badger1

There's some, but not a lot, of weight that could be shed with those items, Mattyb. Have you replaced the stock wheels/tires? If not, that's where I'd start: single most noticeable (both weight loss and handling) change you could make to your bike. Next would be fork (e.g. Rockshox Paragon), followed distantly by crankset and then way down the list those contact point items you list above. Be nice to do all the above, of course, but I'd start with wheels/tires if it were me.

Mattyb13

Hey Badger1 thanks for the response. I have NOT replaced the wheels/tires. Tires are easy enough to figure out, but I am really in the dark on what wheels to get or look at? What should pay? What are the options? Any leads or help? Id like to stay with something with the tall wall look if possible. Love the 'rim' look. Thanks again.

badger1

You'd have to set a budget, but my guess would be that for 6-700 (and up, of course, high as you want to go pretty much!) you'd be able to get something that loses 350-400 grams off the stock wheels. You've two options: you can go with 'factory' wheelsets (e.g. Specialized's Roval line; DT Swiss; Easton; Mavic etc.) or have something made for you (e.g. pick your hubset and rims, then have a good wheelbuilder build them for you). Again if it were me, I'd go through my LBS and start exploring the options. There may be others on here though who have some specific suggestions.

avidone1

Wheels are a great idea for an upgrade but to really save weight the cost would range from quite high to 'through the roof ".
I don't ride off road so I changed out the tries from the stock triggers to Schwalbe marathon supremes in 35c. Really noticed a difference.
They are lighter, stickier, and roll easier than the triggers. The biggest difference I noted was in cornering. Can really hit the turns fast with no
loss of grip. Those few times when I have been forced to ride on packed sand/gravel, they worked fine.

avidone1

Specialized makes a fantastic looking carbon post that gets great reviews. If you want a little extra vertical compliance this is worth a serious look-see.
I strongly considered it, but my neck arthritis demands a little more shock absorption than this provides, but for looks, weight, and road vibration this is a winner. Pricey? absolutely, but it really looks like a "you get what you pay for" item
Specialized Bicycle Components

travbikeman

Just in case anyone happens to be interested. The BB in the Crosstrail Sport and am betting the other Crosstrails with the same A1 frame uses a VP component 68x118.

I just replaced mine today.

side_FX

Does anyone happen to know the standover height measurement for the 2016 Crosstrail? The M, L, and XL all list 357 mm. That can't be right, and Specialized has yet to correct it or respond to my inquiry.

CT Sean

Can anyone confirm whether the '16 fork is in fact Air or Coil on the Comp?

ColdCase

My '16 spec has a conventional coil sprung fork with preload adjuster. No air valve.

avidone1

Here are the specs on the ncx fork from the Suntour website. Notice that it says "Air sprung/coil with pre load adjuster." What exactly that means is a technical question that I will ask on the mechanics forum
Details*- SR SUNTOUR Cycling

ColdCase

Current Specialized USA specs: Custom SR Suntour NCX, custom Multi-Circuit Damping, custom coil/MCU spring weights, 50mm travel, integrated remote hydraulic lockout lever, mag lowers, Cr-Mo stanchions, post disc mount

Seems like the Suntour NCX-E is air sprung, the D mentions coils and air. I have NCX-I, which I don't think I ever found on the Suntour site, perhaps I is the specialized custom configuration? It seems like what comes out of the box may not exactly match the spec sheet, however. And that may differ from month to month.

CT Sean

I orde a Como last week so I'll post what mine has when I pick it up from the shop.

CT Sean

I mean I ordered a Comp. forum is not behaving this morning. cant edit my post

avidone1

You cited the blurb posted on the spec sheet. Under "features" for the comp is the following "Custom air sprung fork features our Multi-Circuit Damping technology to eliminate any "pogo" effect over its 50mm of travel. This means that its hydraulic damped suspension and rebound will effectively smooth out bumpy or rough terrain."
What exactly an "air sprung fork" is in an otherwise "hydraulic damped suspension" seems to be the question.

badger1

I take a little of the blame for this discussion, as I think I originally asked the question whether the forks on the '16 Pro/Expert/Comp Crosstrails are air or coil. Reason: there is, as you note, and continues to be an inconsistency on Specialized's website: 'features' suggests air, specs suggests coil: generally, it'll be one or the other.

As to 'what's the difference'? Spring and damping are two different things. The main spring itself can be either coil spring or an air spring (left leg on the Suntours, I believe); damping controls rebound (speed at which the spring [air or coil] returns to its original position after being compressed). On the Suntours on these specific bikes damping (and lockout) is provided by a sealed hydraulic cartridge in the right leg (I believe). A couple of Suntour's 'trekking' lines come in both coil- and air-sprung versions; the NCX series is one of them, so the confusion on the website remains. The Pro or Expert could have an air-sprung version; ColdCase has told us that his Comp does not.

ColdCase

I was thinking that air sprung forks would have a air valve fitting to adjust "preload" and that non air sprung would not, but I dunno. Thats the way MTB type forks tend to be, but then they also have safety lockout releases too.

Could there be hybrid air sprung forks without air valves, (or combo air+ coil sprung with just a adjusting knob).... ? My comp doesn't have an air valve... but does than eliminate air from the equation? I know just enough about forks to be dangerous, in case thats not obvious.

badger1

You are correct; with the Suntours it'll be either/or, CC. If your fork has a dial or screw on the spring leg marked 'preload adjust' or similar, it's coil spring. If it's air, it will have a valve instead.

avidone1

I'm loving this discussion...I could discuss the finer points of crosstrails all day long.
That being said. Below are the specs for the NCX 700c fork from the SR Suntour website.



Model Year 2016

Travel 50mm, 63mm

Right Side RL, LO

Left Side Air spring / Coil with Preload adjuster

Crown AC4C

Stanchion tube 28mm, 30mm / STKM

Lower Magnesium

Brake Postmount or V+Postmount

Steerer tube 1.1/8", Al Alloy / 1.1/8", STKM / 1.5" taperd / Al Alloy (CTS)

Weight starting from: 1995g

Axle 15QLC32 / 9mm

Note that Suntour headlines their specs with Air and Mg (Magnesium)
And yes they specifically refer to the left side as "Air sprung"

DannoXYZ at the mechanics forum says
"In effect, ALL forks have an air-spring component. As it compressed, the air-volume T the top is squeezed and its pressure increases and resists further compression."
so it could be that
OR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

avidone1

OR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It could be this as posted by Jamminatrix in the Mechs forum "There definitely is an air chamber option for NCX forks (see photo), though Specialized may not have spec'd it. "

HEHEHEHEHEHE

DorkDisk

Air forks dont have preload knobs as there is no coil to compress. The closest thing would be a negative spring, which is another air chamber with its own valve. This is seperate from the main air chamber which sets the spring rate, which would be analogous to the coil spring

Air forks have valves. If you dont have any valves, there is zero chance of the fork having an air spring

IMO it makes no sense to have an air and coil main spring. If you have a lightweight variable spring rate air system why put a heavy coil with fixed spring rate?

Edit: Many air forks have had small coils for the initial travel and /or MCUs for bottom out but this is very different from a main spring

ColdCase

The following does nothing to answer the what fork is in the top end crosstrail question but......

According to their web site (https://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/bik...odel=%22NCX%22), Suntour has at least four versions of the NCX fork. You will see the D-EB (coil sprung) -E (only air sprung) and -D (air or coil sprung) and -26 (air or coil sprung) in spec sheets. There are also 50 and 63mm travel variations on some of them.

Then there is the -I customized for specialized which I don't think anyone found specs for and is probably the subject of this discussion.

In some tables, the -D is listed as "air/coil", and other more detailed tables in the catalog have separate -D air sprung and coil sprung versions (no version contains both air and coil). Perhaps the specialized writers just cut and pasted the general -D words without realizing there are two -D versions.. which, in turn, created this confusion



There are exploded views of some 2015 NCX forks here: https://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/ser...iews/2015/ncx/ I think they only provide exploded views of the air models.

Below is the NCX page from their 2016 catalog.

DorkDisk

Air valve(s)=air. No valve(s) = not an air fork

The information is contradictory on the website so I would just ask S directly or inspect the bike in person. Brands often spec something different, especially on these types of forks which are almost exclusively OEM

CT Sean

This is what is under the left side cap of my brand new Crosstrail Comp

it was actually a bit loose when i popped the cap so i unscrewed it (thinking perhaps it was just another cap) didn't look like much of anything underneath. definitely no air valve. turning the dial seems to have no effect.

CT Sean

Also of interest perhaps is mine has a Deore XT front derailleur, where the specs on specialized.com only say "FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano, top swing, dual pull" and the photo shows an SLX (I'm not complaining )

avidone1

Looks like a preload adjustment. It should affect the ease of travel. Maybe you need to test it on some bumpier terrain