sjmartin

What is BF's thoughts on this bike? I am thinking about picking one up next week. Links to specs:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...01&scname=Road

flargle

At this stage of the game, I wouldn't put much money into a cross bike with rim brakes.

Andy_K 

It looks pretty sweet to me. I find it somewhat puzzling that high-end CX bikes come with clincher wheels. Don't get me wrong, I use clinchers. Then again, I'm not spending nearly $3000 on a race bike.

sjmartin

I don't know of many "high-end" bikes that come default with tubulars. I think it's more of a personal item like pedals and seats.

Does anyone have suggestions on fenders that might work well with cantilever brakes? I want to make this my race / commuter / training bike.

fietsbob

Temporary .. strap on SKS Race Blade type..

But, why not shop for a cheaper commuter spec'd around having mud guard fittings .
and a good enough to get round the course Race bike , 1500 each gets pretty nice stuff..
with the bottom line for both the same?
then you have one bike to ride on race day and Clean and repair between races.
and another to get to the job to pay for them..

but if you are already circuiting in the lead group on the Races ,
then maybe a lighter bike will help on the run ups.

flargle

SKS P45

But why aren't you considering a bike with disc brakes? Especially for your intended use, it would make a lot of sense.

sjmartin

My team discount only applies to certain bikes/models. In this case only the Crux Expert Force and not the Disc Brake version.

sjmartin

This will be the cheapest bike I own that can work well as my all around commuter. I have Venge ($7k), my track bike (no brakes), and my 29 SS MTB (not great for commuting).

I don't have a cross bike yet and I figure kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

fietsbob

so you just need a race bike,? actually have the commuter part covered,
or the current bike will become the commuter..

Trek PDX for example is only $600 and has disc brakes , apparently chump-change.
and ready to take proper mudguards and a rear rack

Screw up the race bike on the commute,
and you are just a spectator at the races.

how about 2 matching lesser bikes for the same amount, ?

the teams Bike cleaner will hose one off and then you go faster on muddy courses.

that's how many people win these days.. bike changes mid race.

sjmartin

It's not really the same amount for me. It would be 2 lesser bikes at MSRP compared to 1 race bike at a team discount (less than MSRP).

So for example say I got 2 lesser bikes at $500 each MSRP compared to my $2,000 bike with a 50% discount (not saying that is our team discount) at $1000 discounted price.

I'd much rather have the $2k bike vs 2-$500 bikes for the same price.

flargle

I'd hold out for discs. Especially if you're already talking about fenders.

Andy_K 

And yet it comes with $500 clincher wheels. If the wheels made no difference to the cost then I could see it, but since it does, why not spec it with something that makes sense?

I agree that not many manufacturers do this, if any, I'm just saying it makes no sense.

flargle

So does the bike get shipped with tires already glued, or not?

It would make no more sense to sell a cross bike with tubulars than to sell a road bike with tubulars. Even if you're racing on tubulars, you're probably training on clinchers, so they spec the bike with wheels that a discriminating customer might actually use.

Andy_K 

I guess I can buy that.

fietsbob

... and given a puncture in a tubular , is a show stopper , You will need several pairs of wheels
to swap in the pits , Ideally mounted on a second bike, fast hand off, to stay in anywhere near the same lap.

thisisbenji

Clinchers are great to train on, I'd never running tubulars just cruising around the local parks. That being said the Crux Force is a great bike! Pretty much everyone on my time has one, mines a Elite from last year but it has pretty much all the same specs. That being said, it doesn't really make a good commuter... it's pretty much a race bike in my opinion. There's no way to get a decent set of fenders on it.

sjmartin

welp, i put in an order for one today. should be ready and built up next week.

ColinL

I checked one of these out on Saturday, the head mechanic at a LBS has one.

Very cool bike. Shame about the lack of discs, though.

simonaway427

Generally someone who's in the market for this kind of bike will swap out the wheels anyway for their own preferred setup. The factory wheel/tire probably end up as pit wheels.