Crosstrail expert vs. comp disc
 

the specialized crosstrail has much of what I desire in a hybrid bike.
While looking at the specs of the two highest end crosstrails it seems
that the only significant difference is the brakes. The comp disc uses
the Shimano BR-M446 and the expert uses the Shimano deore BR-M 615.
The front derailler is different but the all important rear derailler is the
same xt on both bikes, as is the frame, crankset, wheels etc.
I can't help but wonder why specialized felt the need to add 300.00 dollars
to a 1200.00 bike with very good components.
Is there something so superior about the deore 615's over the 446's
that they felt the need to create a new model?

Great ?. I had the Comp disc last year (Id still have it but it was stolen) and I have the Expert disc this year. The 2015 Comp/Expert discs are very similar for sure. The shifters on the comp disc have the shift or "what gear am I in" windows/indicators. I think that looks kinda cheap. There is a small difference in the stem that comes on the Expert disc as well. Its the adjustable angle stem whereas the Comp disc has a fixed angle. I can say this… The shifting characteristics compared to my 2014 Comp Disc and my 2015 Expert disc are very different. The Expert has much more confident and quicker shifting.

MattyB has owned both, so he is better qualified to speak to this -- but his observation re. shifting is supported by the specification. I'm responding because I am in fact thinking about this bike (the Expert version).

Both use a proprietary crankset/bb and KMC chain, but: the Comp has an SLX/XT rear der. mix drivetrain, while the Expert is full XT -- shifters, front and rear der. There is a key difference: XT shifters use ball bearing pivots (like XTR), SLX and below bushings. Both smoothness and durability are enhanced by the former.

Brakes: 600-level (Deore) is top-rated in terms of value for money. Simply put, they are better than the 400-level ones, though there is nothing wrong with those.

So it's pretty simple: is the uprated drivetrain/brake system worth it to you (or anyone)? If not, buy the Comp. If yes (that would be my answer), buy the Expert. XT is, simply, really good stuff. It relates to the top-line XTR the same way Ultegra relates to Dura-Ace in the road groups.

In either case, I would also at some point upgrade the fork and wheels, but with the Expert version that is basically all I'd want to do. I'd change the saddle as well, but that's a given possibility with any bike.

Yeah, if you price out the difference between the Experts full XT components and the Comp SLX-XT mix there may be about $150 there and maybe 6oz of so of weight. With the XT shifter you get the two gears at a time upshift as well as downshift. The 600 series is gonna be better brakes, but not much difference in price. And then you have the adjustable stem.

I think the XT cassette is aluminum where the SLX is steel alloy, so the XT is lighter but perhaps not as durable.

So about $200 in price difference can be explained by component upgrades.

I decided on the Comp because that was pressing my level of price comfort. I went in looking at the sport disc, but decided I wanted shimano brakes and dual crankset... which put me into the Elite, and then the lighter weight frame... well you get the picture. :) Had it to do over again, with what I know now, I probably would have sprung for the Expert, but I think they were sold out at the time anyway.

I guess, if you can find a LBS that stocks both in your size, ride them both and make your own judgement.

Oh you can always add the XT shifters to the comp later, I think there is the biggest difference between the models real world.

I'm not saying that the XT shifters won't feel better than the SLX, but it should be noted that although MattyB, has owned the 2014 Comp Disc & the 2015 Expert Disc, the comparison between those two bikes, won't be relevant to comparing between the 2015 Comp & 2015 Expert.

The 2014 Comp had Sram shifters(SRAM SL-500) and derailleurs(SRAM X7), so it was a Sram vs Shimano comparison, whilst for 2015, it is a Shimano vs Shimano comparison.

I think Specialized knows that a lot of people will pay a premium for having the best of class on offer, so they charge more for the Expert than in many ways could be justified.

However if the Expert was available in Australia(we only get the Comp this year), I would likely pay that price premium, even though I feel the price is a bit rich for what the extra $300 gives you.

Such a decision is quite fresh for me, I went in to my LBS looking at the differences between the Sirrus and the Crosstrail, for the same money the Crosstrail had better componentry and higher grade aluminum alloy for the frame. So it was the crosstrail that won that battle. Then...several months later, still riding my 2013 Crosstrail Sport Disc, ColdCase sprung his brand new Comp Disc upon us and, knowing I wasn't that happy with my Sport Disc, I went back to the LBS to take a look at the Comp Disc only to see it displayed beside the Expert Disc. Hmmm, asked the guys in the shop about which was the better deal and they all said the Comp was a better bang for the buck, with the biggest difference between them being the brake set and front shifters. But they said I could upgrade those down the road for less than the price differential between the Comp and the Expert, so I bought the Comp and so far I'm a very happy camper, I did get a new saddle for it, an Avatar Comp that is a decidedly nicer one than what I've been using for the past while. Have to admit though, just the paint and graphics almost made me go for the Expert, those touches of red on graphite as opposed to black on black do, in my opinion, look nicer...

Cheers guys, enjoy your rides!

With the XT shifter you get the two gears at a time upshift as well as downshift.

shifters that jump two gears instead of one?
Does this happen every time you click or do you have to do something different

You push one click for one gear, push a little further for two. Its a feature very useful riding single tracks with quick rise and falls and MTB riding. As you are cresting a hill and need less gear quickly, you can quickly jump through the gears. Some high end MTB shifters let you skip two or three gears. Same as if you are approaching a steep up grade, you want to grab more gearing quickly. Very useful when aggressive/fast riding. Not so useful for rail trails at a leisurely pace except for quick emergency speed changes say for a road crossing.

...went for an early morning burn on my bike, intending on beating the 90+ heat we're getting later in the day, and paid particular attention to shifting in the Comp comparing it to what my old Sport Disc was like. The 2015 Comp now features all Shimano componentry whereas the 2014 used SRAM, not sure why they changed but they must have their reasons. But the differences are quite apparent between my old 2013 Sport Disc which had Acera on the front and back and the new Comp has XT on the back and SLX on the front with SLX shifters. The Sport Disc was decidedly 'clunky' and seemed to hesitate between shifts where the new Comp shifts almost instantaneously with a much lighter touch to the shifters, its a joy to shift on this bike. Another important thing that you all need to hear, with the double 44-32 chainring combined with the rear 10 speed 11/36 cassette I can utilize every gear this bike has, all 20 gears, in other words its a true 20 speed bike. My old Sport disc that "featured" 27 speeds with its triple and 9 speed cassette realistically provided 15 usable gears without the chain getting crossed and rubbing against the front derailleur.
Another thing the guys at the shop said regarding the differences between the Comp and the Expert was that there's absolutely nothing wrong with SLX equipment, they never see problems with the SLX components and sell a lot of it as upgrades on other bikes.
Have to say, this bike has met and exceeded all my expectations so far.

I would agree with all of this, trainchaser. I've had and used Deore, LX/SLX, and XT; and SRAM X7/X9. There is no question LX/SLX has been and is the 'sweet spot' in the Shimano mtn. groups: best price/performance ratio. XT is 'nicer', slightly, but there's certainly no real need for it. I would go for it (i.e. the Crosstrail Expert) simply from want, rather than need. SRAM is also very good; I prefer the 'feel' of Shimano shifting, but again that's just personal preference.

Completely off-topic: hot out in Vic?? I'm from Cow. Valley (born and bred) originally, lived/worked in Victoria for twenty years after university before moving out east for work reasons. Hope to 'retire home' within a few years -- probably back to Cowichan/Maple Bay area.

Hi badger,
Today, it's supposed to hit 29 celsius, which for those of you south of the border, is just shy of 90 fahrenheit. For Victoria BC, located out on our island in the Pacific Ocean where its normally very moderate, that's HOT!! For you badger its supposed to hit 32 celsius this afternoon in the Cowichan Valley.

Cheers!

There's something else these two bikes have in common.
They are both ugly. Not the bike lines, but the black on grey/black paint job.
Black on black? Really?
You would think that bikes topping out well over a grand could have a little color.
Maybe for 2016 Specialized can find another can of paint.
I am pulling out all the stops for my next bike, which I hope to be my last. Aesthetics is part of the equation.

I dunno avidone1. My expert disc turns a lot of heads. The anodized components pop off the satin grey frame and black wheels so well. The comp is a cool combo of blacks when you get up close. satin, gloss, matte. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder eh?...

Quite straightforward, surely? If the paint job matters that much, and you don't care for the offerings, don't buy! Problem solved.
Me? I quite like variations on black/charcoal with an ever-so-subtle touch of colour. I can't stand bikes that look like they've been attacked by a box of crayons. But that's just me;)

Style is very subjective, personally I think the comp and expert are two of the best paint schemes out there, nothing in your face or garish... the comp being just black with a couple grey/silver highlights on the top tube, similar to the the Bad Boy which many love.

Quite straightforward, surely

And don't call me Shirley..........LOL sorry couldn't resist.
And yes, I am basing my appearance comment on virtual images as they appear on my monitor.
As stated earlier, none of my local bike shops carry the comp or the expert so I have not had a real world view of either bike.
I will have take a two hour drive to Orlando or a three hour drive to Miami for a chance at riding one before finally pulling the trigger, so to speak.
My Cannondale is black with a mat silver highlights and is very attractive in a subtle way.
So I apologize to those of you own these bikes, it was hasty of me to make such a comment without actually seeing either ride.