Argon 18 Anti Matter Tops 9-Bike Gravel Aero Test at 35 km/h as Crux Leads With Rider
Updated
Updated · Cyclingnews · May 28
Argon 18 Anti Matter Tops 9-Bike Gravel Aero Test at 35 km/h as Crux Leads With Rider
3 articles · Updated · Cyclingnews · May 28
Cyclingnews tested 9 gravel race bikes in a Silverstone wind tunnel at 35 km/h and found the Argon 18 Anti Matter fastest in both bike-only setups, while the Specialized Crux 5 edged the rider-on ranking within the margin of error.
The protocol used seven yaw angles from -15° to +15°, standardized 45 mm tires and stock wheels, plus a second bike-only run on Enve wheels with 50 mm tires; stated error margins were ±0.26 watts bike-only and ±1.63 watts with rider.
With a rider, the spread between the fastest and slowest gravel bikes reached 14.45 watts; the Lauf Seigla ranked last repeatedly, while the Wilier Rave, Pinarello Dogma GR, Reap Type 300 and Argon 18 all sat close to the lead.
The test also stressed that tire clearance can matter as much as frame aerodynamics, citing earlier data that 57 mm tires can cut rolling resistance enough on rough surfaces to outweigh some aero deficits.
Against a Trek Emonda ALR road-bike baseline, modern gravel race bikes were competitive but still roughly 18 to 45 watts slower than aero road bikes, underscoring how the category is converging on wider, more aerodynamic race-focused designs.
Will gravel race bikes soon become as fast as today's road bikes?
Is the slowest aero bike the fastest overall when using the widest, lowest-resistance tires?
Do aero gravel frames justify their high cost for anyone but professional racers?