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Designed from the outset for the World Tour elite, this new Timemachine is very fast. Because winning is not just a motivation, it is a state of mind. Indeed, when Tudor Pro Cycling turned to BMC to ask for more, it was meant literally, and they were not joking. That request led to a collaboration aimed not at improving the time-trial Timemachine, but at completely reinventing what the Timemachine should deliver.
Source : communiqué de presse
Tudor Pro Cycling set an audacious goal for the project: to reduce the aerodynamic drag of the complete system (athlete, frame, and components) by 3%. This meant that the bike-related improvements had to be significant.
Not only did the engineers at BMC’s Impec Lab and the Tudor Pro Cycling performance team achieve this goal, they surpassed it. Forget 3%: the 4th generation BMC Timemachine makes the world’s best riders 3.7% faster.
Four Vectors of Speed
Four vectors of speed propelled the creation of the new BMC Timemachine Mpc. These are not just simple technical factors like those generally cited in most press releases when a new bike is launched.
This new BMC is above all a story of human collaboration. At the heart of the project, four groups led to the development of the Timemachine Mpc.: Stefan Christ and the BMC Impec Lab team, Kurt Bergin-Taylor and the Tudor Pro Cycling Innovation team, John Glett at the helm of BMC, and Fabian Cancellara, owner of Tudor Pro Cycling.
The driving force behind all this joint work between BMC and Tudor Pro Cycling. Developing a bike designed solely to win motivates each of the stakeholders. This means creating a time trial bike with no commercial intent. A
decision that BMC CEO, John Glett, immediately validated: « Create Speed is in our DNA. BMC lives and breathes for performance. With our time trial heritage, pushing the boundaries even further was a logical step. » – John Glett, BMC Switzerland CEO.
The Parameters
Professional cycling isn’t slowing down, and this is particularly evident in time trials. Average speeds now flirt with 60 km/h, and victory margins are minuscule.
The engineers at BMC’s Impec Lab and the Tudor Pro Cycling team knew that a radical change in bike design was necessary. Thus, the Timemachine Mpc. project was born.
Kurt Bergin-Taylor, Head of Innovation at Tudor Pro Cycling, set an ambitious goal: to reduce the total system drag (i.e., athlete + frame + components) by 3%, solely by improving the frameset.
Heritage
BMC has a strong heritage in developing innovative and convention-redefining time trial bikes. Most records from the last decade bear witness to this.
In 2023, BMC launched the Speedmachine, a platform designed for triathlon and UCI time trials, optimized for speeds around 45 km/h. But now, the WorldTour demands more.
With higher speeds and even greater ambitions, BMC had to raise the bar further. The 4th generation Timemachine benefits from this strong heritage and lessons learned from our WorldTour experience.
« With each new generation, we have always sought to revolutionize our heritage. The Timemachine Mpc. project allowed us to push our limits, with progress measured against the clock. Our mission was literally to steal seconds from the stopwatch – and that’s exhilarating. » – Stefan Christ, Head of RnD, BMC Switzerland
The Great Minds Behind the Timemachine
Creating a speed machine ready for future developments requires deep collaboration. That’s the magic of a team-brand partnership.
BMC’s Impec Lab engineers bring their design and conception expertise, while Tudor Pro Cycling’s Innovation team contributes its specialized knowledge in aerodynamics and its experience in racing at the highest level.
« The final product reflects the trust and respect that unite BMC and Tudor Pro Cycling. Our Innovation team brought specific expertise in aerodynamics, CFD, parametric design, testing methodologies, and field validation. This collaboration is essential to maximize performance. » – Kurt Bergin-Taylor, Head of Innovation at Tudor Pro Cycling.
AeroSynthesis
AeroSynthesis is a design philosophy and technical approach that aims to harmonize aerodynamic performance by considering the bike and the athlete as a complete system.
In other words: designing a seamless integration of rider + components + frame, using the latest innovations in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), wind tunnel, and on-road testing. This approach allows for precise determination of which elements can reduce drag, and consequently maximize speed.
With Tudor Pro Cycling, the Impec Lab engineers transformed this AeroSynthesis philosophy into a real product with measurable performance.
The Achievement in Context
Is it possible to make the complete system (athlete + frame + components) 3% faster by improving only the frame? This 3% goal may seem small, but let’s remember that the frame accounts for only 6% of the total system drag.
Therefore, to achieve a 3% total gain, the Timemachine Mpc must be more than 50% more aerodynamic. Challenge accepted.
The Process
One of the greatest strengths of the Impec Lab is its ability to rapidly prototype and test, without relying on external suppliers.
Thus, the teams were able to design, perform CFD tests, prototype the relevant part, and then begin wind tunnel testing as well as real-world tests, without having to wait for components to be developed by external partners. This internal prototyping at the Impec Lab also allowed engineers to individually develop and design certain frame elements to find the ideal combination for aerodynamic performance.
Concept
CFD Prototype Wind Tunnel Velodrome Real World
Furthermore, this rapid prototyping capability enabled a particularly ambitious development schedule, allowing Tudor Pro Cycling to have a race-ready bike from the start of the 2026 season.
The measured drag reduction is 3.7%, weighted for different yaw angles, validated across all frame sizes and with multiple rider profiles.
In concrete terms? A cyclist producing 450 W rides at 55.7 km/h with the Mpc., compared to 55 km/h with the previous generation.
The Result
After hundreds of hours of CFD simulations, prototypes, wind tunnel tests, velodrome laps, and field analyses, … and after sweating a few liters, the teams managed to create an initial Timemachine Mpc. that made the system 4.1% faster.
But the fairy tale hadn’t anticipated the arrival of new UCI rules.
The UCI introduced new regulations effective from the 2026 season.
Thanks to the Tudor Pro Cycling + Impec Lab synergy, a UCI-compliant frame was designed, prototyped, and validated in a few weeks – with a final system drag reduction of 3.7%, exceeding the initial 3% target.
Speed Factors
Being aerodynamic is one thing, but it’s not enough because all parameters must be considered. The Timemachine Mpc is fast and ready for the future of our sport. In every aspect.
It benefits from a level of handling and stability custom-tailored by BMC. Its optimized geometry and perfected front-end architecture offer exceptional stability and control.
The geometry specific to time trial riding adapts to the cyclist’s positioning needs, not the other way around.
Whether it’s single or double chainring setups, oversized chainrings, chain guides, rear derailleur mounting with or without a derailleur hanger, or wide 30 mm tires, BMC engineers designed this for the future.
All that’s left is to stack up records and collect trophies.
The Masterpiece (Mpc.) Treatment
The particular shapes and performance requirements of the Timemachine demand the Masterpiece treatment.
After equipping some star riders of the Tudor Pro Cycling team with the Teammachine R Mpc., BMC
takes a new step with the Timemachine Mpc.
A seamless, rigid, precise, paint-free, lightweight monocoque construction – and above all, fast.
What is the Impec Lab?
The Impec Lab is the high-tech, secret workshop where every BMC comes to life – in carbon, in computer code, but also in pure passion. It’s a place where athletes, engineers, and creatives collaborate on the next technological revolution.
From the first sketch to the final prototype, this is where BMC shapes the future of performance. A concept imagined in the morning can be tested in the afternoon. It’s not a gimmick: it’s the heart of BMC’s identity.
Who is Behind Tudor Pro Cycling’s Innovation Team?
At Tudor Pro Cycling, innovation relies on a multidisciplinary team: engineers, industrial designers, data collection and analysis experts, researchers.
Their mission: to transform the physical and environmental constraints of cycling into concrete,
scientifically validated solutions. Through the development of specific tools and internal intellectual property,
the team builds the foundations for a sustainable competitive advantage. In close collaboration with technical
partners, it contributes to creating world-class performance products, while data analysis is
deployed throughout their organization to refine decision-making, optimize operations, and
elevate performance at all levels.
About BMC – Create Speed
Since its founding in Switzerland, BMC has built fast and innovative bikes.
With the Impec Lab, a team of experts, and the support of world-class athletes, BMC constantly pushes boundaries – becoming a brand synonymous with speed, reliability, and performance.
More information: www.bmc-switzerland.com
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