The Argon 18 Sum Professional is definitely one of many extra attention-grabbing bikes in the marketplace in 2024. The Canadian bicycle producer, based in 1989 by former skilled bicycle owner Gervais Rioux, would not presently have a division one sponsored crew, and subsequently is not typically seen on our TV screens – however that does not imply the model would not make nice bikes.
The Sum Professional goes toe-to-toe with the greatest street bikes in the marketplace throughout all classes, and with regards to worth and luxury, I feel Argon 18 has a whole lot of the competitors beat. A high quality street bike that does not beat you up on a 4-hour trip isn’t any imply feat to engineer, and I feel Argon 18 has executed simply that.
Argon 18 Sum Professional: Building
The frameset
Argon 18’s new Sum Professional is claimed to mix the perfect components of its predecessors, bringing collectively the aero efficiency of the Nitrogen and the climbing prowess of the Gallium Professional, and aesthetically at the very least, you may definitely see some hereditary options. The Sum Professional represents Argon 18’s most superior carbon layup, which the model says is engineered for optimum energy switch, stiffness, and compliance throughout all terrains. The body can also be out there in a barely lower-spec carbon layup, which forgoes the ‘Professional’ branding.
Like just about each modern-day bike in the marketplace, the Sum Professional options an aerodynamic design that started off with complicated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) evaluation. The body’s hourglass-shaped headtube is optimized to scale back drag, and has been made deeper from again to entrance to enhance stiffness. The flared fork legs are formed to direct air away from the downtube, enhancing airflow whereas sustaining lateral stiffness.
These aerodynamic options end in a claimed 75-second achieve over the Gallium Professional Disc on difficult climbing phases, corresponding to La Planche des Belles Filles – claims made utilizing a real-world energy information mannequin.
The Argon 18 Sum Professional follows the ever extra well-liked development of aero up entrance, and lighter weight on the again
(Picture credit score: Future)
However as necessary as aero is, an all-round race bike needs to be light-weight too. Argon 18 has managed to maintain the body weight low by slimming down among the Sum Professional’s tube profiles, together with the D-shaped seat submit, slender seat stays, and optimized downtube. The result’s a body weight of 850 grams for a painted body, which, for the price of the bike, is pretty respectable. For comparability, the Van Rysel RCR Professional‘s frameset weighs 790 grams for comparative dimension, and the Merida Scultura sits at 830g.
Argon 18 has additionally put a whole lot of emphasis on the consolation of the Sum Professional, one thing which is blissfully tangible on the street. The Sum Professional provides a powerful mixture of compliance and stiffness, thanks in no small half to these days frequent dropped seat stays and a slimmed-down seat submit. And if you wish to additional enhance the consolation, the Sum Professional has clearance for tires as much as 30mm. That is all stated to contribute to a 30-35% enchancment in rear compliance over the Gallium Professional – I have never ridden the Gallium, however the Sum Professional is decidedly supple.
The construct…
The construct itself is barely extra of a combined bag. Gear adjustments are dealt with by the ever-reliable rock that’s Shimano’s Dura-Ace R9270 Di2, which labored faultlessly. Nonetheless past that, there is a bit more variation.
The Zipp 303S wheels are coupled with Vittoria Corsa Professional 28mm tires
(Picture credit score: Future)
Alongside the Shimano groupset, is a set of Zipp 303s carbon wheels. It’s barely uncommon to discover a Shimano groupset subsequent to Sram subsidiary wheels, however the 45mm deep wheels do make an excellent pairing for the frameset. The 1525g wheelset options hookless rims, and are optimized for 28mm tires, which as soon as once more performs into the Sum Professional’s emphasis on consolation.
The cockpit setup is a two-piece affair, not carrying the flare of a one-piece setup, nonetheless, this does have its upsides. FSA offers its ACR stem and SL-Okay compact handlebar for the cockpit, making for a mixture of alloy and carbon fiber up entrance. The mixture of conventional spherical bars, and a barely heavier alloy stem does make the Sum Professional barely much less engaging than a few of its rivals, nonetheless, it does stay barely simpler to vary place post-purchase, which should not go ignored. And this ease of upkeep got here in notably helpful after we took it to the wind tunnel earlier this 12 months…
Argon 18 Sum Professional: the trip
I’ve been fortunate sufficient to trip the Argon 18 Sum Professional in an entire host of various capacities, on my traditional house roads, in addition to within the World’s costliest turbo coach – the Silverstone Sports activities Engineering Hub’s Efficiency Wind Tunnel.
However let’s begin with first impressions. As with all my bike checks, I initially took the Sum Professional for a 30km shakedown on a neighborhood route, which options somewhat little bit of every part. Steep climbs, some corners I do know properly, and a few very, very bumpy tarmac. The bike dealt with all of this gorgeous properly, and from the gun felt pretty playful too – one thing not all modern-day bikes handle to harbor.
When taking part in round with handlebar widths within the wind tunnel, I used to be reminded simply how a lot simpler a two piece bar and stem setup is – even whether it is barely slower.
(Picture credit score: Future (Sam Gupta))
However I discovered it was once I took the Sum Professional on an extended jaunt across the Cotswolds that the bike actually started to shine. My house roads in Oxfordshire are recognized among the many native biking neighborhood for being in very poor situation, however aboard the Sum Professional, this was far much less noticeable. The body, together with the 28mm Vittoria Corsa Professional tires, had been fantastically supple and did a stellar job at eliminating street buzz.
What makes this high quality fairly so important, is that the bike stays firmly below the race bike class. The Sum Professional would not fairly have the electrical response of one thing just like the Big TCR which I just lately examined, however it’s properly and actually in the identical ballpark and is available in at a decrease value too.
A more in-depth have a look at the cam tail down tube, full with some physics revision
(Picture credit score: Future)
I additionally took the Sum Professional on some quicker chaingang group rides with a purpose to get a really feel for the way the bike dealt with in a barely extra aggressive atmosphere, and as soon as once more it carried out very properly. The bike feels completely at house when issues get quick and likewise remained very secure when committing somewhat tougher to the corners too.
General, the Sum Professional offers a poised trip really feel, bringing collectively a reasonably aggressive geometry with a carbon layup that permits you to keep snug for lengthy intervals within the saddle. It is a mixture that, I feel, is good for many ameteur racers. No, it won’t be fairly as stiff as among the big-name competitors, however the fact is, there is not an excessive amount of in it – at the very least not noticeable to us mere mortals.
Argon 18 Sum Professional: worth
The Argon 18 Sum Professional is priced at £8,500/$8,950, and fairly frankly, for the trip high quality you get, I feel that is good worth. For that value, you’re getting a top-spec groupset, and a high-quality frameset. That stated, I do assume the ending equipment does let the bike down barely. The ending equipment is all very succesful, however I do really feel an aero cockpit of some description do wonders to slender the hole between the Sum Professional and among the dearer competitors.
An apparent competitor could be the Van Rysel RCR Professional, which is available in at £9000/$ 10,999 for the top-spec mannequin. Although I have never examined this precise spec, I can say that I feel the Argon 18 provides a extra rewarding trip than the RCR Professional when evaluating the framesets, however when you think about the Sum Professional’s barely heavier weight at 7.3kg you’d need to say it is fairly shut between the 2.
General, It is excessive reward for the Argon 18 Sum Professional, particularly if you’re a racer seeking to take the sting off of rougher tarmac.
