Bike Adventure magazine compared two bike concepts: Gravel bike or classic travel bike – which is suitable for which kind of touring? Where the gravel bike is the better choice can be read in Bike Adventure’s current 3.2018 issue. The STEVENS P18 Lite is rather designed to be a classic touring and travel bike featuring a sporty appeal with a stiff frame, sturdy pannier rack and an outstanding seating position.
Its most distinctive feature though, was the namesake Pinion 18-speed gear box P1.18 with ”unique tightly-stepped gears and a 636% gear spread. With this you can climb any uphill slope as well as pedal along on steep downhills”. Another advantage of the gear box: ”The central position of the gear box moves the center of gravity from the rear wheel to the middle of the bike.” This would result in a more balanced ride and steering.
Power is transferred by a Gates drive belt. Its advantages: It’s silent, robust (lasting for approx. 30,000km/19,000 miles), doesn’t need to be adjusted, and keeps your right trouser leg clean.”
In addition, the testers pointed out the ”aggressive (meaning powerful) Shimano brakes”. Weighing less than 15kg also helps the bike to be fast just like the light-weight Marathon Racer tires making ”accelerating from stand-still a real delight”.
The testers conclude: ”no chain or visible sprockets, no high-maintenance suspension fork. This makes the P18 Lite a do-it-all, no-frills bike, that delivers even with almost no care.”
About the ride characteristics they say: ”Stevens time after time manages to combine livelihood and directional stability in its bikes’ geometry, you can feel it immediately when riding the P18 Lite.” The versatile seating position is well-balanced: ”Not too sporty, not too upright”.
With an additional low-rider – a pannier rack attached to the rigid fork, perfectly suitable for bike packing – the P18 Lite’s directional stability is improved even further.
Bike Adventure sums up the travel bike’s properties as follows: ”It feels at home especially on paved and flat gravel roads. Travelling with this bike is a joy, you ride along with confidence and your luggage keeps you prepared for everything”.
The STEVENS P18 Lite is available in sizes 48, 52, 55, 58, and 61cm from certified STEVENS dealers.
