For those of you interested in non-automotive forms of transport, you might be surprised to learn the BMW makes a range of performance bicycles, and has been doing so for over 60 years. Sure they’re not cheap, but they are terrific. You can choose from a cruise bike, a touring bike and two mountain bikes. And for the first time, BMW has produced an M-series bicycle, a carbon-fiber racer. And just as you can easily find a source for BMW E34 parts, you can also find BMW bicycle parts without difficulty. Let’s take a close look at the model lineup:
- Cruise Bike – developed for the everyday commuter, the Cruise Bike has a hydroformed aluminum frame with polished and sealed welded seams. The brake and gearshift cables are integrated into the bike body for a clean design. The bike features a suspension fork, cantilever brakes, a 24-speed derailleur and an adjustable stem. It comes in white, blue/white and black/green, and weighs 30.6 lb.
- Touring Bike – an all-around bicycle that provides comfort and modern design. It has an aluminum frame and a front suspension fork that travels a full 75 mm. It features the same adjustable stem as the Cruise Bike, and weighs in at 37.2 lb. The color is brown with gold accents.
- Cross Country & Mountain Bikes – both of these models feature full suspension. The Cross Country uses an air-spring fork and shocks. The Mountain Bike has four-bar suspension with a 140-mm-travel air-spring fork and 145-mm-travel shocks. They both have aluminum frames, fully-hydraulic disk brakes and an adjustable-angle stem. The Cross-Country weighs 28.4 lb and come in white/blue; the Mountain Bike is 32.6 lb and comes in white/green.
- M Carbon Racer – a carbon frame is fabricated by the BMW M Division with a feathery weight of 16.3 lb. A two-wheel extension of the M philosophy, the frame is very stiff, corrosion-free and naturally shock-absorbent. The color is anthracite with colored accents. The saddle inlay is BMW M red. You get Shimano Ultegra derailleurs, a Tundra 2 saddles and a CS6700 ten-speed cassette sprocket.
Of course, these advanced designs come at a price. The Cruise Bike starts just above $1,000, $1750 for the Touring Bike and $4.000 for the mountain bikes. We’re not sure of the Carbon Racer price, but you might need a small mortgage to afford it. Well worth it!