The BMC factory trail crew have been benefitting from riding the latest in cutting edge technology; with Shimano shipping the new XTR Di2 tech to Finale Ligure in the form of an upgrade for pro BMC rider Francois Bailly-Maitre’s Trailfox; upgrading the TF01 to XTR Di2.

BMC Trailfox TFO1 XTR newly equpped with Shimano’s Di2 drivechain

We’ve also had news this week of the new Cube Stereo 160 SHPC with Di2, currently undergoing testing with the Cube Action Team.

For BMC, reaction so far has been very positive to the electronic drive chain; Francois Bailly-Maitre had this to say about the upgrade:

“The XTR Di2 is really fast and precise and the cool thing is, it can be easily programmed to accommodate different riding styles.

Programming and fine tuning the shifting depending on what you are doing

“Once you’ve entered your data in the E-tube software it is really easy to fine-tune your bike for the kind of training, race, or transitions you’d like to do. The group set is really light and it even offers different assets such as a display on the handlebar and a “click” letting the rider know when the shifter is pushed.

Never take your eyes of the road… Di2 handlebar display shows battery life, shift mode and which gear you are currently in

“The Syncro shift system allows you to control both the back and front with only one shifter. And the space between both levers can be modified as much as you want. It is also aesthetically simple because everything is integrated into the frame.”

The Di2 XTR Synco shifter allows control of both front and rear mechs from one control; freeing up space in the cockpit

BMC engineer Guillame Farin was also present at Finale Ligure helping to fit out the bike with the new Shimano tech:

“XTR Di2 offers enduro riders unique benefits by combining the extended gear range of a double chainring setup, with the intuitive function of only one shifter in a tidy package,” he said.

Tuneable chain retention and a silent system

“François was quick to note he could program different modes with the syncro shift technology: one mode for paced transition climbs favoring easy gears, and tougher modes for raced stages with preselected, bigger gears,” Farin said.

“The tuneable chain retention and the silence of the whole system impressed us all, and could not be faulted over the first few days of testing.”