BMC Kaius 01 Frameset

The BMC Kaius 01 Frameset is BMC's top-tier gravel racing frame — the foundation for a custom build designed around Swiss precision engineering. BMC has decades of road racing heritage and has put that accumulated knowledge into the Kaius: race-optimized geometry, an aerodynamic frame profile, and a carbon construction built around ultra high-modulus fiber. At 1,836 grams for a size 54 with all included accessories, this frameset sits at the lightweight end of the gravel race category. It arrives in Stone Grey, sized from 47 to 61, and is designed to accommodate a wide range of custom drivetrain configurations — from traditional UDH-compatible groupsets to SRAM's latest hangerless Transmission derailleurs.

Ultra High-Modulus Carbon and TCC Race Technology

The frame uses BMC's Kaius 01 Premium Carbon — a layup built around ultra high-modulus fibers chosen for their stiffness-to-weight ratio. Paired with that construction is BMC's Tuned Compliance Concept (TCC) Race Technology. TCC is BMC's approach to engineering targeted compliance into a frame without giving up lateral stiffness: the bottom bracket and main triangle are tuned for direct power transfer and precise steering, while select areas are designed to absorb road and trail vibration. For a gravel race application — where a rider may be on rough terrain for hours at a time — the ability to absorb input without losing efficiency is meaningful. The same TCC Race Technology spec carries over to the Kaius 01 Premium Carbon fork, which uses ICS stealth cable routing and runs flat mount disc brakes on a 12x100mm thru-axle. This is not BMC's general compliance spec; it's the race-specific calibration, which is stiffer and more direct than what you'd find on a touring or all-road application.

Aerocore Design and the Integrated Cockpit System

Two integration technologies define the Kaius 01's character at the detail level. Aerocore Design integrates the bottle cages directly into the frame structure rather than mounting them externally on standard bosses. The result is an aerodynamically cleaner profile at speed and a visual coherence that signals race intent rather than afterthought — the cages read as part of the frame, not hardware bolted on. The Integrated Cockpit System (ICS) takes the same philosophy to cable management: stealth routing runs cables through the headtube and into an ICS-compatible cockpit, eliminating exposed housing at the front end entirely. High and low ICS top cones are included in the box to accommodate different stack height requirements. The ICS cockpit itself is sold separately, which gives the builder freedom to choose bar width, reach, and drop independently rather than being locked into a combined unit. Together, Aerocore and ICS make the Kaius 01 the most fully integrated frame BMC offers in the gravel category.

Race Geometry and Drivetrain Flexibility

The Kaius geometry uses a longer reach than a general-purpose gravel platform — a deliberate choice that increases stability at speed and improves seated climbing traction. This is a frame designed to be ridden in a committed position, which suits its racing intent. The rear dropout accepts both SRAM's UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) interface and the hangerless SRAM Transmission / Eagle AXS system, giving builders current-generation flexibility — a traditional derailleur with a supplied SRAM UDH hanger, or SRAM's latest wireless Transmission groupset, both fit without modification. The frame is designed for 1x and 2x drivetrains. Tire clearance is 44mm on a measured tire — tighter than some gravel platforms, appropriate for race-specific use on hardpack and mixed surfaces.

What's Included and Who It's For

The Kaius 01 Frameset ships with the components needed to begin a purposeful build: Aerocore bottle cages, SRAM UDH hanger, high and low ICS top cones, and a set of headset spacers. The included Kaius 01 Premium Carbon D-Shaped seatpost has 15mm of offset and is D-Fender compatible for riders running mudguards in variable conditions. The headset is integrated. Flat mount disc on both ends means current brake calipers mount without adapter plates. This frameset is for the rider who has a specific build in mind — carrying a groupset over from another bike, speccing a Kaius from scratch at a component level above any retail complete build, or simply wanting full control over what goes on the bike. At $3,599, it is the most direct path to a custom BMC gravel race machine.