I’m looking for some guidance before purchasing a bike, and want to make sure I’ve considered all options from the experienced folks here. A bit of background context to help:
I’m primarily a trail ultrarunner, completed my first 100 miler this past weekend and would like to add in a lot more cycling/XC skiing in the “off season” for cross training and to mix up the endurance stimulus
Live in Utah with easy access to the major canyons
I currently have a 2012 Tarmac Pro SL4 which is good for the roads, but I found the current gearing/rim brakes less than ideal for some of the bigger climbs and descents
I’m thinking of an all arounder bike for both road and long gravel training rides, with two wheelsets
I’d like to sign up for a gravel race early next year, likely one of the BWR races in AZ or UT. This bike would mainly be for training and fun races, not really adventure style gravel
Current FTP is 304W (4.0 w/kg) based on a 2x20 min effort in the middle of my running training. I think with a focused block on the bike I would like to raise this a bit more - so a bike that I can continue to grow into speed-wise would be preferred
In my mind I have been set on a Specialized Crux, but I know there are many options available today that blend road and faster gravel riding.
If you’re living in UT and are willing to pay the price for a Crux I’d also consider an Enve Fray or Mog.
The Fray is a great “all-road” bike that will handle really well on roads and some less technical gravel but does max out at a 40c tire.
The Mog is a dedicated gravel bike that would ride pretty well with some 32-35c road tires on it, though wouldn’t feel quite as responsive as the Fray. They’re both good-looking bikes too.
I have a Crux with 47mm tires and is light and fast (but definitely not aero). They were on sale not too long ago (not sure now though).
Never ridden an Cervelo Aspero but have heard good things. Have seen some solid discounts on those too, though I think they only take up to a 42mm tire.
There’s a lot of nice bikes in that range and you’d likely be happy with any of them. Might want to aim for a UDH. Think about wheels as they often about half the ride feel. I’d take a pretty great frame and wheels over a top of the line frame and mediocre wheels.
If I end up going the Crux route, I may have to wait a few months to get the latest release which will have UDH. Do you have any specific wheel recs for either road/gravel?
My gravel bikes demands when I started out were internal routing, hydraulics discs and GRX v VfM and I ended up with a Fuji Jari 1.1. I was recommended to go for aluminium with it being my first gravel bike as I would be less likely to worry about bashing it. It got me a good fast bike but being aluminium I doubt it would be fast enough for serious racing. I’ve replaced that with a ti gravel bike from a small local company ( Paradigm Verso (paradigmbicycles.uk)), its claimed to have that versatality for road rides with a wheel change and I think I could race on it if I had skill
My friend had one of those and I thought it was a good fast bike but it wasn’t long before he sold it for a Crux and he seems to be faster still on that and it copes well with winter road rides.
