Argon 18 makes race-bred bikes, full stop. So, when it came time to launch a gravel bike, the crew from Montréal didn’t shy away from the fact that the Dark Matter maintains Argon 18’s race DNA. I first saw “Goldie” (what I call the gold-colored Dark Matter) at the 2018 Sea Otter Classic and it has been on my shortlist since then. Two years later, it’s here and after a few hundred miles, the Argon 18 Dark Matter has won me over with its fast and efficient take on gravel riding.
2020 Argon 18 Dark Matter GRX Features:
- Monocoque T700 mid-modulus carbon fiber
- Removable front derailleur mount
- Simple, clean internal cable routing
- 3D+ head tube for responsive steering and personalized fit
- Shimano GRX RX810 groupset
- GRX 1x 40t crankset with 11-42t M7000 cassette
- HED Ardennes GP Plus tubeless wheelset
- Challenge Gravel Grinder 700x42c tires
- FSA stem and NS Adventure flared bars
- Argon 18 TDS-C carbon 27.2 seatpost
- Up to 45mm tire clearance
- Weight: 19.6 lbs complete (medium, actual)
- MSRP: $4199

It all started in Monterrey
On a beautiful spring day at 2018 Sea Otter Classic, the Argon 18 crew were showing off their golden-clad gravel bike — the Dark Matter. I got a detailed overview of the new bike, its features and Argon 18’s take on the segment. While the Dark Matter is built to be on the racy side of the spectrum, it’s plenty versatile for all-day gravel adventures. While some gravel bikes are built for either 700c or 650b wheels, Argon 18 states that the Dark Matter is built for and recommended with 700c wheels in mind. With up to 45mm tire clearance, you can fit some wide rubber on there to add capability and comfort.
For 2020, the Dark Matter is available with Shimano’s full GRX RX810 1x mechanical groupset. I waited specifically to test this build and it was worth the wait. It doesn’t take long to remember just how dialed Shimano’s mechanical groupsets are.

The Dark Matter isn’t a lightweight frame by any stretch of the imagination (~1300 grams), but it’s built with rugged features that you’ll appreciate for years to come. There’s a rubber downtube/bottom bracket protector as well as rubber chainstay protectors. As rocks are flying around on the road, the added protection adds peace of mind. I much prefer the dead thud of a rock hitting rubber versus the telltale “ting!” it makes when hitting bare carbon.
Rounding out the frame features, it also has a drain port at the low point of the dropped chainstay (just in case stream crossings are a part of your regular rides). And, it features Argon’s 3D+ head tube that gives riders the sleek look of a slammed stem at 0, 15 or 30mm stack height. Not only does it look good, but the system maintains proper steering stiffness regardless of your stack height. If you need extra tall stack, you can go up to 60mm, which is something that you would never want to do with any other frame. It’s a cool feature that’s found throughout the Argon 18 lineup.

And, it continued to Utah
On my home turf, the Argon 18 Dark Matter was subjected to the typical test loops that I use for all gravel bike tests. These loops consist of between 20-40% gravel, some singletrack and a good portion of tarmac. The reality is, unless you live in the Midwest United States, you’re still going to want your gravel bike to be at home on paved roads, group rides and local gran fondos. That’s one of the best characteristics of the Dark Matter — it’s a proper road bike at heart, so rolling on the road is delightful. Road climbs are excellent and it’s easy to throw power down, when necessary. Plus, it descends capably and is super-stable.
Stepping on the Dark Matter, you’ll immediately notice how cohesive it feels. The combination of the 3D+ cockpit and stable, but responsive geometry really makes for a lively ride. I find myself hopping over obstacles and generally playing around on this bike in a way that’s not always common. It just feels immediately comfortable and solid. For my fit, I opted for the 15mm top cap with 10mm of spacers under the stem and I swapped the saddle for the stubby PRO Stealth Offroad. Again, dialing in the fit on this bike is a breeze.

Cockpit duty is an FSA affair with 44cm NS Adventure Compact flared bars providing the handling. The overall shape and width are great and the flare is nice to have when things get dicey, but there’s no getting around how stiff these bars are. On my list of upgrades would be a better alloy or carbon bar to smooth things out (or installing a Redshift ShocksStop Stem). It was most noticeable at first, when jumping from other bikes, but became less jarring with time. In a recent compliance test, the Dark Matter’s curved fork actually tested quite well, so I blame it on the stiff bars.
The rear end of the bike is very compliant — thanks to ample seatpost and frame deflection. Off the bike, you can depress the saddle and the whole seatpost and dropped-stay frame visibly flexes under load. In the saddle, the comfort is palpable and well-received on the roughest terrain. On any bike, the best way to add comfort is to let air out of your tires. With that, the Challenge Gravel Grinder 42c tires weren’t my favorites overall. Initially, the bike arrived with tubes installed (kind of a head-scratcher), so I was riding just over 40 psi to avoid pinch flats. On the 21mm internal width HED Ardennes Plus GP wheelset, these measure out to 43.3mm, which is about as large as I’d go on this frame for proper mud clearance.

After a couple of rides, I decided to convert to tubeless. HED makes great tubeless wheels and the Challenge Gravel Grinder’s are tubeless-ready, so it should be a breeze. Install and seating was a snap (with the help of the Blackburn Chamber floor pump). A quick tubeless change allowed me to reduce pressure for more comfort. However, while the Gravel Grinder tires did seat up quickly, their sidewalls are porous and they let air escape in a jiffy. A 2-hour ride could easily result in a 4-5 lb. pressure reduction due to seepage (see the porous sidewalls). And, setting the bike on the wall for a couple of days always resulted in completely flat tires, which was annoying. To fix this, I had to double the amount of sealant that I usually add to tires of this size and, after copious amounts of seepage, things finally improved.
On the proper terrain, the tires are a great choice. The tire/wheel combo actually rolls extremely well on the road and performed among the best combos in my standard roll-to-stop tests. For hard packed trails and gravel, these tires are great, but on steep or loose terrain, the rear tire does lose traction pretty quickly. I’d get something a little more aggressive and with reliable tubeless performance (something like the Specialized Pathfinder Pro or WTB Venture).

The ideal Dark Matter rider
When considering a gravel bike, you need to ask yourself if you want something more on the adventure/bikepacking side or something on the racy side. If you’re going for the latter, the Dark Matter is an easy choice. Aside from a bento box mount on the top tube, you’d be hard-pressed to get the Dark Matter decked out for a long weekend. But, if you’re a hard-charging roadie, looking to crush all the gravel in sight, the Dark Matter is simply awesome. And, it’s a capable/comfortable bike as well that handles predictably and doesn’t feel sluggish when pushed hard on the road.
One of the best things to do on the Dark Matter is to stitch together a bit of road, singletrack and gravel. And, in this process, I think I may have found my new favorite 25 mile loop with a bit of everything.

I’ve appreciated the Shimano GRX RX810 mechanical groupset and found the shifting to be smooth and chainring gaps to be good overall. Yes, 1x drivetrains do tend to have wide gaps, but I love the reliability and simplicity they provide. It did take me a little time to eliminate random ghost shifts from the 21 to 19t cogs, but I did it. Honestly, it’s refreshing to reach back and twist a knob to make adjustments instead of going through a series of beeps and boops on electronic drivetrains. Braking is excellent, but I’d like to see a 160mm rear rotor to add a little more power. The all-new GRX hoods are outstanding on rough terrain and add a dose of confidence.
The Good
- Balanced, cohesive feel
- Rear end compliance is excellent
- Tackles gravel with speed
- Loves to dabble in singletrack
- Very nimble and fun
- Tons of value in the GRX build
- HED wheelset rolls fast and are great for tubeless
- 3D+ head tube maintains steering precision
- Shimano GRX 1x groupset shifts well and brakes with precision
The Bad
- Stock tires have porous sidewalls
- FSA bars are stiff (but they are 44cm wide, which is nice)
- 160mm rear rotor would give added braking power
- Full build is a little heavy
The Bottom Line: Argon 18 Dark Matter GRX
I really have had a blast on the Dark Matter. It’s everything I imagined it would be — fast, fun, capable, comfortable and smooth. For me, a racier gravel bike is preferred and this one ticks off all the boxes. And, if you add in the sleek 3D+ head tube and 45mm tire clearance, Argon 18 has delivered a quality, fast-riding gravel bike that will put a smile on your face on mixed terrain.
Buy Now: Build one at WrenchScience.com
In Summary
The gravel world has a wide variety of bikes these days and the Argon 18 Dark Matter GRX is a great one. It responds well on the road and can tackle any terrain in style. Thanks to the 3D+ head tube, I can dial in the fit while maintaining steering precision. "Goldie" is always up for a good time on singletrack and smashes gravel with style. With a new set of handlebars and tires, this one will get even better.
- Ride Quality/Comfort
- Handling
- Climbing (Road)
- Climbing (Gravel/Dirt)
- Descending (Road)
- Descending (Gravel/Dirt)
- Pedaling Efficiency
- Value
- Aesthetics
28 Comments
Jason,
Great Review! Just curious to hear how you feel the Open Upper differs from the Dark Matter? I see their is a considerable weight difference… Is the weight added due to all of the frame protection or is there some substantial carbon vibration layup added?
Yes, the Dark Matter is a great bike. I absolutely loved how it tackled anything I threw its way. Some little nuances between it and the Open UP/UPPER do include the frame protection (which adds weight). I think the overall frame construction utilizes heavier carbon on the Dark Matter. Those two things combined do add a bit of weight.
It still rides very nimbly and is a ton of fun to throw around. My UPPER build is ultra light with SRAM Red AXS and carbon everywhere, so it’s not entirely a fair comparison. But, the frame is heavier to the aforementioned things. The Dark Matter is a blast and would cost you a fraction of an UP/UPPER build.
Hi Jason, im in the market for my first gravel bike. Im thinking 70%road 30%gravel…what are your thoughts on the 1x ? Still ok for my road cycling?
Also, the 2021 model are all equip with Sram now, so im looking at the Sram force1…still ok for you?
Cheers
The GRX kit really is nice on this bike, but SRAM Force 1 is no slouch either. I think you’ll enjoy that combo just as well. $3300 USD for that setup is quite the value too!
On the road, you may notice some gear jumps, but Argon 18 knows how to make a great bike and the Dark Matter is just plain fun. You’ll enjoy it everywhere so long as you’re not intent on winning the town sprint every time or nabbing that long KOM. You won’t be far off, but this is not a lightweight climber or sprinting bike. It is, however, a versatile fun-machine (which is what you want anyway).
Ok..i am debating between the trek checkpoint sl5 or the argon sram force 1…..the argon is a little more to buy but its also seems higher quality.
Thanks for the reply so far.it is hard to make a decision when you are new to a good bike quality…
Realize this review was quite a bit ago but I’m looking for a speedier yet comfy gravel bike to do something like an 80/20 split road/gravel and also throw on a trainer during the off season. Wonder if you’d have any thoughts on the Dark Matter in that context. Seems to tick the boxes, but there’s a lot of bikes on the market these days (in stock being another matter). Any shot you’d ridden the Cervelo Aspero? That’s the main other I’m looking at. Not that I haven’t considered the Hakka, Stigmata, Rove LTD etc. Looking for a 10 year bike as close to the 3k mark as I can get. Would you put the Dark Matter in the top contenders for it?
Thanks,
Wayne
I haven’t yet ridden the Aspero, but it’s on the list to get (hopefully) this year. The Stigmata would be a good choice, but if you’re 80% road, have you considered the Trek Domane? It clears 38mm tires.
But, to answer your question about the Dark Matter. If you can find a 2x Dark Matter, I can’t think of a better bike for your needs. In 1x, I’d find the gear ratios lacking for 80% road efforts.
Awesome, thanks Jason!
Cool bike … the price is now 7000 Euro.
Yes, bike costs are going up and availability is going down. When available, this Dark Matter model is not going for 7000 Euro. The Force eTap AXS model might be that price, but not the GRX model here.
Jason — thanks for the great review. I just bought a Dark Matter (2x configuration) and am super excited to ride it!
What did you think of the HED wheels? I’m wondering whether to upgrade to the new Roval gravel carbon wheels.
As far as alloy wheels go, HED makes a great wheelset. But, the Roval Terra wheels are bonkers. Hard to say, but I still wouldn’t be in a hurry to ditch the HED’s.
Thanks. I think I am going to keep the wheel set as is, get some different tires in a tubeless set up, and use the $$ saved to get a new handlebar! (I may also follow your lead on the saddle. I am having trouble getting comfortable on it).
Definitely a worthwhile investment to upgrade that bar! And, saddles… I have the best luck wit Bontrager and Ergon saddles, but that’s such a personal thing it’s hard to say what your backside will like.
Thanks! I may give the new Ergon Core saddle a try.
Jason — I’ve had the Argon 18 about a month now, and have been able to take it on some proper gravel rides as well as commute to work with in (road riding). Really enjoying it and your review really holds true so far. The stock handle bar is like a piece of granite, however, as you noted! I will need to address that soon.
I’ve had the Argon Dark Matter now for almost 2 years, love the bike, run Maxxis Rambler tubeless 700×40 on the bike. On my second set of the Rambler’s ; love these tires, run them on around 38 psi in rear and 36 in front which gives me great comfot on singletrack/gravel.
My only complaint with this bike and it’s been since day one is shifting to the front derailler. I upgraded the bike from standard Shimano 105 11/34 to the Shimano GRX groupo (once we got all the parts from Shimano which took over 8 mo due to COVID) and shifting the left shifter for the front derailler takes significant effort. Every time, I almost feel like the shifter is going to break, it’s that difficult (and was same with 105). My wrist hurts every time I shift to the big chainring. My son loved the bike so much that I bought him a Dark Matter last year as well (with GRX) and as he’s 6’5″, even he has said the shifting is extremely difficult shifting to the front derailler.
My bike shop owner has said the problem is with the internal cable routing of the front derailler and it’s a known problem with the Dark Matter that Argon is well aware of.
Anyone else had this problem??? It’s so bad that I’ve just given up on the big chain ring…hurts my wrist too much to shift it.
Rick: Glad you’re loving your Dark Matter! And, yup, that bar is stiff. 🙂
Such a bummer about that front cable routing causing so much issues for you. Maybe that’s why Argon 18 only offers 1x or electronic options?
Len — I have an Argon 18 DM with the 105 group and a 2x 50-34 / 11-34 set up. I also have a road bike that has the same set up but with Ultegra. While the front derailleur shifting on the 105 isn’t as smooth as the Ultegra, I have not ever experienced any issue like you described. I am sorry you are having that issue — how frustrating. Are you on Facebook? One thing you might consider is joining the Argon 18 owners club group and asking about that issue? I believe a number of Argon dealers are also members. You might find someone the knows how to fix it. Good luck!!!!
Great write-up and since I don’t see any female comments I decided to add mine. I purchased the 2020 A18 DM for a gravel bike (and to throw on my Sprinter for road trips since it’s a perfect “go anywhere” bike). For those that wanna know, it’s the XXS frame with 30mm head tube insert. Previous to this I’ve been a dedicated roadie set on endurance rides and touring Oregon and the world from my saddle. So gravel was a big step.
First, the bike fits LIKE A GLOVE, thanks to the pre-fit expertise and build by Bart at Bowen Sports Performance (Bend, OR). It may be as close to perfect as my custom Seven Ti road bike. As I said, I bought the A18 for gravel but I did a 50-mile pavement route (Oregon’s Outback Scenic Bikeway) and it was amazingly doable. No sweat! Seriously. I was surprised and delighted (Gravel Grinder 42 tires; love the lower center profile).
I’m not a hard core gravel gal but most of my DM time (three years of it) hits gravel/forest roads in Oregon, with a bit of adventuring into CA and AZ. At the risk of repeating myself, I love it. Handles great, great control. It seems it can take anything I throw at it (including a bit of single track).
I went w GRX Di-2 2×11 group set but swapped shifter for Ultegra (smaller shifter than GRX for smaller hands) -oooh, Baby, once you try e-shifting you won’t go back!
Unfortunately, something that I can’t remember (concussion) happened a couple months ago and I had my first ever bike crash. A witness said my wheel turned and my mechanic said bike is perfect so it apparently was an operator error, ugh! Yes, the bike is okay, LOL! And I will be, eventually.
What did I leave out? Probably not techie enough for this crowd but I’ll conclude by saying that the Argon 18 Dark Matter rides like a solid, zippy, high end road bike on virtually any terrain, and with the right builder, you can dial it to perfection!
Awesome to hear you love the bike and sorry about that crash and concussion. I hope you’re all healed up!
Hi there! I am getting hands onto a 2021 Dark matter frameset.
What is the standard Stem length for size S ? I am 175cm with a 84cm inseam and I consider getting a 100mm Stem given the relatively short reach?
I am puttitng on a Force AXS 2x groupset with a wide crankset – would it fit 45c tires?
thanks
Stefan
That sounds like a great frameset to build around. I’d like to say the small would have a 90 or 100mm stem, but I’m not 100% sure. However, the current Dark Matter does have a 90mm stem for the size small, so that’s a safe bet.
On tire clearance, 45c tires with a front derailleur may be tight. And, it would also depend on the internal rim width of the wheels you’re going to be running. Sorry for the lack of confidence there, but it’s really hard to say without the frame, wheel, tire and groupset combo in place. Keep in mind that the Force wide derailleur does allow more clearance, but still not as much as 1x (which is what I tested).
Thanks for the answer.
I went for the 90mm stem and it “looks” fine.
The frame itself can handle the 45c tyres – I built it up to the point where only the crankset and front derailleur is left. Since I grabbed the wrong bottom bracket it will take another week to complete.
One more question here – Argon recommends 140mm rear disc brake – I could fit 160mm – is there any danger to this?
thanks in advance,
Stefan
Argon is still stuck in the pro peloton with their 140mm rear rotors on their bikes. Everyone, except pros) should roll 160mm front and rear — that’s what Shimano and SRAM recommend. If it fits, that’s what I would run.
Sorry about the BB… so many different standards these days. I hope you get it outfitted and on the gravels soon.
Thanks for the reply, unfortunately still waiting on the new bb.
meanwhile something other came to my mind.
I am using quite alot of spacers to match my seat height with the bars – is there any limit of how many spacers you should use without getting too much punctual force on the fork?
can you read the recommendations from argon anywhere or would it be wise to contact them for that info?
thanks
The frame should come with additional top caps that allow quite a lot of stack without worry. It’s called 3D+ and if you have the 30mm top cap, it allows for another 30mm of spacers (which is quite a lot). Alternatively, you could find a zero rise stem as well, or even invert your stem for a positive rise. Here’s a little about it: https://www.argon18.com/en-us/argon-18/technologies/3d-plus