Did Specialized improve or ruin the new Crux gravel race bike?

The most anticipated new gravel bike of the year is here - the 2027 Specialized Crux 5. Did the California company improve it, or ruin it? The Crux has for years been a rider favorite - certainly a favorite of mine - for its perfectly balanced ride feel, ultralight weight and no nonsense build. Now, the Crux 5 has gone the way of many race bikes launching this year - 2.2in tire clearance and aero considerations, including fully internal routing, an integrated cockpit, aero wheels and even an aero seatpost borrowed from its road race sibling the Tarmac. I’ve been riding this one for a couple weeks in a variety of scenarios - solo, groups, pavement, dirt, sprint, easy rides, hard rides, singletrack, mountains and flats. I have also been testing it in with the stock 45mm Pathfinders and 2.2in tires. I'm happy to report that the vast majority of ride and feel characteristics carry forward. It has the same plush but nimble and lively feel. There are tiny tweaks to the geoometry - it's 0.5 degree slacker and a scootch longer. But the ride qualities that made it so popular remain. The cockpit looks great to my eyes, but could be a little nicer to my hands. -- How much faster is an aero bar with bar tops over the same bar with bar tape? I measured that in a wind tunnel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9QA1rRXzV0 -- The Ride is supported in 2026 by: BikeTiresDirect: https://tinyurl.com/yc7vxujh (save 10% with code 'RIDEWITHBEN') Castelli clothing: https://www.castelli-cycling.com/US/en/ Perc coffee: https://tinyurl.com/fjr7nurr (save 15% with code 'ride15') POC helmets & sunglasses: https://poc.com/ Feedback Sports stands & tools: https://bit.ly/3S9Dq8r Saris racks: https://saris.com/collections/racks# (save 15% with code 'ben15') Silca maintenance: https://silca.cc/ Lezyne radar & lights: https://tinyurl.com/4z5e3e9u The Cyclist Lawyer: https://www.thecyclist-lawyer.com/ Shimano shoes: http://tinyurl.com/ye274tep -- Want to see what I'm testing and where? Follow me on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/ben-delaney on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_delaney