A Made-In-The-USA Allied BC40

At the shop we love helping customers create unique custom builds and of course love to share them with you. But there is always something just a little more special when we do a frame up build on a full-suspension mountain bike since these builds are just not as common anymore. This Allied Cycle Works BC40 custom build is definitely one of those. While Allied came in as a newer but legitimate player in the drop-bar market segment, they have now delved into the mountain bike market. Plus, they separate themselves from others making all of their frames in the USA. The BC40 is their first foray into this realm. 

It is a rarity to see a truly American-made frame anymore, especially a mountain bike. Add in that mountain biking was born in the USA and this Allied full-suspension mountain bike becomes even that much more special.

Allied Cycle Works was founded in 2016 with the mission to produce high-end carbon bikes here in the U.S. and they have been doing so in their Rogers, Arkansas factory ever since. Allied has full control over every step of creating and manufacturing their bikes, and they are tested on the trails in and around the MTB mecca of Bentonville, AR. 

Known primarily for their drop-bar road and gravel bikes, the BC40 is Allied’s newest venture, and it’s one of a tiny number of carbon full-suspension MTB frames made in the United States. Designed around a 120mm platform, you can look at the BC40 as a short-travel trail bike, or a longer travel XC machine. The BC40 can also be set up with a 100mm shock and fork if you want a more pure-XC focused bike. This build features a 120mm Fox Factory 34 SC fork and 120mm Float DPS shock. 

The suspension on the BC40 is a reliable, straightforward affair that utilizes a single pivot, swing link and flex stays. It’s a similar design to some of the bigger players in the “downcountry” category and Allied partnered with Cero Design (of Unno fame) to help ensure precisely the ride they were looking for. 

Part of what makes purchasing an Allied special is that you can select from a variety of both frame and logo colors, and Allied’s logos are masked and painted, not decals! This BC40 is finished in contemporary and stylish Dove Grey with black logos. Allied also offers limited edition colorways as well as custom paint for an extra fee. 

Fun fact: During production of the frames, Allied uses uncooked couscous as filler to keep the bladders rigid during the layup process. It’s biodegradable!

This build makes use of the BC40’s UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) rear dropout and features SRAM’s new X0 Eagle AXS Transmission Groupset with the rear derailleur mounted directly to the frame. Transmission is an entirely new groupset lineup that aims to raise the bar in terms of shifting performance, durability and ease of setup/adjustment. It’s poised to be a drivetrain game-changer and we’re excited to see how it performs.  

Rolling stock comes from a set of Enve Foundation AM30 29” carbon wheels with Industry 9 1/1 hubs, wrapped in 2.4” Maxxis Rekon 3C Max Terra tires. Shimano XT M8100 brakes take care of the stops and an Enve Alloy Mountain Stem and Enve M6 carbon handlebar keep things pointed in the right direction. A PRO Griffon Offroad saddle sits atop a Fox Factory Transfer dropper post, controlled via a slick Wolf Tooth Components ReMote Dropper Lever. 

Even though the Allied Cycle Works BC40 faces a myriad of stiff competition in the 120mm world, being made right here in the USA makes it a unique option if you’re looking for a bike to separate yourself from the pack. If you’d like to know more about this BC40 or any of Allied’s other cool bikes, drop us a line!