Final Specialized Crux Video: 5 Questions Answered + Diverge STR
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- The end of the Specialized S-Works Crux Series. I'll discuss 5 common questions I received about the Crux, why I don't think the Specialized Aethos makes a great gravel bike, additional gravel bikes to consider and I'll share my thoughts on the new Specialized Diverge STR.
Gear I’m Riding and Into (updated 10/2023) ↓↓↓
Tires- Vittoria Corsa Pros: amzn.to/44U9XDx
Tires- Continental GP5000 S TR: geni.us/AY6XacE
Sealant- Orange Sealed: amzn.to/44U9XDx
Drink Mix: geni.us/4v6bx
Recovery Drink: geni.us/PhAN
Road Bike- Tarmac SL8: geni.us/dD4d
Road Bike- Tarmac SL7: geni.us/3YZ7Ll
Gravel Bike- Crux: geni.us/eYvO
MTB Bike- Epic Evo: geni.us/2rmFy
All-Around Helmet- Prevail 3: geni.us/MY7W
Road Helmet- Evade 3: geni.us/ReXn7
Road Shoes, SW7 Lace: geni.us/rBAzM
Gravel Shoes, Recon Lace: geni.us/tzba
Road Wheels- Enve 4.5: geni.us/yy3ao
Gravel Wheels- Reserve 40|44: geni.us/1iKt6Z
Wheels- Fillmore Valves: geni.us/uQQTZ6
Computer- Wahoo ELMNT Bolt: amzn.to/45VERgm
Pro Stealth Saddle: amzn.to/3sVd9S7
*Some of these are affiliate links
Instagram: @Outdoorbros_
BMC Kaius Video: @TheRidewithBenDelaney • BMC Kaius gravel race ...
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0:00 Intro
0:24 Everyday Athlete Perspective
0:43 Should you get the comp, expert, pro or S-Works Crux?
1:48 Biggest Tires I've Used on the Crux
2:38 The Specialized Aethos: Not a Gravel Bike (It's definitely a road bike)
3:14 Crux Alternatives: Cervelo Aspero 5, Santa Cruz Stigmata, 3T Exploro, 3T Race Max, Trek Checkpoint, Allied Echo, Willier Rave SLR, Factor LS, BMC Kaius 01.
4:09 Diverge STR- My Unsolicited Thoughts
5:15 More Crux? Drop me a Line
5:48 Up Next... Sram vs. Shimano, Sprinter 4x4, Sony FX30, Off-Season Life, Travel Feels
More Crux questions? Drop me a line below.
just bought sworks str and have been very impressed with the ride. i am sure it will evolve but as a concept i think str is here to stay. i have had older diverges and ridden the crux. this bike damps the terrain while seated and is rigid when out of the saddle. i find i can stay seated and hammer through varied terrain without getting bounced around or having to hunt for lines. it takes the edge off without any sensation of being soft or plush. efficient is the word i would use. and fun! get out on one. i think you'll be surprised. i was!
I listened to a podcast yesterday and someone said the STR is a sleeper- I’ll see if I can get my hands on one!
@@outdoorbros_ also, just wanted to thank you for all your vids as i relied on them to make a new road bike decision. your perspective and experience resonated with me and proved to be very helpful. i ended up going with the sworks aethos over the sworks sl7 tarmac. both amazing options for sure but the aethos ticked a few more boxes for my situation.
@@MG-iv8oo ah man, thanks for the kind words! Glad they were helpful. The Aethos is fantastic- I’m stoked for you!
I ride a 2022 Scott Addict Gravel 30 upgraded to Zipp 303 Firecrests with Schwalbe G-One Bite 45s. That's always been my strategy. Buy a cheaper bike and have fun upgrading the crap out of it. And by the way, I picked up my Cervelo Soloist 2 days ago, the Ultegra Di2 version, and I'm so blown away with this bike. An amazing value and I feel like I'm riding a high end race bike. Hope you can do a review on a budget super bike like the Soloist. Great video. Just say no to that whack ass STR folks!
The Soloist looks awesome. I’m going to put some feelers out and see if I can’t get my hands on one.
I've got a Comp model with upgraded wheels, cranks and bar. Waiting to see what the next version of GRX looks like before I go to crazy on the drivetrain. Love the bike, I end up riding it on some twisty single-track and the nimble/snappy feel is just so addictive compared to my massive enduro bike.
Right on! Should be interesting to see what the next GRX looks like...
Awesome and thorough series, thanks!
Thanks Colin!
Excited for the videos lined up!
Thanks Raf! Standby.
I don't know if I have any real questions....but you've sold me pretty hard on the Crux. It sounds awesome.
Rad! It’s an awesome bike, so much potential. Enjoy!
You don’t need a Gravel bike, until you get one and can not stop riding it!
Amen.
Another excellent video! I was reading a Sprinter forum and someone had linked your van video! I was pumped when I saw it was you as I’m looking for a sprinter also. It would be interesting to see where you have gone with your sprinter for out of town gravel/road rides? I’m in SoCal so it would be helpful! Thanks again!!
Thank you! That's awesome- I'm going to do a handful of Sprinter videos as the cycling season slows down a bit. I'm a huge fan of riding and exploring along the 395, especially between Lone Pine and Lee Vining. Outside of that, we're just noodling around the hills of Orange County.
Definitely always go for the M3 if that's an option!
... if only :) Gotta love the classic e30's.
The value is definitely in the Pro!!! All features of an S-Works with a slight weight penalty. On a Roval Terra wheel or any 25mm internal gravel wheel I wouldn’t recommend going larger than a 42mm tire with 2x.
Yessir! Great point.
With the crux experts on sale for 4999 now I think it's a way better buy then the pro. Only missing the terra carbon bars and 370 hubs vs 350s. Those bars and hubs don't add up to 3k
@outdoorbros_ Deciding between the 48/35 and 46/33 with the 10-36 for all road bike in Boulder with some steep dirt climbs and long fast paved descents... Wondering your take on the 48/35, 10-36 set up on the steep dirt socal climbs. Do you feel like you need another gear or good with that still pretty big range?
I think Open U.P. (and Upper) are also great alternatives for Crux! Very good choices for the ”fast gravel” segment.
Totally agree! I had the UPPER prior to the crux and loved it. It probably should have made the list.
I've really enjoyed your videos and watched the crux ones over and over. I have my crux comp on order. I'm going with a second wheel set for road, zipp 303s. Do you think 32mm continental gp5000s would look too narrow on the crux. Would a 35mm tire look more in proportion ? Keep the videos coming.
Thanks Tamer! Even 35's look small on the Crux, so I wouldn't worry about that too much, just ride what you think will work best.
So I did the same as you did but bought the comp, sold off all the parts and put a sram 2x. One thing I did do differently is to add the Cane creek eesilk stem, about 100 gr penalty but now have a “future shock” and save over 3/4 pound. The second thing I do if I am going on ROUGH gravel is swap my seat post for the Redshift shock stop. This weighs a lot but is there for a purpose. All in all it is a great bike for road riding and gravel and like you I can bring two wheel sets and get two great bikes in one.
He has the sworks frame
Heck yeah! Those are awesome ideas. How do you like it?
@@WishTheMorrow I think he was referring to the rest of the setup. I could be wrong…
Love it. Your video helped confirm my thoughts and feel very confident in gravel and raced it on the road as well. I will keep a crit bike but this covers everything else tell the terrain warrants a MTB
You should really consider Factor Ostro Gravel, 45mm Tyre clearance and a very nice geometry for racing both gravel and tarmac
In process of ordering the frameset :)
Looks awesome- I'd love to get my hands on one.
STR might be a silver bullet for someone racing the Tour Divide.
No doubt- it has a use... it's just a small one (imo).
Love the videos! I have a Roubiax and the roads around my house are the greatest. So, can you compare the Crux vs Roubaix? I wonder if it is just worth buying wider tires on the Roubaix.
I haven’t ridden a Roubaix in years, so it’s tough to compare. I’d say that the Roubaix is going to be much better on the road, although very relaxed for a road bike. On gravel, it’ll be better than a tarmac, but still very much a road bike. If you’re 95% road and 5% gravel, it wouldn’t be a bad option, you’ll just wish you had a bit more of the gravel gets even slightly chunky.
Hey i love your videos. Thank you so much for the tips.
I recently got a crux because of you (although its a 2018 model). I was wondering if you recommended any wheel/tire combo for more road riding? Right now, im running Stan Crest laced to Reynolds All Road hubs with 38mm Panaracer Gravelkings.
Dont stop the crux videos! Fuck the haters. Keep up with what you love and share your excitement with us. Got the prevail 3 cuz of you too 😂
Haha! No haters on the crux videos, I think I’ve covered just about every angle I can on this bike.
Congrats on the crux! A good middle ground tire might been the gravel king slicks in 32mm or 35mm. The terraspeeds in 35mm are also A+. In terms of wheels- other than the hub issue with the 303S wheels, I thought those were a good wheel and a great value. The Enve 3.4’s are probably my top choice for wheels on the crux, but they’re pricey.
And the prevail?! Such a good helmet.
If you ever get to ride a Factor Ostro Gravel, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how it compares to the Crux!
I’d love to get my hands on one! Standby.
Hi quick question! I’ve watched your videos on the ENVE AR SES 4.5 and subscribed to your channel. My question is I also have the 4.5 AR and Pathfinder Sworks 2bliss ready @42cm to be installed after watching your videos. I assumed this tires are compatible w/ my enve ar 4.5 hookless rims. I plan to use it on my gravel bike. I’m kind of leary to use it cause had an accident prior. A blow out on my brand new road bike when using the ENVE rims. How is it the tire holding and will there be any issues? Any tips would be appreciated.. thanks for making the videos.
Alex, I think we connected on Instagram- I haven’t had any issues with this combo, just make sure the tires are the latest model, hookless compatible (and check the Enve compatibility chart)
Hi there. Thanks for the video. Just bought a crux expert. I wanna turn it into a 2X with 35/48 and 10-36. I run 45mm tyres on it but have heard they may not work with the front mech. Do you know if this is true or a way to make it work as a 2X with tyres that wide? Many thanks
I think so much depends on the wheel/tire interface. You'll be cutting it very close with 45mm.
Hiya, Brought a Crux Comp and want to change the Crankset and BB to Dub does the crux use the Wide spec crank from sram?
I've been asked this question quite a bit as well. It's a normal width bottom bracket.
Thank you very much for all your great videos "CRUX dedicated"! I'm riding Crux 2016 and I love it over my Colnago C64. Don't take me wrong though - Colnago C64 is a fantastic bike with all that Italian feel and style, but me personally - I just seem to incline more and more to pick roads without traffic and that is the reason I'm now considering that "do it all bike" - exactly like you are talking in your videos about! That freedom escaping the tarmac road, going off road at any time is incredible. I just can't await for Specialized to release Crux color versions for 2023... Do you have any idea when this will happen? Any rumors there? Thanks again! Ales.
What's up, Ales? Thanks for the kind words. I was in a shop last week and asked about 2023 frame colors- they didn't know anything. The 2023 SL7 frames are now in shops, hopefully Crux frames will follow.
@@outdoorbros_ thank you very much! So it appears like Specialized is keeping the roll out strictly secret globally :-).
is the tire clearance the same issue if you run a Shimano 2x on this bike? like GRX or Dura Ace?
I’m not sure- I haven’t run GRX on the crux. Might not be as much of an issue.
On gravel would the Crux benefit from a future shock like it’s big brother Diverge? Only reason I ask is maybe 90 % of the gravel riding populace is not as skilled on traversing roots or rocky segments, as pros are..
In rough terrain, I’m sure the future shock would help. Otherwise, it just seems like one more thing to deal with, in my opinion. I like the simplicity of the crux- exposed cables, no future shock, etc. I’d probably get bigger tires or air down before exploring the future shock (I’ve also heard mixed reviews on the future shock).
We never got the “why the SL7 over the Envelope bike for Lotoja”. Can you please drop that video or give us the reasoning. I’m curious due to having an SL7 and Roubaix and feel they both work and saw so many of both in the race, just curious to your thoughts.
I suppose I could do a video on this, but the short of it was just familiarity- I’ve casually mentioned it in other videos. It’s cheesy, but I can predict the output of every input on the SL7. Plus, I’ve had a few small, but annoying hiccups with sram this year. I didn’t want to chance lotoja to a dumb shifter battery battery dying or a component not pairing or front chain derailing; the 11s Dura Ace group on the SL7 has given me zero problems over 10,000+ miles.
With same amount of money, which one to choose S-Works Diverge or Specialized Diverge STR Pro?
Probably diverge STR, simply because I feel like you would get additional versatility from the suspension.
Shimano, Sram? Campagnolo! ;) My 2012 Colnago CX-1 is full Campagnolo 🤤. Weighs just a tad more than 7kg in size 56s (=58)
I wish I had knowledge and experience with Campagnolo to offer an opinion, but I’ve never ridden the group, unfortunately.
Allied echo vs. crux for road / gravel riders
If I can get my hands on an Echo, absolutely.
Mr Crux! Lol
Ha!