Argon 18 Anti Matter Force XPLR AXS review: a devastatingly fast aero bike built for gravel 

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The Anti Matter is Argon 18’s most race-focused gravel bike to date, but thankfully it hasn’t come at the expense of the off-road capability I loved about the Dark Matter, the brand's gravel all-rounder.  

The Anti Matter is an aero-optimised speedster that’s a joy to ride fast in all conditions. Although it’s not quite as singletrack-capable as the best gravel bikes, it’s still great to ride and easy to handle on more technical terrain. 

Like the road-going Nitrogen Pro, the Anti Matter has been designed as a ‘system’. That means the frame, fork, seatpost and cockpit are all born of the same aerodynamic learnings.  

It has led to a very cohesive design, where everything looks ‘right’. That even extends to the aero-optimised bottle cages, and the form-fitting frame bag designed in collaboration with luggage specialist Apidura. 

The Anti Matter’s design mashes up the off-road capability of Argon’s Dark Matter all-rounder and the aerodynamic design principles learned from the cutting-edge Nitrogen Pro road bike. 

This second-tier model combines a superb frameset with a spec that’s as good as most will ever need. With impeccable rolling stock from Zipp and Schwalbe, superb contact points, and a ride position and feel that bring aero road speed to off-road fun, it’s a truly compelling package. 

Argon 18 Anti Matter Force XPLR AXS performance 

I like to see bikes that have been specified with care and attention, and with the Anti Matter it’s easy to tell a team of cyclists put it together.

The side-entry bottle cages mean you can easily use big 750ml bottles, even with the frame bag fitted. The no-expense-spared use of a solid-lubrication technology CeramicSpeed headset and CeramicSpeed bottom bracket provide extended longevity on key components that’ll have a hard life off-road. 

The long fork provides much more than the nominal 55mm tyre clearance, and it’s designed with a standard round steerer. That makes the Anti Matter capable of running a gravel suspension fork, so you won’t upset the steering geometry should you want to upgrade to a plush comfort-giving fork. 

That’s a good thing because the Dark Matter’s strength is the way in which it handles. There’s an assured stability to the front end that makes the bike excel on fast gravel roads and gives it a road-bike feel on tarmac.  

It doesn’t have the same level of agility on technical singletrack as bikes such as Giant’s new Revolt SL, or last year’s Gravel Bike of the Year winner, the Parlee Taos. That said, it's leagues ahead of the first generation of aero gravel race bikes, which handled like aero road bikes with big tyres. The Dark Matter is miles ahead and so much more composed on dirt. 

The Dark Matter’s frame is impressively stiff, so it’s welcome that it comes with large-volume, comfort-giving tyres to mitigate the natural downsides. Out-of-the-saddle efforts are met with a road-race-bike response. On descents, it's sure-footed and confidence-inspiring, although on climbs I felt better sitting in the saddle and plugging away rather than getting out of the saddle.  

The long, low ride position that makes it a blast when going fast doesn’t feel as flighty when out of the saddle climbing, something for prospective buyers to bear in mind. 

When Argon 18 announced the Dark Matter, its specifications said it would ship with 45mm tyres, but it’s since implemented a running change to the excellent Schwalbe G-One RS Pro tyres in a 50mm size – more representative of the latest trends. It shows plenty of respect for its customers and an agility rarely seen from bigger brands. 

The G-One RS Pro is a wonderfully capable tyre that's superb in dry, dusty conditions. I love the rounded shape, which makes these tyres great on tarmac too. Even with the more pronounced studded tread, I had no issues getting plenty of lean into corners, be it on dirt or bitumen. 

That they are wrapped around Zipp’s excellent 303 XPLR wheels is a bonus, even if they are the more affordable S model rather than the full premium SW (you’ll have to step up to the Red-equipped model for those). 

There’s nothing radical about the Dark Matter’s geometry – on my large test bike, it’s a slightly relaxed 71-degree head tube angle and standard 73-degree seat tube. The 7.6cm bottom bracket drop lowers the centre of gravity in the middle of the bike, but doesn’t go as extreme as to induce pedal strikes in corners or over rocky ground. 

The cockpit is fashionably narrower than gravel bikes used to be, but the nominal 380mm width comes up closer to 400mm at the hoods, and the subtle flare widens further at the drops. It works very well, and I was able to get a nice close tuck in on the hoods on tarmac or smooth gravel, yet still have the comfort and leverage I wanted when riding on tougher terrain. 

When it comes to price, Argon 18 is in the middle of the range. The specification of SRAM Force AXS, a power meter, Schwalbe tyres and Zipp wheels for £7,495 / $8,995 compares well to the Anti Matter's rivals.

Cervélo’s similarly aero Áspero 5 with equivalent spec is £8,250 / $9,000. Giant’s new Revolt Advanced SL with Force XPLR, power meter and Giant carbon wheels is cheaper at £6,999 / $8,000, as is the new BMC Kaius 01 Two at £7,299 / $8,999.  

Argon 18 Anti Matter Force XPLR AXS bottom line 

The Anti Matter proves cutting-edge aero and gravel can mix nicely. Here, it results in a bike that's great off-road and on it. Previous aero-gravel designs have left me cold. While fast in optimal conditions, they suffered when the going got rough.  

The Anti Matter doesn’t. It's immensely fast on gravel roads, and rougher rutted surfaces are managed superbly thanks to the supple tyres.

It lacks the technical ability on singletrack, and MTB-style tracks and trails of its Dark Matter stablemate or bikes such Parlee’s Taos and Mondraker’s Arid RR.  

However, for mixed-surface races and racers, it’s a seriously good option. Argon 18 also deserves kudos for the clever specification of a hard-wearing bottom bracket and low-maintenance headset, not to mention the upgrade to the tyres it has already implemented since the bike's launch. 

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