Originally Posted by
Mattyb13
Badger, you seem to get this stuff a bit better than me. How does my 2015 Expert disc stack against the 2016 Expert and Pro versions? If my Expert is not "obsolete" yet then I may just add some lighter upgrades to it instead of getting an entire new Crosstrail for 2016. Although that silver is sexy. Thanks.
How do you find the experience of shifting between your front chainrings?
The biggest difference between the 2015 model Expert and the 2016 offerings is that you might be using your smaller chainring a tad more than you would on the 2016 Expert and obviously not at all on the Pro.
I'll copy & paste a few posts that badger and I have made discussing these models and you can judge if they are of any use to your decision making.
Originally Posted by
ColonelSanders
Good on Specialized for adding more options for consumers to try out, but they have made an improvement to the Crosstrail Expert in giving it an 11 speed 11-40 cassette, which pretty much makes the Crosstrail Pro redundant, so I will be surprised if the Crosstrail Pro sells enough to be kept around in the same form, once this year's allocation runs out.
Originally Posted by
badger1
Not sure I see that. Both have excellent but very different drivetrains: 2x11 XT (Expert) or 1x11 SRAM X01/GX (Pro). A real choice, to my mind. There are two other substantial real-world upgrades on the Pro: full Deore brakes (600 series; rated 'best buy' pretty much everywhere), and cartridge bearing hubs.
Originally Posted by
ColonelSanders
With a 44T up front and 11-40 cassette on the Expert, most people won't need to shift out of the big chainring, so it effectively will be a 1x chainring setup.
Originally Posted by
badger1
We'll have to disagree on this. The Pro is a dedicated 1x frame; there is no provision to run a front derailleur. If one wants a true 1x11 drivetrain, that makes sense. Further, while it is true one could ride around on the big ring with a front double ... why not go 1x and eliminate the redundant bits and improve the chainline?
So again, I don't see the Pro as redundant; prospective purchasers are being presented with a choice. Choice is good.
Originally Posted by
ColonelSanders
If the Expert's rear cassette was 11-36, instead of 11-40, then I think the Pro would end up doing better than I think it is likely to do.
I certainly won't be concerned if the Pro is a raging sales success and becomes a permanent part of Specialized's line up, because like you, I also believe choice is a great thing, and having the Pro around, doesn't detract from the experience of anyone who buys an Expert or even a Comp.
It is just my prediction that the Pro won't do so well, not just because of the Expert's drive train, but because I think Specialized have made a mistake with going for Sram stuff here.
Sram's 10-42 cassette is a very expensive piece of equipment(so who wants to pay for it and then its replacement) and I think Specialized would have been better off going with Shimano's XT 11-42 cassette and making the front chainring bigger than the 36T they have chosen with the Sram GX crank.
Also one can't get a gear indicator with the Sram GX shifter, whilst the Shimano XT shifter does come with a gear indicator.