'More than a comeback' - Argon 18 launches a brand new Nitrogen Pro aero race bike, and we've got the data...

Today, Argon 18 has launched a brand new aero road bike named the Nitrogen Pro.

The Canadian company first launched the Nitrogen aero road bike back in 2014; aero road bikes looked quite different back then. After a few years away, the Nitrogen is back, and it seems to be back with a bang.

If you had caught any glimpses of an all black, mysterious-looking aero bike in our recent CN Labs teaser content on Instagram, you can wonder no more. That bike was a prototype Nitrogen Pro model supplied to us by Argon 18 for our aero bike wind tunnel test. You can now see how the Nitrogen Pro fared against some of the best aero road bikes in the world.

The brand says that this is the fastest road bike it has ever produced, and that the Nitrogen Pro has been developed as a full system for an 'optimal interaction between aerodynamic frame design, modern geometry, flexible rider fit & world-class components'.

The bike itself looks aggressive, especially with a healthy amount of seatpost showing. There are seriously dropped seatstays that remind us of the Colnago TT1 time trial bike, but the frame shape itself isn't likely to divide opinion in the same way the Y1RS did when it launched.

Sometimes it feels brands just can't win when it comes to new bike releases – go heavy on the claimed wattage savings and you get moaned at in the comments, or don't include any details on aero testing and wattage savings and get moaned at in the comments.

Argon 18 seems to have gone for a slightly softer approach and has given more details on some of the components that have been designed specifically to try and make this bike fast, without giving too much in the way of facts and figures. But don't forget you can head to our CN Labs aero bike test piece to pore over more test data for this bike.

Argon 18 does mention the use of a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model being used with a bike and rider, with different component combinations to find optimal performance in real-world conditions, which is, after all, where we ride and race our bikes.

Atten is the name of Argon 18's 'cutting-edge technology lab'. According to the brand, its mission is to produce the best bicycle components on the market. In short, Atten is where the special stuff is taken care of. Nitrogen Pro components like the aero handlebars and custom Scope wheels carry the 'Atten' nomenclature.

Atten, in collaboration with Scope, has created a new wheelset specifically for the Nitrogen Pro. The Atten x Scope Artech 6.A+ wheelset, built on the Artech 6.A wheelset which emerged victorious in our CN Labs Aero wheelset test.

This new wheelset is apparently a 'fully integrated component of the Nitrogen Pro's front-end aero system'; in short, it's been designed in tandem with the frame and wide fork. The rim shape is designed to work with the Nitrogen Pro and a 30mm tyre, and that is what is specified on every Nitrogen model. What we don't yet know is whether this new wheelset will be available to buy separately, though it seems likely.

There's another Atten product in the form of the Atten CHB-01 Aero Handlebar, which apparently optimises leading-edge aerodynamics and rider positioning. On the subject of position, all bikes have a 15mm higher stack than the Argon 18 Sum Pro model, which indicates a focus on a rider's ability to hold an aero position more comfortably and for longer.

All bikes also feature custom bottle cages that integrate with the frame and 'incorporate an airflow concept inspired by automotive design', though the specific design isn't listed.

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There are two carbon fibre layup options, Pro level and Elite layups, like the recently launched Pinarello F series bikes and Scott Addict.

Every bike in the range is equipped with 30mm tyres, a T47 threaded bottom bracket, a 1 1/8 steerer tube and a UDH hanger standard. There are some differences between Nitrogen Pro bikes and the lower-tier Nitrogen bikes.

Nitrogen Pro (Ultegra, Dura-Ace, Red) bikes benefit from Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres, Ceramicspeed T47 bottom brackets and SLT (solid lubricant) headset bearings and the new Atten X Scope Artech 6.A+ wheelsets.

Nitrogen bikes (105, Ultegra, Force) get a slightly lower component spec, given their more affordable price point. Those bikes will still feature the Atten CHB-01 aero handlebar like the Pro model, but instead of the superbike-level components on the Pro bikes, will feature slightly lower spec, yet still just as capable Vittoria Corsa N.EXT tyres, SRAM Dub and Token T47 bottom brackets, Enduro headset bearings, and Scope R6.A and Atten L42 wheelsets.

No full weights are included for the bike currently. What we do have is an image below of a bare carbon Nitogen Pro production bike being weighed at 6.77kg with a Dura-Ace build. So it looks like weights will be very competitive, something the very light for their depth Scope wheels help with. Argon 18 explained they expected painted bikes to come in at around 6.9Kg

"We have the final layup and complete build as per specs – it comes in at 6.77kg on the raw carbon, including aero bottle cages and the computer mount, setup tubeless.

We are factoring in a buffer for the paint, decals and tubeless sealant variations, and it should be at or just below 6.9kg on a size 56/M."

Nitrogen Pro 383A bikes will be available in one colour and three builds featuring Shimano Ultegra and Dura-Ace Di2 and SRAM Red AXS.

Ultegra build prices are $9,800 / £9,500 / €10,995

Dura-Ace build prices are: $13,000 / £12,500 / €13,495

Red AXS build prices are: $13,500 / £13,000 / €13,995

The Nitrogen Pro 384A will also be available in two colours - the silver you see above and a green option, and three builds, which will feature Shimano 105, Ultegra Di2 and SRAM Force AXS.

105 build prices are $5,400 / £5,200 / €5,595

Ultegra build prices are: $7,250 / £6,750 / €7,795

Force AXS build prices are: $8,000 / £7,300 / €8,595