Im often irritated when brands omit fender or rack mounts, especially as its an easy part to get right. The posher Specialized Diverge came with their own SCS standard wheels .By buying an A1 Sport I got the ordinary wheel standard,a carbon fork and a threaded bottom bracket (no BB30 yay!) 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. I rode the top-end S-Works and the beautiful "Satin Blaze" Pro model in September on some rather wet rides through Germany's Black Forest. Ive been embarking regularly on two-wheeled explorations for the last 18 years. Better yet, the boost in tyre clearance has been achieved while retaining compatibility with front shifting (although most models are set up 1x). Future Shock 2.0 is no different to the Future Shock that is found on the Roubaix, however, the 20 mm of adjustable hydraulically dampened suspension travel seems more at home on a gravel bike than it does on a road bike. On paper, the Diverge isnt as performance-orientated as an all out road machine. 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. Gravel+? The geometry is said to be directly-inspired by the Epic. 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 . . I soon realized that the movement of the frame post is actually quite noticeable, especially when seated toward the back of your saddle. Following the trend of turning gravel bikes into increasingly more capable, suspended steeds, the all-new Specialized Diverge has gotten a major make-over! While on the other end of the spectrum you've got the the outrageously slack Evil Hagar or the likes of Lauf, Niner and Cannondale who've gone all in on suspension. With a near encyclopaedic knowledge of cycling tech, ranging from the most esoteric retro niche to the most cutting-edge modern kit, Jack takes pride in his ability to seek out stories that would otherwise go unreported. DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm inner width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, alloy freehub body, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT . She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter in print! . 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. Ritchey Speedmax WCS Tubeless Gravel Tire. Published 3 March 23, Newly formed Denver Disruptors and Miami Nights NCL teams will make their debut at Tucson Bicycle Classic and tackle a full season of NCL and domestic racing, By Anne-Marije Rook 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. Specialized claims that the whole system only weighs just under 400g more than the current S-Works Diverge frameset. Belgium to host inaugural European Gravel Championships this fall, Newly formed NCL teams to make their debut at Tucson Bicycle Classic, Rapha launches a Film Fund, US filmmakers encouraged to pitch Living life by bike stories, Improve your performance with our expert practical, nutritional and training tips, Every week get exclusive interviews, fitness tips and product reviews. The EVO differs from the rest of the range in several ways. Jack Luke is the deputy editor at BikeRadar and has been fettling with bikes for his whole life. Uphill the lightweight build came into its own. It will oftentimes say 2bliss ready on the rim tape. All builds come with a 1x SRAM drivetrain with a 10-50 cassette, 42mm tubeless Tracer Pro tires, eyelets for mounting gear and the internal SWAT compartment weve come to appreciate about the current Diverge. 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. Our test bike is from the 2016 model year. Finding your fit and ideal ride feel is a little different on the STR than any other gravel or road bike before it, and Specialized does recommend getting a bike fit if you haven't had one yet (or in recent years). Which, incidentally, is where it differs from the Sequoia. Specialized; Diverge STR Pro Specialized Diverge STR Pro $9,500.00. The frame post works as a spring, moving backwards and down in response. 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 . The stopping power of SRAMs Rivals is, well, unrivalled. These two tyres obviously changed the characteristics of the bike. Its also the first in the range to have a sub-compact double chainset with an 11-34T cassette. The one on the downtube even features three eyelets, so you can run an Anything Cage too. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc: . . Theres new geometry, an updated and damped Future Shock headset that has migrated over from Specializeds 2020 Roubaix, room for wider tyres, a longer wheelbase and that external lunchbox has magically vanished from the base of the main triangle. Engineers instead turned to suspension seat posts systems that sit above bike and isolating the rider from the rough roads below without changing the rider's saddle height or location in space. Staying seated also allows you to continue putting out the power. I REALLY want to convert to a tubeless set-up but have gotten mixed reviews online and from my LBS. I enjoyed it even more once I got rid of a certain component . If you come from a road background, fine tuning your suspension will be a new concept. Planning on some more traditional style touring? Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. All rights reserved. All of that can be slotted into a slim bag that slides into the opening of the frame. Its a rare treat to see a modern carbon drop-bar bike with mudguard eyelets, so hats off to Specialized here its an addition that broadens the Diverges versatility even further. Ritchey Alpine JB WCS Tubeless Gravel Tire. 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 top-of-the-line mish-mash of SRAMs top MTB and road groupsets worked faultlessly for me. For those on a tighter budget, the 2017 Gloss Moto Orange Diverge Elite DSW ($1400) looks like a good contender. Wheels. 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 . Change makes me angry!. A bike that you can go out and have a blast on, be it knocking out some big fast miles such as we did on day one, or possibly a shorter, tricky and technical ride like we did on day two. 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. I did come around eventually though (along with wider tires), and have come to quite like the previous Diverge thanks to its lightweight and responsive frame, ingenious SWAT system and improved Future Shock 2.0. Geometry-wise, bike sizing remains consistent among the Diverge line. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. That's because it's fast like any competitive road tire, only it features a unique Endurant casing with bead-to-bead puncture . The latest Diverge, a purpose-designed gravel bike that also looks to be a solid super commuter. Because I thoroughly enjoyed the bike. On the first days gravel forays, the new Diverge took what was laid in front of us in its stride, feeling poised, well-balanced and sure-footed. The build is mostly Shimanos Di2 GRX RX815, but with a Shimano XT 11-42T cassette matched with a 40T 1x chainset. 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. $52.49 $69.99. Rigid frame when you need it SLX 24. I see the new Diverge as a bike perfectly aimed at those who want a bike that can do it all without thinking about the route too much. No adhesion of any kind is being used. How did it ride? 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. 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. It ticks plenty of the boxes Im looking for in a well-rounded gravel bike. As for gear range, my Diverge Comp came fitted with a 46T outer ring, mated to a 10-42 cassette. If youre considering adding a fast road bike to your quill a machine that will be used primarily for long, exploratory day rides and occasional fast bikepacks I cant recommend it highly enough. The final carbon offering is the Base, kitted out with SRAMs 1x 11-speed Apex groupset. But we liked the positives of it, Specialized engineer Chris D'Aluisio said. 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. It takes a shed load of the sting out of the front, and when climbing, especially seated, you dont feel the bob that youd expect from a device you cant fully lock out. The inaugural UEC Gravel European Championships, which will take place on October 1, 2023, By Anne-Marije Rook Published 2 March 23. Across the six sizes available, its now a universal 425 mm, an increase of 4 to 6 mm depending on size. 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. How do you remove a specialized diverge wheel? The new Diverge gains the SWAT down tube storage spot. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist. 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. According to Specialized, this is a bike for pushing boundaries. All in with the full rear Future Shock system, an STR frame will weigh almost 400g more than a standard frame, but that includes the headset, SWAT system, and hardware. 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 . These clearances are quoted with a 6mm gap around each side of the tyre at the stays and fork crown. Starting with its road capabilities, the bike felt as road-orientated as a gravel bike can with 38 mm tyres. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years. 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: Rhombus Pro . Wheels are 32 mm deep Roval Terra CLXs. Theyre well-executed, clean and Im guessing theyll be an appreciated addition. By dampening the roads, I'm afraid the playfulness has been dampened a bit as well. 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. . Theyve introduced slacker head tube angles across the board (0.5 degrees slacker). Just say when and how. Increasing reach while reducing stem length means that riders are less pitched over the front wheel, improving control in steep terrain. Even on the uneven, wet terrain, the wheels stayed safely planted, allowing me to push the speed and corner with confidence. Also see gravel tires listed below. 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). Yes, its almost as if flat bars make sense for improving off-road control. Alloy DT Swiss G540 wheels keep you rolling efficiently, while Kanza winning Pathfinder Pro 42mm tyres deliver performance across smooth . We can already hear the comments While all of this is potentially true, talking about the Diverge Evo is exactly what Specialized wants you to do. insisted it still very much sits within the still evolving spectrum of gravel. Should you choose to take this bike on a loaded bikepacking excursion, you'll want to revisit your frame stiffness to account for the added weight to the seatpost. So, yeah, I was ready for a different style of bike, for something to mix up the experience, and that definitely provides the context for how I viewed the Diverge. Specialized is also launching the Diverge Evo a stretched out, even slacker and generally more radical version of the Diverge designed for rowdier riding oh, and it ditches drop bars in favour of flat bars. Subscribe from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! So large is the gravel market that Specialized now expects it to be larger than any other category in the very near future. . 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. The same is true on gravel bikes. Since then I've worked my way through a Specialized Trigger Pro 33c tyre on the rear wheel and bought a set of 38c Trigger tyres. The new frameset has been redesigned with a new longer fork offset (55mm), a slacker head tube angle, a considerably longer overall wheelbase, a very slightly higher bottom bracket and increased reach on all sizes. 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. And without being bounced around so much, you're able to maintain sustained efforts, or simply pedal, for longer. A new name and one significant new face made the headlines as Ian Boswell took the . The Elite ships with a GR400 groupset where the Base is decked out with a Shimano Claris groupset. 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. Wheels are DT Swiss G540. Vibrations being dampened by both suspension without removing the sensation of fast road cycling. 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. Roubaix Pro 2Bliss Ready. New Tubeless Tire conversion, Specialized Chisel, No tape. 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. DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc . 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. Were personally going for aggressive performance. 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. The Diverge STR unveiled today now features both front and rear Future Shock suspension. but the DT Swiss wheels on the 2021 Diverge are tubeless-compatible while the Axis wheels on the 2015 Diverge are not. This is just an old-school mountain bike! Making adjustments to the dampener is even easier. But compared to the 2015 version, the latest 2021 Diverge makes off-road performance its priority. 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. Theres provision for a rear rack mount and two water bottle cages. Wheels: Specialized Axis Elite Disc. All other models feature the Future Shock 1.5. On climbs, this meant less slipping of the tires. 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. You also lose the new carbon seatpost in exchange for a pretty standard-looking single-bolt carbon post. The launch of the new Diverge comes off the back of the enormous and well-documented growth of gravel riding across the world. You can, of course, drop the range down a notch by swapping out the chainring for one thats 4-6 teeth smaller probably without even needing to adjust the length of the chain. Is the suspension going to bob on an out-of-saddle climb? Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, On the descends, this translated to confidence on the at-times loose terrain and new-to-me roads. The S-Works, Pro, Expert, and Comp Carbon models all get the updated Future Shock, while the Future Shock 1.5 an older version without hydraulic damping (or the ability to firm it up while riding) is found on the Comp E5, Sport, and Base Carbon offerings. The Specialized Allez Elite Aluminium Road Bike redefines what it means to be "entry-level." Allez is classing leading in weight, refinement and reliability. Indeed Specialized hardly touched upon it in the launch event presentation. Light Fantastic: The Diverge S-Works is a racers dream at approx 8kg. 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. Compared to the vanilla Diverge, the bike features a lower stack, a longer reach (roughly 30mm longer), a lower bottom bracket and a 70-degree head angle across all sizes. The Diverge Comp Carbon features the same game changing FACT 9r Carbon frame and Future Shock 2.0 as Specialized's Pro build but spec'd with SRAM's mechanical shifting Rival 1 111 gravel group. To achieve this, Specialized has forgone the trendy dropped chainstay and has instead opted for a 15 mm section of a solid, flattened carbon beam on the drive side behind the chainrings. 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. If you just want the frameset, then the S-Works is your only option. 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. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. When I put down what power I have, the bike picked up speed with ease. 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. Like the S-Works, the Pro gets Easton EC70 AX Carbon 16-degree flare bars. The dampener piece will wear out over time, however, and like a chain or cassette will need to be replaced. At $2600, our test bike the 2016 Diverge Comp DSW X1 Comp sits somewhere in the middle of the pack. When pressed on what category the Diverge Evo lives in, Specialized a brand that. Billed as the most capable gravel bike Specialized has ever made, the Diverge STR sports a super 1100 gram FACT 11r carbon frameset, the existing Future Shock 2.0 in the front and the new rear Future Shock, and has clearance for 650b x 2.1 or 700c x 47mm tires. Pathfinder Pro 2BR . The question is: whos this for and is there a market? 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 . Major refresh and adoption of Future Shock 2.0 brings the Specialized Diverge bang up to date. Front: 762 grams. Officially, the frame has clearance for 35mm tires with room to spare. The first day we took on a pretty sedate 75 km-ish gravel ride. As is often the way with the Big S, there are several builds to pick from. Breaking down the numbers, the reach of the bike has grown by around 10mm across all sizes. The S-Works model comes stock with 38-millimeter Specialized Trigger tubeless-ready tires that look plump on the Roval CLX 32 Disc carbon rims (21.7mm internal width). Thanks in advance for spreading the word! Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? Converting to tubeless is a hit and miss on these. Specialized have released details, images and pricing for their all-new Diverge, the 2021 incarnation of the company's specialist gravel platform. If the rear Future Shock was the first head turner of the Diverge STR, then the price tag is a close second. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. From the first gravel section we hit it instantly had me changing my view on the bike. Hidden away out back, on the underside of the seatstays, the bosses are practically undetectable. It's simply the fastest, most capable, and probably the most fun bike that Specialized has built. But it was the tidy fender mounts that impressed me more than the number of other mounting options. I personally like SRAMs eTap and the way it works. 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. Thats clearly something that the market will dictate, but it certainly looks like something else you can already buy from a different category . Who would have thought? 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. 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. though it's a shame the wheelset that comes stock with this model isn't tubeless ready. The slight motion isn't off-putting per se, it's just new and takes some getting used to. And so the wheels in DAluisios head started turning, creating some rather wild looking prototypes. I joked to my fellow bike journalists upon seeing the new Specialized Diverge STR. Specialized Diverge FACT 8r carbon, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc: Rammaterial: Kolfiber: . These offer, in Specializeds words, aggressive tread for aggressive riding on aggressive trails, and that matches the suggested ethos of the EVO nicely. 20.10.2022. Brand: Specialized, Product: Diverge Pro Carbon 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. Disques 160/ . tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT Swiss brass nipples. Brakes are flat mount with the fork designed around larger 160/180 mm rotors instead of the more commonly found 140/160 mm. Ive been on the lookout for a gravel bike since some scumbag decided that my previous one was to their liking. Specialized customer support said the Axis are tubeless compatible, but when I spoke with . Yes, they add weight over the caliper brakes of traditional road brakes. After all, Specialized has designed the carbon post in conjunction with the new frame for a reason. The two cheapest aluminium models the Diverge Elite E5 and Diverge Base E5 do not have either version of the Future Shock. 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. 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 .