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Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro vs De Rosa 70
Pick up to 4 bikes. Rows line up component by component. Highlighted rows differ, and green marks the best value where lower or higher is clearly better.
Key differences
- The De Rosa 70 starts €1,595 cheaper (€9,400 vs €10,995 for the Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro).
- Our verdict scores the Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro higher overall: 81/100 vs 76/100.
- The Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro comes in 6 sizes, the De Rosa 70 in 8.
Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro
De Rosa 70
| Argon 18Nitrogen Pro | De Rosa70 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Brand | Argon 18 | De Rosa |
| Build | Nitrogen Pro SRAM Red AXS | 70 Origine Campagnolo Record |
| Build notes | Colour Aurora Charcoal. Argon 18's white paper gives 6.95 kg for this build in size M (painted, with Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres and TPU tubes). | De Rosa calls the groupset 'Record NEW' and says the build was developed with Campagnolo; it doesn't state the number of speeds. Crank length (165, 170, 172.5 or 175 mm), chainrings (45/29, 48/32, 50/34, 52/36, 53/39, 54/39 or 55/39) and cassette (10-29, 10-33, 11-32 or 11-36) are chosen in the configurator. The listed price is €9,400; the configurator total showed €9,245.90 with its default options. Made to order, delivery in four to eight weeks. |
| Price (MSRP) | €13,995$14,499£13,000 | €9,400€9,400€9,400 |
| Bike weight | 6.95 kg15.3 lb | — |
| Weight measured on size | M | — |
| Model year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Generation | 2025 relaunch | 70 (first generation, also called Settanta) |
| Launched | 2025-09 | 2023-05 |
| Discipline | Aero road | Aero road |
| UCI legal | Yes | Yes |
| Verdict (out of 100) | ||
| Overall score | 81 | 76 |
| Aero | 92 | 78 |
| Frame | 86 | 88 |
| Components | 90 | 80 |
| Fit | 80 | 88 |
| Practicality | 72 | 64 |
| Price | 47 | 57 |
| Weight | 97 | — |
| Frame & fork | ||
| Frame material | Carbon (Nitrogen Pro layup) | High-modulus carbon monocoque (12K carbon at the bottom bracket and other high-stress areas, lighter fibres on the main tubes) |
| Fork material | Carbon | Full carbon, blade-shaped legs |
| Frame weight | — | 730 g25.8 oz |
| Fork weight | — | 280 g9.9 oz |
| Weight measured on | Argon 18 quotes a frame under 950 g and a fork under 415 g (size M, painted) | Size 54 frame, as claimed by De Rosa (finish not stated) |
| Frame sizes | XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL | 42.5, 44.5, 46.5, 48, 50.5, 52.5, 54.5, 56.5 |
| Colours | Aurora Charcoal | Origine (red/black), Origine Blue, Origine Silver, Origine Stealth, 70 Giro, DNA Blu, Absolute, Deva, Cedro, Papaya, Gold, Eclipse Nobile, Eclipse Grey, Icona Revò, Super Black, Stone, Pink; custom colours on request |
| Also available as | Nitrogen, a lower-grade carbon version of the same platform | — |
| UCI frame approval | Approved 27 May 2025 as 'NITROGEN PRO' (frame and fork), sizes XXS-XL (6), code AR18-004 (UCI list version 2026.10.02) | On the UCI list of approved framesets as SETTANTA, category ALL, sizes listed as 425-465 (8), approved 19 February 2023, code DER-70 |
| Compatibility & standards | ||
| Brake type | Hydraulic disc | Hydraulic disc |
| Max rotor size | 160 mm | — |
| Wheel size | — | 700c |
| Max tire width | 32 mm | 32 mm |
| Bottom bracket standard | T47 threaded, 85.5 mm shell | PressFit 86.5 x 46 |
| Front axle | 12 mm thru-axle (M12 x 1.5, 119 mm) | — |
| Rear axle | 12x142 mm thru-axle (M12 x 1.0, 167.5 mm) | — |
| Drivetrain compatibility | Electronic groupsets (the assembly guide covers wireless and wired routing only). 2x with 50-57T round chainrings (or oval of equivalent size); 1x up to 56T | Works with the latest generation of the major groupsets (De Rosa); built with Campagnolo Record and Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 |
| 1x compatible | Yes | — |
| Max chainring | 57T | — |
| Front derailleur mount | Removable front derailleur hanger; plugs fill the holes for 1x | — |
| Cable routing | Fully internal | Fully integrated through the head tube and cockpit |
| Electronic battery location | On the bottom bracket cover / battery holder | — |
| Hydration & storage | ||
| Bottle mounts | 2 | — |
| Bottle mount locations | Down tube and seat tube, with the included ATTEN aero cages | — |
| Fit & adjustability | ||
| Cockpit | One-piece carbon bar and stem (ATTEN CHB-01 Aero) | One-piece bar and stem (Vision Metron 5D EVO) |
| Standard stem and bar possible | Yes | — |
| Seatpost type | Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro aero carbon seatpost, -20 mm setback or 'zero setback' (+10 mm forward) | Dedicated De Rosa carbon seatpost, zero offset, with a clamp hidden in the frame |
| Fit notes | 6 sizes. The CHB-01 comes in 360 and 380 mm widths with 80-130 mm stems (12 sizes). Up to 40 mm of two-piece aero spacers fit under the bar and can be added or removed without cutting brake hoses. A regular stem can be fitted (the assembly guide covers it), and IST3 headset caps are offered for Deda Alanera RS, FSA ACR/SMR and FSA SRS cockpits. | Eight frame sizes. The Vision cockpit comes in twelve sizes from 80 x 38 to 130 x 42 (stem mm x width cm), and crank lengths from 165 to 175 mm are offered. De Rosa describes the geometry as low in stack and long in reach, with 405 mm chainstays in every size. |
| Aerodynamics | ||
| Manufacturer aero claims | Argon 18 says the Nitrogen is 24 W faster than its Sum Pro (reported by TOUR; tested with a rider). The white paper claims the CHB-01 cockpit saves 6.7 W against a standard bar and stem and 4.3 W against a Vision Metron 5D at 45 km/h (wind-averaged), the aero cages 1.1 W with bottles and 1.8 W empty, and that adding two bottles costs 0-3 W against 4-9 W on a traditional aero frame. The aero spacers cost 0.7 W per 30 mm of stack (Sum Pro: 1.4 W). | De Rosa calls it one of the lightest aero bikes available; it publishes no drag figures |
| Testing method | CFD on more than 130 tube profiles and 25 fork prototypes, three wind-tunnel sessions, final tests with a pedalling rider and with mannequin legs at 45 km/h against the Sum Pro and an unnamed WorldTour aero bike. Wheels and frame were developed together with Scope. | — |
| Tube profile | Truncated NACA-based profiles; off-axis head tube with the steerer set back from the leading edge; wide-stance fork; dropped seat stays | Edge-free head tube with zero offset, slightly sloping straight top tube, hexagonal seat tube, blade-shaped fork legs and slim, flattened seatstays |
| Travel, maintenance & warranty | ||
| Headset bearings | IST3 (CeramicSpeed SLT bearings on the complete bikes) | 1-1/2" top and bottom |
| Derailleur hanger | UDH (SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger), standard or direct-mount version | — |
| Maintenance | — | Minimum seatpost insertion 80-90 mm and maximum 90-140 mm depending on size; tighten the seatpost expander to no more than 8-10 Nm. |
| Proprietary parts | ATTEN CHB-01 cockpit and aero spacers, Nitrogen seatpost and clamp (not shared with the Sum), ATTEN aero cages, BB cover/battery holder, thru-axles | Dedicated seatpost and hidden clamp |
| Frame warranty | — | Three-year factory warranty on new framesets |
| Sold via | Through Argon 18 dealers | Authorised De Rosa resellers in 54 countries and directly from derosa.it (made to order, four to eight weeks) |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Groupset | SRAM Red AXS E1 | Campagnolo Record |
| Launched | 2024 · current generation | 2026 · current generation |
| Speeds | 12-speed | — |
| Electronic | Yes | — |
| Wireless | Yes | — |
| Drivetrain | 2x | 2x |
| Chainring options | — | 45/29, 48/32, 50/34, 52/36, 53/39, 54/39, 55/39 |
| Cassette options | — | 10-29, 10-33, 11-32, 11-36 |
| Notes | — | Listed by De Rosa as 'Record NEW' |
| Shifters | SRAM Red AXS E1 | — |
| Notes | Combined shift and hydraulic brake levers | — |
| Crankset | SRAM Red AXS E1 Power Meter | Campagnolo Record |
| Chainrings | 48/35 | — |
| Crank lengths available | 165 mm (XXS-XS), 170 mm (S-M), 172.5 mm (L-XL) | 165, 170, 172.5 or 175 mm |
| Power meter | SRAM Red AXS E1 Power Meter | — |
| Launched | 2024 · current generation | — |
| Type | Integrated in crankset | — |
| Bottom bracket | CeramicSpeed T47 DUB Coated | — |
| Standard | T47 threaded | — |
| Front derailleur | SRAM Red AXS E1 | — |
| Rear derailleur | SRAM Red AXS E1 | — |
| Cassette | SRAM Red XG-1290 E1 | — |
| Range | 10-33 | — |
| Speeds | 12-speed | — |
| Chain | SRAM Red | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Rotors | SRAM Paceline X | — |
| Front rotor | 160 mm | — |
| Rear rotor | 140 mm | — |
| Mount | Center Lock | — |
| Wheels & tires | ||
| Wheelset | ATTEN x Scope Artech 6.A+ | Campagnolo Shamal Dual |
| Material | Carbon | — |
| Recommended tire widths | Optimised for 30 mm tyres | — |
| Notes | Co-developed with Scope for the Nitrogen Pro, with a rim shape re-optimised from Scope's Artech 6.A | — |
| Tires | Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR | Vittoria Corsa N.EXT |
| Tire width | 30 mm | — |
| Cockpit | ||
| Handlebar | ATTEN CHB-01 Aero | Vision Metron 5D EVO |
| Type | One-piece carbon bar and stem | One-piece bar and stem |
| Integrated stem | Yes | Yes |
| Widths available | 360 or 380 mm, each with 80-130 mm stems (12 sizes) | — |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Weight | 320 g11.3 oz | — |
| Notes | Stock size by frame: 360 x 80 (XXS), 360 x 90 (XS-S), 380 x 100 (M), 380 x 110 (L), 380 x 120 (XL). Integrated computer mount with Garmin and Wahoo inserts and 3-12° tilt shims. Weight for 380 x 100 mm. | — |
| Headset | CeramicSpeed SLT (IST3) | — |
| Saddle & seatpost | ||
| Saddle | Repente Quasar CR 2.0 | — |
| Seatpost | Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro | De Rosa 70 carbon seatpost |
| Offset / setback | -20 mm setback (a 'zero setback' version, 10 mm further forward, is available) | 0 mm |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Weight | 160 g5.6 oz | — |
| Notes | Weight includes clamp | — |
| Bar tape | Ciclovation Leather Touch Tornado Gloss | — |
| Included extras | ||
| Bottle cages | ATTEN Aero cages (down tube and seat tube) | — |
| Geometry (smallest – largest size) | ||
| Sizes | XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL | 42.5, 44.5, 46.5, 48, 50.5, 52.5, 54.5, 56.5 |
| Stack | 486–607 mm19.1–23.9″ | 507–591 mm20–23.3″ |
| Reach | 370–409 mm14.6–16.1″ | 371–409 mm14.6–16.1″ |
| Seat tube angle | 72.5–75° | 73.1–74.9° |
| Head tube angle | 71.2–73° | 70.5–73.4° |
| Head tube length | 81–192 mm3.2–7.6″ | 107–185 mm4.2–7.3″ |
| Effective top tube | 502–601 mm19.8–23.7″ | 508–589 mm20–23.2″ |
| Seat tube length | 395–595 mm15.6–23.4″ | 425–565 mm16.7–22.2″ |
| Chainstay | 410 mm16.1″ | 405 mm15.9″ |
| Wheelbase | 967–1,020 mm38.1–40.2″ | — |
| BB drop | 71–79 mm2.8–3.1″ | 70 mm2.8″ |
| Fork length | 376 mm14.8″ | — |
| Fork offset | 45–49 mm1.8–1.9″ | 45 mm1.8″ |
| Front centre | — | 576–615 mm22.7–24.2″ |
| Standover | 682–848 mm26.9–33.4″ | — |
| Saddle height min | 565–765 mm22.2–30.1″ | — |
| Saddle height max | 715–915 mm28.1–36″ | — |
| Wheel size | — | 700c |
| Crank length | 165–172.5 mm6.5–6.8″ | — |
| Stem length | 80–120 mm3.1–4.7″ | — |
| Handlebar width | 360–380 mm14.2–15″ | — |
Geometry overlay
Pick a size for each bike to see frames and arm-pad ranges on top of each other.
Drawn to scale (how to read it).