The launch of the new Diverge comes off the back of the enormous and well-documented growth of gravel riding across the world. Specialized S-Works Tracer 2Bliss Ready Tire. The stable descending and slip-free climbing particularly stood out to me. Just look at the internet-breaking hubbub that the launch of the Canyon hover bar created, firmly cementing the Grail in the collective consciousness of the gravel riding masses. In a size 56, the S-Works Diverge STR weighs a claimed 8.5kg set up tubeless. Visit our corporate site. Why you can trust Cycling Weekly I personally like SRAMs eTap and the way it works. 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. 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 Specialized Diverge Elite E5 Tubeless : gravelcycling 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. Specialized DIVERGE COMP - Rival - Carbon Gravelbike - 2022 - satin The Diverge STR unveiled today now features both front and rear Future Shock suspension. Travis | Specialized USA Rider Care" I interpret that as if the stock tape has their 2bliss branding it should be ready to go, but if it doesn't, the rims are compatible but need to be retaped with tubeless tape. Frameset price: US$4,200 / AU$6,000 / 3,499. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. The Pathfinder . The top-of-the-line mish-mash of SRAMs top MTB and road groupsets worked faultlessly for me. Oh, and the engineers have had enough time on their hands to put together a version of the bike that some would say is creeping in to jumping the shark territory. Next post . The two Diverge Evo builds also use an alloy frameset, but feature Future Shock 2.0. Nieuwe Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon maat 58 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. 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. These tweaks offer increased stability, lowering your centre of gravity on the bike. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. 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. Using fenders, though, does reduce tyre clearance slightly: to a still-generous 700 x 42 or 650B x 47c. Which appeals most will largely depend on the depth of your pockets and your riding locale, given the choice of drivetrains and frame materials. Maybe theyll call it mountain biking? It's not recommended that you mess with the rebound speed too much, but it can be adjusted with a hex key through a hole in the base of the top tube. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Thanks to FACT carbon, the frame is lightweight and makes it a suitable competition platform. And then there's the fine tuning of the rear-end compliance and ride feel. This Diverge STR is still rigid climbing hills without any pumping effect of either the front or rear suspension. Specialized Vlo de Gravel Diverge Sport Carbon 28" - Check, check and check. For those on a tighter budget, the 2017 Gloss Moto Orange Diverge Elite DSW ($1400) looks like a good contender. Below the S-Works eTap sits the Pro model, with a FACT 9r carbon frame. The first day we took on a pretty sedate 75 km-ish gravel ride. . The bike should also appeal to riders looking for something like. 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 . 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. Specialized Allez Elite 2022 Aluminium Road Bike - Rutland Cycling 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 Diverge has me hankering for the open paved roads of the New Mexican desert; as a self-confessed dirt road addict, this is quite a statement. Pro and Expert models come in at 19.6 lbs (8.9kg) and 20.9lbs (9.5kg), respectively. insisted it still very much sits within the still evolving spectrum of gravel. I will be using the stock Specialized rim liner or rim tape. Look for Tubeless Ready on the tire sidewall: Turbo S-Works Rapidair. 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. The only problem I can see with it is its something else to go wrong, especially if youre a rider who takes on marathon adventures that take you to far-flung places over multiple days. Specialized 2023 Diverge Comp Carbon - stowesports.com 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. Specialized reasons that when the rear wheel encounters a bump, the wheel moves up. Size: Color: Satin Blaze/Violet Ghost Pearl Fade . The one on the downtube even features three eyelets, so you can run an Anything Cage too. The last three models of the drop bar flavour are built from Specializeds E5 alloy. 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. It is also only designed to smooth out rough roads and trails, reducing upper body fatigue, rather than taking big hits on rocky descents, like a, 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. . Theyve introduced slacker head tube angles across the board (0.5 degrees slacker). Axis Elite tubeless conversion : r/DivergeGravelBikes - reddit As is often the way with the Big S, there are several builds to pick from. As for chainstay length, thats been lengthened. Despite the new wider downtube it remains faster than the previous Diverge, but its certainly not an aero bike, either. Axis Elite Disc wheelset weight - J. Todd Gill Height: 61 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. The new Specialized Diverge is here and theres a flat bar option that, The launch of the new Diverge comes off the back of the enormous and well-documented growth of, 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, why Specialized opted for this system rather than a conventional telescopic fork. The Roubaix Pro 2Bliss Ready is an endurance road tire that's well suited for smooth and rough roads alike. Can it carve corners, descend confidently and respond to surges? The final carbon offering is the Base, kitted out with SRAMs 1x 11-speed Apex groupset. 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. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Specialized Diverge Review - Asphalt Revisted - BIKEPACKING.com The two cheapest models the Diverge Elite E5 and Diverge Base E5 use an aluminium frameset and do not feature Future Shock suspension in any form. The bike is available in sizes 44cm through to 61cm on cheaper models, narrowing down to 49cm to 61cm on higher-tier models. Increasing reach while reducing stem length means that riders are less pitched over the front wheel, improving control in steep terrain. First ride review: new Specialized Diverge STR S-Works 2023 with Rear Future Shock. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. 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. As for gear range, my Diverge Comp came fitted with a 46T outer ring, mated to a 10-42 cassette. 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. But compared to the 2015 version, the latest 2021 Diverge makes off-road performance its priority. Published 2 March 23. We can already hear the comments 2021 Specialized Diverge gravel bike gets Future Shock 2.0 - BikeRadar 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 certainly jumped high up the list as a possible replacement. 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. To take the wheel off, you'll be faced with either a quick-release (QR) skewer or thru-axle. You simply loosen the bolt below the seatpost clamp, turn your frame post 90 degrees, re-tighten the bolt, adjust your saddle and go. 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. 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. Thru-axles are regular 10012 and 14212 front and rear respectively. You also lose the new carbon seatpost in exchange for a pretty standard-looking single-bolt carbon post. RapidAir. Next to Specializeds Tarmac, the chainstays are longer and the bottom bracket drop deeper. 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 . Gravel+? Roubaix Pro 2Bliss Ready. So perhaps, this is what differentiates Specialized's gravel offerings. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . The Specialized Diverge STR is a capable, comfortable steed that's ready to go long, be it at a race or simply to explore. We understood that suspension seatpost, that have the action on the top, have a lot of positive things, but a lot of drawbacks too. I ran this wheelset tubeless with Trigger Pro 38 tires before changing to a different setup. After decades of bike riding, getting out of the saddle to respond to and absorb bumps or tricky terrain is almost second nature. Its definitely got a race-orientated edge to it, and keeps you on your toes in trickier sections. Tubeless Compatible Rims and Tires - Specialized Bicycle Components The Diverge has done exactly that. Specialized says it decided to launch the bike after seeing a number of riders converting the previous-generation Diverge to flat bar. . Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon Gravel Bike 2023 in Green I REALLY want to convert to a tubeless set-up but have gotten mixed reviews online and from my LBS. $139.80. Just like the new Roubaix revealed last year, the new Diverge has been treated to the updated Future Shock 2.0. Die hard roadies will no doubt quibble over its weight, compared to a dedicated asphalt machine. Specialized Diverge Elite E5 Tubeless. 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. Come the second day I was lucky enough to have the staff on hand swap out the dropper post for the new carbon post. tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub, centerlock disc, DT Swiss Champion 14G stainless steel spokes, DT Swiss brass nipples. Future Shock 1.5 w/Smooth Boot, FACT carbon, 12x100 mm thru-axle, flat-mount. 2017 models will be available shortly, meaning bargains from last year are sure to be found. . On the first day I almost felt like 16 degrees of flare was too much and too wide for the road and tame gravel. Fourche amortie Future Shock 1.5, carbone FACT. Brakes are flat mount with the fork designed around larger 160/180 mm rotors instead of the more commonly found 140/160 mm. Both bikes have a race pedigree yet sit at the opposite ends. If you haven't tried a road bike with hydros, you're . The geometry is said to be directly-inspired by the Epic. 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. It is also only designed to smooth out rough roads and trails, reducing upper body fatigue, rather than taking big hits on rocky descents, like a mountain bike suspension fork. Which, incidentally, is where it differs from the Sequoia. 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 . Change makes me angry!. 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. $79.95. New Tubeless Tire conversion, Specialized Chisel, No tape. Rapide CLX II*. Every other build is based on a carbon frameset, with the grade of carbon and included features rising as you go up through the range. Specialized Pathfinder Pro Tubeless Ready Tan Wall Gravel Tyre Access is via a clip-off cover that the bottle cage is attached to. 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). Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. The frame post works as a spring, moving backwards and down in response. Wheels are 32 mm deep Roval Terra CLXs. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. The Conti's mounted easily, without levers, but required >70 psi to fully seat on the tall rim shelf. Better yet, the boost in tyre clearance has been achieved while retaining compatibility with front shifting (although most models are set up 1x). Join the conversation. Specialized Diverge Expert E5 EVO 2022 | Bikes.fan Details of the Specialized DIVERGE SPORT. It might feel gimmicky but weve found this to actually be really useful in testing. The new Specialized Diverge has clearances for 47mm wide tyres with 700c wheels or 2.1in tyres with 650b wheels. You need to be logged in to use these features. Ritchey Speedmax WCS Tubeless Gravel Tire. 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. I guess that comes down to the individual. The slight motion isn't off-putting per se, it's just new and takes some getting used to. Many Specialized bikes are equipped with Roval tubeless-compatible rims and tires. 4 interest-free payments of $9.24 with Klarna. 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. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. The Base Carbon is fitted out with some pretty basic Axis tubeless-ready Elite Disc rims . The wheels were also tubeless-ready with a full rim strip. Diverge STR Expert | Specialized.com The other benefit of the Alex rims are the fact that they ship tubeless ready. As usual, the S-Works sits at the top of the pecking order. 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. Specialized have released details, images and pricing for their all-new Diverge, the 2021 incarnation of the company's specialist gravel platform. 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). Both the Sport and Base models come in eight sizes and downgrade to the previous Future Shock 1.5. Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Officially, the frame has clearance for 35mm tires with room to spare. Its an apt name for Specializeds all road bike, a model that slots in alongside the burly AWOL and the do-it-all Sequoia, at the lighter end of the companys Adventure range. A note on 2016/2017 model years. 2021 Specialized Diverge gravel bike: first-ride review - CyclingTips 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 Van 4900 nu voor 3850! 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. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. 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 . But it turned out to be the X-Fusion Manic dropper post that really swayed my opinion of the bike. 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. But let me delve into the finer details first. Just that the two bikes have different fortes. It will oftentimes say 2bliss ready on the rim tape. Reviewed: Specialized Trigger Pro 38c 2Bliss Tire - Weight and Width The 2021 Specialized Diverge range encompasses 11 bikes and one S-Works level frameset. Last year we had a first look at the Specialized Trigger Pro 700x38c 2Bliss Tire during the Lost and Found gravel ride. I soon realized that the movement of the frame post is actually quite noticeable, especially when seated toward the back of your saddle. Swapping to the Tracer tyres changed the bikes road feel considerably. Total: 1,746 grams. 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 rear Future Shock is effective. The Expert I rode on my home gravel roads in Oregon. Good carbon frame . Im often irritated when brands omit fender or rack mounts, especially as its an easy part to get right. 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 . DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm internal width, tubeless ready, 24h, Specialized full sealed bearing thru axle hub . 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. My subsequent rides were spent paying closer attention to what the bike, and the dual Future Shocks specifically, were doing. Gone is the SWAT box that sat at the base of the main triangle above the bottom bracket. Wild new Specialized Diverge suspends the rider with fully damped rear Every carbon model of the Diverge is equipped with Future Shock, though only the S-Works Diverge, Diverge Expert Carbon, Diverge Pro Carbon and Diverge Comp Carbon feature the latest version of the damper. 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. The fact that it has mounting eyelets, and can be used for racing and bikepacking alike is a big plus in book as well. And for this review, I had the rare pleasure of test-riding all three models of the STR line, so I could get a good feel of the frame and Future Shock, no matter the components. To find a solution, the engineering team initially turned to the company's rich history in mountain biking, but suspension technology derived from the off-road disciplines didn't quite fit the bill. By dampening the roads, I'm afraid the playfulness has been dampened a bit as well. The inaugural UEC Gravel European Championships, which will take place on October 1, 2023, By Anne-Marije Rook The chainstay length has grown to a consistent 425mm across all sizes and models. 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? Frame - Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, . Dueling Diverges: The 2021 vs. 2015 Specialized Diverge - Price, Weight 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. 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. Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon | Strictly Cycling Collective At a staggering $14,000, the S-Works Diverge STR is $3,400 more expensive than its front-suspension-only predecessor and among the most expensive Specialized rollouts we've seen in the brand's road and gravel category yet. Specialized Sawtooth 2Bliss Gravel Tire. . 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. So large is the gravel market that Specialized now expects it to be larger than any other category in the very near future. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter in print! The Specialized Diverge is the perfect blend of speed and comfort to ride anywhere, any time.