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Crux Expert

4.8

11 Reviews

The Crux is the lightest gravel bike in the world, with the exceptional capability…

Voted Best Brand 5 Years in a Row

#1 Again: 2023 Gran Fondo Awards

The riders have spoken! For the fifth year in a row, Specialized has been crowned the #1 “Drop Bar Bike Brand” in the prestigious Gran Fondo Best Brand Awards for 2023. We innovate for riders, and year after year, our bikes are loved by the most discerning riders. Thank you!

Meet the Crux

Product Details

The Crux is the lightest gravel bike in the world, with the exceptional capability of massive tire clearance and performance gravel geometry. It’s not just the ultimate expression of gravel performance, it’s your one-way ticket to gravel enlightenment.

This Crux Expert comes spec'd with an intuitive and crisp-shifting SRAM Rival eTap AXS hydraulic disc groupset, incredibly tough Roval Terra C Disc wheels, and 2Bliss Ready, 700x38mm Pathfinder Pro tires that hookup over nasty terrain.

Lightest: 725g S-Works 12r and 825g 10r frames. We took the revolutionary breakthroughs that made Aethos the lightest bike ever and applied them to the Crux. The result? A gravel bike that climbs like a dream, floats over nightmarish terrain, and weighs less than a full bottle in your cage.
Capable: 47c/650b x 2.1” tire clearance. More clearance means more capability. With Diverge-level tire clearance, Crux takes you anywhere you can imagine, at full gas.
Responsive: Nimble, supple, and reactive. Responsive at the pedals. Supple in the saddle. With performance gravel geometry and race-influenced fit inspired by Crux’s iconic history in ‘cross.

Technical Specifications

Frameset

Frame

Crux FACT 10r Carbon, Rider First Engineered™, Threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Suspension

Fork

FACT 12R Carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc

Brakes

Front Brake

SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc

Rear Brake

SRAM Rival eTAP AXS, hydraulic disc

Drivetrain

Shift Levers

SRAM Rival eTap AXS

Rear Derailleur

SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS

Cassette

SRAM XPLR, XG-1251, 12-speed, 10-44t

Chain

SRAM Rival 12-speed

Crankset

SRAM Rival 1x

Chainrings

40T

Bottom Bracket

SRAM DUB BSA

Wheels & Tires

Front Wheel

Roval Terra C

Front Tire

Pathfinder Pro 2BR, 700x38

Rear Tire

Pathfinder Pro 2BR, 700x38

Rear Wheel

Roval Terra C

Inner Tubes

Presta valve, 48mm

Cockpit

Stem

Specialized Pro SL, alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise

Handlebars

Specialized Adventure Gear, 118.9mm drop x 70mm reach x 12º flare

Tape

Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

Saddle

Body Geometry Power Expert

SeatPost

Roval Terra Carbon Seat Post, 20mm Offset

Seat Binder

Specialized Alloy, 30mm

* Weights based on production painted frames as pictured. Actual weights will vary based on colourway, frame size, and component variation. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Geometry

	49	52	54	56	58	61
Crank Length	165mm	170mm	172.5mm	172.5mm	175mm	175mm
Handlebar Width	380mm	400mm	420mm	420mm	440mm	440mm
Stem Length	70mm	80mm	90mm	100mm	110mm	110mm
Saddle Width	155mm	155mm	143mm	143mm	143mm	143mm
Seatpost Length	330mm	330mm	330mm	380mm	380mm	380mm
Stack	530mm	547mm	560mm	578mm	598mm	621mm
Reach	375mm	382mm	388mm	397mm	405mm	415mm
Head Tube Length	100mm	115mm	130mm	147mm	167mm	190mm
Head Tube Angle	70.5°	71.25°	71.5°	72°	72.25°	72.5°
BB Height	284mm	284mm	286mm	286mm	286mm	286mm
BB Drop	74mm	74mm	72mm	72mm	72mm	72mm
Trail	74mm	69mm	67mm	64mm	62mm	60mm
Fork Length, Full	401mm	401mm	401mm	401mm	401mm	401mm
Fork Rake/Offset	50mm	50mm	50mm	50mm	50mm	50mm
Front Center	594mm	600mm	608mm	618mm	630mm	644mm
Chainstay Length	425mm	425mm	425mm	425mm	425mm	425mm
Wheelbase	1008mm	1014mm	1023mm	1033mm	1045mm	1059mm
Top Tube Length, Horizontal	512mm	539mm	549mm	568mm	582mm	599mm
Bike Standover Height	749mm	772mm	794mm	816mm	841mm	866mm
Seat Tube Length	466mm	496mm	521mm	546mm	576mm	606mm
Seat Tube Angle	75.5°	74°	74°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°

Manual Downloads

Specialized Bicycle Owner's Manual (All Languages)

2022 Rider/Bike Weight Limits and Terrain Conditions

2022 CRUX - USER MANUAL - CHINESE SIMPLIFIED

2022 CRUX - USER MANUAL - ENGLISH

2022 CRUX - USER MANUAL - GERMAN

2022 CRUX - USER MANUAL - PORTUGUESE BRAZILIAN

2022 CRUX - USER MANUAL - SPANISH

Rider Reviews

4.8

11 Reviews

11/24/2022

I don’t have a lot

I don’t have a lot to compare it to, but wow! Super light, very responsive, and elegant. It just wants me to go fast and smash the terrain.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Matt K.

Helpful?

10/10/2022

Ethereal ride quality, superb aesthetics,

Ethereal ride quality, superb aesthetics, seamlessly able to access all kinds of terrain from road to techy single track. Truly reinvigorating my love for the sport, great job Specialized!

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Guest G.

Helpful?

07/10/2022

Update

After about 1,200 miles, I'm happier with this bike. I'm still not totally sold on the geometry, but I've grown more confident in the bike's performance with time. Pros: Light, fast and compliant. The AXS shifting is very good - not perfect, but very good. The shifting is crisp, and stays in adjustment, but the drivetrain is unforgiving of poor maintenance. Keep it clean and lubed or it'll be loud and cranky. The brakes are excellent - great modulation, and fantastic stopping power. With a spare set of wheels and "roadier" tires, there's no need for a road bike. The power seat is very comfortable, and keeps you firmly planted. This is an all-day comfortable, "do-everything" bike. Cons: Price and availability. Too slack a frame makes it feel numb compared to my old cyclocross bike, but I found that I eventually got used to it. The turn-in is not confidence-inspiring, and the handling is twitchy - it doesn't track well. Matte paint: looks cool, seems fragile.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Name:: Clark

Helpful?

06/11/2022

Excellent Gravel bike and ended up replacing my road bike too

I am 6'4" 185 lbs, have been riding over 30 years, and purchased this bike thinking I was adding a bike, but after putting approx. 500 miles on it, about equal gravel and road, I sold my road bike. I am still running the stock tires and they are amazing as a mix of road tire and light gravel tire, they are fast and confidence inspiring on my trails. The seat is a home run, I'm now thinking of replacing the Fizik on my Mountain Bike with a Specialized Power Saddle. The frame is compliant enough for my demands, but strong enough for me to climb and sprint without flexing all over the place. The component mix is great and really only leaves me wanting to replace the handlebars with carbon to be a bit more compliant. As another reviewer stated the tall stack is really nice, keeps the bike comfortable by allowing you to remove spacers as needed to set your preferred bar height. This bike makes me want to go ride more, allowing dirt and road sections in a single ride.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Dennis

Helpful?

06/02/2022

Love this bike, the paint

Love this bike, the paint work is incredible, the Sram AXS shifting system is unbeatable, the bike is very light and comfortable. This bike will see many miles.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Guest G.

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06/02/2022

Very fast, very capable. One

Very fast, very capable. One of the best climbing bikes I've ridden. Would've appreciated carbon bars at this price point.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Guest G.

Helpful?

05/29/2022

Light and Fast

I’ve put about 400 miles on this bike, which replaced a Felt Cyclocross bike. It is indeed light, and I can find myself pushing it faster even when I’m gassed. The Rival group set functions well, and the ratios are well-spaced, although the top end is a bit short for road riding. The OEM stem seems a bit long, and even after swapping to a shorter stem and backing the seat, I feel like the weight is too biased to the front wheel. It’s a compliant set-up, and should function well as my “do-it-all” bike, I just wish it felt a bit more nimble. Time will tell if I grow to like as much as the old ride.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Name:: Clark

Helpful?

04/27/2022

Very smooth ride

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Guest G.

Helpful?

04/21/2022

Best bike I ever owned.

Best bike I ever owned. This bike checks all the boxes.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Verified Buyer

Name:: Guest G.

Helpful?

12/29/2021

It's all about the stack!

No Future Shock necessary, the carbon frame, fork and seat post (along with wider tires run with low air pressure) soak up the bumps! This bike (2022 model) is simple, light, fast and smooth. I did replace the very capable Pathfinder Pros with 42mm Rhombus Pros only because the "gravel" roads in my area are poorly maintained, loose, slippery, and weather beaten rutted tracks that barely pass for roads at all. The overall deciding factor in purchasing this bike was that it had ample (35mm) spacers between the headset and the handelbar stem, plus I was able to install a shorter stem which was 2/3's the length of the stock one. When riding off the pavement, and when descending steep loose trails its better to be positioned further behind the front axle with more weight over the rear wheel, versus riding a bike with typical road geometry. If you don't need to haul around a lot of gear with racks and packs and such, get the Crux rather than the Diverge.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Name:: TD

Helpful?

12/03/2021

Impressive

Super impressed w this bike. Fast, light, nimble and superb compliance.

Would Recommend?: Yes!

Name:: Daniel

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