The Takeaway: BMC’s Fourstroke LT is a sleeper. BMC might not be the first brand that comes to mind when considering a mountain bike, but the LT offers superb suspension and handling that is competitive with the best XC-race-adjacent bikes. BMC’s extra-premium pricing, however, means its bikes are more expensive than even boutique bikes like those from Yeti. But if value isn’t your primary concern, the Fourstoke LT is a fast and capable bike that rewards its rider with well-rounded performance.
Features and Details
BMC’s Fourstroke line breaks into three platforms—The Fourstroke 01, the Fourstroke, and the Fourstroke LT (the subject of this review).
The XC-race-oriented Fourstroke 01 and Fourstroke are essentially the same frame with 100mm travel front and rear. The distinguishing feature is the 01’s integrated Autodrop dropper post. While most droppers require the rider’s body weight in the saddle to, er, drop, the Autodrop sucks down without body weight. The Fourstroke, meanwhile, uses a traditional dropper.
The Fourstroke LT employs a very similar frame to the Fourstroke but features 120mm of rear travel paired with a 120mm fork. Accompanying the travel increase are more trail-oriented build kits: wider and knobbier tires, four-piston brakes instead of two-piston, larger rotors, shorter stems, longer travel droppers, and no lockout remote.
LT models also feature more subdued colors and graphics than the more race-oriented Fourstrokes.
No matter the travel, all Fourstroke and Fourstroke LT frames employ a dual-link suspension system.
Many of the most popular lightweight XC race and XC adjacent bikes rely on a single pivot system. Among them: Specialized Epic 8 (and Epic Evo), Yeti ASR, Trek Top Fuel, Transition Spur, Allied BC40, Santa Cruz Blur (and Blur TR), Cannondale Scalpel, Canyon Lux (and Lux Trail), Pinarello Dogma XC, Evil Following, and Scott Spark RC.
The Fourstroke, however, joins a more select group of short travel offerings with dual-link suspension. The more-pivots club also includes the Pivot Mach 4 SL, Ibis Exie, Revel Ranger, Rocky Mountain Element, Norco Revolver, and Spot Ryve.
In theory, a dual-link system offers greater opportunity for engineers to fine-tune the suspension’s anti-squat, anti-rise, and leverage ratio, which (again, in theory) provides more refined suspension performance. A single pivot system, meanwhile, is lighter and (usually) has fewer pivots and hardware to maintain.
Years ago, I used to say a dual-link suspension system always outperforms a single pivot on the trail. However, advancements in knowledge and technology have dramatically elevated the performance of single-pivot bikes.
While I still find that a well-executed short-travel dual-link bike offers slightly more refinement than the best short-travel single pivot system, the differences are minor. They are so minor that if I were shopping for an XC bike, I wouldn’t bother pondering the merits of dual-link versus single pivot and instead concentrate on things like price, weight, and even water bottle mounting.
Other than the suspension, the Fourstroke LT is rather straightforward. You’ll find internal hose and housing routing—but thankfully not through the headset bearings—a UDH derailleur hanger and a hidden steering stop built into the headset.
The downtube features multiple mount points, allowing multiple bottle mount locations. Two bottles can be mounted in series on the downtube or one bottle and a cargo plate.
BMC sticks with a press-fit bottom bracket even as more brands return to a threaded system. Over at Scor’s website (Scor is a division of BMC), it states, “From an engineering point of view, press-fit is the best solution for a carbon frame, allowing us to [make] a stiffer, stronger frame. Our engineers have a lot of experience working with the standard, and we have construction tolerances under very tight control, so you don’t need to worry about wobbly cranks or creaking bottom brackets.”
And to BMC’s credit, I rode this bike for many months and the BB remained silent.
Geometry
The Fourstroke LT’s geometry may seem familiar: It is extremely similar to the new Specialized Epic 8 and Yeti ASR. Like the Fourstroke LT, those are both 120mm (ish) travel bikes with 66.5 (ish) degree head angles.
Numbers aren’t identical, however. The BMC’s 76.7-degree seat angle is about a degree steeper. It also has slightly shorter chainstays and a little longer reach.
But while the Yeti and Specialized are positioned as XC race bikes, the Fourstoke LT isn’t BMC’s premier XC race whip. That title goes to the shorter-travel Fourstroke.
However, the current Fourstroke line was launched in October 2022, well before the new Specialized in Yeti.
Hmm, maybe the Swiss were onto something.
I’m curious what BMC will do when they inevitably refresh the Fourstroke line. If they follow current trends, something like the current LT might morph into the brand’s XC race bike.
Regardless, Even coming up on two years post-launch, the Fourstroke LT offers similar geometry to the most progressive XC race bikes, which is also pretty useful for everyday trail riding.
Models and Prices
BMC offers the 2024 Fourstroke LT in three builds priced at $11,999 (LTD), $5,999 (One—the model I tested), and $4,499 (Two).
If you want to save some cash, the 2023 models (the same frame as the 2024 models, but with different paint and parts) are on sale for $2,500 to $1,000 off at BMC's US site.
Bikes from BMC and its sub-brand Scor—as well as Scott, BMC’s Swiss compatriot—are priced like (and sometimes more than) boutique brands than a larger company like Specialized, Trek, or Cannondale. I don’t know if that’s a Swiss currency conversion thing or simply that the Swiss are proud of their products and think they can charge more.
The Fourstroke LT One I tested has the same advertised retail price—and a very similar—build as a Revel Ranger GX Eagle. A Yeti ASR C2 with an almost identical build to the BMC is $400 cheaper. Meanwhile, the new 120mm Cannondale Scalpel 3 has an arguably nicer build than the BMC and is $500 less than the Fourstroke LT One.
A Canyon Lux Trail CF 9 has almost the same advertised price ($6,199) but features SRAM GX Eagle Transmission electronic shifting, a RockShox Reverb AXS wireless dropper post, and DT wheels with carbon rims. Plus, the Canyon is currently on sale for $5,599.
This BMC Fourstroke LT is a great riding bike with good parts, but it’s not so special or unique that it justifies the premium pricing it commands.
Fourstroke LT LTD
Fox Factory 34 Step Cast fork and Factory Float shock, SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission, X0 cranks, SRAM G2 Ultimate brakes, DT Swiss XRC 1501 wheels, RockShox Reverb AXS dropper post, Maxxis Rekon EXO 2.4” WT tires.
Fourstroke LT ONE
RockShox SID Select+ 3-position fork and SidLuxe Select+ shock, SRAM GX Eagle (mechanical) drivetrain, SRAM G2 RS brakes, DT Swiss M 1900 wheels, BikeYoke Divine dropper, Maxxis Rekon EXO 2.4” WT tires.
Fourstroke LT TWO
RockShox SID Select 3-position fork and SidLuxe Select+ shock, Shimano Deore drivetrain, Shimano 520 disc brakes, Alex MD30 rims, X-Fusion Manic dropper, Maxxis Rekon EXO 2.4” WT tires.
Ride Impressions
The Fourstroke LT offered no surprises on the trails. It is what I expect from a modern XC race (or race-adjacent) mountain bike. It is crisp and quick, with slinky handling and the ability to comfortably reach outside the boundaries of typical XC race situations.
Pedaling performance is efficient, although I did find a bit more bob and softness off the top than I expected from a dual-link short-travel bike (I set the shock with about 28 percent sag). However, the LT offered very good rear wheel traction and sensitivity, fluttering over small bumps with more suppleness than I typically experience from bikes equipped with the somewhat firm riding RockShox SID shock.
Overall, this is a compromise I’m happy with, as it’s easy enough to make the suspension feel crisper by adding a bit more air pressure to the shock or flipping the compression lever to pedal mode.
The performance of the rear suspension in other situations—medium to bigger hits and braking—was also very good, and the LT carried speed well. But it is quite progressive, and I found it difficult to realize full travel from the suspension. In fairness to BMC, almost every bike I’ve ridden with the SID shock has this trait.
I found the frame stiffness well-balanced; it’s a bit more stout than the typical race-style bike. Even so, the frame helps damp shock and vibrations—always helpful with a shorter-travel platform—and enough give to help the wheels track predictably in rough corners.
No surprise that climbing is one of the Fourstroke LT’s stronger suits. Even with this model’s frill-free build, bike weight still comes in under 27 pounds. And the suspension offers decent performance as well, particularly on rougher climbs.
The 76.7-degree seat angle is rather steep for this type of bike, which may frustrate riders—particularly XC racers and those who spend a lot of time on the road bike—who like to sit further behind the cranks than new-school mountain bike seat angles allow. I’m one of those, so I spent my time with the saddle slammed back as far as the rails would allow.
But if you love the new school forward position, the BMC offers one of the steepest seat angles I’ve found in a short travel bike—even steeper than a Transition Spur.
The Fourstroke LTs’ handling is, as I said earlier, slinky. Certainly, it steers quickly and changes direction with little effort. But it isn’t nervy and I never felt like I was chasing it when riding steeper and looser sections of trail. My overall impression was it was exactly as quick handling as it should be for this style of bike, but stable enough to manage a wide variety of trails.
Overall, BMC’s Fourstroke LT is a bit of a sleeper. It’s probably not the first bike you’d think of when considering a progressive XC bike, but its performance is right there with the very best I’ve ridden in this category. It’s fast, fun, and rewarding to ride across a wider range of terrain than you might expect. BMC’s pricing is a little steep, but if the brand can find a way to make this bike a bit more price-competitive, I think the Fourstroke LT will be a top contender.
Notes from the Field
Random observations and reports from my time testing the bike.
• Like the Scor (BMC’s sub-brand) I recently reviewed, this bike has a Bike Yoke Divine seatpost with overly long saddle clamp bolts. After one ride, I saw a mark on the saddle base where it bottomed on the bolts. I’ve had saddle bases eventually crack from similar contact, so I swapped to a taller profile saddle for the rest of the testing.
• I was going to change out the saddle anyway because the stock Fizik Antares did not agree with my body: too little support in some areas, way too much in others. Saddles are very personal of course but the Antares is an old design, very flat, and with abrupt corners.
• From the very start, there was a bit of play in the rear shock eyelet that I could not eliminate. This resulted in an occasional bit of knocking I could feel through the frame.
• The LT’s downtube has mount points that allow numerous water bottle positions, cargo mounting, and even two bottles. If you want to run two bottles, you’ll need cages with a decent range of height adjustment (I used Wolf Tooth’s Morse Cages), and you’ll need to spend a bit of time playing Tetris to get everything to fit without interference.
• I know that press-fit bottom brackets are practically taboo today but over the years, I’ve had noises from every sort of BB system. I’ve ridden other bikes with threaded and press-fit systems for a long time without issues. I rode this BMC for the better part of a year and had zero noise from the PF92 BB.
• The build on my $6,000 Fourstroke LT One test bike isn’t flashy but is reliable and high-performance. With no remotes or electronics, it’s blissfully simple, too.
• The Fourstroke LT features a rotation stop built into the head tube to prevent the bars from spinning around and crashing into the downtube (which can break a frame). BMC’s execution is one of the best I’ve experienced. It’s hidden from view, didn’t make any noise or come loose, and offers enough steering lock that I could get through the tightest switchbacks without issue.
A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling, Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race.
