Product Review | Specialized Diverge
It is no secret that riding bikes on gravel roads is the fastest growing discipline in cycling. It seems like gravel events are popping up every weekend. We sure love it! For the last 6 months I’ve been riding the Specialized Diverge and here are some thoughts about this versatile adventure bike. Check it!
KEY THINGS THAT STANDOUT
First off lets touch on Future Shock. With 20mm of travel located in the steer tube, this small amount of suspension is just enough to take the edge off sharp hits on the roughest gravel roads. The shock is also somewhat tune-able, by swapping out the booster spring (3 options of stiffness), we found that the soft booster spring was a little too soft and the intermediate booster spring to be just about perfect. See below!
Future Shock seemed a bit gimmicky to me at first but this thing works and now I can’t imagine riding a gravel bike without a little bit of suspension. If you are worried that they will feel squishy while standing out of the saddle, don’t. Those engineers at Specialized are good!
We absolutely love this paint scheme. Wait, paint is a key feature? Yup! Specialized is killing it with their paint schemes lately and we absolutely love how this pink fades from front to back. Besides at this price point you gotta love the way your bike looks!
Tire width. The Diverge can easily handle a 42mm tire. Here in the Ozarks we recommend 40mm and above.
Bottom bracket height. The BB has been lowered giving this bike a super stable ride quality. Getting your weight lower/closer to the frame improves the overall manners but don’t worry you won’t feel like a slug. The wheelbase has been shortened so the bike responds very nicely to quick changes or accelerations.
Shortened reach and higher stack. Super comfy but not a mountain bike. Also makes the drops easier to get to.
Specialized CG-R seatpost. To be honest the seatpost is hard to look at but with 18mm (rider weight dependent) of flex it compliments the front suspension nicely and completes the overall feel of the Diverge.
HOW IT RIDES
If this bike doesn’t put a smile on your face when you turn off of pavement onto gravel then you might not be human! It really is a super fun bike. Because of its versatility it has become my go-to bike. Pavement, gravel, even singletrack (non-techy) and perfect for getting around town on the Razorback Greenway. I would recommend the Diverge to anyone interested in versatility and adventure. The only thing that I would change if I had the budget is I would upgrade the wheels to Specialized Roval CLX’s. The DT Swiss’ are bomb proof but feel a bit heavy. We love fast wheels around here! And if we really had some extra coin I would switch to a 1×10(11) drivetrain. Now, go test ride one for yourself at The Bike Route.
Specialized is knocking the ball out of the park with its paint schemes. Bling! Bling!
SPECIFICATIONS
DRIVE TRAIN
CHAIN – KMC X10, 10-speed
CRANKSET – Praxis Alba 2D, BB386
SHIFT LEVERS – Shimano Ultegra
FRONT DERAILLEUR – Shimano Ultegra braze-on
CASSETTE – Shimano Ultegra, 10-speed, 11-34t
CHAINRINGS – 48/32T
REAR DERAILLEUR – Shimano Ultegra, long cage, 10-speed
SUSPENSION
FORK – FACT carbon, 12x100mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc
WHEELS
FRONT WHEEL – DT R460 Disc SCS
REAR WHEEL – DT R460 Disc SCS
COCKPIT
SADDLE – Toupe Expert Gel, 143mm, hollow titanium rails, Adaptive Edge
SEAT BINDER – Tarmac SL6 clamp assembly
TAPE – S-Wrap Roubaix w/ sticky gel
SEATPOST – S-Works FACT Carbon Tarmac seatpost, 20mm offset
HANDLEBARS – Specialized Expert Shallow Drop, alloy, 125mm drop x 75mm reach
FRAME
FRAME – Specialized FACT 9r carbon, Open Road Geometry, 12x142mm thru-axle, Future Shock Progressive suspension, 20mm of travel, flat mount disc, BB386
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Great looking steed! The pink color may start a trend. (I don’t understand why people are so scared of colors; with all the distracted drivers in our world, it doesn’t hurt to have a bright paint scheme.)