BMC Switzerland may not yet be one of the big bicycle manufacturers. But that is what makes the BMC Bicycle Manufacturing Company strong. A small customer-oriented company with its headquarters in Grenchen that has made it its goal to provide pleasure with
- time-trial bikes,
- children's bikes,
- electric bikes or
- downhill machines.
BMC stands for Swiss quality, which the company last proved with strong performances of the racing team in the Tour de France, thereby developing into a world-renowned bicycle manufacturer.
The high standards of quality and precision are shown as soon as the Head of Development, Mr Stefan Christ, begins to talk about the multifaceted challenges when manufacturing a bike: "Bolts are often the components which we find a hard nut to crack. Whether it's bolts or other fasteners which are critical points in the structure of the bike and can strongly affect safety when using it," continues Stefan Christ.
"In internal and external stress tests, it is the bolts which often cannot withstand the extreme loads," explains Mr Christ. Not because they are poor quality but because the important element is often given too little attention.
Another focus of the high-tech bike manufacturer is on design. A BMC bike should stand out from the crowd, even without color and logos. This requirement poses a further challenge to the engineer looking for the ideal fastening solution. Generally the bolts must be coated black to match the uniform quality look and feel of BMC. Furthermore the bikes must be able to withstand the toughest requirements relating
- to vibration and
- corrosion
in various standardized stress tests. Not until the lightest possible bolt is found at the best price-performance ratio is the solution ideal.