This year Specialized launched the first alloy version of the Crux at a far more accessible price point than its carbon siblings. Our North American editor has already had a chance to ride and write about it, now it’s time to see how it performs on British gravel and against five other bikes, as tested for CW’s 2024 Gravel Bikes of the Year.

The Crux became the ‘Best for Speed’ category winner in our Gravel Bike of the Year 2024 Awards, with its rapid ride making it the most suitable for those seeking off-road pace.

The results of intensive R&D in the frame design and production have allowed Specialized to produce – it claims – “lightest alloy frame in the world” (claimed weight 1,399g). Crucially for a gravel bike, Specialized claim the technology also produces a frame that’s much more durable than other alloy bikes whilst still having an “improved ride quality”. A clearly visible example of where this all comes together is the single-piece down tube and bottom bracket which eliminates weight and unwanted rigidity at the heart of the frame.

There are six sizes available from 49cm through to 61cm frames. Head (71.25) and seat tube (74.0) angles are almost identical to the other race orientated bikes in our group test, the Ridley Kanzo and Canyon Grail. To keep the back end tight and fast chainstays are a minimal 425mm and the wheelbase 1014mm. At 462mm the frame reach is very similar to the other two race bikes and stack falls in the middle (547mm).

The most striking feature of the Crux DSW is its simplicity: straight tubes, simple semi-internal cabling, standard bar and stem: nothing to charge, nothing to spend hours fiddling to set up, no proprietary parts that require specialist tools. This feels quite a contrast to a number of other race gravel bikes where design is being slowly drawn towards the fickle nature of one-piece carbon aero and all its awkwardness.

Whilst designed as a race machine, there’s plenty of scope within the geometry and components to allow you to tweak to fit your own fit and achieve a more upright position for longer rides. Simply switching a few steerer tube spacers around allowed me to swap between all-day gravel endurance riding and CX racing. The ability to easily alter the fit of a bike at low or no cost is becoming harder nowadays with integrated cockpits becoming more commonplace, it really improves the flexibility of the Crux in comparison to the other gravel race bikes.