New Specialized Crux cyclocross bike gets lighter, adds flat mount brakes, new tires, more

How early is too early to start thinking, “cross is coming?” You may be asking yourself that question soon as new cyclocross rigs like the Specialized Crux start popping up. Launching on the same day as the all new Diverge, Specialized is showing off a new pure cyclocross race bike that is meant to get you to the top step of that podium…

Like the best cross racers honing their skills in the off season, the new Crux is full of incremental improvements to make it the best Specialized cross bike yet. Having already moved to a standard 142 x 12 thru axle on the rear for the previous bike, the new Crux keeps the same axles with a 100 x 12mm set up out front (aluminum Crux models use QR front and rear). Following almost every other road and dirt road bike out there, the Crux also moves to flat mount brakes front and rear. All of the carbon frames get a small boost from FACT 10r to FACT 11r carbon with their Rider First Engineering design which customizes the layup and tube sizes to create what they feel is the ideal ride for each frame size.

Carbon frames are paired with FACT 11r carbon forks with a 1 3/8″ lower bearing.

For bottom bracket duties, Specialized sticks with their OSBB which is essentially a narrower version of a PF30 bottom bracket. Shaving a few grams and adding a cleaner look, the seat post binder gets integrated into the top tube for the 27.2mm seat post. In case you’re wondering – yes, you can put the same Command Post XCP from the new Diverge on your Crux as well (either 35mm or 50mm drop).

Since this is a pure race bike after all, the new Crux is no longer compatible with the SWAT box, though it does have two bottle cage mounts for longer training rides. Specialized wanted the bike to be as versatile as possible, so it still has the ability to run a 2x drive train with the use of a clamp on front derailleur.

Along with the Crux, Specialized is launching two revised cyclocross tires with the Terra and the Tracer, both gaining reworked tread patterns. The Terra shown above is the mud tire while the Tracer is considered the intermediate or dry conditions tire, both of which will be offered in 2Bliss Ready clincher or tubular versions in 700 x 33c.

After going on a diet, the new Crux is lighter with a 56cm Expert complete weighing in at 17.64lbs (8kg). Someday, it may even stay lighter out on course thanks to a new hydrophobic paint which Specialized is working on that will help keep mud from sticking to the frame (very interested to see how well that works). The 2018 bikes will not have the hydrophobic clear coat, but may at some point in the future.

Another shared platform, men and women will be on the same bikes with 46 to 61cm frames available in both carbon and E5 aluminum.

Pricing is as follows, though is subject to change.

CruX Pricing for U.S.
S-Works – $7500
Frameset – $2800
Expert – $4200
Elite – $3200
Sport – $2800
Sport E5 – $2200
Base E5 – $1500

specialized.com