Crux
Origin
The Crux started life as Specialized's pure cyclocross race bike in the late 2000s, with multiple US and World Cup CX wins. In 2021, Specialized fully reinvented the platform: the new Crux is no longer a cyclocross bike but the lightest production gravel bike in the world. A 56cm S-Works frame weighs just 725g — the S-Works complete bike comes in at 7.25kg / 15.9 lbs. The frame uses FACT 12r carbon (Specialized's lightest layup), is shared with the road-going Aethos design language, and accepts 700c × 47mm or 650b × 2.1" tyres. The trade-off for the featherweight: no frame storage, no aero shaping, minimal mount points — pure light-and-stiff gravel.
Specifications
- Frame
- Carbon: top builds FACT 12r (S-Works, 725g/56cm painted), Expert/Comp FACT 10r (825g/56cm), Rider First Engineered layup. Aluminium: Crux DSW uses premium E5 alloy with D'Aluisio Smart Weld (DSW) tube-joining, ~the lightest production alloy gravel frame.
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- SRAM XPLR 1x12 across the range — Apex XPLR (DSW/Comp), Rival eTap AXS XPLR (Expert), Force XPLR AXS, Red XPLR AXS (S-Works). Expert: 40T 1x, XG-1251 10-44t cassette, SRAM DUB BSA BB.
- Brakes
- SRAM hydraulic disc, flat-mount, matched to groupset tier (Apex/Rival eTap AXS/Force/Red); typical 160mm rotors
- Wheels
- Carbon builds: Roval Terra C (~1,620g, 32mm-deep rim, 25mm internal width), tubeless-ready; entry/DSW use alloy wheelsets
The verdict
- Lightest production gravel bike in its class — S-Works ~7.25kg, and even the alloy DSW is the lightest alloy gravel frame, making it explosively fast to accelerate and climb
- Superb, lively ride quality praised across reviews — snappy, responsive and fun, rewarding on fast hardpack and gravel races
- Genuinely versatile clearance: 700x47mm or 650b x 2.1" lets it cover gravel, light XC, cyclocross and (with slicks) road duty as an 'n-1' bike
- Aethos-derived frame design language gives road-bike efficiency and stiffness-to-weight that few gravel bikes match
- Broad price ladder from ~€2,300 alloy DSW to flagship S-Works carbon — same fast DNA at every tier
- Firm, harsh ride — the extreme lightness makes it skip and bounce over roots and rocks rather than stay planted; tiring on rough terrain
- Minimal mounts and no SWAT/in-frame storage; no provision for mudguards/racks (and barely a top-tube bag) — poor for bikepacking or loaded touring
- Race-biased, long-and-low geometry with nervous handling can be a handful on technical descents — more cyclocross than relaxed all-road
- Arguably 'more cyclocross than gravel' — reviewers question how true a modern gravel bike it is, given lack of comfort/adventure features
- Premium pricing on carbon builds; the lightness and FACT 12r layup command a significant cost over more practical rivals
Who it’s for
Related models
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