Specialized Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR vs Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy - SRAM Apex
Both are gravel bikes at a similar price. Here is what actually separates them.
The short answer
For a typical all-round rider the Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy - SRAM Apex comes out ahead (63% 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 £100 cheaper — £2,299 against £2,399.
- Weight
- The Specialized Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR is 1.2kg lighter, which you notice on long climbs more than anywhere else.
- Riding position
- The Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy - SRAM Apex sits you more upright (1.52 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.
- Tyre clearance
- The Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy - SRAM Apex takes 50mm tyres against 47mm — the single most common thing buyers wish they had more of.
- Climbing gear
- The Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy - SRAM Apex has the easier bottom gear (22 gear inches against 25), which matters more than weight on anything genuinely steep.
- Mudguards
- Only the Specialized Diverge 4 Comp Alloy - SRAM Apex takes mudguards, which decides whether it can be your winter bike.
Side by side
| Spec | Crux DSW Comp - SRAM Apex XPLR | Diverge 4 Comp Alloy - SRAM Apex |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,299 | £2,399 |
| Weight | 9.4 kg | 10.6 kg |
| Frame | alloy | alloy |
| Groupset | SRAM Apex XPLR 1x12 mechanical | SRAM Apex Eagle 1x12 mechanical |
| Stack / reach | 1.46 | 1.52 |
| Tyre clearance | 47 mm | 50 mm |
| Lowest gear | 25 in | 22 in |
| Mudguard mounts | No | Yes |
| Comfort | 63 | 75 |
| Speed | 38 | 16 |
| Climbing | 60 | 50 |
| 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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