I decided it was time to upgrade my gravel bike. I have had the Diamondback Haanjo Trail bike since 2015 when most people had never heard of a “gravel bike.” It has been a great fun ride but I wanted something lighter and with lower gearing for easier climbing and electric shifting. The bike I really am jonesing for is a Santa Cruz Stigmata (weird name!) but it is really hard to get. I have one on order.
Since I will need a new gravel bike in New Jersey and in Colorado I decided to buy a Specialized Crux if I could find one while I wait for the Stigmata. The Crux is a gravel version of the Aethos bike I love so much, so I am confident it will be a great gravel bike. Through the Specialized website I found one in my size at Strictly Bicycles in Fort Lee NJ, not too far from my home in West Orange.
I called in advance, they got the bike out of the box and built it up and I picked it up November 19, 2022. It is a whitish color with light peach and green decoration. They call it “Gloss White Speckled/Dove Grey/Papaya/Clay/Lime” Whatever… it is pretty. I brought it home added pedals, transferred over the computer mount and sensors, pedals, mirror (yeah, but I love it), bell (great on trails). I changed the saddle to one I prefer because the stock saddle is really uncomfortable. I already replaced the ones from the two Aethos bikes I have (NJ and CO) by selling them on Craigslist – and I will sell this saddle too.
I have yet to ride it since it is 30 degrees outside. I expect that soon enough we will have a warmer day and I will be exploring the woods with this beauty.
Update: November 22, 2022 – first ride.
New bike day. Crux Gravel bike. West Essex rail trail both ways
A bit wintry – check out the icy trailside photo. Riding the trails of Northern NJ in November can be challenging because there are so many leaves on the trail you can’t always see the obstacles they are hiding and if the leaves are wet it is really slick and dangerous. But I had to get out and try the new bike. It was wonderful although I took it easy because of the leaves. I struggled to get used to the 1x SRAM Rival Axs, but it shifted smoothly and perfectly. It has a nice low gear for climbing, too. The ride: https://www.strava.com/activities/8154063201
Update January 2023: I brought the bike to Colorado. No riding outdoors here yet, the gravel roads are icy. Still waiting on the Santa Cruz Stigmata which will be for east coast riding – 650b wheels with wider tires for riding the sandy roads of Cape Cod.
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