A bit info to better answer my question.
I am a road cyclist, but live near great gravel roads, so occasianly i like going on my crux in the woods. But over a year its problary 90% road and 10% gravel when outside.
I enjoy going on gravel when the weather is not the best. And i am thinking about going out a little more because of a club in the town.
I have done 1 update this year actually; adding a grx crank, new chain and new cassette. Also i have added my stages left powermeter.
As of now the weight of the bike is 9.25.
The crux have some limits, i only ride 33 mm. tires, ( it could take 38 i believe ). Its not the best wheelset, it is not ready for tubeless(as i want to have) , the brakes are not the best. The 105 shimano geargroup is the first of a kind, so not something that fits the new grx perfectly.
What do you think. Should i invest in a new geargroup and wheels for the bike? Be happy with how it is? Or should i look for a new gravel bike. I think its difficult to choose, because i do not want to splash the cash on a high level gravel bike just yet, but new wheels and gear would also set me back.
I rode one of thsoe Crux’s for a few years, and two buddies still do today (just did Unbound with one of them). You can fit 40’s on that frame and one of the guys squeezed 42’s into his (but it was a narrow IW wheel and there was literally no clearance for mud).
It is a very light and capable frame with two limiters, IMO - tire size (obviously) and, to a lesser degree, geometry. The geometry is a our CX bike, not gravel. So you have a relatively high BB and a shorter top tube and steeper HTA than more recent gravel bikes. The high BB was one of the primary reason why I ended up switching frames in 2021.
If a 40mm tire works for the type of gravel you ride, then upgrading the components is definitely a viable option. If you can afford a new bike, however, you’ll have a better gravel-specific bike.
I still ride a 2019 CruX. For gravel, I’ll run 40mm when dry and 35mm when wet. I swap to 33mm for the cross season. I’ve considered replacing it with a dedicated gravel bike, though every time I race on the CruX I remember why I love it so much! It is a CX bike, but it hasn’t held me back any, though I’ve never ridden a true gravel bike. I have it set up as 1x, with a mix of Rival/Force 1 components and a SWorks crank (for the power). I generally run a 44T front ring, though I also have a 42T if the course calls for it, coupled with a 11-42T cassette. I wouldn’t take the bike on extremely chunky terrain, only because it cannot accommodate real wide tires, but I’ve ridden/raced it on pretty well everything else.
I’ve definitely beat the bike up over the years, but despite being rough with it, I’ve gone through one BB and two RDs, all of which were my fault (slush/sand in BB, 3-4" stick caught between RD and spokes, knocked RD against rock bending the cage). The real drawback is the tire clearance - I’ve gotten stuck in peanut butter mud, and worn away paint on my chain stays.
The best upgrade you could do would be a new set of wheels, which can be re-sold or transferred to a new bike.
Thank you for the great response!
I am still contemplating wheter to buy a new bike or add some serious wheels
used the bike both saturday and yesterday in the wet and i was lacking some speed, especially in sprints, but also up hills a bit.
i can get some zipp 303 for under 1000 euros, that would be a very big improvement and cut of more than a kg weight on the bike.
…But canyon do also have some nice deals, for zipp 303 and sram electric for about 5000 euros. And Scott also have some decent bikes for 2500 euro.
I am just a bit torn, if the crux really can hold its own going up against all the new gravel bikes out there, with new a new wheelset. Some big improvements must have been made since year 2018 or what
The biggest is advance since 2018 is high volume tubeless tyres which have dramatically lower rolling resistance on rough surfaces than the very narrow tubed type tyres you are running.
The only way the 2018 frame might be holding you back is on steep technical downhills. But bluntly if you are slow on the flat and uphill it is you not the bike.
Losing 1 kg with lightweight wheels might net a 1% speed increase on a 10% gradient
If you can afford a new bike and you want a new bike, why not buy one, the biggest advantage of a new frame will be the option to run wider tyres.
You are right about the uphill part But in acceleration and sprints, i am pretty sure new wheels would be great benificial.
I think the crux actually can fit 40’s. And being on 33s now, i really dont believe its the tire size that would be that big a difference, would it really?
Putting wider tires on it would make a huge difference. You could put something like Schwalbe’s G-One RS on it, which test very fast on the road and are very capable off road. Two other options would be Schwalbe G-One Allround or G-One Speed.
Here is what I would do in that order:
Put wider tires on it. I made some recommendations. I’m a fan of Schwalbe and Vittoria tires, but there are other good brands out there.
Make sure all the contact points (handlebars, sti levers, saddle and pedals) are to your liking.
Put a carbon seat post on it. That’ll make a huge difference in terms of comfort.
Gearing. Make sure you have the right gears. Prioritize climbing gears over gears at the top end. Your bikes comes with an 11–28 cassette, which is hardly ideal. I’d go for a 11–32 cassette or SRAM 11–36 cassette.
Get a bike fit.
Each of these is very important and will have a very significant impact on how the bike feels to ride. As for upgrades, the next place is the wheels, but that is much less important than the other points on this list.
Hunt makes very affordable gravel wheels, both aluminum and carbon. Their alloy race wheels weigh a scant 1.400 g and are a steal at about 525 €. Their high-end carbon option is deeper, weighs about the same and costs roughly double. Again, very, very affordable for what it is.
Yes, with wheels of a similar vintage as the frame. If you put on wider rims with a 23mm+ internal, 40’s may not work (but 38’s may end up being closer to an actual 40)
Thank you for the respons.
I can try my pathfinder pro 38 to fit on the wheels i have now to see if there is some difference. But i believe even a low cost alu wheelset would problary be better than the one i have now.
The carbon seatpost is a very good point. , all the other things are good.
I was thinking about buying zipp 303 s (for under 1000 eur) but they are hookless, not sure if that is a good thing.
Also i have been offered a scott gravel 30 with a new black inc wheelset (but also hookless) and electronic shifting for 4400 eur. which is about my budget.
Other than that i have the option for canyon grail sl7 SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS, DT Swiss Gravel LN. for 3400 eur.
On paper these are all solid choices. But what kind of bike do you actually like/want? Are these bikes in your size? What components do you need to change (stem, etc.)?
Ended up testing a scott addict gravel 20 and had the crux with me for a reference ride. The price for the addict, was really not worth it for adding some extra clearence and electronic shifting.
Ended up with buying the 303s with 38 pathfinder pro it has just enough clearence in the back with the front derailleur
With Rival/Force 1, I run a 42T or 44T (depending on race) front and an 11-42T in the back on my 2019 CruX. If you do any serious climbing, I appreciate the extra gearing without sacrificing top end. I got used to the spaced out gears pretty quick.
I don’t have a Crux, but I have a Boone from the same time frame. Cantilever. I use it for gravel events, too. I run this exact setup. Rival 1 with 42T up front and a long cage derailleur that can take an 11-42 in the back. I like it so much I leave it on for cyclocross, too.
