Lightest Gravel Bike: Specialised S-Works Crux Evaluate

The S-Works Crux stands because the gravel and cyclocross model of Specialised’s “most technically superior bike” — the Aethos. Constructed with the Aethos development methodology, Specialised morphed the S-Works Crux geometry into a combination of street, cyclocross, and gravel. It’s unbelievably light-weight at 15.9 kilos (56cm, no pedals). And the bike guarantees a novel trip high quality just like the Aethos.

I hammered the Specialised S-Works Crux over dusty, hardpacked, rock-riddled filth roads for 4 months. Certainly, the trip high quality mated properly with the unforgiving surfaces I encountered. Having examined the Specialised Aethos, I did really feel the outcomes of the shared DNA.

In brief: The S-Works Crux is the one bike within the final 5 years I’ve critically thought-about shopping for with my very own cash. Although many cyclists level to its feather-light body as the primary callout, the chic trip high quality took middle stage for me. From washboard hardpack plagued by square-edged rocks to “champagne” gravel, the Crux delivered a veritable magic carpet trip: clean however one way or the other effectively stiff. The one nicks I uncovered had been its unaerodynamic design and lack of body mounts.

In case you are looking for a gravel bike, take a look at our complete shopping for information.

Specialised S-Works Crux Specs

Body Options

Proper off the bat, I’ve to debate the extremely light-weight body. Specialised claims a 56cm body weighs a mind-bending 725 g. This weighs lower than the complete water bottle I had within the bottle cage. To my data, the bike is the lightest gravel bike in existence.

The FACT 12r carbon is the model’s best. The minimal materials weight, mixed with the dearth of stiffening layers of different carbon bikes, is a major a part of the featherweight equation. Specialised claims that the form of the tubes makes up for the dearth of stiffening layers. Additionally, going to larger-diameter body tubes (a typical technique) isn’t required both.

Tire clearance is 47c for 700c hoops and a couple of.1″ for 650b. Going towards the grain, the body will not be built-in for inside wires or cables. It additionally doesn’t have routing for a mechanical entrance derailleur, so it could solely run direct-mount digital variations.

The avoidance of integration matches the opposite “regular” options on the Specialised S-Works Crux. An ordinary, two-piece bar and stem combo and spherical 27.2 seat submit (with commonplace submit clamp) was the primary “regular” cockpit configuration I’d seen shortly on a top-tier bike. This attribute makes changes to the entrance cockpit attainable and opens up choices for different seat posts. It additionally makes packing the bike for journey a lot easier.

The underside bracket is a threaded English (BSA), making alternative or upkeep a snap.

Notably, the Specialised S-Works Crux body has no mounting factors apart from two commonplace water bottle cage mounts and one on the underside of the down tube.

Racy Geometry

The geometry trait that stands out is that the Crux is lengthy and low: lengthy attain (horizontal distance from the middle of the underside bracket to the highest of the top tube), with low stack (the horizontal distance between the identical two factors). This harkens to its cyclocross racing roots.

My 56cm take a look at rig has a attain of 397mm and a stack of 560mm. The subsequent raciest bike I’ve examined is the Ventum GS1; it sports activities a 393mm attain and 570mm stack.

On the opposite facet of the spectrum is Specialised’s Diverge. For the comparable body dimension, it has a attain of 392mm and a stack of 609mm.

One other notable geometry trait is the comparatively excessive backside bracket. The 56cm Crux has a backside bracket drop of 72mm (the gap between the middle of the underside bracket and an imaginary line between the 2 wheel dropouts).

The racy Ventum GS1 backside bracket is 2mm increased, however the Diverge’s is 13mm decrease. The comparatively excessive backside bracket on the Crux helps in racing. It provides pedal clearance for obstacles and turns.

Prime-Tier Parts

Specialised spared nothing when outfitting the S-Works Crux. A full SRAM Crimson E-tap AXS 1x groupset hangs on the body, full with an influence meter. Home model Roval provides its Terra CLX wheelset with Specialised Pathfinder Professional 38c tubeless tires.

A Specialised S-Works SL aluminum alloy stem with titanium bolts clamps a Roval Terra carbon handlebar. A Physique Geometry S-Works Energy saddle with carbon rails perches on high of a Roval Alpinist carbon seat submit. Within the racing/weight-weenie spirit, the bolt within the seat clamp is titanium.

The Crux’s aesthetics actually performed to my older age and street racing upbringing. The small-diameter (by right this moment’s requirements) spherical tubes, slender fork, and non-dropped seat stays give the body a traditional look. The non-integrated cockpit did the identical. And the gloss birch purple gold pearl speckle paint scheme was attention-grabbing but elegant.

The Specialised S-Works Crux within the Filth

The texture of the Crux is tough to clarify. As a lot as engineers say they’ll “optimize” the layup of carbon items, the trip of carbon frames tends to be polarized. These frames skew closely to a stiff, harsh trip for effectivity (each aero and wattage).

And if the bike is on the compliant finish of the dimensions, there might be extra lateral give, which isn’t as environment friendly and often means much less exact dealing with.

Stiffness and Compliance within the Similar Body

Stomping on the pedals or torquing the ends of the handlebar drops revealed the lateral and torsional stiffness of this best of carbon racing frames.

But once I pedaled over gravel chatter, the bike one way or the other smoothed it out impeccably. It felt laterally inflexible, like a motorcycle that may beat you up. However then it soaked up the bumps like a motorcycle that may flip right into a noodle should you stepped on the gasoline. These sensations alone made the S-Works Crux chassis (and the Aethos) a standout in a sea of carbon bikes which can be closely skewed as stiff or compliant.

This duality, mixed with the minimal weight, paid dividends on climbs. The lateral and torsional rigidity made the Crux sprightly on the quick, savagely steep pitches in my space. Standing on the pedals and pulling on the bars to eke out each final watt was met with quick energy on the rear wheel.

Regardless of the small body tubes, the Crux resisted efficiency-robbing deflections higher than any bike I used to be testing on the time. It was like a flyweight delivering punches like a heavyweight.

But when the climb was tough, which it typically was, the compliance helped preserve the rear rubber biting when standing. It additionally saved me in a decent line when seated. The body’s vertical give, mixed with the tires, soaked up forces that may both bump the rear tire off the bottom or push it laterally out of line. Once more, I used to be bewildered on the duality of the Crux body.

The Roval Alpinist seat submit additionally added vertical compliance to the Specialised S-Works Crux.

Dreamy Cornering

The impressively slender fork had me involved about cornering. Many of the activates my common haunts have tire tracks the place the vehicles push off unfastened gravel to show the laborious clay base. To hold any pace, I’ve to remain in the course of these tracks to keep away from lapses in traction whereas on the edges of the tires. Deviating can result in a sudden low-side crash (which has put me in mattress for just a few days).

Vehicles don’t comply with the momentum-sparing line that I exploit; they’ll typically sq. the nook and nonetheless make pace as a result of they’ve infinitely extra traction and energy. To make use of these strains, I’ve to bop on the surface of the coming into observe and lower the apex as shut as I can. I have to exit to the surface with out the entrance tire getting out of line and into the unfastened gravel. Precision is essential to carrying any pace with out placing myself within the filth.

I used to be timid at first as a result of I might look down on the spindly legs of the fork. However I quickly realized that it punched manner above its weight class, just like the body. I used to be concurrently testing one other gravel bike that had fork blades twice as vast. However the Crux fork was gobs stiffer laterally and torsionally. Inside an hour of my first trip aboard, I used to be railing the tough turns with confidence, slicing correct exits like I had ridden the Crux for years.

A number of the sweeping, wide-radius, high-speed turns revealed the magical compliance of the Specialised S-Works Crux chassis. Once more, I needed to keep within the automobile tire tracks to remain out of the unfastened kitty litter. However vehicles take the identical strains in wider turns, so I might actually let it fly. Not sure of how the bike would deal with at increased speeds on lean, I used to be timid at first, scrubbing pace on entry once I usually wouldn’t.

However, once more, an hour in, I stayed off the binders. The chassis absorbed ripples so the tires’ small contact patches might keep glued to the sun-baked clay. The Pathfinder Professional tires’ wonderful chunk on hardpack whereas on an angle (I might hear it) added to my increasing confidence.

Different Specialised S-Works Crux Attributes

The wonderful chassis manners on the Crux match with most of the part traits.

Touchpoints

The Specialised touchpoints on the Crux agreed with my physique.

The Roval Terra handlebar’s oval high part felt nice in my medium-sized palms. It provided loads of floor space the place it mattered however was nonetheless sufficiently small for my fingers to overlap with my thumb. The 12-degree flare on the drops on the 42cm vast bars was proper at my comfy restrict.

The Specialised Physique Geometry S-Works Energy saddle match my slim pelvic construction properly. I can run saddles as slim as 134mm however my comfy most is the 143mm that Specialised specified on the 56cm Crux.

The saddle visibly the proper width, but it surely felt narrower. I didn’t discover the stress on the higher internal hamstrings like I usually do at that width, however I obtained the added help of the broader base.

The padding’s density was proper on the cash for gravel. I’m from the times of the Selle Italia Flite saddle, so I choose firmer padding. The S-Works Energy had the density to maintain me supported, with simply sufficient give to maintain the chatter at bay. And I by no means observed the cutout, which is uncommon. I truly most popular this saddle over the mightily costly, high-zoot, 3D-printed Mirror model of this saddle.

The Roval Alpinist seat submit added welcome vertical compliance to the Specialised S-Works Crux. I run a 738mm seat peak, so I had a average quantity of submit protruding. It supplied noticeable flex and power dissipation, particularly on medium-sized bumps and sq. edges. It will present much more at taller saddle heights.

Wheels and Parts

The carbon Roval Terra CLX wheelset, with its claimed sub-1,300g weight (with rim tape and valves!), spun up shortly, which added to the bike’s gentle really feel. This was not a shock; these wheels are lighter than many street race hoops.

The 32mm depth of the Roval Terra CLX is the center of the street for contemporary gravel wheels. Some aero-slanted wheels are taller, and a few compliance-oriented fashions are shorter. That summed up the efficiency outdoors of those affected by weight; it was center of the street.

They felt reasonably aero and quick on the flats on the tarmac. It was laborious to inform due to the high-performance tires and body, however the compliance additionally felt average.

When choosing my manner slowly between softball-sized rocks in a dry creekbed, I didn’t really feel any considerable rotational give. Once I sprinted for metropolis lights indicators on the pavement, I didn’t really feel any additional stiffness or flex. It was tough with the gravel tires to discern these items, however these had been my impressions in comparison with others. I’ll say that the wheel’s aesthetics and rim depth matched properly with the classic-looking body.

There was sufficient written concerning the SRAM E-tap AXS efficiency, so I received’t go into it right here apart from saying it was laborious to poke holes in something the groupset did. It carried out remarkably properly, and I didn’t contact something throughout the take a look at interval.

It’s Not All Roses

I do know I sound utterly enamored by the Specialised S-Works Crux — and I’m. However the bundle had just a few dings.

Lack of Body Bosses

Probably the most disappointing facet was the dearth of mounting factors on the body. Specialised supplied solely three water bottle cage mounts, which didn’t sit properly with me for a gravel bike, race-oriented or not.

Gravel races are usually very lengthy, and on the absolute minimal, I needed high tube mounts for a Bento Field. The quantity of meals crucial to finish a protracted gravel race necessitates a high tube bag, not just for capability but in addition for consuming on the go.

Positive, there are high tube luggage that don’t require mounts. However I problem you to search out me one which received’t rotate or slide to at least one facet — particularly when going over tough terrain.

Additionally, gravel biking is on the adventurous facet, and on the astonishing $12,250 MSRP for this model of the Crux, it’s a tall order to acquire one other bike for bikepacking.

The absence of different bag mounts, fender mounts, and fork mounts could possibly be a deal breaker for individuals who enterprise past a single day’s journey. I notice this isn’t an journey rig, however many who take into account this bike might want a minimum of the choice of bikepacking with it.

Tires

The Specialised Pathfinder Professional tires labored amazingly properly on pavement. The bald middle strip and more durable rubber rolled higher than some other allroad or gravel tire I’ve ever tried.

On hardpacked surfaces, the tire was extremely sticky and confidence-inspiring. However any quantity of gravel induced the traction to fall off sharply.

Moreover, even a skinny layer of mud rendered the tires virtually ineffective. The sleek middle part did what you’ll anticipate, which was nothing. And the edges packed up instantly and acted the identical.

The Pathfinder Professional was an on-off tire. It was finest when it was dry, hardpacked, or pavement. However the rest, and it was time to crawl.

Lastly, I might a lot choose extra quantity and width than the 38c Specialised places on the Crux. If the bike had stayed with me a little bit longer, I might have switched to 45c alone dime. The bigger quantity, decrease stress, and bigger footprint would have made all the things nice concerning the Specialised S-Works Crux even higher.

Specialised S-Works Crux: Closing Phrase

So, who is that this $12K+ featherweight gravel racer for?

Clearly, gravel racers may have little to complain about as they pace away on the lightest gravel bike presently offered. The shortage of mass mixed with the environment friendly switch of energy, impossibly clean trip, and the nicest parts would fulfill most Lycra-clad speedsters. The one ones who is likely to be on the fence are those that suppose aero is all the things (and there are many these).

However any “scholar” of biking would admire this bike. Specialised states that the body is essentially the most superior it has ever made, and the trip high quality shows that technical mastery. The elements spec matches the body in these elements. For cyclists who admire this stage of engineering and manufacturing prowess and the trip high quality they produce, I don’t suppose there’s a higher gravel bike.

The downsides will concern cyclists who embrace “the spirit of gravel.” The shortage of body bosses for baggage and fenders is a particular hurdle for venturing far and lengthy.

The value predicates who may even take into account the Specialised S-Works Crux. However when you’ve got the cash, I consider the trip high quality is singular to this bike, and it’s a pleasure to behold.

Editors observe: In the course of the testing interval, Specialised up to date the S-Works Crux body. It added a Common Derailleur Hanger, however in any other case, the body is similar to the one on this evaluation. Throughout the identical interval, SRAM launched a brand new Crimson AXS XPLOR groupset. The bike, as examined, remains to be out there for buy.