Its specced with a compact double (a hill-friendly 48/32T) and mechanical disc brakes, which could be upgraded to hydros further down the line. It might feel gimmicky but weve found this to actually be really useful in testing. Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon. Perhaps most interesting is that where weve previously seen Specialized keep its own handlebars and seatposts across all bikes, the new Diverge sees a few external brands come into the fold. But as much as this idea that smoother is faster makes sense to me, I didn't really feel very fast. The Diverge Elite E5 utilizes our premium E5 alloy frame and a full carbon FACT fork for a fast, confident and comfortable ride on road, in the dirt, and over thick gravel. The Elite ships with a GR400 groupset where the Base is decked out with a Shimano Claris groupset. The Pro and Expert models, also featuring Rear Future Shock, come in at 8.9kg and 9.5kg. Refer to Specializeds listings for the most up-to-date geometry information. Specialized added a size 44 for the Diverge E5 that can't be found for the carbon version to help with smaller sizing of the bike. Check, check and check. Wheels. Compared to a traditional road bike, its the width of the Diverges tires well, in roadie terms at least that stands out most initially, in keeping with a growing trend of running roomier, lower pressure rubber on wider rims. Issue #021 Review The Sarto Seta Disc all-road bike in review. The Specialized Diverge STR is a capable, comfortable steed that's ready to go long, be it at a race or simply to explore. Gone is the old CBG seatpost (a name we will all miss, Im sure) now theres a new, more normal-looking 27.2 mm carbon seatpost that flows from a road shape to a flattened setup near the saddle. Then again, we could easily have said exactly the same thing about gravel bikes a short time ago, so maybe this really will be the future of gravel riding. The bike should also appeal to riders looking for something like the latest Sirrus X(which also has Future Shock), but with more aggressive geometry. While the bike sizing remains consistent among the Diverge line, there are a few minor differences that separate the STR models from others: the BB Drop is slightly higher, the chainstays are minimally longer and the seat tube angle is ~0.5 degrees steeper to compensate for sag in the STR system. Capable, comfortable steed that's ready to go long, be it at a race or simply to explore. Like the S-Works, the Pro gets Easton EC70 AX Carbon 16-degree flare bars. Pathfinder Pro 2BR . It offers 20mm of travel, allowing the cockpit to move up and down relative to the frame and fork. Specialized Diverge FACT 8r carbon, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc. Specialized serves both ends with the featherweight and rigid Crux originally a pure cyclocross race breed that can now fit a 47mm tire and the capable Diverge. Originally from The Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. This becomes even more apparent as the spec gets slightly heavier down the collection line. FRONT WHEEL DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes . Thanks to FACT 9R Carbon, the frame is lightweight and makes it a suitable competition platform. Find details on the three most recent issues below, join the Bikepacking Collective to get it in the mail (anywhere in the World), or click here to find a collection of selected stories in digital format. On the descends, this translated to confidence on the at-times loose terrain and new-to-me roads. Specialized Diverge Bikes. Wheelset: DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm inner width, tubeless-ready . The head angle is also one-degree slacker (70 degrees) than the rest of the drop-bar range. Come the second day I was lucky enough to have the staff on hand swap out the dropper post for the new carbon post. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . The EVOs also been designed to be 1x specific, where the rest of the range can be chopped-and-changed depending on your preference. Its a neat addition, but realistically its not a storage area youd want to be delving into on every ride. To account for all the frame sizes and a variety of rider weights, Specialized has produced nine different frame posts, each with a different carbon layup for varying stiffness. You simply loosen the bolt below the seatpost clamp, turn your frame post 90 degrees, re-tighten the bolt, adjust your saddle and go. The only real difference between the two is in the components: the Comp gets an SRAM NX 11 / Tektro HD-R290 / Praxis build, and the Expert earns a nicer Shimano XT / Magura MT4 / Praxis build. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. With a little bit of dampening to take the sting out of the rougher roads and help you stay in control, and room for 650b x 2.1 or 700c x 47mm tires, there are few trails this bike won't be able to handle. After all, Specialized has designed the carbon post in conjunction with the new frame for a reason. Future Shock 1.5 w/Smooth Boot, FACT carbon, 12x100 mm thru-axle, flat-mount. Jack has been writing about and testing bikes for more than five years now, has a background working in bike shops for years before that, and is regularly found riding a mix of weird and wonderful machines. Its a similar story for Easton EC70 AX bars. You also lose the new carbon seatpost in exchange for a pretty standard-looking single-bolt carbon post. And more impressively, the same tyre clearance is provided with the more affordable alloy frames, too. Id consider the Diverge to be considerably more fun to ride on pavement in part thanks to its lighter weight but to be comprehensively trumped by the Sequoia in abilities when conditions take a turn for the worse. 4 interest-free payments of $9.24 with Klarna. While $14K remains a hard-to-justify amount to spend on any bicycle, doing this bit of research does provide some perspective on how the price tag got to be so high. Maybe theyll call it mountain biking? The final carbon offering is the Base, kitted out with SRAMs 1x 11-speed Apex groupset. The wheels were also tubeless-ready with a full rim strip. Internal cable routing and a curvy tubing help lend the bike a great profile, though I have to admit, the carbon framesets look even snazzier. This is just an old-school mountain bike! Lastly, the bottom bracket has been lifted by 5mm to 80mm with the aim of eliminating pedal strikes when using 650b wheels. To take the wheel off, you'll be faced with either a quick-release (QR) skewer or thru-axle. Pirelli Cinturato Gravel Mixed Tubeless Tire 2-Pack. And heres some more sweet music: gone is the PF30 bottom bracket while the prodigy child a 68 mm BSA threaded bottom bracket has returned. Or more precisely, the pairing of this and the Tarmac which has become versatile in its own right by allowing up to 30 mm tyres. As for gear range, my Diverge Comp came fitted with a 46T outer ring, mated to a 10-42 cassette. It ticks plenty of the boxes Im looking for in a well-rounded gravel bike. A gravel bike model for either end of the gravel riding spectrum: The quick accelerations and liveliness of the Crux vs. the compliance and capability of the Diverge. Front Wheel: DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel . Van 4900 nu voor 3850! I joked to my fellow bike journalists upon seeing the new Specialized Diverge STR. The Comp E5 comes with Shimanos GRX 810 mechanical groupset, and would seem to be a great little option for those entering the world of gravel bikes for the first time. Once you get to the Sport model youll drop down to the FACT 8r carbon frame and lose that SWAT box. but, in brief, it is a lighter overall setup that does not significantly affect handling. In fact, as someone who obsessively avoids paved roads, the Diverge reminded me about the pleasures of road touring. When the dark clouds rolled in and the rain came pummeling down on that initial ride, the bikes responded well to the change in pace as we sped toward cover. The Comp, Expert, Pro and S-Works versions of the Diverge feature Specializeds now-signature SWAT down tube storage box. 12 X 100 (front) and 12 X 142 (rear) thru-axle only can't be convert to anything else. Notably, the new Diverge is also the first non-electric bike from Specialized to ship with Shimanos gravel-specific, Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm, Specialized full sealed bearing thru-axle hub, centrelock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT Swiss brass nipples, Specialized sealed bearing thru-axle hubs, six-bolt disc, J-bend 14G stainless steel spokes, brass nipples, 2021 Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon review, Specialized Roubaix Expert long-term review, Future Shock 2.0 introduced on select models, Revised geometry for improved off-road performance, Tyre clearance increased to 47mm (700c) / 2.1in (650b). As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist. Secondly, the two days of riding I did at the Diverge launch turned out to be the last real-world riding Id do (and have done) in over two months now. This frame post has the ability to move back and forth, effectively moving the saddle 30mm back and downward along the seat tube axis. Part of the reason larger tires can now be accommodated is the advent on hydraulic brakes with drop handlebars. When it comes to weight, the top dog S-Works model with Specializeds FACT 11r carbon, in a 56 cm size fully painted, is claimed to sit under 1,000 g. Drop down a level to the Comp, Expert, and Pro models that use FACT 9r carbon and the weight increases by 100 g. For the Base and Sport models that use the FACT 8r carbon, youre adding another 200 g but also losing the addition of the hidden SWAT box. We worked out flat bars are great for riding off-road years ago! Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. This is easily the bikes main selling point, and is equally likely to be a drawcard or a turn-off for many, depending on how you feel about the need for a bit of bounce up front. An air shock dampener in the top tube is attached to the frame post by a sturdy aluminum piece called the tendon. Finally got myself into the gravel world with a 2021 Specialized Diverge Elite E5 and have had a blast on it so far. Specialized diverge in beautiful pearl white and red. The inaugural UEC Gravel European Championships, which will take place on October 1, 2023, By Anne-Marije Rook Id also put a lot of this down to the Future Shock 2.0 off-road. Doing a quick comparison, we notice that Diverge Expert E5 EVO price it's 41.83% higher than the average cost of a Gravel bike. The fork can also be fitted with a rack, like a Tubus Tara or Ergo, if you favour fashionable front loading. Bath For those on a tighter budget, the 2017 Gloss Moto Orange Diverge Elite DSW ($1400) looks like a good contender. Sure the tyres had been swapped out for the fatter Tracers, but the fore and aft of the post was massively noticeable. The Expert I rode on my home gravel roads in Oregon. Gravel continues to be a such fascinating category for bike manufacturers. For me, the suspension shone on the rougher descends. The dual Future Shocks do a good job absorbing the vibrations, and turning a jarring ride into a comfortable cruise. It's the ultimate getaway vehicle. The middle-of-the-road Diverge STR Pro retailing at $9,500 USD (9,500 / 9000) is powered by a SRAM Force eTap AXS Eagle groupset, Roval Terra CL wheels, Terra carbon handlebars, an S-Works carbon seatpost and Power Pro saddle. Are the extra bells and whistles worth it when you can buy an aftermarket suspension seatpost like the Redshift for $230? Yes, they add weight over the caliper brakes of traditional road brakes. This Diverge STR is still rigid climbing hills without any pumping effect of either the front or rear suspension. The generous clearances also mean the bike is able to run tyres up to 42mm wide with mudguards. In which category would you place the bike? But let me delve into the finer details first. Its all about pushing where you can go and what you can do with a gravel bike. On day one we used the all-round 50/50 road/gravel rubber of the 38 mm Pathfinder Pro. The frame also differs its made with Specialized E5 alloy, but the top tube is 30 mm longer than the standard Diverge geometry (size medium). All changes are minor, but Specialized does recommend adjusting your static saddle position 5 to 10mm forward and slightly angled down from your normal position. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . The two cheapest aluminium models the Diverge Elite E5 and Diverge Base E5 do not have either version of the Future Shock. The post is available in both a 20 mm offset and zero-degree, and the bike is dropper-post compatible too (such a thing comes standard on the S-Works). - Check, check and check. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Whether your goal is to escape on gravel back roads far from cars and crowds or drop the hammer at the front of your favorite gravel race no bike does it better than the new Diverge. Frame: Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. . The Diverge is like a road bike that coaxes you to hop off curbs and cut down trails, without any of the hesitation you might otherwise feel. The press release for the Diverge goes as far as to say that the geometry of the new bike was directly inspired by, the latest-generation of Specializeds Epic cross-country hardtail, The crossover between the two disciplines is increasingly clear just look at the Diverge Evo below and the, Lastly, the bottom bracket has been lifted by 5mm to 80mm with the aim of eliminating pedal strikes when using, a modern carbon drop-bar bike with mudguard eyelets. The slight motion isn't off-putting per se, it's just new and takes some getting used to. Its definitely got a race-orientated edge to it, and keeps you on your toes in trickier sections. The dampener piece will wear out over time, however, and like a chain or cassette will need to be replaced. I know theres plenty of people out there who may want a dropper post, but personally, I just dont get it. Its direction of travel is equal and opposite to the wheels path. The headline news from this launch sees top-tier versions of the new Diverge adopt the same hydraulically-damped version of the Future Shock as used on the newest Roubaix. . If I had to suggest the paved/dirt ratio that suits it best, it would be an 80/20 balance in favour of the former. Taking full advantage of the bikes voluminous down tube, the SWAT box offers a lidded storage area near the bottom bracket. The tubeless-ready tyres were . Years in the making, the engineers at Specialized realized that while the front-end Future Shock did a great job isolating riders from the bumpy surface below, the bike no longer felt balanced. The launch of the new Diverge comes off the back of the enormous and well-documented growth of gravel riding across the world. and Specialized tubeless ready tyres,hence the possession of a compressor.I would not contemplate tubes . When I put down what power I have, the bike picked up speed with ease. Future Shock 1.5 comes as standard on both the EVO Comp and EVO Expert. Matched with a rear triangle that feels tidily tucked underneath, it makes you want to attack the climbs. The frame post works as a spring, moving backwards and down in response. This also included using this wild test rig with an adjustable head angle. New Tubeless Tire conversion, Specialized Chisel, No tape. But while this will certainly boost the Diverges climbing credentials, it will likely see you spinning out on fast day rides. Specialized Diverge; Specialized Rockhopper; Specialized Sirrus; Reasons To Buy. The stack height is simply too tall for my liking and the Hover riser bars don't help there. This means, as always, youll likely be able to squeeze in something a touch chunkier if youre feeling bold. Look for Tubeless Ready on the tire sidewall: Turbo S-Works Rapidair. this will all be familiar stuff (with the exception of the higher bottom bracket). propos de ce deal. . Specialized says its a lot more compliant, and it is. The bottom bracket drop has been raised by 5 mm, going from an arguably-too-low 85 mm to a still-lower-than-most 80 mm. The new Diverge has plenty of options for racks and bottle cage mounts. Having ridden several aftermarket suspension products, I was certainly intrigued by Specialized's integrated approach. It allows you to hit things faster than you think you actually can. Sure the new geometry adds a bunch of stability, but the Future Shock just adds an undeniable amount of confidence that you otherwise dont get from gravel bikes with similar modern geometry. The geometry table below applies to versions of the bike equipped with Future Shock. Swap those road tyres out for whatever takes your fancy for off-road duties, and youve got a bike that can take on an amazing variety of different surfaces. The Roubaix Pro 2Bliss Ready is an endurance road tire that's well suited for smooth and rough roads alike. All 2021 versions of Diverge are tubeless compatible. BikeRadars take | Is the future of gravel bikes just a mountain bike? All other models feature the Future Shock 1.5. At $2600, our test bike the 2016 Diverge Comp DSW X1 Comp sits somewhere in the middle of the pack. However, for a bike that I feel sits more at the faster, race-orientated end of the gravel spectrum as opposed to the more endurance-based, multi-day-exploring end these additions have me wanting to know how it really performs when loaded up and out in the wilds for days on end. DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc . Stealing the show of the fourth-generation Diverge gravel bike is the all-new rear Future Shock meant to further isolate the rider from rough roads and balance out the bike. The Specialized Diverge comes in a range of prices, from around $1300 for an entry-level bike to about $7500, depending on the features you want. On paper, the Diverge isnt as performance-orientated as an all out road machine. The latest Diverge, a purpose-designed gravel bike that also looks to be a solid super commuter. No adhesion of any kind is being used. tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT Swiss brass nipples. On day two we tackled more challenging terrain with the 47 mm Tracer, a bigger volume, knobblier and more off-road orientated tyre. OE Wheelset fitted to a Specialized Diverge, Roubaix and Sirrus. That 80 mm retains Diverges claim as one of the lowest in the gravel/adventure category, but at least now it wont be ridiculously low if run with 650B wheels or slimmer road tyres. The 2021 Specialized Diverge range encompasses 11 bikes and one S-Works level frameset. tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT Swiss brass nipples; Front Tire - Pathfinder Pro 2BR, . . All rights reserved. Roval Terra CL, 25mm internal width, 32mm depth, 24h, Tubeless ready, DT for Roval 350 hub, Centerlock disc, DT Swiss Competition Race spokes Tires Tracer Pro 2BR, 700x42 Bottom Bracket SRAM DUB BSA 68 Crankset you'll be looking at about an 8kg build for the Diverge S-Works, set up tubeless. Hidden away out back, on the underside of the seatstays, the bosses are practically undetectable. The Specialized Aethos Expert all-road bike in review. The dampener controls the movement of the frame post backwards and forwards, giving the rider a smooth ride in the saddle while maintaining the same saddle height and position in space. Jack thinks nothing of bikepacking after work to sleep in a ditch or taking on a daft challenge for the BikeRadar YouTube channel. The Diverge encourages out of the saddle climbs and makes sprinting along paved roads undeniably fun; in the way that it seems to transfer every iota of energy into propelling you forward. The same is true on gravel bikes. Good carbon frame . . Once at speed, it held it without a problem. All in a relatively lightweight, road-inspired package. A flat bar gravel bike with chunky tyres (a hybrid by any other name) is hardly as innovative as the hover bar, but its still going to be a totally divisive and intriguing bike, sure to make a splash. This, in combination with the increased offset of the fork, should improve the overall stability of the bike. Given my love for mountain biking and backcountry touring, my ideal journey fuses the two, keeping to quiet dirt roads and singletrack where possible. Weve written at length about why Specialized opted for this system rather than a conventional telescopic fork but, in brief, it is a lighter overall setup that does not significantly affect handling. Dven with Specializeds enormous clout, the Diverge Evo is a weird bike that straddles niches and that could be a hard sell for many shops. Theyre well-executed, clean and Im guessing theyll be an appreciated addition. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! These two tyres obviously changed the characteristics of the bike. I ran this wheelset tubeless with Trigger Pro 38 tires before changing to a different setup. In fact, I was surprised to see what speeds we actually hit out on the roads when I was back at the hotel and checking out my ride data. Indeed Specialized hardly touched upon it in the launch event presentation. . Though the initial set of tyres the Diverge was specced with were unfortunately not road-tubeless compatible. Specialized; Diverge STR Pro Specialized Diverge STR Pro $9,500.00. The new Diverge range is extensive. In our experience to date, the system does live up to the hype it has been shown to be impressively effective in testing on both the Roubaix and previous-generation Diverge, and is universally liked here at BikeRadar. Elite E5 price: US$1,600 / AU$N/A / 1,599 The Specialized Diverge was designed to explore gravel roads. All of that can be slotted into a slim bag that slides into the opening of the frame. To a certain extend, suspension removes that need or at the least, it allows you to stay seated more often and over more terrain, which in turn means you get more traction. Comp E5 price: US$2,100 / AU$3,000 / 1,999 Sure it can sometimes be slightly noticeable out on the road when sprinting, for example but stiffening up the compression makes a world of difference, and its a vast improvement over the original Future Shock. How do you remove a specialized diverge wheel? This item is in the . Once youve chosen your preferred frame post, switching between the soft and stiff side of a post can be done on the fly. We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. The frame post itself is said to have an infinite lifespan and the whole system in general is protected from the usual gravel grime and should last a long time. First ride review: new Specialized Diverge STR S-Works 2023 with Rear Future Shock. Specialized Terra Pro 2Bliss Gravel Tire. Gravel+? In a size 56, the S-Works Diverge STR weighs a claimed 8.5kg set up tubeless. On climbs, this meant less slipping of the tires. Theres space for up to six cages: two inside the front triangle, one on the underside of the downtube, two on the fork legs and a set of bosses on the top tube. I suspect this new bike may very well take sales away from the Roubaix. As mentioned, its a full FACT 11r carbon frame with a mix of SRAM Red eTap AXS shifters, a 42T chainset and brakes, mixed with a SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS rear derailleur and XG-1295 Eagle 10-50T 12-speed cassette. 24h, Tubeless ready, DT for Roval 350 hub, Centerlock disc, DT Swiss Competition Race spokes: Hjulstorlek: 28: Komponentserie - tillverkare: SRAM: Komponentserie: X01 Eagle AXS: Kassett . And MSRP prices being what they are, I discovered that if you were to buy the Diverge STR frameset and build it up yourself with the same components as offered in the S-Works model, you'd still spend around $13,100. I was pleased to see that the new post works with the rest of the bike, in that it never dulls the sharpness of the rear end but just quietens down the road noise thats transferred to you. Whether your goal is to escape on gravel back roads, far from cars and crowds, or drop the hammer at the front of your favorite gravel race, no bike d. The Base Carbon is fitted out with some pretty basic Axis tubeless-ready Elite Disc rims, and Specialized sealed bearing thru-axle hubs. Racing down one of the longer descents in the area, it was immediately noticeable how much confidence they imbued in my riding, especially carving hard into corners. And without being bounced around so much, you're able to maintain sustained efforts, or simply pedal, for longer. The good folk at Specialized had me aboard an S-Works Diverge, decked out with all the lust-worthy components youd expect. The flexible rear with its dropped seat post clamp and seat post deflection does achieve a good amount of rear-end compliance, but it reached its limits with the increasingly rough terrain common in today's events. The Evo name is used by Specialized across all categories to define more left-field or for the lack of a better description rad options in its line-up. The Specialized Allez Elite Aluminium Road Bike redefines what it means to be "entry-level." Allez is classing leading in weight, refinement and reliability. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. As for protecting both your friends and your clothes from the elements, Specializeds Plug and Play Fenders are designed to work.