Specialized Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR vs Genesis Croix de Fer 30
Both are gravel bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Genesis Croix de Fer 30 comes out ahead (64% against 61%). That is not a universal verdict — change the terrain or the priority and the order can flip.
What actually separates them
- Price
- The Specialized Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR is £1 cheaper — £2,299 against £2,300.
- Weight
- The Specialized Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR is 2.1kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Genesis Croix de Fer 30 sits you more upright (1.53 stack-to-reach against 1.46). The Specialized Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR is the more aggressive of the two — quicker if you can hold it, harder work if you cannot.
- Climbing gear
- The Genesis Croix de Fer 30 has the easier bottom gear (22 gear inches against 25), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
- Mudguards
- Only the Genesis Croix de Fer 30 takes mudguards, which decides whether it can be your winter bike.
Side by side
| Spec | Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR | Croix de Fer 30 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,299 | £2,300 |
| Weight | 9.4 kg | 11.5 kg |
| Frame | alloy | steel |
| Groupset | SRAM Apex XPLR 1x12 mechanical | Shimano CUES U6000 2x10 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.46 | 1.53 |
| Tyre clearance | 47 mm | 47 mm |
| Lowest gear | 25 in | 22 in |
| Mudguard mounts | No | Yes |
| Comfort | 63 | 81 |
| Speed | 38 | 10 |
| Climbing | 60 | 45 |
| Value | 8 | 0 |
Neither might be the right answer
This page assumes an average rider. Tell us how you actually ride and we will rank these two against everything else at the price.
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