It again tidies up the look of the frame and realistically has room for what youd usually stuff in a small saddle bag: a tube, CO2 canister and a small multi-tool. 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. Vibrations being dampened by both suspension without removing the sensation of fast road cycling. Again wheels are from Roval: this time the Roval Terra CL in 32 mm wrapped in Specializeds 38 mm Pathfinder Pro in a very fetching transparent/tan sidewall. 24h, Tubeless ready: Front Hub: DT for Roval 350 hub, Centerlock disc: Rear Hub: NEW DT 370 Star Ratchet hub, 24h, DT Swiss Comp Race spokes: Spokes: DT Swiss Competition Race spokes . They don't have a dampener, they have high weight, they're not very good to look at, and they're mostly an add-on, right? The Specialized Diverge has received a comprehensive refresh for model year 2021, gaining the latest-generation Future Shock 2.0 suspension on select models, an update to more progressive long, slack and low geometry, and increased tyre clearances, bringing the bike bang up to date. Otherwise, keep your bikepacking payload to a minimum. 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. Its all about pushing where you can go and what you can do with a gravel bike. Across the six sizes available, its now a universal 425 mm, an increase of 4 to 6 mm depending on size. I enjoyed it even more once I got rid of a certain component . 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. But the extra bells and whistles may not be everyone's cup of tea and the $7,000 to $14,000 buy-in price is preventative for most. Next post . Specialized worked on rideable modified versions of the previous-generation bike to test its new geometry. Specialized Diverge FACT 8r carbon, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc. Although this lightweight 1x drivetrain caused no complaints in terms of its slick, fast shifting and offers the promise of easier maintenance than a 2x setup its a gearing thats likely to be on the large side for bikepackers heading into more mountainous topography. Why you can trust Cycling Weekly but the DT Swiss wheels on the 2021 Diverge are tubeless-compatible while the Axis wheels on the 2015 Diverge are not. Lastly, the bottom bracket has been lifted by 5mm to 80mm with the aim of eliminating pedal strikes when using 650b wheels. The 10-50 cassette provides all the gearing one could want, the carbon components are light and responsive, and I continue to appreciate the Diverge's SWAT system in the down tube and the ability to run just about any gravel tire size of choice. The Future Shock 1.5 which is used on cheaper versions of the bike has swappable springs (soft, medium and firm), but does not feature the hydraulic damper or adjuster. On mountain bikes, ever longer reach, slacker head tubes and lower overall geometry has been shown to significantly improve stability and speed off-road. This, Specialized argues, is what ultimately makes you faster in the long run, and why Ian Boswell will be choosing the STR as his weapon of choice for the 200-mile Unbound next year. Even the entry-point of $7,000 is pretty preventative, and many will have to wait for the technology to trickle down a bit further before being able to experience the dual Future Shock. Roval Terra CL, carbon rim with 25mm internal width and 32mm depth, 24h, tubeless-ready, DT for Roval 350 hub, Center Lock disc, DT Swiss Competition Race spokes: Front Tyre: Pathfinder Pro 2BR . Next to Specializeds Tarmac, the chainstays are longer and the bottom bracket drop deeper. At the same time, the head angle is also a little slacker, with more fork offset, which actually serves to conjure up a similar trail figure to the Tarmac 64mm to 53mm, depending on the frame size suggesting the bike will steer more like a road bike than a touring bike. Receive FREE UK delivery on all orders over 30 and easy returns! Specialized diverge in beautiful pearl white and red. The first day we took on a pretty sedate 75 km-ish gravel ride. Major refresh and adoption of Future Shock 2.0 brings the Specialized Diverge bang up to date. Thats something weve not tested here at CyclingTips but from talking to a few bike shop mechanics it sounds like its a pretty handy groupset out on the road. Sticking with comfort, the Future Shock 2.0 really is ideally suited to gravel. All the time, shod with 34mm tufo CX tubulars (the tubeless tire of that time . 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, Tan . On the first day I almost felt like 16 degrees of flare was too much and too wide for the road and tame gravel. This Specialized Pathfinder Pro Tubeless Ready Tan Wall gravel tyre was born in the American Midwest. The Comp Carbon has all the same finishing kit as the Expert but forgoes the Di2 GRX groupset for the mechanical offering in the form of Shimanos GRX 810. Making adjustments to the dampener is even easier. Fork. 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. RapidAir. While its certainly not as glamorous as the satin black carbon tubeset of the Diverge Pro priced at a cool $5500 for 2017 its considerably more refined than the entry level A1, which rings in at a very inclusive $900. 4 interest-free payments of $9.24 with Klarna. Are the extra bells and whistles worth it when you can buy an aftermarket suspension seatpost like the Redshift for $230? though it's a shame the wheelset that comes stock with this model isn't tubeless ready. Were personally going for aggressive performance hybrid. The one on the downtube even features three eyelets, so you can run an Anything Cage too. What they all share is a DNA designed for all road riding, be it the smoothest of highways, frontage roads, broken roads, desert roads or anything in between. Shop the Specialized Diverge Pro Disc Gravel Bike 2023 online at Sigma Sports. While this yoke adds a touch more weight, the brand says it developed this to avoid using a raised or dropped chainstay, which are commonly used on gravel bikes to improve clearances. Specialized Diverge; Specialized Rockhopper; Specialized Sirrus; Reasons To Buy. Wheels are 32 mm deep Roval Terra CLXs. Using fenders, though, does reduce tyre clearance slightly: to a still-generous 700 x 42 or 650B x 47c. Ive been embarking regularly on two-wheeled explorations for the last 18 years. Any bike that encourages me to get out and ride, and nudges me explore places in new ways, is likely to win me over. A brand new flying carpet for Aladdin? A Pro model weighs 8.9kg (19.6lb), and an Expert model weighs 9.5kg (20.9lb). . Specialized Sawtooth 2Bliss Gravel Tire. Yes, its almost as if flat bars make sense for improving off-road control. Longer and slacker it may be, but Specialized has balanced that with a long 55 mm fork offset across all frame sizes, meaning the rather quick trail figure (61 mm for a 54 cm) is much the same as before. and Specialized tubeless ready tyres,hence the possession of a compressor.I would not contemplate tubes . Which appeals most will largely depend on the depth of your pockets and your riding locale, given the choice of drivetrains and frame materials. this will all be familiar stuff (with the exception of the higher bottom bracket). These offer, in Specializeds words, aggressive tread for aggressive riding on aggressive trails, and that matches the suggested ethos of the EVO nicely. DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc . And here I thought gravel riding would allow me to downsize my quiver! This item is in the . Specialized Diverge FACT 8r carbon, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc: Rammaterial: Kolfiber: . Its definitely got a race-orientated edge to it, and keeps you on your toes in trickier sections. At $2600, our test bike the 2016 Diverge Comp DSW X1 Comp sits somewhere in the middle of the pack. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . $79.95. More here. And then there's the fine tuning of the rear-end compliance and ride feel. Its a neat and simple idea making for a cleaner and more traditional-looking rear triangle. This frame post has the ability to move back and forth, effectively moving the saddle 30mm back and downward along the seat tube axis. The stack height combined with the front-end Future Shock is already a tad high for my liking, so the rider bars make for too upright of a position for me. You're right, they are not officially declared as "tubeless ready" by Continental, but I've heard from some riders on a German MTB forum that they're running them . Otherwise, the replacement 2017 Diverge Comp now features a carbon frame and fork and a double crankset too. Front: 762 grams. Jack thinks nothing of bikepacking after work to sleep in a ditch or taking on a daft challenge for the BikeRadar YouTube channel. Gravel riding is one of the fastest-growing styles of cycling. E5 Comp EVO price: US$1,600 / 1,599 / AU$2,500. Ritchey Alpine JB WCS Tubeless Gravel Tire. But let me delve into the finer details first. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . This Diverge STR is still rigid climbing hills without any pumping effect of either the front or rear suspension. These tweaks offer increased stability, lowering your centre of gravity on the bike. Groupe Sram Apex 1x11 Hydraulique. The first day I probably used fewer than half the gears available and wished I had one or two other options slotted in the middle on a few occasions. On paper, the Diverge isnt as performance-orientated as an all out road machine. This also included using this wild test rig with an adjustable head angle. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years. 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. The question is: whos this for and is there a market? The Expert comes equipped with a SRAM Rival eTap AXS Eagle groupset, Roval Terra C wheels, alloy handlebars, an S-Works carbon seatpost and the Power Expert saddle. In the meantime, the Roubaix Pros are good all rounders, though its a shame the wheelset that comes stock with this model isnt tubeless ready. Our test bike is from the 2016 model year. Who would have thought? 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. Base E5 price: US$1,100 / AU$N/A / 949. It'll support up to 46T rear . If you intend to multi-day camp regularly, Id recommend picking a model with a 2x drivetrain, ideally a compact 48/32T chainset, to enjoy the best of both worlds. 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. The Specialized Diverge is the perfect blend of speed and comfort to ride anywhere, any time. thus killing a number of birds with one stone. The Comp E5 still gets a Future Shock headset where the lower two models the Elite E5 and the Base E5 dont. Roubaix Pro 2Bliss Ready. 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. Wheelset: Roval C 38 Disc carbon tubeless-ready clincher Tyres: Specialized Turbo Pro 28mm stock, changed to Continental Grand Prix 5000 TL 32mm, then Schwalbe Pro One TLE 28mm Brakes: Shimano . The Specialized Allez Elite Aluminium Road Bike redefines what it means to be "entry-level." Allez is classing leading in weight, refinement and reliability. 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. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter in print! In terms of the frameset and the increasingly perplexing world of standards, the rear is spaced for a 135mm QR wheel, while the carbon fork accepts a 10012 TA hub (just to add further confusion, the 2015 models are different, as are 2016 and 2017 carbon-framed versions). Subscribe from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! 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. . As for gear range, my Diverge Comp came fitted with a 46T outer ring, mated to a 10-42 cassette. It feels light, agile, and very engaging. trends in contemporary mountain bike geometry. Gone is the SWAT box that sat at the base of the main triangle above the bottom bracket. Theres provision for a rear rack mount and two water bottle cages. We deliver! Women's Diverge E5 Comp. The Pro and Expert models, also featuring Rear Future Shock, come in at 8.9kg and 9.5kg. Indeed, Id claim we were venturing close to MTB territory in several parts of the ride. - Check, check and check. Frameset price: US$4,200 / AU$6,000 / 3,499. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Pirelli Cinturato Gravel Mixed Tubeless Tire 2-Pack. The Diverge Evo is a rowdier version of the new bike designed for more aggressive riding, with a longer and lower geometry, and flat bars rather than drops. The Diverge felt very at home as an endurance bike. According to Specialized, this is a bike for pushing boundaries.