Performance bike manufacturer BMC Switzerland is bringing its line of ebikes to North America by making its AMP series available for purchase in stores and online for the first time. These new models offer a traditional mountain bike look and feel, married with the latest ebike components that should deliver impressive off-road performance.
BMC’s AMP series offers three different models, including the Speedfox AMP Two, the Speedfox AMP Three, and the Trailfox AMP Two. All of the bikes include an 11-gear chainset, carbon tubing, disc brakes, and full-suspension systems. The Speedfox models are built for versatility on the trail and come equipped with 29-inch wheels and 130 millimeters of travel in their suspension systems. This should make them comfortable to ride and beginner friendly. The Trailfox, on the other hand, opts for 27.5-inch wheels and 150 mm of travel, and has been built for all-mountain performance. BMC says all three bikes feature frames that come in three sizes and have been designed to use the same geometry that has proven to be highly successful on the company’s more traditional mountain bikes, too.
All three of BMC’s ebikes use the same Shimano STEPS MTB E-8000 drive system, which is capable of putting out up to 250 watts of power. Those electric motors are powered by 500 watt-hour battery packs that are also manufactured by Shimano and are integrated directly into the design of the bike frame, giving the AMP series the look of a more conventional bike. The drive offers three different levels of power-assist (Eco, Trail, and Boost) with speeds reaching as high as 20 mph. The bikes should have a range of as much as 60 miles on a single charge, with a recharge time of about five hours.
As you would expect from a bike company like BMC Switzerland, these three bikes don’t come cheap. The Speedfox AMP Two is priced at $7,499 while its sibling the Speedfox AMP Three is a bit more affordable at $5,799. This is due to slight differences in the component set on both bikes, with the AMP Two using higher end brakes, derailleurs, shocks, and other times. The more comparably equipped Trailfox Two also sells for $7,499.