Nicolai Bikes Argon GX Gravel Bike Has Some Nifty Engineering
The ARGON GX, latest addition to NICOLAI’s ARGON family, is an attempt to build the perfect bike for on- as well as off-road riding. Nicolai have designed a frame that will adapt to just about any build configuration without sacrificing weight or robustness. To build a lightweight frame that can take a hit and dissipate big impacts the German brand relied on aircraft grade aluminium (7020-T6). Sections of the chain and seat stays are machined, and the individual frame tubes are welded together by hand. NICOLAI imposes no weight limit on the frame and offers a 5-year guarantee that remains intact if you race.
Nicolai offers plenty of options when you select a build for the bike, allowing you to tailor the ARGON GX to your intended use. The rear triangle will accommodate up to a 50 mm wide 650B tires (or 45x700C). Up front, you can choose between a rigid gravel fork or a suspension fork with up to 40 mm travel. Thanks to a 31.6 mm seat tube, you’ll have plenty of options for modern dropper posts with internal cable routing.
The build selector even allows you to choose between drops or flat mountain bike bars. For builds, you can run most any 1x and 2x groupset, though the 2x GRX groupset will limit the tire clearance to 42 mm.
The ARGON GX is ready for any gravel adventure or bikepacking trip as NICOLAI have included mounting points for mudguards, racks, and up to three bottle cages on the aluminium frame. For the paint job, you’ve got a choice from over 50 glossy or matte colours. The frame is also available in hard-anodized black, bronze or titanium.
The frame is available in six sizes, from XS to XXL, and it costs from € 1,449 (about $1750 UDS).
NICOLAI ARGON GX Geometry
| Size | XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 460 mm | 490 mm | 510 mm | 530 mm | 550 mm | 570 mm |
| Top tube | 528 mm | 545 mm | 560 mm | 580 mm | 595 mm | 615 mm |
| Head tube | 120 mm | 130 mm | 150 mm | 170 mm | 180 mm | 190 mm |
| Head angle | 70.5° | 70.5° | 71.0° | 71.0° | 71.5° | 71.5° |
| Seat angle | 74.0° | 74.0° | 73.5° | 73.5° | 73.0° | 73.0° |
| Chainstays | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm | 430 mm |
| BB Drop | 75.0 mm | 75.0 mm | 72.5 mm | 72.5 mm | 72.5 mm | 72.5 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,012 mm | 1,019 mm | 1,036 mm | 1,052 mm | 1,062 mm | 1,082 mm |
| Reach | 371 mm | 380 mm | 390 mm | 403 mm | 410 mm | 425 mm |
| Stack | 548 mm | 559 mm | 575 mm | 596 mm | 606 mm | 625 mm |
For more information, visit www.nicolai-bicycles.com
