Argon 18 launches new race-ready and value-oriented E117 in Nice

Using the first ever women’s Ironman World Championship to take place in Nice as a backdrop, Argon 18 has launched its latest triathlon and TT bike – the E117. It’s a race-ready option for triathletes of all levels that incorporates many of the features and performance you’ll find in the company’s flagship E119, but at a price that won’t put as much of a dent in your bank account. The new bike offers the integrated disc brakes you’ll find in the E119, along with storage and hydration options triathletes will enjoy. There’s lots of fitting options and the bike is also UCI legal, too, for those who are looking to race time trials.

Aero performance

Just like the flagship E119, the E117 features triathlon-focused geometry and the innovative integrated brakes and Argon 18 specially designed brake levers that allow the calipers, hydraulic cables and reservoir to all stay hidden to enhance aerodynamics and ergonomics. The frame looks remarkably like the E119, but some of the tubes aren’t quite as deep to allow the bike to remain UCI legal.

The E117 will come in two different colours – black stealth and flaming red – and three different levels of components and wheels. The two higher levels (Shimano Ultegra Di2 and 105 Di2) feature the same aero cockpit you’ll find on the E119 – a collaborative base bar and aero extensions set up between Argon 18 and Mat Steinmetz from 51 Speedshop. The base bar can be flipped for either a lower or higher set up, and there is lots of adjustability available thanks to the mono-riser that holds the extensions. The mechanical Shimano 105 version features the Argon 18 base bar (they had to go that route to incorporate the company’s proprietary brake levers required for the integrated brakes) combined with Profile Design extensions.

In terms of wheels,  the 105 Di2 version comes with Argon 18’s own, in house, carbon fibre Atten wheels, while the Ultregra Di2 version features deeper Scope carbon wheels. The 105 mechanical version gets a DT Swiss wheel set. All the bikes come with a bento box, integrated tool kit and aero water bottle. The bikes all feature Argon 18’s aero seat post that can easily add a behind the saddle water bottle cage for aero hydration. You can also easily add a between the arms (BTA) aero hydration option, too.

An aero frame is useless without an aero fit, and the Argon 18 engineers have taken that into account, offering a wide range of stack and reach options, so it shouldn’t be hard to dial in a decent fit on the bike.

In terms of aero performance, it’s worth noting that the E117 now becomes the company’s fastest UCI legal bike, so you’ll see the company’s sponsored pro teams using the bike for time trials at World Tour races including the Tour de France.

As mentioned the E117 comes in three race-ready packages. The Shimano Ultegra D12 version retails for C$9,000/ US$6,800, the Shimano 105 Di2 version retails for C$7,400/ US$5,500 and the Shimano 105 version retails for C$4,950/ US$3,500.

E119 additions and new colours

While there’s no changes to the flagship E119 frame, Argon 18 is upping the ante for that model with a couple of new colours and some changes to the builds for the bike. The high-end version of the E119 now comes with Argon 18’s own Notio aerometer, so athletes can do their own aerodynamic testing on the fly. That bike will also feature SRAM’s new Red 2024 AXS gruppo and Zipp 858 wheels and will sell for C$18,500/ US$14,000. The Ultegra Di2 version (C$13,500/ US$10,000) will feature DT Swiss wheels.

Flagship aero speedster: Argon 18 E-119 Tri+ Disc 

We’re looking forward to getting out for a ride on the new E117 and will have a review of the new bike once we do that.