautiful Bicycle spotlight. 

Fortunately, Contender got ahead of the tariff curve on this bike, with a full run of frame sizes (sans size 56) presently in stock, and ready to be built up. Not only is this a world-class, gorgeous race machine, but for now, it’s also obtainable. 

Going deeper, this particular build was crafted from the frame up, pairing BMC’s lightest possible frameset finish with SRAM Red AXS, Reserve’s Turbulent Aero wheels, and a rainbow-replete drivetrain that makes you want to stop and stare, not unlike when one happens on some ROY–G(ee)-BIV when out in the wild. 

The result? A bike that’s as pro-level as it gets, equal parts exclusive and exhilarating.

Frame and Platform: So Fresh, So Clean, So Light

At the heart of this build is the BMC Teammachine SLR01 VAR0. The VAR0 designation, short for “Variation 0,” means a clear-coated finish that exposes the raw carbon fiber, eliminating added weight from the paint job while highlighting BMC’s premium carbon layup. It’s the lightest iteration of BMC’s top-tier race frame, and the very same platform Tudor Pro Cycling relies on at the WorldTour level, designed for uncompromising stiffness, responsiveness, and all-around road performance.

Drivetrain and Pedals: Rainbow-Replete, Poised for a Rainbow Jersey

For this Teammachine, the drivetrain is anchored by a full SRAM Red AXS groupset, showcasing wireless shifting at its best. But for our team, what sets this build apart is a hat trick of pro-level details: 1) a SRAM Red rainbow cassette and chain, paired with Wahoo Speedplay pedals, also in rainbow, bringing just enough flash to balance the bike’s stealthy carbon palette; 2) wax treatment on the SRAM Red chain, hot-dipped for efficiency, durability, and cleanliness, leveraging a process prized by serious riders and racers looking for every marginal gain; and rounding things out, 3) a CeramicSpeed Oversized Pulley Wheel (OSPW), designed to reduce friction while keeping the drivetrain running ultra-smooth.

Wheelset and Tires: Aero Sensibility, All-Day Capability 

With a blend of flat-out speed, durability, and comfort, this rig rolls on a Reserve 42/49 Turbulent Aero wheelset. As a quick aside, if you’re noticing Reserve wheels on more road bikes these days, you’re not alone. 

Once known primarily in the mountain bike (MTB) world, Reserve is quickly becoming a force in road cycling, partially driven by Reserve coming stock on most of Cervélo’s higher-end road bikes (worth noting, both brands are owned by Dutch conglomerate PON Holdings). Their aero profile was developed through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel testing, with mixed rim depths (42mm up front for stability, 49mm in back for speed) for real-world performance. Add in a lifetime warranty, and these wheels are every bit as durable as they are fast.

The Reserve wheels are wrapped in Vittoria Corsa N.EXT TLR 30mm tires, chosen for their balance of low rolling resistance, durability, and a modern wide profile that complements the aero rims.

Cockpit & Contact Points: Sleek, Integrated, and Poised for Comfort

Up front, a BMC ICS Carbon EVO cockpit keeps things sleek and integrated, paired with Lizard Skins DSP bar tape for tactile grip. In addition, to enable simple, single-finger shifting from the flats while keeping hands relaxed, this customer saw fit to add their own blip shifters–small shifting pods that attach to the underside of the bar, to the immediate left and right of the stem. A Teammachine SLR01 carbon seatpost continues the clean look, topped with a Specialized Power Comp Mimic saddle for long-ride comfort.

Learn More

Interested in learning more about BMC or the Teammachine SLR01 VAR0 framesets we have in stock? Or interested in exploring a pro build of your own? 

We’d love to help.  Drop us a message here, give us a call at (801) 364-0344, or come by the shop during our regular business hours (M-F, 9a to 7p; Saturdays, 9a to 6p). 

The Build (Spec Table)

Component	Specification
Frame	BMC Teammachine SLR01 VAR0 (“Variation 0”) raw carbon, clear coat finish, lightest frameset option
Drivetrain	SRAM Red AXS wireless electronic shifting
Derailleur Cage	CeramicSpeed Oversized Pulley Wheel (OSPW), RS 5-Spoke for SRAM Red
Chain	SRAM Red, rainbow finish, hot waxed
Cassette	SRAM Red AXS, rainbow finish, 10–31T
Crankset	SRAM Red AXS Power Meter, 48/35T chainrings
Brakes	SRAM Red hydraulic disc, Paceline rotors (F/R 160mm)
Wheelset	Reserve 42/49 Turbulent Aero carbon wheels, DT Swiss hubs
Tires	Vittoria Corsa N.EXT TLR, 700x30mm
Cockpit	BMC ICS Carbon EVO integrated handlebar/stem, 110mm
Shifters (Additional)	SRAM eTap Blip shifters
Tape	Lizard Skins DSP V2
Seatpost	BMC Teammachine SLR01 carbon
Saddle	Specialized Power Comp Mimic
Pedals	Wahoo Speedplay, rainbow finish