Specialized Diverge carbon Any experience?

[Tommasini53]

My wife has been wanting a "gravel" bike. We found that Specialized Diverge fits her very well. So we're contemplating the Diverge Expert (carbon frame/some Ultegra parts).

She has a Serotta Nove (2002 era) road bike and the Diverge would be something she could use to explore our gravel and gravel rail-trails. I'm hoping that it possess a ride quality that it won't be a big step down from road bike.

If any forumites have experience with this model from Speicalized or carbon Specialized frames generally I would love to hear the positives and negatives as I have no experience with Specialized bikes. I am glad to see it has Ultegra, unfortunately it has disc brakes. But it is a geometry the suits her very well. :beer:

[mvrider]

see this thread:
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=176236

[DrSpoke]

A friend of mine has a 2015 Expert and loves it. He's been riding it hard - almost like a hardtail/rigid mountain bike. He's also ridden it on the road. So, a very versatile bike. In fact, it's in my garage right now as I'm giving it a tune up. Another friend just bought a 2016 Pro but haven't got a ride report yet though I'm sure he's going to love it. He's put on 25c road tires on the OEM carbon wheels for now until he can get a 2nd set of wheels to mount some larger off-road tires.

This bike seems to lean a little to the road side compared to many gravel bikes. This is not a bad thing depending on your intended use. It seems to be very similar to the Roubaix, i.e. an endurance/fondo type bike, but with room for much larger tires and, of course, disc brakes. I think it's a great looking bike as well.

I'm not sure why you would say "unfortunately" with regard to the disc brakes as I think your wife will appreciate them as one of the best features on the bike. Shimano hydraulic discs are superb brakes with low effort and great modulation - pretty much a one finger brake. The levers also have a reach adjustment. These features will be appreciated on long, gravel descents. Or pavement for that matter.

Anyway, I think these are great bikes if you plan to run stock and not make any modifications - or change wheelsets - see the cons in the other post as referred to previously. I'd recommend doing some research, reviews etc, especially regarding the SCS hub/wheel system to be sure it's something you can live with.

I'm not much of a Specialized fan, as are my two buddies, so ordered a new Ridley X-Trail C30. Performance has a great deal on them right now - the CR1. I'd been planning to buy the new Salsa Warbird carbon, with SRAM Rival 22 hydraulic, but gave up when the wait turned from weeks to months to not sure when we're getting the next shipment.

[biker72]

I work at a shop that is a huge Trek dealer so naturally I've had a lot of Treks. I bought a used 2007 Specialized Tri Cross from a forum member and loved it.
I now own a Specialized Crux and Diverge....no Treks. I don't dislike Trek, I just like Specialized products better.

If you get a Diverge, get one with Hydro disk brakes. I have the Diverge Comp DSW with Shimano Hydro brakes and 105 group.

[austex]

This current issue of Bicycle Quarterly has extensive review of Diverge.

[benb]

Going to ride the 105/Hydro Diverge this afternoon for a test ride.

I'm going to ride an Alloy GT Grade as well (lots of driving to do this in one afternoon).

I can't find a Carbon GT Grade anywhere to ride.. (sounds like every Ultegra one gets bought instantly and 105s are out of stock for months.)

It is harder and harder for me to like the Diverge after looking at them both.. the GTs geometry looks better for this kind of bike (for me) and the price points are so different.

GT Carbon 105 - $2500
Spec Diverge Carbon 105 - $3300
GT Carbon Ultegra - $3500
Spec Diverge Ultegra - $3800

Hard for me to believe the Specialized frame could be $800 better especially with the whole SCS debacle. The parts spec on the GTs is better AFAICT, particularly on the Ultegra model. All 4 of those bikes have the exact same shifter & calipers as well.. although the GTs have the bigger rotors which probably cost a little more.

The GT bars and stuff do look dumb. The 56 I'm going to test ride has a 44cm bar (at the hoods) and the drops are 52cm wide. A little too nutty wide for me. They also specced a 120mm stem on the 56/58/60. Maybe OK for some people but long enough it will probably sour the test ride for me.

The Specialized bikes seem to have more sensible bar widths & default stem lengths.

But bars & stem are chump change compared to the weird Specialized hub setup and the fact that'd want to swap cranks on the Specialized and not on the GT. (due to sizing)

Since it can be hard to track down and I was looking specifically at this stuff, the Diverge has 28mm of steer tube available for adjustment out of the box, the Grade has 30mm.. both are a little bit low compared to lots of other bikes I've looked at. (E.x. Roubaix has 40mm, Cannondales have 45mm IIRC) All of these are relatively tall bikes so it doesn't really matter but in terms of out of the box setup I'd rather see more on bikes that are getting test ridden.

edit: Weights might be a factor.. the Diverge felt like it was less than 20lbs to me. I can't find good weights on the Carbon GTs. The alloy GT with 105 I'm going to test ride was a somewhat eye-popping 22.02lbs on the scale at the LBS with flat pedals & clips. For the Ultegra bikes I'd really rather see them down around 18lbs for these price ranges. I know Discs are somewhat heavier but I don't even really expect aluminum bikes to weigh 22lbs with 105.

[DrSpoke]

And the Diverge prices actually went down $200 from last year. The Salsa Warbird prices are similar to the Diverge.

My main criteria is the ability to fit at least 40c tires. The Diverge fits 35c well but 38c would appear to be very tight though they have worked for some. 40c is a no go. After that I look for a low bottom bracket and reasonably long chain stays and wheelbase.

[benb]

Guess I'm going to the dark side...

So I didn't get to ride the Diverge today, just didn't have enough time. I did ride a GT Grade (Alloy) with 105 and a Roubaix Comp (105 w/some specialized house brand components).

I will say after riding them.. I would buy the Diverge every time assuming it rides anything like the Roubaix. (A strong suspicion since the geometry is identical.)

The Grade geometry turns out to just not work for me. Not sure whether it is the 71.5 degree head angle or something else with the fork but I wasn't impressed, and I've rode enough bikes to know it wasn't just cause it was the aluminum version. I want to say it didn't handle any better than my All City Space Horse, and my Space horse is both too big for me and has a huge wheel base. I'm just not sure why you need such a long wheelbase on a gravel bike. I somehow feel like the Grade wheel base might be longer than my MTB too.

I set the saddles up perfectly on both.. the grade was comfy but I just didn't like the handling & I don't think it was all down to the ridiculous choice of a 125mm stem and crazy wide bars for the stock setup.

The handling/stiffness/comfort on the Roubaix on the other hand blew me away. I'm pretty sure my head would have exploded if I rode the Diverge too as the 7 degree stem on the Diverge seems like it would have been more appropriate. The 12 degree stem on the Roubaix was a bit cramped for me.

If I won the lottery tomorrow I'd go buy a Diverge and a Roubaix... as it is I just don't think Disc brakes are ready so I'm going to end up with a Roubaix with Rim brakes and keep watching the Disc brake development.. when the standards are all settled and the performance has improved some more if Specialized still makes the Diverge in the same geometry I could see myself buying one.

Kind of hard to describe.. right out of the box the Roubaix works so well for me (even with the wrong crank size) I'm pretty sure I could pull stupid tricks like putting my jacket on while riding no handed, etc.. I ended up riding it really hard since it worked so well out of the box. Best test ride I've ever had by far.

Horrible shame, 8 years ago I test rode a Roubaix but the fitter put me on a bigger size... that was horrible. If he'd put me on the right size it would have been great.

[rnhood]

I'd say that you're making a good decision. Its not going to cost you much of anything with regards to performance and/or features that will make it worth waiting on a disc model. They still need to work out the remaining kinks and even so, I'm not sure its worth being a high priority unless the majority of your riding will be in the mud and wet.

I looked at the GT Grade also but just could not get comfortable with a couple things. One is the fiberglass in the seat stays. Maybe not a big deal on a bike but back in my sailboat days, fiberglass softens with age due to the glass fibers gradually breaking under flex and/or stress. And a soft sailboat is not a fast sailboat, or agile for that matter. Still, this may very well not be an issue on this particular bike, just that it makes me uncomfortable. And two, the fork blade flexing seems like it might be a good idea, but a changing rake while descending on a mountain road just doesn't sound like a stable front end. Maybe both the perceived issues are only that....perceived. Still, I'd rather have a bike from a US based company that also happens to provide a long warranty. Bikes like the Roubaix, Domane, Synapse,etc just don't leave much to be desired as an all around bike. I owned the SL2 Roubaix a few years ago, and loved it to death. A really nice bicycle that can do many things well, not just a few.

[DrSpoke]

I'm not so sure about the "dark side." Is this bike for you or for your wife? I thought you were looking for a gravel bike. That said, I would recommend that you at least test the Diverge before you make your final decision. I would think it has all the desirable qualities of the Roubaix but has much more versatility. With 2, or maybe 3, wheelsets you can do just about anything on this bike. While I grant you that road discs are likely to improve I assure you that they are at a very high level right now. It seems road bikes are trending to the flat mount caliper design. I expect Shimano to affix the Dura-Ace and Ultegra model name to their existing lineup very soon. And other "standards" my change to - primarily the front axle size to 12mm and the rear spacing to 135mm.

[benb]

I meant Dark Side in the way that many people here (and elsewhere) say "Big S is evil."

I'm mostly looking for fast. I'm heavily biased towards dirt right now. Looking at bikes like the Diverge and Grade is just me buying into the current hype and I have no interest in stuff like the Madone/Tarmac type bikes as they're through and through not built for someone with my body dimensions unless I want to go ride 15cm drop.

My All City Space Horse is slow, but it does dirt quite well. It's big weakness is trying to go fast on pavement.

If/When I get a Roubaix the Space Horse will never see 28c tires again.. nothing smaller than 35c (it takes 42s) and the fenders and rack will likely be on it 99% of the time.

I've just gone and test rode several bikes with road hydro disc (Shimano + TRP) so I know where things are at.. my bar is set for road disc based on MTB. I have Hayes Stroker brakes on my MTB right now. There is such a big gap I expect road disc to be a hell of a lot better in a couple years. Shimano is essentially on revision one here I think there is a lot of room for improvement. Not sure what it is as my MTB has 6" same size essentially as the GT grade is coming with. Probably just piston ratios the master cylinder on my MTB brakes would never fit in a brifter. I thought the Grade had better stopping power than the Synapse I rode with 140mm rotors but it was still nowhere close. If I'm going to pay for road discs and carry them up every hill I want one finger stopping on a 20% grade.

[DrSpoke]

Got it re Specialized - I'm with you on that. But I'll have to admit that they do make some nice bikes.

Since you've got the dirt side covered and especially the Space Horse with some big tires, an endurance/fondo type bike bike makes sense.

I've got a couple of road bikes and a great mountain bike - a Pivot Mach429C. So I'm looking for something in the middle. I want something for long road rides, especially in the mountains, as well as urban adventure and even some wilderness adventure with appropriated wheels and tires.

I sold my cross bike in Apr thinking I could get the new Salsa Warbird in May. I'm still waiting. So just decided on a Ridley X-Trail C30 to cover that middle ground. With the geometry and low gearing, I'll use it for long road rides, much like a Roubaix, and those with a lot of climbing. And with some 35c or 40c tires I'll use it for mixed pave/trail riding. Even better it comes with a Shimano group as compared to the Salsa which comes with SRAM Rival. I'm planning to convert it to Di2 as well as put it on a diet so I may have enough parts left over to build something else - something like a Space Horse only w/discs.

Here's a link to a good post on road disc bikes. Basically he thinks there will be major improvements in disc wheels over the next few years but only incremental improvements with the brakes. And some good conclusions you might consider.

http://intheknowcycling.com/2015/01/08/why-and-when-to-buy-a-road-disc-bike/#comments

[benb]

I put my 35c tires back on my Space Horse this week and have done mixed dirt/pavement rides this week. I've got Challenge Gravel Grinders (38c) coming in the mail.

It is really a way way more fun bike when you ride it that way... the desire to have something faster mostly comes when I ride it 100% pavement.

I still think I gotta lighten it some (27lbs currently) until I get something else for go-fast duties. (The Challenge Gravel Grinders will knock 1lb off)

Last time I went riding with someone I had about a 10lb handicap with the bike... over 60+ miles it sure seems like a lot.

Now that I weighed the Space Horse I need to weigh my Giant NRS... I didn't build that up light either but I bet it weighs less than 27lbs.

[DrSpoke]

The Challenge Gravel Grinders in 38c are OEM on the Ridley. Unfortunately, I've already got a set of wheels with WTB Nano 40c ready to go. But think those will be great tires on dirt.

The Space Horse at 27lb does seem hefty. My Pivot weighs in at 27 and that's with full suspension.

I just built up a Cinelli Supercorsa road bike that came in at 21 lbs. And it's way slower than my carbon road bike. But it sure looks good going slow :) But those extra pounds do add up over a long ride - or climbs for that matter. Or when trying to keep pace on a group ride.

I still think something like a Diverge or X-Trail or Warbird with two sets of wheels can cover both bases (fast and/or endurance road and light to moderate trails) rather well. That is, pretty much what the Space Horse and Roubaix would do but with one bike. At 19lb it would be very light for trails and at about 18 lbs w/lighter wheels/tires it would be fine for the road. Perhaps the Space Horse could be set up as a long distance tourer and/or a wilderness bikepacking style bike.

Regardless of what I think, it seems you have thought this through rather thoroughly as to what fits your needs.

[Tommasini53]

thanks to all that commented and provided input.. it was helpful to measure whether I was missing a piece of information for making a decision.

It likely is the Diverge that will fit her and her needs for gravel the best. I've never been a fan of the big-two (trek-specialized). I don't know why, maybe it is the sameness that oozes out of their product lines. But I will say that Specialized did arrive at a great product for the middle-aged cyclist with the Roubaix and Diverge design.

I should explain that the reason I said "unfortunately it has disc brakes" is that as a long-time cyclist, we have several sets of very nice road wheels in the basement which would make great gravel/dirt wheels. I guess i'll be collecting disc wheels in the future decades :) anyway, friends and forumites have mostly positive comments on gravel disc set ups so i'll roll with the new technology.

thanks again..with the checkbook in hand, we're off to the LBS. :banana:

[Tommasini53]

So, we picked up the bike..did some fitting and she has been riding it for a couple weeks now. She likes it, the design has allowed for a good fit for her. I surmise the design allows for a good fit for most middle-aged cyclists.

With a second set of wheels with road-tubless tires, I would not be surprised if it becomes her primary bike. I set her gravel wheels up with Huchinson cx tires; the stock wheels set up with tubeless very easily.

I certainly need to learn more about hydraulic disk which i have no experience with up until this purchase.

The "new" infatuation with larger diameter tires is funny. In the early 80s i recall using cyclo cross tires and some very large clement sew ups for riding on gravel through the off season. I'm glad frame design has come back around to larger tires; much more versatile. :beer:

[DrSpoke]

Congratulations on the Diverge. Which model did you end up with? How does she like the brakes? I agree that with a couple (maybe 3) sets of wheels it's a do anything bike. And also agree that is should be a very capable road bike - the geometry is identical to the Roubaix. Both of my friends that recently purchased a Diverge sold their Tarmacs. There are a lot of new tires, both wide and narrow, coming soon in tubeless. I'm planning to use the new Schwalbes for the road and probably for gravel and mixed road/trail too. The S-One looks particularly promising for road and light trail use.

My gravel bike finally got here yesterday. A very long story but I ended up with a Ridley X-Trail. I got a great deal from Performance and it looks great. I put on a set of wheels w/Nano 40c and the clearance is very tight in the chain stay area. They did fit but it may be a little too tight. The OEM tire is the Challenge Gravel Grinder in 38c and they also look good though they are tubed. I'll see how they do on the road today. I'm riding with two friends with the Diverges. The guy with the Pro has it set up w/road only tires for now and it's the maiden ride him too.

I'm with you on the Spec/Trek thing. I thought they were great 25 and 40 yrs ago but not so much now. That said, they have a lot of resources for R & D and do think they make some great bikes. Performance is in the same category for me but they had a deal I couldn't refuse :) My two friends are Specialized fan boys and think they have Spec underwear.

Happy trails.

[Pastashop]

neat looking bike
what's the largest tire one could fit?..
(seems like the stays are on the short side, but overall the bike looks ince)