Stevens has made a few key updates to their World Cup and World Championship winning Super Prestige for the new season of cross racing, adding more flexibility while incorporating the newest standards. And since not everyone can afford to buy a top carbon race bike, they’ve also brought a lot of updates to their aluminum bikes as well, from upgrades disc brake and axle standards to fender and rack mounts. There are also a couple of new sub-1000€ bikes for those dipping a toe into cyclocross, including the new 24″-wheeled Junior CX to help more kids into the sport…
The biggest update that Stevens is touting on their 2017 Super Prestige is new quick release thru-axles. While the bike we tested two seasons ago stuck with standard quick releases, it had only been a matter of time before Stevens made the switch. Like many other companies, they had essentially been waiting for the industry to come to a decision about what standard should prevail, and have gone with the 12mm QR12 setup front & rear. The new setup is said to give even more lateral stiffness to the already precise handling bike.
With even some of the best riders in the world making the switch to Stevens’ disc brake version of the bike, they’ve also updated the Super Prestige to go with the new flat mount standard. That really is the bigger news, as it means there is the option to go down to 140mm rotors which we had already seen Mathieu van der Poel as early as a year and a half ago aboard a pro-only version of the frameset (apparently 180mm rotors have been OK’d as well.) Those were the biggest two of the very few things that we thought were holding the bike back when we raced it for a season, making this one of the top race bikes on the cross circuit either in the Ultegra 2x setup for 3000€ or the Ultegra Di2 2x for 3900€.
That said, for those who still want a cantilever bike. Stevens does carry the Super Prestige Canti over with its 2700€ Ultegra double build.
On the more affordable aluminum-framed side of things, Stevens has several small updates that add up to an all-over improved range. Their top aluminum Vapor frame gets updated for the new year as well with the same QR12 thru-axles and flat mount brakes. To match the revised frame, Stevens has given the Vapor the same full carbon, tapered steerer fork from the new Super Prestige, lending a major stiffness and handling upgrade. The new bike with the mechanical/hydraulic Ultegra double will sell for 2000€. It looks like even this top alloy frame also gets new rack and fender mounts to make it more versatile.
Next down in the line-up, the alloy Prestige gets an upgrade to disc brakes, but sticks with standard quick release hubs. For 1700€, the new bike looks to take most of the specs from the current Vapor frame. like double-butted tubing, and brings them down one more notch in price. The new frame gets updated to flat mount discs, a tapered headtube, and internal cable routing. Like we saw on the Vapor above all of the new 2017 aluminum cross bikes also get fender and rack mounts. This new Prestige complete gets an Ultegra drivetrain paired with the more affordable RS505 hydraulic levers. We’re not too sure what the bike will really look like, as the images we’ve received are some pretty early photoshop deals that were just catalog place-holders for the time being.
The 1300€ disc brake Gavere & 1200€ rim brake Namur carry over mostly unchanged for 2017, although they do get the new rack/fender eyelets, and both add a new smaller 27cm size to the bottom of their offerings.
Stevens adds one more lower priced disc brake model called the Tabor, that essentially takes the same frame and tubing shapes from the Gavere. Yes, that’s another mock-up image (note the bike’s name is Name.) Built up with a Tiagra compact double with TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes, it brings the price down to 999€ for an entry level disc brake cross machine.
The lastly for the kids getting into the sport Stevens has a new 24″ wheeled bike called the Junior CX. For just 800€ your cross-racing grom will get a 38cm aluminum frame and alloy fork with a 2×9 Sora drivetrain, short reach STI levers, and mini v-brakes.
All of the new 2017 cyclocross bikes are expected to be available through your local Stevens dealer in September to be ready to race this season.
