Eclectus

I spent $2700. Very comfy frame. Totally weak brakes. Tires, you must be joking.

I've had four flats in ca. 600 mi, one silica road-sand spicule trying to ride the bike lane, three goathead thorns bike-lane, off bike-lane. Not even close to acceptable. I'm installing Schwalbe Dureme tires, this evening. I have Spec Armadillos on my MTB, excellent, Nokian studs for ice, excellent, Conti GP 4000 23s, excellent.

I knew a long time ago Mike Sinyard was a trader, not a bike builder. He pissed Gary Fisher and Tom Ritchey by buying their bikes, then sending them to Japan to copycat. Nevertheless, I have bought 4 of his company's bikes.

I bought his company's latest CX bike because the geometry fit me better than a Ridley, although Competitive Cyclist had a really better price, component-per-component.

These Captain CX tires are crap, at least for my riding.

The brakes are totally weak.

I've had to rescrew the FSA crank three times since November because it released from the spindle.

Competitive Cyclist was selling a way better bike last fall, Ridley, with Force, except the top-tube was too high for me. I really wanted to buy from them

The Spec carbon frame/fork are really comfy, and I love the geometry. But the components are totally cheap-out, IMHO, for a $2700 bike. I mean, I don't have an objection to upgrading, but at $2700, I don't think you should need to, just for tooling around, like I do. Cranks that stay in place, brakes that stop going downhill, tires that can take going over average puncturing stuff, kind of things.

thisisbenji

I have an alloy crux elite that I build up with sram force for about $2200 and I love it. I like it so much actually that I don't even ride my road bike anymore, I just take the Crux out on road rides. It has excellent stopping power, and handles very well.

I think your just unlucky about the flats, I'v gone through two sets of race tires with no flats, but when I had some heavy duty tires I got multiple flats within a short period of time. Crap, I'v even got flats from road debris in my car.

That being said do you really have problems with the stopping power? I have my alloy Crux set up with a avid shorty 6 in the back and a tektro oryx in the front and my stopping power is on par if not better than my road bikes sram force caliper.

It sounds to me like whoever put your bike together just did a crummy job.

Edit: Looked at the specs for the carbon crux, the geometry is different between the alloy and carbon huh? I thought it was the same like how the tarmac and allez are. Seems to me like the carbon model is a little more relaxed? But who knows I don't know much about geometry. Looks like we actually have completely different bikes.

waynesworld

I wouldn't mind having a Specialized Tricross, or some of their other bikes, but I've always felt Specialized bikes are overpriced. Some people say Treks are overpriced, and they may be, but I've never found Specialized to be competitive with them, or other similarly equipped bikes. Unless they are having some sort of sale.

Eclectus

I think Spec Crux is badly conponent-chosen. The frame/fork is great. I totally like it. I can ride it all day. Components, really crap. WTF are they selling? I'm just saying, if you have to stop really fast, not happening. If you have to ride over puncturing things, not happening, if you want to ride 1000 miles without having to retigten your cranks to the spindle, not happening.

And if you say I'm from Kansas, the crank issue happened in Cal where I'm originally from. Mike's Bikes, Sausalito, repaired it first time, gave me some guff. But they did the job. I watched, and did it myself next time. Some say they are a**holes, you just watch what they do. They're pretty cool, even when they put you down, if you watch and learn.

waynesworld

I don't think cyclocross bikes are generally equipped with tires that are very puncture resistant. On all other points, I think that is typical of Specialized bikes in general.

eddiepliers 

I'm thinking of getting a Crux frameset soon and building my bike around the old campy parts that i have around the house. The only parts i really need is the stem, handlebars, and wheels, and with those, I believe I'm going 3T and something from Prowheelbuilder.com

Cynikal 

The Captains are not designed to be ridden on the road, they are a light dirt tire. As for goatheads, few tires can protect against them. I've been really happy with them for racing and training on dirt.

Andy_K 

I've got that crank on two bikes and have never had a problem with it in about 8500 miles. It could be something was stripped on yours during initial installation.

As for the Apex group and the Tektro brakes, I agree that's a pretty low spec for a bike of that price.

M_S

1. The tires are not meant for durability on pavement. You bought a cyclocross bike, and complain that the stock tires don't last on the road??? Get tires which are appropriate for where you ride. This is not Specialized's fault.

2. Tektro cantis are fine for cantis. The pads are not great. a 16 dollar investment in some Kool Stop pads will improve them immensely, assuming you have the brakes set-up correctly.

3. A lot of people install those FSA cranks poorly. I have seen people tightening the pinch bolts first and then screwing in the preload! Not saying this is what you did, but I would use some loctite and get it on there tight and correctly, or you will wear out the splines. If you have installed it correctly, it may be time to pursue a warranty with FSA or Specialized. Both companies are pretty good in this department, usually. Both the preload and pinch bolts take a fair amount of torque, though I can't recall numbers off the top of my head.

I can't argue with you, however, that nearly 3k is a lot for those components. I would not spend that much for an Apex equipped bike. That said, you knew what components you were getting when you got the bike. And since it's a new-introduction carbon frame and fork, it's really not THAT out of line. And relative to the cost of the bike, all of your complaints are easy and inexpensive fixes.

Sorry If I sound harsh.

Andy_K 

I just looked it up, and FSA spec 0.7-1.5 Nm torque for the preload, which is pretty light. I remembered it being low because when I installed my first set I over-tightened it, stripped the hex flats and had to take it out with a screw extractor when I moved it to a different bike a year or so later. It's 11-15 Nm for the pinch bolts.