Would my Crux be as fast as a road bike with new wheels?

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kafreeman
Posts: 170
Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2015 8:46 pm

by kafreeman

Any idea what the max crank chain ring would fit? 50t fits fine, was thinking of a 52 for summer in Texas.

Then again I'm not typically topping out the 46 that's on there.

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sholiday
Posts: 61
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:25 am
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA

by sholiday

Marin wrote:Get some fat Compass or Grand Bois slicks for the Crux then. You'll be just as fast as on the C59 on the road, and you'll be surprised how well they work offroad when it's not muddy. Make sure you are sitting down when you see the price tag though.

My main road bike now runs 42mm slicks (on 650b) and it's definitely not slow.
On my OPEN UP, I run 650b x 48mm Compass Switchback Hills and they run smooth and are some of the most comfortable tires out there...feel like tubulars but without the hassle. I have a spare set of 29er carbon wheels that I'm looking to install Compass 44mm Snoqualmie Pass TC. I'll have just enough cleareance btw the rear and the seat tube.


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nickf
Posts: 1427
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:34 pm

by nickf

I use my vbrake Crockett with 38c bontrager cx0 tires on our local Tuesday/ Thursday rides. 25+ the entire time. I keep up fine and do my pulls on the front. Hplus son archetype 24/28 on bikehubstore hubs and Lazer spokes. I'm on 2x 10 gearing running a compact. Guys on 1x setups have a hard time on the ride, always hunting for gears. When I go on work travel each month up in the Carolinas I bring this bike but mount 28 gravelkings. My legs let me down before the bike does.

stormur
Posts: 1173
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:50 pm
Location: FIN

by stormur

Any cross bike is higher at the front than ( same size ) road bike. That make difference. Rest ... won't matter ( for speed, at same wheels-tires ) . Crux has road bb drop, so it will handle almost like a road bike ( crux is longer than f.e. tarmac so here will be difference )

If memory serves well on Crux 46t chainring is max for campagnolo FD, 50t for Shimano and Sram. In mine I cutted off small piece at the bottom of braze to use 50T Q ring ( in size that would be close to round 52(?) ) - then derailleur doesn't stop on braze.

I ride recently only cross bikes... and don't complain :) specially on extremely high quality finnish roads ;)
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jfranci3
Posts: 1572
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 5:21 pm

by jfranci3

There was an evo Crux that had 50t. If you can get a 50t, you can get a 52t on there with some shims. In any case, if you can get a 50t on there, you should be fine for road duty. If you want to try a 52t, it's easy enough to swap cranks with another bike.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/crux-evo/p/50966

Pynchonite
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:15 am

by Pynchonite

I run a Crux for everything that isn't straight-up MTB. I set my first (and so far only) Strava road KOM on that bike with Stan's Crest rims and Panaracer Gravelking SK 35mm tires at 40 PSI. I keep up with all my road friends and generally beat them on the climbs. Then it turns downhill and suddenly I'm spinning out with my 42t x 11-40t setup and they disappear into the distance. So it goes.

Anyway, yeah, you can still rail on the road with that setup. I wouldn't test the upper limit of the listed PSI much. I've blown several tires off Iron Crosses after getting too close to the max PSI.

dogrange
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:44 pm

by dogrange

sholiday wrote:
Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:11 pm
Marin wrote:Get some fat Compass or Grand Bois slicks for the Crux then. You'll be just as fast as on the C59 on the road, and you'll be surprised how well they work offroad when it's not muddy. Make sure you are sitting down when you see the price tag though.

My main road bike now runs 42mm slicks (on 650b) and it's definitely not slow.
On my OPEN UP, I run 650b x 48mm Compass Switchback Hills and they run smooth and are some of the most comfortable tires out there...feel like tubulars but without the hassle. I have a spare set of 29er carbon wheels that I'm looking to install Compass 44mm Snoqualmie Pass TC. I'll have just enough cleareance btw the rear and the seat tube.
So is the Open UP on the Compass 650X48 as fast as a refular road bike in your experience?

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wheelsONfire
Posts: 6283
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

Open UP (L) has same stack (58cm) and reach (38.7mm) as previous gen Cervelo R series (size 56).
The later series of Cervelo R series, is a 8mm lower and 2-3mm longer reach.
I think UP will be marginally slower than a typical road bike.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

Marin
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

My Heretic CL2 on 650x42mm Pari Motos is just as fast as a regular road bike, and on gravel it's MUCH faster.

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