CX
Origin
Carrera is not an Italian bike marque despite the name — it is the in-house cycling brand of Halfords, the UK's largest bike and motoring retailer, and it exists to put decently-specced bikes at supermarket prices. The Crixus (marketed with the 'CX' suffix) was Halfords' entry into the drop-bar off-road space, arriving in the mid-2010s as a budget cyclocross bike. The original 'Limited Edition' Crixus launched around 2015 at an RRP near £650 but was famous for being discounted hard — routinely dropping to £250-£300 in Halfords sales, which made it a legendary bargain among UK winter-bike and commuter cyclists. Over the years the bike migrated with the wider industry: as cyclocross gave way to the gravel boom, the Crixus dropped its cantilever brakes for mechanical discs, gained mudguard and pannier mounts, softened its gearing to a 46/30 adventure setup, and was re-badged as an 'adventure' / gravel bike while keeping the CX heritage in its name.
Specifications
- Frame
- 6061/7005 T6 aluminium alloy (double-butted)
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- Shimano Claris 2x8 (16-speed): Claris STI shifters, FD-R2000 / RD-R2000SS derailleurs
- Brakes
- Current: Tektro MD-C400 flat-mount mechanical disc, 160mm rotors front & rear. Early (~2015-2018): Tektro cantilever rim brakes
- Wheels
- 700c wheelset, QR (quick-release) skewers
The verdict
- Outstanding value, especially bought used or in a Halfords sale — drop-bar disc bike for supermarket money
- Durable alloy frame with rack/mudguard mounts and low gearing — a genuinely practical commuter/winter/light-gravel bike
- Shimano Claris is basic but reliable and cheap to service anywhere; parts are everywhere
- Heavy (~15 kg) with budget wheels and finishing kit — sluggish uphill and no upgrade path without spending its own value again
- Entry-level Claris 2x8 and (on older bikes) fiddly Tektro cantilever brakes; disc-brake versions use basic mechanical calipers, not hydraulic
- Not a real race cyclocross bike despite the 'CX' name — soft, comfort-oriented ride, and older cantilever bikes need brake-setup patience
Generations
Cyclocross era (~2015-2018)
- Original CX identity; light-ish, race-name, fiddly cantilever brakes, no rack mounts on some builds.
- Frame
- 7005 alloy
- Brakes
- Tektro cantilever (rim)
Gravel/adventure era (2019-present)
- Rebadged for the gravel boom: disc brakes, mudguard + pannier mounts, lower gearing, heavier (~15 kg), comfort saddle.
- Frame
- 6061/aluminium + rigid alloy fork
- Brakes
- Tektro MD-C400 mechanical disc, 160mm
Versions & builds
Every official build side by side — differences highlighted.
| Spec | Crixus Limited Edition (cyclocross) | Crixus CX Limited Edition | CurrentCrixus Adventure / Limited Edition CX (disc) | CurrentCrixus Mens Adventure Bike (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2015 | 2018 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Frame | 7005 alloy | 7005 T6 alloy | 6061 aluminium, rigid alloy fork | Aluminium, rigid alloy fork |
| Drivetrain | Shimano Claris 2x8 | Shimano Claris 2x8 | Shimano Claris 2x8, 46/30T, 12-32T | Shimano Claris 2x8, 46/30T, 12-32T |
| Brakes | Tektro cantilever (rim) | Tektro cantilever / early mechanical disc | Tektro MD-C400 mechanical disc, 160mm | Tektro MD-C400 mechanical disc, 160mm |
| MSRP | €760 | €650 | €580 | €580 |
| Purpose | Value | Value | Value | Value |
Tags
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