The Specialized Crux DSW is a remarkable aluminum gravel bike that competes with carbon bikes in terms of weight and performance. The catch? Well, there isn’t much of one, to be honest. Building an aluminum gravel bike is a fairly straightforward process. You design it to meet a specific price point, offer a couple of paint schemes to appeal to different tastes, and watch the money roll in. Aluminum gravel bikes are often the entry point for many cyclists, not just those interested in gravel biking. So what sets the Specialized Crux DSW apart? According to Specialized, it boasts the lightest aluminum gravel bike frame ever created. This is quite a bold claim, but at just 1,399 grams for a 56 cm frame, it’s only about a pound (~400 grams) heavier than most traditional carbon gravel bikes. What’s even more impressive is that the Crux DSW shares the same geometry and tire clearances as the Crux gravel and cyclocross bike. This makes it an attractive option not only for those who prefer aluminum over carbon fiber, but for anyone in the market for a gravel bike. In the following sections, you’ll find more details about the bike’s specifications, pricing, comparisons to other gravel bikes, and my personal riding impressions of the Specialized Crux DSW. However, I’ll spare you the nitty-gritty details – suffice it to say that fans of aluminum bikes are sure to love Specialized’s latest offering in the gravel bike category.
