These are just my personal observations and opinions- I am a decidedly average bike rider in my sixties. I recognize other people will feel differently, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Last winter I was looking to upgrade from my 2015 Giant Defy Advance 11 spd mechanical ultegra. I really like the bike, but I had watched too many GCN videos and was feeling that I wanted to get a bike with thru axles and hydraulic disc brakes.

Went to my LBS where I purchased the Defy and they had no bikes- well- that’s not true. He had some low-end bikes and some really high-end bikes that were out of my budget. He did tell me that whatever I decided to buy- it should be 12 speed and electronic because that was the way the industry was going. He also said that unless I wanted to go for a 1X setup, to stay away from SRAM electronic components because he had customers complaining of chain drop.

As I started my search through the various LBS, I could tell that this was not going to be easy due to poor inventory and I had a certain budget that I wanted to stay within, which was going to complicate things even further. First though- I need to find out which frame size was going to fit me. I rode a bunch of different frames (all with mechanical components)- Specialized Roubaix, Specialized Tarmac, Trek Domane, and Trek Emonda. The Roubaix was essential a more road-like version of my Diverge, the Trek Domane was heavy and didn’t quite fit right, and the Tarmac and Emonda felt good, but the geometry’s were a bit aggressive and at age 62 I felt I should look for more of an endurance geometry.

I then stumbled on a BMC Roadmachine with 11 speed Di2- DAMN- the electronic shifting was intoxicating! Lightning fast and so smooth. The 56 cm frame fit like a glove. All of the other bikes would need some adjusting with the stem or handlebars, but the BMC fit perfect. Unfortunately- it was 11-speed and I was looking for a Di2 12 speed. An Internet search turned up a 56 cm BMC One at Podium Multisports in Atlanta (not the One One- just the BMC One- the lower spec slightly heavier bike). I was nervous about not buying from a LBS, but I can’t say enough about Matt and Podium- great service.

I’ve had the bike for 8 months now and gone for rides up to 50 miles-

Things I like:

- As a said before- the bike fits me perfectly. Other than setting the saddle height, I have made zero adjustments and I have never felt uncomfortable during any of my rides.

- I like the fact that the seat tube angle is a little steeper at 74 degrees- I used to do triathlons and I may one day slap a set of aero bars on the bike.

- The bike is stiffer than the other endurance bikes I tested. I actually like that because it gives the bike a very responsive feel, particularly when climbing (which you do a lot of here in Connecticut). However- it might get old on a century ride on poor roads.

Things I don’t like:

- The seat post adjustment is terrible. You can loosen the bolt and you have to bang the seat post multiple times before it will move. My Defy and Diverge are WAY easier to adjust.

- The saddle attachment is also a nightmare. Two bolts and it’s complicated. Again- Defy and Diverge are WAY easier.

- For an expensive bike, I think that they sourced a pretty cheap BB. Unfortunately- it’s press fit, so I am not going to mess with it.

- The steering is not precise- this is hard to describe, but the bike likes to track straight. You are not going to make sharp turns on the bike. I don’t know if this is related to the 71 degree head tube angle or the long stem. It’s also very hard to turn around on a road- it feels like the front wheel is going out from under you.

- The CRD carbon wheels- I was hoping to find a lower spec’d version with DT Swiss alloy rims, but there were not many options out there. I don’t know too much about BMC’s CRD wheels, but the rear hub is LOUD! I mean- REALLY LOUD. I guess this is not a bad thing, because when I’m coasting people can hear me coming, so I don’t have to call out “on your left”. Still- it doesn’t seem like a high-quality hub and for the money, I would have expected more.

Overall, I am happy with the bike. It has some “issues,” and I am sure it is not the best “value” option out there. For me, I think the comfort factor compensates for most of the drawbacks, but I’d probably look at other options more seriously prior to buying another BMC bike (assuming the inventory shortage ever ends).

Now- Di2 12 speed-

What I like-

- Shifts are lightning fast.

What I don’t like-

- With mechanical components there is a physical click when you execute the shift. You don’t get that same physical “click” with the Di2 components. You push the button, but there is no feedback- just a shift (assuming you press correctly).

- Today it was cold and I had to ride with gloves for the first time- I can’t tell you how many times I hit the wrong shifter or just wasn’t pressing the correct spot to get a shift.

- No rear derailleur clutch. The roads where I live can be pretty bad and the chain slap is annoying.

- My initial battery was defective- I was getting about 400 miles on a charge. Podium replaced this promptly through Shimano. I am now getting about 800-900 miles on a charge. I guess that’s good, but I never had to think about a battery level with mechanical components.

- With my mechanical components I could easily make minor adjustments, but I am uncomfortable doing this with the electronic ones for fear of screwing something up.

- IMO- the Shimano app to access the Di2 is not great and could be made more user friendly.

Would I do it again? That’s a tough call. As my LBS guy said- this is the way the industry is going (even 105 is now electronic and 12 speed) and given supply issues, my guess is Shimano is going to prioritize 12 speed over the older 11 speed. That said- I’m sure there will be 11 speed components out there for a LONG time to come. I do miss that solid feedback mechanical components give you, their ease of adjustment, and the fact I can ride them while wearing gloves!

I’m hoping Di2 grows on me, but I may just have to deal with it because I can’t afford to change bikes!