Current US national cyclo-cross champion Todd Wells (Specialized) seems to be doing just fine on this alloy Specialized CruX E5.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Mounting the levers up high makes them easier to hold on to, especially in muddy conditions.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Crankbrothers Eggbeater 11 pedals are ultralight and highly resistant to clogging.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Todd Wells (Specialized) opts for the black anodized version of SRAM's top-end Red group.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Using uninterrupted housing from the down tube port back to the rear derailleur keeps the rear shifting smooth in wet and muddy conditions.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Todd Wells (Specialized) is apparently plenty confident in the strength of his Specialized carbon seatpost and carbon-railed saddle.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized sticks with straightforward shaping on the rear stays of the CruX E5.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The seat tube starts out round up top and then becomes more rectangular down at the bottom bracket.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized's limited-edition 40mm-wide 'Republic of California' bar tape features a grippy texture.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized has three tubular tires in its 'cross quiver to suit all conditions with the Terra model aimed at the muddiest and loosest ground.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The rear brake is routed through the top tube to help keep the lines running smoothly and also to keep the top tube surfaces clear during run-ups and barriers.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized doesn't provide Todd Wells with a custom red, white, and blue bike to celebrate his national championship but the colored housing gets the point across, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized fits the CruX E5 with a tapered front end.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Bottle mounts are included for training but the empty holds are taped over instead of filled with bolts so that they don't snag on clothing or jab you in the arm.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized builds the CruX E5 aluminum frame with its OSBB press-fit bottom bracket. Note the seal on the Gore Ride-On cable, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized Roval carbon-specific pads (made by SwissStop) are fitted to Avid Shorty Ultimate cantilevers. Note the road pad holders instead of the stock units to better fit with the extra-wide Zipp rims.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Todd Wells (Specialized) runs a carbon bar clamped in an alloy stem - both sporting the Specialized label, of course.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Specialized's ultralight and remarkably rigid FACT carbon crank is dressed up with 'cross-specific 39/46T rings from SRAM.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The front brake housing stop is mounted to the crown to prevent fork shudder.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Like most top pros, Todd Wells (Specialized) is using the steel-caged version of SRAM's Red front derailleur.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The top tube underside is slightly flattened for more comfortable shouldering.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Todd Wells told Cyclingnews earlier this year that he wasn't at all upset about not getting a custom stars-and-stripes bike to celebrate his status as US national cross-country champion. He arrived at late October's back-to-back UCI cyclo-cross races in Boulder, Colorado with his Specialized CruX bikes sporting stock livery – only they were far from stock beneath the paint.
For starters, Wells' alloy CruX has custom geometry to suit his lanky 1.88m (6ft 2in) build. The rear end is essentially borrowed from a standard 58cm production model but the front end is both longer and lower than a stock 61cm for an extra-aggressive position.
The frame may be all-alloy but there's plenty of carbon fiber to be found elsewhere in the Zipp 303 Cyclocross tubular wheels, the SRAM Red DoubleTap levers, the ultralight and remarkably rigid Specialized FACT integrated cranks, and the Specialized S-Works two-bolt seatpost. Wells is clearly confident in the material's strength and durability, as his bike is also fitted with a carbon-railed Specialized Phenom Pro saddle and a Specialized S-Works semi-anatomic bar.
Specialized doesn't provide Todd Wells with a custom red, white and blue bike to celebrate his national championship win but the colored housing gets the point across
The Specialized brand name is also found on the angle-adjustable forged aluminum stem, the limited-edition 'Republic of California' bar tape and the 33mm-wide Terra tubulars – one of three models in the company's new comprehensive 'cross tubular range. The rest of the build is rather straightforward, with SRAM Red Black derailleurs (including a steel front cage), a SRAM PG-1070 cassette and PC-1091 chain
Avid Shorty Ultimate brakes are retrofitted with road cartridge holders to better accommodate the ultra-wide Zipp rims, and Wells uses CrankBrothers Eggbeater 11 pedals and Gore Ride-On sealed cables and housings. Total weight as pictured is 7.90kg (17.42lb) but if our hunch is correct, we expect that figure to drop substantially once Specialized replace this alloy version with a full-blown carbon flagship.
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Specialized Roval carbon-specific pads (made by SwissStop) are fitted to Avid Shorty Ultimate cantilevers. Note the road pad holders instead of the stock units to better fit with the extra-wide Zipp rims
Complete bike specifications:
Frame: Specialized CruX E5 OSBB, 58cm Fork: Specialized FACT w/ carbon legs, alloy steerer Headset: Integrated tapered 1 1/8-to-1 1/2" Stem: Specialized S-Works Pro-Set, 120mm x -13° Handlebars: Specialized S-Works Carbon, 44cm (c-c) Tape/grips: Specialized 'Republic of California' Front brake: Avid Shorty Ultimate w/ Roval carbon-specific pads Rear brake: Avid Shorty Ultimate w/ Roval carbon-specific pads Brake levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap Front derailleur: SRAM Red Black w/ steel cage Rear derailleur: SRAM Red Black Shift levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap Cassette: SRAM PG-1070, 11-25T Chain: SRAM PC-1091 Crankset: Specialized S-Works FACT, 175mm, w/ 39/46T SRAM chainrings Bottom bracket: Specialized OSBB Pedals: Crankbrothers Eggbeater 11 Wheelset: Zipp 303 Cyclocross tubular Front tire: Specialized Terra tubular, 33mm, 30psi Rear tire: Specialized Terra tubular, 33mm, 30psi Saddle: Specialized Phenom Pro Seat post: Specialized S-Works Carbon Bottle cages: n/a Computer: n/a Other accessories: Gore Ride-On sealed cables and housing
Critical measurements:
Rider's height: 1.88m (6' 2") Rider's weight: 79.4kg (175lb) Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 800mm Saddle setback: 95mm Seat tube length, c-t: 580mm Seat tube length, c-c: 520mm Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (next to stem): 596mm Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 95mm Head tube length: 170mm Top tube length: 595mm Total bicycle weight: 7.90kg (17.42lb)
