Specialized have released details, images and pricing for their all-new Diverge, the 2021 incarnation of the company's specialist gravel platform. Both the Sport and Base models come in eight sizes and downgrade to the previous Future Shock 1.5. There's a small lever on the top tube that provides three levels of compression damping that you can toggle between while riding. You also lose the new carbon seatpost in exchange for a pretty standard-looking single-bolt carbon post. When pressed on what category the Diverge Evo lives in, Specialized a brand that, by its own admission, likes to name everything insisted it still very much sits within the still evolving spectrum of gravel. A frame-only buying option is available for U.S. customers only, which comes woth a price tag of $6,000 for the FACT 11r carbon frameset with front and rear Future Shocks, a seat post, seat collar and the SWAT system. 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 . Stability added. Pros. Its all about pushing where you can go and what you can do with a gravel bike. A painted 56cm Diverge STR frame with no hardware weighs 1100g. The head angle is also one-degree slacker (70 degrees) than the rest of the drop-bar range. Ive been embarking regularly on two-wheeled explorations for the last 18 years. 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. And without being bounced around so much, you're able to maintain sustained efforts, or simply pedal, for longer. One thing I appreciated is that Specialized hasnt skimped on all the necessary mounts. The entry-level Diverges the Base E5 and Elite E5 alloy models feature boring rigid fork steerers. The Pro and Expert models, also featuring Rear Future Shock, come in at 8.9kg and 9.5kg. Base E5 price: US$1,100 / AU$N/A / 949. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. . This changed on the second day with wider tyres. Its a neat addition, but realistically its not a storage area youd want to be delving into on every ride. This also included using this wild test rig with an adjustable head angle. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! 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 . The Base Carbon is fitted out with some pretty basic Axis tubeless-ready Elite Disc rims . Matched with a rear triangle that feels tidily tucked underneath, it makes you want to attack the climbs. And when traffic encroaches and the path less traveled calls, its stability emboldens extended forays away from pavement. ), and overnight bikepacks linking old highways, forest roads and empty miles of desert dirt. Ritchey Speedmax WCS Tubeless Gravel Tire. The Expert I rode on my home gravel roads in Oregon. Swapping to the Tracer tyres changed the bikes road feel considerably. It'll support up to 46T rear . Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . Published 2 March 23. 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. Specialized Diverge FACT 8r carbon, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc Suspension . 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. by jtoddgill. Wheelset: DT Swiss G540 rim, 24mm inner width, tubeless-ready . Specs. Planning on some more traditional style touring? FRAME Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . I seem to find myself between two frame sizes and spent a lot of time fussing with my position while not the easiest on the front Future Shock system, it was mostly just a matter of swapping stems and removing any spacers. 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. For whatever reason, I struggled to find a good fit. Specialized; Diverge STR Pro Specialized Diverge STR Pro $9,500.00. Then there are two additional models which bear the name Diverge EVO. Shimano's gravel inspired GRX 400 group shifts 2x10 gears smoothly on any terrain and Axis Elite alloy wheels with Pathfinder 38mm tires . All in a relatively lightweight, road-inspired package. As for protecting both your friends and your clothes from the elements, Specializeds Plug and Play Fenders are designed to work. On the Diverge the lack of lockout seems far less important. . It's the ultimate getaway vehicle. Im often irritated when brands omit fender or rack mounts, especially as its an easy part to get right. Increasing reach while reducing stem length means that riders are less pitched over the front wheel, improving control in steep terrain. 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. 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 stopping power of SRAMs Rivals is, well, unrivalled. This Diverge STR is still rigid climbing hills without any pumping effect of either the front or rear suspension. 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. The geometry table below applies to versions of the bike equipped with Future Shock. The first day we took on a pretty sedate 75 km-ish gravel ride. 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. Better yet, the boost in tyre clearance has been achieved while retaining compatibility with front shifting (although most models are set up 1x). Frame - Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, . I ran this wheelset tubeless with Trigger Pro 38 tires before changing to a different setup. Lastly, the bottom bracket has been lifted by 5mm to 80mm with the aim of eliminating pedal strikes when using 650b wheels. Starting with its road capabilities, the bike felt as road-orientated as a gravel bike can with 38 mm tyres. For the really rowdy riders, the Diverge STR is also dropper post compatible and sports a standard 27.2mm seatpost diameter. Refer to Specializeds listings for the most up-to-date geometry information. But all of these are to be expected and once you get a few corners under your belt its relatively predictable. Future Shock aside, the Diverge STR is spec'd with Specialized's and SRAM's best and proven offerings. This translates into a bicycle with a more stable stance than a dedicated road machine, clearances for markedly larger tires, the confidence of powerful disc brakes, and a penchant for blending for asphalt, dirt and gravel. . Old school mountain bike? Wheels are again DT Swiss G540s like the two models above and this time they get wrapped in 38 mm Pathfinder Sport tyres. Already have an account with us? Old school mountain bike? The tire offers riders a higher volume option for long days on gravel roads, and early prototypes of the Trigger 38c tires helped former Masters Cyclocross National Champion James Alan Coats power through the 100-mile event. This bike was released in 2022 and its price was 4300 AUD (3048 $). 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. Brakes are flat mount with the fork designed around larger 160/180 mm rotors instead of the more commonly found 140/160 mm. Tubeless tires contain a sealant to protect against small punctures and also allow riders to use lower inflation pressure without the risk of damaging a tube from impacts. On paper, the Diverge isnt as performance-orientated as an all out road machine. Last year we had a first look at the Specialized Trigger Pro 700x38c 2Bliss Tire during the Lost and Found gravel ride. Nothing too crazy: a mix of mainly loose gravel over a dusty, hardpacked surface, and a nice amount of tarmac to get a feel for the bike out on the road. RapidAir. Otherwise, keep your bikepacking payload to a minimum. . Look for Tubeless Ready on the tire sidewall: Turbo S-Works Rapidair. 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. Were personally going for aggressive performance hybrid. Specialized worked on rideable modified versions of the previous-generation bike to test its new geometry. 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!) 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 . The bike is available in sizes 44cm through to 61cm on cheaper models, narrowing down to 49cm to 61cm on higher-tier models. Specialized is just marketing old ideas! It was converted to 1x11 with carbon force 1 crank 42T ring, 11-40 sunrace cassette and Shimano GRX derailleur. 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. 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. Given my love for mountain biking and backcountry touring, my ideal journey fuses the two, keeping to quiet dirt roads and singletrack where possible. 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. 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). 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. This frame post has the ability to move back and forth, effectively moving the saddle 30mm back and downward along the seat tube axis. Id also put a lot of this down to the Future Shock 2.0 off-road. Pdalier 40d GXP et cassette Sunrace 11-42. The tires, which measured 40mm wide, just did fit. Van 4900 nu voor 3850! The same is true on gravel bikes. 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. 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 . 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. Why you can trust Cycling Weekly The Conti's mounted easily, without levers, but required >70 psi to fully seat on the tall rim shelf. 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. To take the wheel off, you'll be faced with either a quick-release (QR) skewer or thru-axle. Our test bike is from the 2016 model year. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years. 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. 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. . Hidden away out back, on the underside of the seatstays, the bosses are practically undetectable. (And luckily these things are carried over into the new Diverge STR!). 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. You need to be logged in to use these features. The build is mostly Shimanos Di2 GRX RX815, but with a Shimano XT 11-42T cassette matched with a 40T 1x chainset. A a complete 56cm S-Works Diverge STR has a claimed weight of 18.7lbs (8.5kg) set up tubeless out of the box. 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. Shop the Specialized Diverge Pro Disc Gravel Bike 2023 online at Sigma Sports. Specialized Diverge Elite E5 Tubeless. Just that the two bikes have different fortes. 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. 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. I was disappointed as I know Specialized can nail a plush and comfortable rear end the new Roubaix I tested last year proved this. First ride review: new Specialized Diverge STR S-Works 2023 with Rear Future Shock. 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. Skip to main content Skip to footer content. OE Wheelset fitted to a Specialized Diverge, Roubaix and Sirrus. North American Editor Anne-Marije Rook test riding the all-new Specialized Diverge STR. . The new Diverge gains the SWAT down tube storage spot. Specialized Diverge FACT 8r carbon, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc. 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. 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. Yes, they add weight over the caliper brakes of traditional road brakes. The new Diverge has certainly jumped high up the list as a possible replacement. The dual Future Shocks do a good job absorbing the vibrations, and turning a jarring ride into a comfortable cruise. (tubeless ready) for Comp and above. 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. Roubaix Pro. 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 . $41.24 $54.99. . We reviewed the new line of Specialized's gravel bikes with front and rear Future Shock. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Ive been on the lookout for a gravel bike since some scumbag decided that my previous one was to their liking. These tweaks offer increased stability, lowering your centre of gravity on the bike. That's because it's fast like any competitive road tire, only it features a unique Endurant casing with bead-to-bead puncture . For anyone that has been following trends in contemporary mountain bike geometry, this will all be familiar stuff (with the exception of the higher bottom bracket). It does, however, come with a two-year warranty and service period. 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. Thats clearly something that the market will dictate, but it certainly looks like something else you can already buy from a different category . Any bike that encourages me to get out and ride, and nudges me explore places in new ways, is likely to win me over. 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. You can see these prototypes and read about the process in depth in our launch story, but in the interest of this review, we're going to skip ahead several hundred prototypes and years of work to what you can see and feel in the rear Future Shock as it exists today, and the bike that's built up around it. This, in combination with the increased offset of the fork, should improve the overall stability of the bike. Specialized Diverge FACT 9r carbon, SWAT Door integration, Future Shock suspension, threaded BB, internal routing, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc . The Diverge X1 has a similar build and price, but comes with a SRAM Apex 1 x 11-speed drivetrain. 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 here I thought gravel riding would allow me to downsize my quiver! As is often the way with the Big S, there are several builds to pick from. 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. 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. Were personally going for aggressive performance. This is just an old-school mountain bike! Though the initial set of tyres the Diverge was specced with were unfortunately not road-tubeless compatible. Most models come fitted with Specialized's own 70038 Pathfinder tyres, and the majority of Diverge models are ready to go tubeless too. With this setup, your sagged riding position should be consistent with a rigid bike. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Your bike will come fully built and 100% ready to ride, . Fond memories, a pleasant experience, a top-tier bike? 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. Such tires roll quickly, absorb road blemishes efficiently and grip tenaciously, as well as augmenting comfort at the cost of a relatively nominal difference in weight. Neither road nor mountain, cycling's gravel category takes the best of both worlds . Prior to the world going into lockdown, Dave Shoddy Everett attended an exclusive launch of the new Diverge to learn what it was all about and how it rides. For those on a tighter budget, the 2017 Gloss Moto Orange Diverge Elite DSW ($1400) looks like a good contender. Indeed, Id claim we were venturing close to MTB territory in several parts of the ride. 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? Let me lay out a few facts before I delve into my first impressions, as they may have had affected my impressions of the bike. My first ride was spent on the Pro model and was meant to get an initial feel for the bike as a whole. It's simply the fastest, most capable, and probably the most fun bike that Specialized has built. Firstly the blindingly obvious: it comes with flat bars. To accommodate larger tyres, as well as both single and double cranksets, Specialized has developed a funky solid carbon yoke that sits on the driveside chainstay. 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. This item is in the . It allows you to hit things faster than you think you actually can. Pathfinder Pro 2BR . The E5 Aluminum frameset also features Specializeds proprietary OSBB, which is compatible with BB30 press fit bottom brackets. The Specialized Diverge has been completely reworked from the frame up, including neat new features and a huge variety in options. 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). He is also particularly fond of tan-wall tyres, dynamo lights, cup and cone bearings, and skids. The Roubaix Pro 2Bliss Ready is an endurance road tire that's well suited for smooth and rough roads alike. Specialized Diverge Bikes. And then there's the fine tuning of the rear-end compliance and ride feel. If neither frame post suits your needs, additional posts can be obtained through a Specialized dealer. 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. I personally like SRAMs eTap and the way it works. Its direction of travel is equal and opposite to the wheels path. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. 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. The Specialized Aethos Expert all-road bike in review. Details of the Specialized DIVERGE SPORT. Thanks! Jack thinks nothing of bikepacking after work to sleep in a ditch or taking on a daft challenge for the BikeRadar YouTube channel. I enjoyed it even more once I got rid of a certain component . Sticking with comfort, the Future Shock 2.0 really is ideally suited to gravel.