”A road bike is worth its money when everything fits and nothing has to be replaced”, is the first conclusion in a comparative test of eight modular assembly systems in Rennrad Magazine, edition 4.2016. The test praises online bike configuration which allows you almost exactly to put together your dream bike. With no other category of bike it makes more sense to adapt components and finishing kit to your body measurements than with road bikes. Ideally man and machine become a single unit when it’s about hitting the road.

From Frameset to Bottle Cage
Ideally, a custom system fulfills any kind of special wishes, so adding aftermarket parts and recalculating costs are rendered unnecessary. Best case is a configurator that offers a reasonable number of choices between different gruppos, wheelsets – the #1 tuning items – different tire and handlebar widths, stem lengths, ”up to custom seatposts and bottle cages.”

Trial and Error with a ”Wow”
A configurator could answer the question if a certain budget is sufficient to buy either a carbon or rather an aluminium frame: ”Another ”wow” effect: High-quality alloy frames mostly are only 200 to 400 grams heavier than middle-class carbon frames.”

For easy handling the configurator should work intuitively and not pose any compatibility problems. STEVENS’ system worked absolutely flawlessly: In ten easy modular steps you get the desired results.

Rennrad recommends several trials with a configurator for the virtual bike set-up, which would lead to additional knowledge. ”When we compared the technical data we found out that a disc brake-ready frame set by average is about 100g heavier than the rim brake version. A disc wheelset is about 150g heavier plus two brake rotors at about 100g each.”

Get Advice from Your Local STEVENS Dealer
Also when the final price turns out to be higher than originally calculated, just try again. STEVENS Bikes recommends getting advice from your local STEVENS dealer. For the choice of components as well as for the measurements – frame size, handlebar width, stem length, crank length and gear ratios. It’s your dealer where you pick up your bike usually two to three weeks after you have ordered and who does the fine tuning and will cut the fork shaft if necessary.

Theoretically the configurator offers millions of possibilities, but in the end it’s all about getting easy – with STEVENS’ configurator even ”exemplary” – guidance through the menu to find the one road bike that fits you and exactly you.

The STEVENS Rennrad-Konfigurator offers a choice of eight frame-fork sets in at least seven sizes, nine gruppos, two to three chainring combinations and crank lengths, up to ten wheelsets, four handlebar widths, six stem lengths, bar tape, cable housing in up to ten different colours, ten types off saddles and six seat posts.