Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 review

The Sirrus X 3.0 is a modestly priced flat-bar all-rounder from one of the biggest names in cycling.

You get wide 42mm tyres with some off-road capabilities and hydraulic disc brakes. You also get an impressively competent drivetrain and, Specialized says, "next-level comfort".

Specialized has pretty much hit the nail on the head. Comfort is excellent, the gearing is simple, accurate and effective, and the hydraulic disc brakes offer strong stopping power with barely any effort. What's not to like?

Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 frame details

There are few surprises with the Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 frameset.

The frame is made of butted aluminium and it's paired with an alloy fork (as opposed to carbon) for this modestly priced bike.

The cabling is all tidily internally routed with super-neat lines, and both the frame and fork have flat-mount disc brake fittings.

While you might expect to find thru-axle fittings, Specialized has stuck with quick-release axles.

The compact frame has a flattened top tube and dropped seatstays, which, along with the 42mm tyres, promise a comfortable ride.

There are no bento box bosses on the top tube or bosses under the down tube, but you get a triple set of down tube bosses as well as fittings for a rear rack.

The maximum tyre size is a healthy 700x42mm (with mudguards) and the frame is capable of accommodating a kickstand. However, it doesn't come with one fitted.

The finish is smart too – the Specialized logo is reflective. Subtle satin black during the day, as soon as it's picked out by car headlights, it's as bright as a Christmas tree.

Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 geometry

Our medium-size model has a long 1,067mm wheelbase, with even the smallest XS frame measuring 1,053mm.

These are much more stretched out than you'll find on a road bike of the equivalent size, which promotes a stable ride.

The head angle is a shallow 71 degrees, which should deliver calm and relaxed steering. For city commuting, towpaths and even wooded tracks, the more stable handling should be your friend.

Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 specifications

The £769 / $1,200 / €1,100 / AU$1,300 asking price for the Sirrus X 3.0 may be modest, but the kit line-up is surprisingly strong.

The stopping power you get from the Tektro brakes is impeccable. I found the action light, and the braking strong and controlled with no noise, even in the worst rain.

While thru-axles may be the norm for a disc-brake bike, I didn't get any impression that the quick-release axles chosen were hampering the hydraulics at all.

Specialized has gone for 1x gearing, with a 9-speed setup from Taiwanese company Microshift.

The 40T chainset and 11-42t cassette give you a wide range, which will get you up most hills (and you can pedal at a decent lick before you spin out).

The aluminium crankset has a steel chainring with SRAM-like narrow-wide teeth. It’s accompanied by a down-tube mounted chain catcher.

Gear shifts were solid and accurate, with no mis-shifts or dropped chains regardless of the terrain and my attempts to shift badly.

Even with a quite modest aluminium frame and fork, the difference between fitting 42mm-wide tyres and, for example, 32mm rubber is huge.

Broadly speaking, the volume of air in a 42mm tyre is nearly 75 per cent more than in a 32mm tyre, which is a difference you can definitely feel off-road and on rough tarmac.

Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 ride impressions

The geometry results in an upright riding position that puts no strain on your lower back, while the compact frame with its dropped seatstays delivers oodles of comfort.

This is clearly fortified by the large-volume tyres.

The Sirrus X 3.0's comfort is further emphasised by its contact points. Specialized puts a lot of stock in its “scientifically tested and ergonomically engineered Shared Platform Body Geometry saddle and handgrips”, and I found the short and broad Specialized Bridge Sport saddle very comfortable.

It’s ideal for the type of riding I was doing – long urban commutes, canal towpaths, and the light grit and gravel of the local Sustrans Two Tunnels route, as well as some short trips through the woods.

While I'd always choose grips with bar ends, as fitted on the Ridgeback Expedition, the Specialized's grips are excellent.

They look round, but they're slightly ovalised and flattened on the bottom, which makes them more comfortable to grasp than a round bar.

With only nine speeds from the 1x setup, there are some big jumps between gears, especially with the bigger sprockets (lower gears), but the Microshift gearing works well.

The low bottom gear meant I was able to stay in the saddle on my local hills, though out-of-the-saddle efforts were rewarded.

Hit the descents, and you can really get up a good head of speed, knowing the brakes will stop you well, every time.

Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 bottom line

Riding the Sirrus X 3.0 is an enjoyable experience. It's comfortable on the road, and its 42mm tyres cope with potholes and kerbs admirably.

It can also tackle moderate unsurfaced routes without issue, and shorter, gnarlier sections when required.

The Tektro hydraulic disc braking is an absolute highlight. This would make a great commuter bike for the week, doubling up at the weekend as a fun bike for longer trips, perhaps even moderate bikepacking forays.

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