New Argonaut GR3, a gravel bike with a distinctive personality

The Oregon brand has created a gravel bike with a geometry that allows you to enjoy any terrain we find on our routes to the maximum. And if you are not convinced, Argonaut will offer, from 2023, the possibility of having your GR3 completely customized and manufactured to your needs.

Competition gravel and everything you ask for meet in the new GR3

From the country in which gravel cycling was invented as the modality it has become today, specifically from the state of Oregon, comes the new gravel bike developed by the artisan manufacturer Argonaut.

After two previous models, which ended up having too much of a road bike soul, Argonaut has found the key to creating a bold geometry that, according to the brand itself, aims to adapt to the current gravel philosophy: a bit of road, a bit of smooth gravel, a bit of not so easy gravel, a pinch of trails and all day on the bike.

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Although their initial concept was to create a competition gravel bike, the reality is that they have gone one step further thanks to a very different set-up from the standard, with a steep, almost mountain bike-like steering angle combined with a generous fork travel to prevent the trail size from ballooning and to maintain sufficient steering agility.

Despite the stability that might be expected from the resulting wheelbase, Argonaut has opted for short chainstays and a higher than usual bottom bracket to achieve a perfect balance between agility and poise. The job is finished off by placing the rider in an aggressive position thanks to a fairly upright seat tube and a low headset that encourages you to hit the pedals hard.

Apart from the dimensions, which define the essence of the bike, it does not renounce the more adventurous gravel, equipping the frame with multiple connections for water bottles and bikepacking bags, and generous wheel arches capable of accommodating up to 50 mm tyres. As a modern bike, it does not renounce to a completely internal hose routing from the levers to the calipers through the steering and a stem specifically created for this GR3 by Argonaut.

As an artisan manufacturer, Argonaut builds this GR3 in-house with a process that begins with CNC machining the aluminium moulds of the frame. When compressing the fibres into them, they use internal silicone moulds that are easily removed after the carbon and resin have bonded and ensure maximum fibre compaction.

In addition to total control of the manufacturing process, this makes it possible for Argonaut to give the customer the possibility to have a completely custom-made bike, an option that will be available for this new GR3 from next year.

Argonaut GR3: set-ups and prices

The American firm offers, in addition to the frame kit option, various set-up options so that you can assemble a GR3 exactly to your liking, kits to which the price of the wheels must be added as an extra, not included, and among which the brand offers the user the following models: Princeton Grit 4540 or ENVE G23, which add $3,400 to the bill; Campagnolo Levante for an extra $1,899 and Zipp 303 Firecrest for an extra $2,046.

SRAM Red

• Base price: $11.500
• Frame: Argonaut GR3 Frameset
• Groupset: SRAM Red eTap AXS. XX1 Eagle AXS rear derailleur, e*thirteen XCX Race Carbon crankset, e*thirteen Helix R 9-45 cassette.
• Handlebar: ENVE SES AR
• Handlebar tape: Nastro Cuscino
• Stem: Argonaut RM3 Fully Integrated
• Seatpost: Argonaut
• Saddle: Selle Repente Artax GL
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One R 700x40c
• Bottle cage: Arundel Mandible

SRAM Force

• Base Price: $10.369
• Frame: Argonaut GR3 Frameset
• Groupset: SRAM Red eTap AXS. XX1 Eagle AXS rear derailleur, e*thirteen XCX Race Carbon crankset, e*thirteen Helix R 9-45 cassette
• Handlebar: ENVE SES AR
• Handlebar tape: Nastro Cuscino
• Stem: Argonaut RM3 Fully Integrated
• Seatpost: Argonaut
• Saddle: Selle Repente Artax GL
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One R 700x40c
• Bottle cage: Arundel Mandible

Shimano GRX Di2

• Base price: $11.100 
• Frame: Argonaut GR3 Frameset
• Groupset: Shimano GRX RX-810 Di2. Shimano XTR Di2 rear derailleur, e*thirteen XCX Race Carbon crankset, Shimano XTR 11-4 cassette.
• Handlebar: ENVE SES AR
• Handlebar tape: Nastro Cuscino
• Stem: Argonaut RM3 Fully Integrated
• Seatpost: Argonaut
• Saddle: Selle Repente Artax GL
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One R 700x40c
• Bottle cage: Arundel Mandible

Campagnolo Ekar

• Base price: $9.700
• Frame: Argonaut GR3 Frameset
• Groupset: Campagnolo Ekar. 9-42 cassette
• Handlebar: ENVE SES AR
• Handlebar tape: Nastro Cuscino
• Stem: Argonaut RM3 Fully Integrated
• Seatpost: Argonaut
• Saddle: Selle Repente Artax GL
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One R 700x40c
• Bottle cage: Arundel Mandible