In recent years, the Stevens brand has not necessarily made a name for itself with trend-setting innovations. On the contrary, the Hamburg-based company likes to let trends be trends and patiently waits to see whether a fashion will become something lasting. The rise of the gravel bike, for example, has long been unimpressed and the company has pointed to the established cross bikes used with great success in racing, which also work wonderfully on loose terrain. This attitude can either be seen as stubborn or typically Hanseatic and reserved - and therefore quite likeable.
No aero road bike from Stevens for a long time
When it comes to road bike aerodynamics, however, prospective customers have recently been looking down the tube - although a sporty brand like Stevens can't really avoid it. The aero trend has long since become a tangible performance feature and sales argument. Buyers today expect a racing bike to be more or less aerodynamically optimised, depending on its orientation. Jacob von Hacht, founder's son and now Managing Director of Stevens, also admits that there has recently been a certain amount of pressure from customers, athletes and dealers: "Especially as a brand that is active in racing, you have to put an aerodynamically optimised bike on the starting line today. Otherwise you don't take the subject seriously. But that's something we haven't had in our programme so far," he says. With the new Arcalis, Stevens is now offering riders with racing ambitions an attractive proposition in many respects.
Stevens Arcalis: Old name - new design
The predecessor Arcalis presented in 2015 already had striking aerodynamic attributes such as a down tube with a teardrop-shaped cross-section and an aerofoil-shaped seat post. However, it disappointed in the 2016 TOUR wind tunnel test because the frameset was hardly more streamlined than significantly lighter all-rounders. In addition, the riding position was quite upright, bordering on a marathon racer - all in all, the bike was not the first choice for racers. The first test kilometres show that the new Arcalis is a completely different bike. Not only does the bike feel really fast, direct and manoeuvrable, the riding position is also stretched out like a racer, the saddle is significantly higher than the handlebars. All this leaves no doubt as to what the bike is intended for. The frame shape is reminiscent of well-known models such as the Merida Reacto or Specialized Tarmac. But orientating yourself on the current best is not necessarily a mistake. Ultimately, only TOUR's independent wind tunnel test, for which we were able to obtain the new Arcalis exclusively before its official launch, will provide information about its true performance.
Premiere in the Tour wind tunnel
Before this date, the bike had never seen the inside of a wind tunnel, admits von Hacht. "The frame shape was created solely from computer simulations, but they work very well today," he describes the development. The formidable result shows just how well: with only 207 watts of power at 45 km/h racing speed, the Stevens earns a "very good" in this discipline and is only just behind the currently fastest aero speedsters from Canyon (Aeroad CFR, 202 watts) or Cervélo (S5, 205 watts). In view of the wheels with high rims and the handlebar unit from Vision, the aero potential is largely exhausted. Nevertheless, the result can certainly be seen as a sign that Stevens wants to be at the forefront of competitive racing again.
Equipment variants from 3,699 euros
Speaking of announcements: With such performance data, prospective buyers are usually afraid to look at the price tag - but Stevens remains below the 10,000 euro mark even with the high-end equipment supplied for the test. The Arcalis is certainly not a bargain, but depending on the configuration in the Stevens configurator, it can be a comparatively affordable bike: The frame set is sold for 2,599 euros, complete bikes are available from 3,699 euros. This is an offer that may allow you to overlook some minor weaknesses.
Despite all the euphoria, our test also revealed a notable shortcoming: the suspension comfort of the unyielding seatpost is hardly worth mentioning. The 28 millimetre wide rear tyre and the comfortable saddle do a pretty good job of concealing its mediocre measurements; and those who use the bike for races that are not too long and mainly on good roads will hardly be bothered by this. Nevertheless, other competition bikes can do better.
The weight of the bike, on the other hand, is fine, even if the competition can push bikes to the seven-kilo mark at the start. This is partly due to the equipment of the Arcalis, but the frameset would also be a little closer to the perfect racing machine with around 200 grams less - especially in view of the fact that the days of special lightweight racers are numbered, even at Stevens: "In future, the Arcalis will be our only high-end model in the competition sector. The Comet (the manufacturer's lightweight model, editor's note) will be discontinued," says von Hacht. Of the well-known racing bike brands, only Specialized has dared to take such a radical step with the new Tarmac SL7. But von Hacht thinks the strategy is the right one. "We don't want a rider to have to decide in favour of one bike or the other depending on the route. You would basically have to do that depending on the race situation. We want to offer the best possible package for all types of road races," he says. It's quite possible that the cautious Hanseatics will be at the forefront of this trend.
The Stevens Arcalis in detail
Price: 8,961 euros
Weight: Complete bike 7.6 kilos
Info: www.stevensbikes.de
Frame sizes: 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61 cm
EQUIPMENT
Drivetrain/gear system: SRAM Red eTap AXS (50/37, 10-28 t.)
Brakes: SRAM Red eTap AXS HRD (160/160 mm)
Wheels/tyres: DT Swiss ARC 100 Dicut 62/Continental Grand Prix 5000 25/28mm tyres
You can download the full test with detailed grades and measured values for weight, stiffness and features below for €0.99.
Why not free of charge? Because quality journalism has its price. That's why we guarantee independence and objectivity. The TOUR tests are based on standardised and reproducible test procedures, which we always disclose. TOUR articles can be bought - TOUR test victories cannot!
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Jens Klötzer
Editor
