Specialized Sirrus X 5.0 review - gimmick or great?

A radical new frame design is the headline act but does it result in an award winning performance?

Specialized Sirrus X 5.0 hybrid bike
(Image credit: Future / Luke Friend)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

The new Sirrus frameset is a winner. Aesthetically it’s almost sculptural in its design but the eye-catching shape has real purpose. It delivered a truly comfortable ride on road and off, with the Future shock system working silently in conjunction with the frame’s built in compliance, helping to soften the ride without ever being obtrusive. Comfy can sometimes be a byword for dull, but not here - the Sirrus is plenty fast and responsive when needed. The components all worked efficiently but are a pretty standard affair. They don’t necessarily make the Sirrus overpriced, after all, the R&D that’s gone into the redesign has to be paid for, but out on the road they left me wishing for greater refinement to match the high performing frame. That said, if I was in the market for a high-end hybrid bike my search would likely begin and end with the new Sirrus.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    A beautifully engineered frame

  • +

    Comfortable without sacrificing speed

  • +

    An array of mounts

  • +

    Plenty of tire clearance

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Entry-level components

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.

Now in its fifth decade of production, the Sirrus remains a stalwart of Specialized’s line-up. While originally created as an entry level racer (designed by Jim Merz no less) its name has been forged over the years as one of the best hybrid bikes - reliable yet sporty. Naturally it’s see plenty of development during this period. But perhaps none quite as radical as the latest redesign.

The new Sirrus, available as the X 5.0 and the 6.0, is built around a frameset that’s quite the departure from the previous model. Built using the brand’s FACT 9r carbon, it features the patent pending Compliance Junction, which does away with the traditional seat tube, instead leaving the Sirrus with a sizable hole between the rear seat stays (which actually start where the seat tube ends) and the bottom bracket. 

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