Specialized CruX Expert X1 review

The CruX Expert X1 is towards the top end of Specialized's cyclocross bike line-up. We've put it through its paces.

Specialized CruX Expert X1

Specialized CruX Expert X1

(Image credit: daniel gould)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

Wel speced carbon crosser with SRAM's popular single ring groupset. The Crux handles well and gives good power transfer, but the SRAM Force mechanicals make it a pricy package

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Well-balanced handling

  • +

    Modern cyclocross spec

  • +

    Single ring groupset has excellent chain retention

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Expensive

  • -

    Limited options to extend the gear range

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Frame

Specialized builds its CruX carbon frameset from the same FACT 10r carbon fibre as its mid-range road bikes. Although its range-topping S-Works CruX uses lighter FACT 11r carbon, Spesh says that the increased frame weight from the FACT 10r carbon is minimal.

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Paul Norman

Paul started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2015, covering cycling tech, new bikes and product testing. Since then, he’s reviewed hundreds of bikes and thousands of other pieces of cycling equipment for the magazine and the Cycling Weekly website.

He’s been cycling for a lot longer than that though and his travels by bike have taken him all around Europe and to California. He’s been riding gravel since before gravel bikes existed too, riding a cyclocross bike through the Chilterns and along the South Downs.