you'll be looking at about an 8kg build for the Diverge S-Works, set up tubeless. Why you can trust Cycling Weekly 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. 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. The dampener piece will wear out over time, however, and like a chain or cassette will need to be replaced. The dual Future Shocks do a good job absorbing the vibrations, and turning a jarring ride into a comfortable cruise. 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. Who would have thought? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Specialized; Diverge STR Pro Specialized Diverge STR Pro $9,500.00. It's a subconscious reaction. 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. Specialized Diverge E5 Premium Aluminum, Future Shock suspension, 1x specific EVO geometry, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . 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. It ticks plenty of the boxes Im looking for in a well-rounded gravel bike. It adds not only comfort but also stability, traction and confidence to an already very capable bike. 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. The fact we were riding far more technical and challenging gravel sectors than the day before safely balanced things out. Even more surprising, its had me pouring over my state Gazateer, planning fast, weekend road tours with new eyes, which in turn has broadened my horizons and knowledge of the area. The wheels were also tubeless-ready with a full rim strip. 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 . So large is the gravel market that Specialized now expects it to be larger than any other category in the very near future. 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. tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT Swiss brass nipples Front Tyre Rhombus Pro . Already have an account with us? For me, the suspension shone on the rougher descends. All rights reserved. Otherwise, keep your bikepacking payload to a minimum. On mountain bikes, ever longer reach, slacker head tubes and lower overall geometry has been shown to significantly improve stability and speed off-road. 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. Breaking down the numbers, the reach of the bike has grown by around 10mm across all sizes. Always in search of the hippest new niche in cycling, Jack is a self-confessed gravel dork, fixie-botherer, tandem-evangelist and hill climb try hard. On the descends, this translated to confidence on the at-times loose terrain and new-to-me roads. When I put down what power I have, the bike picked up speed with ease. I was disappointed as I know Specialized can nail a plush and comfortable rear end the new Roubaix I tested last year proved this. Ritchey Speedmax WCS Tubeless Gravel Tire. Van 4900 nu voor 3850! Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . All in a relatively lightweight, road-inspired package. Officially, the frame has clearance for 35mm tires with room to spare. Pirelli Cinturato Gravel Mixed Tubeless Tire 2-Pack. The bike should also appeal to riders looking for something like. As for protecting both your friends and your clothes from the elements, Specializeds Plug and Play Fenders are designed to work. Yep, it wasnt as nippy, and yes cornering became slower, and there was also that lean-in that larger tyres throw up when cornering sharply. I cant see how the extra tech it offers is worth sacrificing an otherwise well-performing and comfortable ride. 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, . 24mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h: Wheelset - Hubs: Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc: Front tyre: Pathfinder Pro, 2Bliss Ready, transparent sidewall . Ritchey. OE Wheelset fitted to a Specialized Diverge, Roubaix and Sirrus. 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. Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. Pro and Expert models come in at 19.6 lbs (8.9kg) and 20.9lbs (9.5kg), respectively. The other benefit of the Alex rims are the fact that they ship tubeless ready. A a complete 56cm S-Works Diverge STR has a claimed weight of 18.7lbs (8.5kg) set up tubeless out of the box. Starting with its road capabilities, the bike felt as road-orientated as a gravel bike can with 38 mm tyres. 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. Not that the Diverge isnt comfortable and capable when dirt calls, thanks in part to its 32mm tires, the padded handlebar tape and its carbon seat post. The new Diverge has certainly jumped high up the list as a possible replacement. The Roubaix Pro 2Bliss Ready is an endurance road tire that's well suited for smooth and rough roads alike. A note on 2016/2017 model years. , so hats off to Specialized here its an addition that broadens the Diverges versatility even further. On the familiar roads at home, the bike felt capable and, for a lack of a better word, cruise-y. As usual, the S-Works sits at the top of the pecking order. Increasing reach while reducing stem length means that riders are less pitched over the front wheel, improving control in steep terrain. 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. In layman terms, the hero of the rear Future Shock is a composite frame post that sits inside the seat tube. Vibrations being dampened by both suspension without removing the sensation of fast road cycling. I received my 2021 Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon (size 52) two weeks ago. As for chainstay length, thats been lengthened. Specialized diverge in beautiful pearl white and red. Gravel continues to be a such fascinating category for bike manufacturers. Not sure how this might affect changing a flat in the field. Unbound gravel has had a rocky few years but, much to the relief to the gravel community, returned last weekend and featured a packed field for 2021. The chainstay length has grown to a consistent 425mm across all sizes and models. by jtoddgill. All the time, shod with 34mm tufo CX tubulars (the tubeless tire of that time . though it's a shame the wheelset that comes stock with this model isn't tubeless ready. Speed, control and confidence - Future Shock 2.0 technology is ideal for the gravel rider. Over the years the Diverge has developed somewhat of a cult status and rightly so. Making adjustments to the dampener is even easier. Notably, the new Diverge is also the first non-electric bike from Specialized to ship with Shimanos gravel-specific GRX groupset. While the front future shock underneath your hands and arms moves up and down, you saddle moves back and down. In a size 56, the S-Works Diverge STR weighs a claimed 8.5kg set up tubeless. 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 . This, in combination with the increased offset of the fork, should improve the overall stability of the bike. Tyre clearance has also been beefed up, now offering room for up to 700 x 47 mm or 650B x 2.1 (approx 53 mm) rubber. On day one we used the all-round 50/50 road/gravel rubber of the 38 mm Pathfinder Pro. Firstly, the gravel riding around Girona (where the launch was held) is mesmerising: get a trip booked if you can (once all this craziness is over, obviously). With that said, I did price out the S-Works model spec by spec. Rapide CLX II*. Specialized has overhauled the Diverge for 2021. We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. My first ride was spent on the Pro model and was meant to get an initial feel for the bike as a whole. The driveside chainstay also features an in-built rubber protector to stave off chain slap. I personally like SRAMs eTap and the way it works. The fact that it has mounting eyelets, and can be used for racing and bikepacking alike is a big plus in book as well. Specialized have released details, images and pricing for their all-new Diverge, the 2021 incarnation of the company's specialist gravel platform. 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. We deliver! Once you get to the Sport model youll drop down to the FACT 8r carbon frame and lose that SWAT box. Plus detailed bike, kit and accessory reviews from the experts. Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. It allows you to hit things faster than you think you actually can. 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. With the dropper installed on the first day, the rear end felt almost harsh, or at least not as smooth as Id expected. If neither frame post suits your needs, additional posts can be obtained through a Specialized dealer. Access is via a clip-off cover that the bottle cage is attached to. So perhaps, this is what differentiates Specialized's gravel offerings. I REALLY want to convert to a tubeless set-up but have gotten mixed reviews online and from my LBS. Front Tire. The Diverge is the entry-level carbon model which retails for $2,500 and features the same frame as the model we tested, but comes with a lower-end spec that includes a 2 x 10-speed Shimano Tiagra drivetrain and Specialized Axis wheels. Frame. In which category would you place the bike? Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. I'll admit that I was skeptical of suspension on road and gravel bikes initially, and it took me a while to come around on the Future Shock being able to adjust and lockout the suspension on the fly made a big difference for me. 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. As for gear range, my Diverge Comp came fitted with a 46T outer ring, mated to a 10-42 cassette. 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. 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. 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. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . 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, DT Swiss brass nipples . Its a similar story for Easton EC70 AX bars. The tires, which measured 40mm wide, just did fit. With 20mm of spring-loaded suspension in the front and 30mm of hydraulically dampened rear-end compliance, Specialized is taking its "Smoother is Faster" approach to yet another level. Details of the Specialized DIVERGE COMP. On the first day I almost felt like 16 degrees of flare was too much and too wide for the road and tame gravel. Otherwise, the replacement 2017 Diverge Comp now features a carbon frame and fork and a double crankset too. On the second day, though, just like with the gearing, the bars came into their own and that extra width was appreciated. 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. 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 . Rear 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, DT Swiss brass nipples; Front Tyre - Pathfinder Pro 2BR, Tan sidewall, 700x42; Rear Tyre - Pathfinder Pro 2BR, Tan sidewall, 700x42 To get that kind of rear tyre clearance, while still being able to take big chainrings and 2x cranksets AND have short chaintsays, Specialized's engineers got creative. Hidden away out back, on the underside of the seatstays, the bosses are practically undetectable. Specialized is just marketing old ideas! That is to say, I miss a bit of the snappiness and liveliness of a pure race breed like the Crux or even a previous Diverge. A painted 56cm Diverge STR frame with no hardware weighs 1100g. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. All 2021 versions of Diverge are tubeless compatible. And then there's the fine tuning of the rear-end compliance and ride feel. The Pro and Expert models, also featuring Rear Future Shock, come in at 8.9kg and 9.5kg. The Diverge felt very at home as an endurance bike. The Expert I rode on my home gravel roads in Oregon. The latest Diverge, a purpose-designed gravel bike that also looks to be a solid super commuter. 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. Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon. FRAME Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . The gravel season can start If you want to cycle on paths away from cars and crowds or if you want to contest your favorite gravel race at full speed, you will not be able to avoid the new diverge. Both bikes have a race pedigree yet sit at the opposite ends. 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. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. The stopping power of SRAMs Rivals is, well, unrivalled. Diverge: to separate from another route and go in a different direction, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary. The new Diverge range is extensive. It straddles the road/gravel divide by being racy on the road while offering more than a dollop of stability and confidence on the gravel. Luckily, Specialized made it fairly easy but be prepared to spend some time playing with your setup for the first couple rides until you find a ride feel you prefer. The tubeless-ready tyres were . Ive slowly come to realise though that a lot of that is down to where I live and the riding on offer. 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. Pro and Expert models come in at 19.6 lbs (8.9kg) and 20.9lbs (9.5kg), respectively. 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. The Diverge STR unveiled today now features both front and rear Future Shock suspension. Neither road nor mountain, cycling's gravel category takes the best of both worlds . Cynicism aside, we think the bike will be a total hoot to ride and hope to try one out soon. Across the six sizes available, its now a universal 425 mm, an increase of 4 to 6 mm depending on size. Lastly, the bottom bracket has been lifted by 5mm to 80mm with the aim of eliminating pedal strikes when using 650b wheels. It's quite simply the fastest most capable - and just maybe the most fun - bike we've ever made delivering a ride that's quick and lively under power but stable and confidence inspiring when the . . Old school mountain bike? Shimano's gravel inspired GRX 400 group shifts 2x10 gears smoothly on any terrain and Axis Elite alloy wheels with Pathfinder 38mm tires . The two Diverge Evo builds also use an alloy frameset, but feature Future Shock 2.0. After a long day in the saddle, the rough terrain has less of an impact on the lower back and arms, which means fever aches and generally a more joyful ride. Comp E5 price: US$2,100 / AU$3,000 / 1,999 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.