Each Argon Gen Is a One-of-a-Kind, and Here's Why You Could Consider Dropping $6K on One

Folks, before us sits the Argon Gen, a hardtail endurance bike designed to achieve things you didn't think possible with an aluminum-framed bicycle. Before we go on about all this machine can do and what makes it so special and possibly worth every penny of its minimum €4,400 ($4,368 at current exchange rates) price tag, let's take a look at who could be responsible for this looker and how it's built. It's important, and you'll see why shortly.

Back in 1995, a new name popped up on the cycling scene. That name is Nikolai Bikes, and over time, this German designer and manufacturer of bicycles has grown to be known for building nearly indestructible bikes. The way they achieved this is through constant innovation and attention to manufacturing processes, and one technique used to yield their machines is CNC milling. Then it's on to welding, sanding and grinding, and even heat treatments before a finished product is witnessed.

Well, the same treatment goes into every Argon Gen that leaves the Nikolai assembly lines. Why is this sort of building process so dang important? Well, because Nicolai Bicycles uses CNC milling to build each component, then welds each element by hand, each bike is unique. Not to mention that CNC milling is a technique that is NOT used to mass produce bicycles.

With that in mind, it's essential to know that Nicolai doesn't have your dream bike lying around the shop. Instead, if you'd like to get your hands on something like this, once you call up the manufacturer, you'll embark upon a process that allows you to add whatever the heck you want to this frame, within functioning limits, of course. Funny enough, the frame even goes as far as being suitable for a Gates Carbon Belt drivetrain.

More on this chassis, because it dictates what a bicycle can achieve, Nicolai uses a slightly different blend of aluminum to create the dynamic trinket you see. 7020-T6 it's called, and according to the manufacturer's website, this alloy is used to build aircraft. Why? It has "about 30% higher tensile strength and about 20% higher elastic limit" than classic 6061 aluminum, which is widely used by just about every manufacturer out there.

Now, the way that your dream Argon Gen would be born includes taking the time to pick the components you want and adding them to a bare frame, which, might I add, will cost you over €1,800 ($1,780) for a medium size. However, you can own the bugger you see in the image gallery for no less than €6,000 ($5,950).

Considering this version features all the components that Nicolai wished for, we could even say that it's the optimized version. If you're like me and pick out top gear, you could be looking at a machine over €7,100 ($7,050). As for the version you see here, it features a Sram XG-1250 cassette with 10-52T range, a GX Eagle derailleur, Continental Baron tires tuned to 27.5 inches, and a fork from Fox, a 36 Factory with 160 mm (6.3 in) of travel. Oh, it's also the 2022 version that Fox spat out. A few extra touches make this Argon Gen what it is, but I'll leave that to your own curiosity. Mind you, the magic does continue with the possibility of adding a dropper post to this puppy, and that's just the begging.

At the end of the day, a bare frame will run you around $1,800, but by the time you're done adding your favorite gear, you'll have one of the meanest hardtails around, custom built to your tastes and abilities. Just a little something-something to feast your eyes on.