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The Specialised Crux Professional is a possible recreation changer in the case of the controversy concerning N+1 bikes.
Its vast ranging capabilities – and the following freedom they give you as a bike owner – can virtually make you’re feeling mischievous, slightly like a baby left alone in a candy store.
With a racing influenced match, born from the Crux’s cyclocross background, it challenges the necessity for separate bikes for gravel, street and cross. Due to its light-weight, performance-driven design it dances over the tough terrain prefer it’s freshly laid tarmac – as a few of the best gravel bikes do – while nonetheless being able to climbing a mountain like the best road bikes.
Specialised Crux Professional – the development
The Crux fashions are among the many lightest gravel bikes on the planet. To assist obtain this the Professional makes use of a few of the know-how discovered on Specialised’s featherweight road-focused S-Works Aethos, together with its highest grade FACT (Useful Superior Composite Know-how) 12r carbon, which is used on the forks, whereas the body makes use of the marginally decrease grade FACT 10r. The result’s a body that weighs solely 825 grams, which is staggeringly mild for a gravel bike.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The Crux Professional comes with a set of 700 x 38mm Pathfinder Professional tires, nonetheless the frameset does have room for 47mm tires or 2.1″ in case you’re utilizing 650b wheels.
This clearance creates choices, making the bike succesful for a variety of terrain. It additionally aids efficiency on muddy trails, serving to to cease gunk from build up between the tires and body by the forks and downtube.
As for the forks, visually they seem skinny for a gravel bike. Measuring simply 3cm vast on the half manner level, I used to be involved that they might really feel slightly fragile over a few of the rougher terrain I used to be planning on using.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Evaluating the geometry of the Crux Professional to Specialised’s Diverge Professional Carbon, which is an out and out gravel bike, makes for attention-grabbing studying.
Actually the Crux seems designed with a racer in thoughts. In a measurement 56 the stack top is 578mm for the Crux, whereas the Diverge measures 610mm. The attain is 397mm in comparison with 392mm, whereas the Crux’s 582mm high tube is 10mm longer. In principle because of this the Crux, with its decrease top and longer attain, ought to ship a extra aggressive, aero place on the bike.
One other key level to notice is backside bracket top. The Crux is significantly increased at 286mm in comparison with 270mm for the Diverge. This additional clearance ought to assist stop pedal strikes.
Apparently the Crux Professional’s wheelbase, though barely shorter than the Diverge at 1033mm in contrast to1042mm, remains to be fairly lengthy for a motorcycle with an plain racing DNA. Whereas this could translate into loads of stability, it did make me surprise if it will additionally make the Crux really feel slightly sluggish?
(Picture credit score: Future)
The Crux is supplied with SRAM’s 12-speed Power XPLR eTap AXS groupset. It pairs a 40 tooth entrance chainring with a 10-44 cassette to ship an expansive gear vary that ought to have the ability to address most terrain. Nonetheless, the frameset is appropriate with a entrance derailleur must you favor to run a 2x set-up.
The wheelset is Roval’s Terra CL. Solely 33mm deep these carbon fibre hoops have the power to be arrange as tubeless and may mount a variety of tire widths from 28mm all the best way to 47mm. Constructed utilizing DT Swiss 350 hubs they’ve claimed weight of 1,408 grams for the pair, together with tubeless rim tape and valves.
The tires are 38mm Pathfinder Professional 2BR, which like the edges are tubeless appropriate, though they really arrived with inside tubes fitted.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Mechanics will seemingly respect the Crux’s comparatively easy building. A threaded backside bracket in addition to a regular bar and stem mixture assist with the convenience of upkeep. A motorbike of this magnificence deserves to be effectively taken care of and with these design decisions altering a backside bracket or changing a brake cable is a stroll within the park in comparison with the likes of a press match backside bracket or built-in bar and stem system.
Likewise, because of SRAM housing the batteries on the rear derailleur itself, charging or changing them is particularly straightforward. There’s additionally a SRAM app so you may regulate battery ranges so you might be by no means caught out and caught in your hardest gear.
Specialised Crux Professional – the trip
Actually the pace the Crux can ship is nothing in need of breathtaking. The light-weight traits of the bike positively steal the limelight, however there may be much more to the Crux than this.
Sadly I am not blessed with limitless miles of easy gravel tracks on my doorstep and so I do must hop on the street for slightly bit to get to the good things. Setting off in quest of gravel, the Crux flew alongside, absorbing the lumps and bumps within the street, turning the pothole ridden floor into what felt like contemporary tarmac. Even with a single chainring up entrance I used to be by no means struggling for gears due to the ten tooth sprocket on the backside.
For a gravel bike the attain felt fairly lengthy. On the street this meant I might tuck into a cushty, aero place much like one I would use when racing.
(Picture credit score: Future)
As you head off street and onto the gravel the Crux actually feels at residence. The lightness of the bike makes it extremely snappy out of the corners and over the lumps within the street. That FACT 10 carbon body offers wonderful stiffness, which is obvious as you dance on the pedals out of the saddle up the climbs.
In essence the bike feels straightforward to trip. Very similar to on the indoor racing and coaching app Zwift whenever you use the featherweight enhance , the Crux simply takes off. The lightness interprets to a responsive and agile trip. With the entrance and rear wheels really easy to carry navigating obstacles turns into a breeze.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The Pathfinder tires delivered a combined trip relying on my route. With a easy central part they offered wonderful rolling resistance over arduous packed gravel or tarmac roads. Nonetheless with solely a really small quantity of sidewall tread as quickly as I headed for something remotely slippery they had been left wanting for grip.
For individuals who routinely trip extra aggressive gravel trails, a extra strong, climate proof tire is prone to be extra appropriate – and the sheer variety of the best gravel bike tires ensures there’s a lot to selected from.
The Crux’s excessive backside bracket meant that clearance on rocky trials was spectacular and there was no want to fret about hanging the dust with the pedal as I stored my ft transferring by way of the corners.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Regardless of being a Shimano lover at coronary heart, the SRAM Power eTap AXS groupset took me abruptly. Typically when gears have such a variety to cowl it may be straightforward for them to leap and clunk between each other. Moreover chain stress can typically be a difficulty. Racing down a bumpy descent the very last thing you want is a sequence to slide off.
Fortunately the SRAM drivechain carried out exceptionally throughout testing. Not as soon as was a gear skipped or chain slipped and the customisation offered by the AXS app helped me to personalise the setup. I additionally discovered the massive shifters straightforward to make use of, even with gloves on.
On the roughest terrain and through steep descents the Crux did really feel slightly like a fish out of water. With a reasonably low stack top my physique mass was centred additional over the entrance wheel than I’d have preferred. It additionally felt a tad uncomfortable, which is perhaps attributed to the skinny fork profile. Personally I felt the vibrations by way of the bars was exaggerated compared to different gravel bikes I’ve ridden and after just a few hours enjoying round on the South Downs Way, in southern England, I completed the trip with a sore pair of palms, even with some very padded gloves on!
Nonetheless, it is truthful to say that this terrain, with its steep descents and tough floor, is prone to make most gravel bikes really feel slightly uncomfortable.
Worth
At $8,200 / £7,900 the Crux is actually not low cost and this price ticket places it into the extra premium bracket of gravel bikes. Nonetheless it is able to dealing with a variety of terrain and may simply carry out double obligation on the street or as a ‘cross racer.
It additionally comes outfitted with a prime quality set of carbon Roval wheels in addition to SRAM’s mid vary digital groupset, which implies there may be little it’s essential change, apart from possibly a special pair of tires.
For a number of thousand {dollars} – or kilos – much less you will get your self a Ribble Gravel SL – Hero, outfitted with the identical SRAM Power XPLR eTap AXS groupset in addition to a carbon wheelset as customary. Nonetheless the Ribble does weigh in a claimed 9.63kg for a measurement medium, which is significantly heavier than the Crux. Whether or not this justifies the substantial worth distinction for what’s an analogous specification bike solely you may determine.
Likewise for near a few thousand much less you will get your self a SRAM Pink XPLR eTap AXS outfitted Canyon Grail CF SLX 9. At 8.22kg there may be not an enormous distinction between the 2 by way of weight, which does make the Crux appear overpriced.
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