September 4, 2020 - Legendary Canadian bicycle manufacturer, Argon 18, has built a strong legacy in both the road and triathlon communities and we were stoked to test their newly released Subito e-road bike.
Cyclists are always interested in which direction the wind is blowing to try and avoid headwinds. But with the Subito e-road bike, that sports an Ebikemotion X35+ 36V/250W hub motor in the rear wheel, headwinds are no longer a concern. In fact, with the boost provided, it feels more like you always have a tailwind.
With their bikes racing on the UCI World Tour circuit, the team at Argon 18 clearly know how to design performance road bikes. Their Subito e-road bike fits the bill, as it looks like a sleek road race machine, yet it does a stellar job of concealing that it is an e-bike. The rear motor is tucked neatly beside the cassette in the hub of the rear wheel while the carbon frame nicely integrates the battery and charging port.
This bike’s appeal is its readiness to ride, and while the e-system is well hidden to the casual observer, the performance side of this bike is apparent from the get-go. The motor offers smooth acceleration to your pedal stroke with three levels of assistance, controlled by a button in the top tube. Push the button once and it lights up green letting you know that you are in Level one, or economy mode. Another push takes you to Level two with an orange light, and finally Level three lights up in red.
The various power-assist levels provide a noticeable feel to how quickly you accelerate when you start pedaling. I found that Level one was a great power mode for longer rides, or any ride for that matter, as it provided smooth acceleration that takes you up to the max power-assist speed of 32km/hr. You can go faster of course but for speeds above that threshold riders need to push the gears on their own as with a regular bike .
Another nice touch of the power-assist is that it allows you to pedal in a higher gear than you would normally ride. On uphills this meant I wasn’t reaching for the shifter as the motor allowed me push a bigger gear than I normally would and maintain a higher speed. A nice touch when you may not be as fast as your riding buddies so you won’t get dropped on the climb.
If your riding buddy is Chris Froome then it may be a different story, but for your local ride group the Subito e-road will keep you at the front of the pack.
The carbon frame and lightweight Ebikemotion e-system both help keep the weight of the complete bike down to a very reasonable level. On my scale it came in at 11.8 kg including pedals. The Subito felt like a regular road bike while bunny-hopping pot holes and was only marginally harder to attain and hold speeds above 32km/hr.
The bike comes equipped with a full Shimano Ultegra drivetrain and shifters which shifted flawlessly as always, while the shift lever hoods provide a comfortable riding position. The Shimano hydraulic disc brakes have all of the power needed to stop quickly and smoothly for any reason.
The wheelset comes with Vision Team 30 rims equipped with Challenge Paris Roubaix Plus 27mm tires. The tires help smooth out the ride in the rough stuff. The design of the frame allows for up to 40mm wide tires, which makes this a good candidate for gravel riding as well.
The Subito features Argon 18’s core technologies including their 3D System merged seamlessly with the frame. The FSA stem and handlebars look great and help keep the front end stiff. A Prologo seat is the final bit of flash on the bike.
The clean look and feel of the bike is accentuated with all of the cables for the Ebikemotion e-system run internally in the frame and connected with the 3D+ button embedded in the top tube.
A smartphone App adds further to the integration and provides riders with all of the information they could possibly need. Battery power levels, speed, motor power level, altitude, and ride time are just a few of the useful bits of info available.
The Argon 18 Subito is quiet, handles like a road bike, and can even tackle gravel with ease. If you’re looking to keep up with faster riders, or to enjoy longer rides, then this e-road bike should be on your list. Argon 18 also offers a Subito e-gravel model that’s worth checking out as well.
The MSRP is $6,000 for the Subito e-road with Shimano Ultegra and $5,000 with Shimano 105. For more information visit here.
