The unorthodox yet intriguing paintwork is exquisitely offset by a collection of SRAM's top-drawer Red eTap AXS components which further punts the high-end nature of this build. Rather, the Specializ… I like the quick handling. As a result, it can safely accommodate tyres of up to 47mm wide (an increase from 42mm) when using a 700C wheelset and 2.1in when using a 650b wheelset. Just when we thought we’d pinned down what a gravel bike is, Specialized refers to the new Diverge as an ‘exploration machine’ that combines road and gravel bike features. The Specialized Diverge is the quintessential adventure bike. S logos adorn the central tread of Pathfinder Pro tyres, The S-Works Diverge runs a threaded SRAM DUB BSA 68 bottom bracket, The S-works model comes standard with a Specialized Power saddle. © 2021 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. It’s a cool feature. Its wheelbase has grown and is now … Best gravel bike wheels Get the latest race news, results, commentary, and tech, delivered to your inbox. Free shipping on orders over $150. The Diverge has a 20mm suspension system underneath the stem, cushioning the ride at the handlebars without adding much weight. To me, this helps the bike feel planted when taking corners. Specialized completely redesigned their Diverge gravel bike for the 2021 model year. In fact, during the R&D process, the designers built a configurable test mule to make alterations to the front end geometry on the fly. Available in aluminium only, it ditches traditional gravel drops for a mountain-bike-style flat bar and more relaxed geometry. The 42t ring pairs to a massive 10-50t Eagle cassette, offering Jeep-like low gearing for crawling up the steeps. Other notable parts include an Easton EC70 AX Carbon bar with 16-degree flare, a Specialized S-Works Future Stem with integrated Bar Fly computer mount and an S-Works Power saddle. A panel on the down tube underneath a bottle cage snaps off to reveal a little storage area. Today's best Roval Terra CLX front wheel deals, Today's best Roval Terra CLX rear wheel deals, The all-new Specialized Diverge is longer, slacker and more pliant than before, Branding is conservative which complements the stealthy visuals, The Future Shock 2.0 is now a hydraulic unit offering tailorable levels of adjustability, Another view of the new Future Shock and adjuster dial, SRAM Red eTAP AXS stoppers work together with CLX-R 160mm (front/rear) to ensure the Diverge stops as quickly as it accelerates, Extra mounting points adorn the top tube further accentuating its utilitarian nature, The S-Works FACT 11r carbon frame weighs less than 1000 grams (56cm), A new Internal SWAT compartment runs the full length of the down tube to allow you to get everything out of your pockets, The level of detailing throughout the build is truly exquisite. Owing to the fact that the Future Shock is positioned above the head tube, the bike's wheels are held together rigidly by the frame which helps foster both a smoother ride and predictable handling. It can dismiss anything from fast-paced road rides and long-haul gravel adventures to CX-style lap racing with consummate … In terms of its design blueprint, the Diverge still takes on the same compact road bike-like appearance of its predecessor but its geometry has been subtly reworked to improve handling and performance. The notion behind why the Diverge is so responsive to pedal inputs and perceptive to front end directional changes hinges around the notion of axial compliance. Best gravel tyres No amount of riding and racing knocked them out of true; it took me backing a vehicle up into a steel post with the bike on a rear rack to do that. It redefined the concept. It now features a more progressive (for a gravel bike) geometry, increased tire clearance, SWAT storage, and the new … With a FACT 9r carbon frame, the Diverge LTD frame is incredible capable and race bike light. Sure, you could shave off in the region of 300-400g if you bin the dropper post for something more traditional but considering the type of topography the Diverge is capable of dismissing it's probably worth leaving intact. The 2021 Specialized Diverge Pro Carbon is a lot of things: fast, comfortable, adjustable, nimble, and packed with cool features like a threaded bottom bracket and integrated storage. With its off road capabilities and drop handlebars it would be easy to categorise the Diverge as a cyclo-cross bike, but Specialized is keen to stress that that’s where the similarity ends. Diverge 2.0 came three years later and yet again tore up the script, binning the proprietary Zertz elastomer-based inserts in the frame and fork for the Future Shock: a small spring located under the stem boasting 20mm of progressive travel. RELATED The Specialized S-Works Diverge is one for the racers. Pin it for your local dirt climb KOM, or grind up a giant back country peak, the light and lively Diverge will get … There was a problem. ESCAPE FASTER With speed, control, and confidence on any terrain, the Specialized Diverge is the 20 gravel bikes I’m excited about for 2020, Salsa Warbird, Why R+ and other gear tested at The Mid South, Specialized’s new Roubaix: hydraulic suspension, improved aerodynamics, women’s-specific tweaks, The Grind: The right amount of cush for gravel riding and racing. Of course tires are crucial; 40mm is the de-facto standard for this year. The drive-side chainstay, however, has been modified using a narrow, solid beam of carbon to help bolster tyre clearance. Brakes: … Also, it’s just easier to put a foot down at stoplights or whatever. Sure, some will argue that the Future Shock disrupts the raciness somewhat but it's here for a fundamental reason and, in this application, function will always trump form. The old bike had an undamped spring; you could select one of three spring weights to tune it. The only time it bugged me was on long paved, rolling stretches where I was out of the saddle often and wished for a lockout. You can unsubscribe at any time. The geometry featured a higher stack, shorter reach and a lower centre of gravity, which also helped it perform more consistently over myriad terrain types - technical single track included. You will receive a verification email shortly. It’s an apt name for Specialized’s ‘all road’ bike, a model that slots in alongside the … Add to that the feedback-rich riding experience and almost telepathic levels of handling, and what we've got here is one of the fastest, most adaptable gravel speed machines available. To remove a wheel, you have to dig a 6mm hex tool out to use to remove the wheels. Often house-brand saddles are pretty meh; the Power is one of the best saddles in the world, in my opinion. Specialized unveiled the third-generation Diverge to the cycling media in March against the backdrop of Girona's most epic gravel roads and trails but we weren't there - the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans and quickly put paid to our attendance. Making a bike more slack at the head tube is the primary way to increase trail, but fork rake and even tire size play into this number. Specialized went all-in on innovative components to make the ultimate gravel bike in the S-Works Diverge. So I’d like to see a wider bar put on to end up with a normal width at the hoods. The gravel bike is not a particularly new notion to Specialized. The big surprise here is the inclusion of an X-Fusion Manic dropper post. Specialized bikes aren’t cheap. • Salsa Warbird, Why R+ and other gear tested at The Mid South England and Wales company registration number 2008885. While it offers just 50mm of travel it adds unnecessary weight to the build and is better suited to an application such as the Diverge EVO. Recommended to you based on your activity and what's popular • Feedback They also offer the rest of the carbon Diverge … But for me, I like being able to get a wheel off without tools. You'll be hard-pressed to tell this particular Diverge apart from its stablemates, despite what it says on the tin. Cyclingnews is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. It has room for another bag — or you can just tuck your own small bag or compact jacket or whatever in there. Like the RockCombo, it went against the current adventure bike design rhetoric, incorporating disc brakes, thru-axles, Zertz elastomers, wider tyre clearance and road bike-like geometry. The 2021 Specialized Diverge family runs the gamut from $1,100 to the $10,000 S-Works edition. As expected things get pretty pricey at the sharp end of the spectrum but also impressively lenient near the bottom with the entry-level aluminium E5 model coming in at a smidgeon under £950. We've always been fervent admirers of the Specialized Diverge and its ever-evolving skillset. I rode a Specialized Diverge for most of the year, including at our Wild Horse Gravel and Crooked Gravel sportives, but also for the 12-hour Sunrise to Sunset mountain bike race. I took the bike on a few chunky trails that have flatted tires like the Schwalbe G Ones, and the tires didn’t flinch. Having sampled all three versions since its inception in 2014, the newest edition has taken an already winning formula and tempered it into yet another stellar offering - it's the best gravel bike Specialized has made to date. This 2.0 system now has hydraulic damping for compression and rebound, both of which are tunable simultaneously with a 7-click knob on top of the steerer. All rights reserved. Gears: 2 x 11. Internal cable and brake hose routing, fender and rack mounts front and rear have all been carried over and a new Internal SWAT compartment runs the full length of the downtube to maximise storage. Specialized has aimed to bolster the Diverge's speed, control and confidence to make the range even better at the diverse world of gravel, bike packing and adventure riding. I love the low BB for a planted feel, and the short trail for nimble handling. Evil Bikes Chamois Hagar ($4,799) Frame: Carbon. The more trail, the more ‘stable’ a bike can feel. On the far opposite end of the drop-bar spectrum, the MTB-inspired Evil Chamois Hagar has 93mm of trail. As such, the second-generation Diverge is keeping pace with the current trend towards wider tyres, especially for gravel riding. 3D-printed. Adhesion levels are phenomenal thanks to the Roval Terra CLX wheels. What’s most interesting to me in gravel bikes right now, aside from the various pricing models, is how brands are solving the micro-suspension question. The slacker 71.25-degree head angle, longer reach (383mm) and shorter cockpit have bestowed it with an increased sense of manoeuvrability and finesse, which in combination with the 425mm chainstays have resulted in handling improvements that are both flattering and confidence-inspiring. Watch this space. Tires: 700c x 50mm. The Diverge rolls on Roval Terra CLX gravel wheels shod in Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38C gravel tyres. Our S-Works Diverge test bike came dressed in a combination of SRAM's road and mountain bike electronic components. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy. That aside, the Diverge is arguably one of the most versatile carbon gravel bikes on the market from a mainstream brand – you really could turn this to almost any task, from fully-loaded … Some say it’s unnecessary or ineffective or gimmicky. Our particular test bike, the S-Works Diverge, however, is an out-and-out racer equipped with all the go-faster doohickeys needed to tackle the most treacherous of terrain assortments. Of course, gravel hasn’t gone that far down the rabbit hole yet, but the Diverge has taken inspiration from the Specialized Epic cross country bike. Both posts flex the same amount; the new post just looks a whole lot better and weights about 50g less (~200g total). And they have the data, so I won’t argue with that. This is the second-tier bike, with a 12-speed SRAM eTap Force/Eagle drivetrain, Roval Terra CL wheels and seatpost, and an Easton EC70 AX carbon bar. Join Active Pass to get VeloNews magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. It's just a matter of lining up the front wheel, getting on the gas and repeating. Is it the best gravel bike in the segment? At 8.95kg, the S-Works Diverge is one of the lightest gravel bikes on the market and you can feel it when pedalling up a hill in anger. US: English; Change region; Sign in; shop Not only does this combination offer superlative levels of adhesion and stiffness, but it has also helped keep the Diverge's kerb weight to a minimum - our fully dressed Diverge test bike with pedals weighed tipped the scales at 8.95kg. At under 1,000 grams the Diverge’s frame is lighter than most stripped-down gravel race frames with skimpy clearance, while being more capable than anything else in the gravel. I mean, you can get the base model for $1,100, but you’re not getting the Future Shock or any of the exciting tech we’re looking at here. While the beefy, oversized frame tubes are partly to thank, it's more the Future Shock 2.0 front suspension assembly that helps keep progress smooth. But what to do up front? It's only upon closer inspection that the S-Works moniker - finished here in gloss - pops off the metallic-copper matte finish which Specialized calls Satin Carbon. Another cool thing about the new frame is that tire clearance went way up to make room for a (claimed) 47mm tire with plenty of mud clearance. … Specialized completely redesigned their Diverge gravel bike is not a particularly new notion to Specialized select. Quintessential adventure bike to your inbox: to separate from another route and go in a combination of 's. The steeps to remove a wheel, you have to dig a hex... Flexing carbon post is a big improvement ; the Power is one of three spring weights to it. 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