Argon 18 Grey Matter Apex AXS XPLR – Alloy Gravel Bike

Description

The Argon 18 Grey Matter brings the Canadian brand’s gravel thinking down into an alloy frame, aimed at riders who want a bike that can handle long mixed-surface days, light bikepacking and the odd race-pace effort without breaking the bank. If you have eyed up the carbon Dark Matter and want the same handling philosophy with more pragmatic build budget, this is the bike that fills that gap.

Frame & ride

The chassis pairs an alloy Grey Matter frame with a Grey Matter-specific fork, internal cable routing at the headset and tidy external routing along the chainstays. Argon 18’s 3D headset system gives you fit flexibility without piling extra spacer stack on the steerer, and there is room for fender and rack mounts plus up to six bottle and utility mounts depending on size, which makes it a serious starting point for self-supported routes. Geometry borrows from the brand’s endurance road platform, so it stays calm at speed and predictable when the surface gets sketchy.

Shifting is wireless SRAM Apex AXS XPLR with a single-ring SRAM Apex AXS 1 DUB 42T crank, a SRAM PG-1231 cassette and matching Apex AXS XPLR hydraulic disc brakes running a SRAM Centerline Paceline 160/140mm rotor combination. Wheels are an FSA Team Aero-Gravel i23 TC AGX 700c set, shod with versatile Vittoria Terreno Dry TLR 700x38c tyres. FSA’s NS Adventure Compact handlebar and OS-167 Omega Pro stem round out the cockpit.

Specifications

• Frame: Grey Matter alloy
• Fork: Grey Matter Specific
• Drivetrain: SRAM Apex AXS XPLR 1×12 wireless, SRAM Apex AXS 1 DUB 42T crank, SRAM PG-1231 cassette
• Brakes: SRAM Apex AXS XPLR hydraulic disc, SRAM Centerline Paceline rotors 160/140mm
• Wheels: Team Aero-Gravel i23 TC AGX 700c
• Tyres: Vittoria Terreno Dry TLR, 700x38c
• Cockpit: FSA NS Adventure Compact bar, FSA OS-167 Omega Pro stem, FSA Gossamer SB20 27.2mm seatpost

Sizing & fit

Sizes span XX-Small to X-Large; cross-reference the Grey Matter geometry chart with your usual gravel or endurance road reach to land on the right one.