New gravel bike Specialized Diverge: Unlimited freedom on two wheels?!

First ride/test: Specialized presented the new models of their Gravel bike Diverge in Spain this spring. Velomotion was allowed to be present at the presentation and the first extensive test drives.

With the Specialized Diverge, the successful US manufacturer from Morgan Hill, California, launched one of the first series gravel bikes. This not only recognized a budding trend in good time, but also quickly realized that gravel would soon develop into its own cycling discipline. The requirements for a gravel bike developed just as quickly as the market and the number of gravel riders, which the new Diverge wants to do more than just meet.

The biggest challenge in the development process is actually right at the beginning, since the subject of Gravel means something different for almost every rider and therefore a wide variety of needs have to be met. For example, some want to use the gravel bike as a touring bike for bikepacking tours, for many it is sports equipment and a welcome alternative to the racing bike to escape the traffic on the streets. For still others, it's an everyday bike for commuting. The Specialized developers also dealt with this problem and came to the conclusion that it is not possible to commit themselves. Rather, you have to ask yourself the question: "What do Gravel bikers actually need?" The answer: "Versatility!"

The new Diverge: There is power in versatility!

Because this versatility allows Gravel riders to use their bikes the way they want, to experience new adventures, to enjoy the freedom and just ride away. With the new Specialized Diverge, the following properties were specifically considered: control, comfort, speed and compatibility.

The frame and its geometry have the greatest influence on these properties. This was adapted and changed compared to its predecessor through various prototype tests. The main changes would be a slightly higher bottom bracket for more pedal freedom and a longer reach for more control and smoothness. Nevertheless, the bottom bracket is still one of the lowest on the market, which ensures precise handling and better control.

The new Specialized Diverge is also at the forefront when it comes to comfort, because its Future Shock 2.0 suspension system not only offers the driver relief on hard surfaces, but also conveys a safe and comfortable driving experience. However, the suspension can be locked with a simple hand movement, so that you don't feel any up and down movement at the front when accelerating, so that all the power can be converted into propulsion.

That brings us to the next topic, namely speed. As is well known from motorsport, sprung mass is always faster, which is why the Future Shock System also plays its part in this regard. The high-quality frame material ensures first-class power transmission and low weight. At less than 1.000 grams, the new Diverge frame is one of the lightest high-end gravel frames on the market. The Roval Terra CL(X) wheels on the Diverge top models provide even more speed. In addition to aerodynamic features, these also offer sufficient stability and robustness for rougher terrain.

As already mentioned, in order to make a gravel bike perfect, it has to be very versatile, which can only be made possible by a high level of compatibility in the most diverse areas. For the driving characteristics, the tire clearance is at the top, since hardly any component has more influence on it than the tires. At up to 47mm or 2,1" (on the 650B), the new Diverge can be converted from a road bike with gravel capabilities to a light mountain bike. Equally important when it comes to versatility is the accessory compatibility, which should be guaranteed with the new Diverge through an innovative tool box with storage space in the down tube and various mounting points for carriers and bags to enable any bikepacking adventure.

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First Ride: This is how the new Specialized Diverge rides

Even before the official launch, we had the opportunity to test the new Specialized Diverge for you. We were part of the Specialized press camp in Girona and used the Spanish spring sun on two perfect (and at that time still corona-free) cycling days to make the gravel tracks at one of the most popular cycling hotspots unsafe with the new gravel bike.

The theory was clear and we were excited to see how versatile the Diverge really is in practice. With a high-quality carbon frame weighing just 1000 grams, the basic requirements for a fast gravel bike were given right from the start. Due to the great power transmission and the low weight, the Specialized Diverge not only accelerates quickly, but also gets a lively character. This is also reflected in the handling, because despite the longer reach, the low center of gravity, which results from the low bottom bracket, ensures direct steering behavior and good control. When it comes to control, however, the Future Shock System plays an important role in addition to the appealing smoothness due to the longer reach, because this "mini suspension" allows you to master rougher sections much better and simply feels safer. Incidentally, this system also ensures impressive driving comfort.

Most interesting was the comparison between the two days. Because on the first day of the test, a longer, more extensive gravel track was on the program, which we tackled with a 38 millimeter tire. On the second day, however, the terrain was much rougher, the descents were more technical and the gravel was sometimes harder, but we also got 47 millimeter tires with a more aggressive profile. Except for the tires, we rode both days with the same platform and setup. While the new Specialized Diverge rode almost like a racing bike with gravel features on the first day and offered really sporty characteristics, on the second day you almost had the feeling of riding a hardtail, especially on the descents.

On the one hand, it's exciting what makes the choice of tires, but on the other hand, it quickly became clear to us that the criterion of versatility was taken seriously and that by simply changing the tires you get an almost completely different bike. In our opinion, Specialized offers a really versatile gravel bike with the Diverge, which should cover the needs of a wide range of gravel riders and should be a lot of fun on a wide variety of tours.

Specialized Diverge - The models

S-Works Diverge

 

Diverge Pro Carbon

Diverge Expert Carbon

Diverge Comp Carbon

Diverge Sport Carbon

Diverge Base Carbon

Diverge Comp E5

Diverge Elite E5

Diverge Base E5

WEB: specialized.com