Specialized Diverge Review: The perfect Gravel Bike? - My mixed thoughts on this bike.

[@patrickrenschler]

thanks for putting together these reviews! I got rid of my 2017 roubaix recently and I miss the future shock. The new roubaix can fit bigger tires, I think that might be a solid option for someone who does a mix of road and gravel.

[@2_Pedals]

Yes Roubaix is next on my list of bikes. I think it will have better feels on the road too.

[@davidwachter3549]

Man ! What a scenery ! What else do you need.

[@2_Pedals]

The joys of gravel riding amazing views.

[@Willthelistener]

nice scenery

[@2_Pedals]

Gotta love the views you get to see on a gravel ride. Nothing better!

[@dvpzy]

Thanks. This convince me to buy it. It's a good hybrid bike.

[@2_Pedals]

Yes wonderful hybrid bike. Let me know how you like the new ride and which model you end up getting.

[@jmoore3854]

Thanks for the review. Like you I have a Crux expert (18lb) and a Diverge Pro (19.5lb). I bought the Crux last year and have about 9,000 miles on it and it works great on both gravel and pavement. I bought the Diverge Pro 6 months ago and have 3,400 miles on it. I bought it as a light weight bike packing bike and hope to race it on the Huracan Lite 335 mile race in February. I put wider Resolute 50 x 700 tires on it. You may want to run lower pressures 30psi on gravel and 40 to 50 psi on pavement.

[@2_Pedals]

This is great. I am curious how much better the higher end diverge models ride over the entry level build. Im guessing if you put some nice carbon wheels and better drive train it would make it a much funner bike to ride.

[@jmoore3854]

@ I have only rode the expert and pro versions of the Diverge. I have not rode the lower end models so can’t comment how much better the higher end models are. I do remember watching a video on someone upgrading the wheels to carbon and he said it was a big improvement. As for the difference between the Pro and Expert the differences are it weighs a pound lighter, the wheel hubs are better, the components are force grade vs rival and the handle bars are carbon and it cost $2,000 more. The wheel hubs and drive train it is hard to tell the difference. The carbon handle bars were a lot nicer. There is a flat spot where your hands go and there is more flex that takes more of the vibrations out. For performance not sure if worth the extra $2,000.

[@sebastianalasino2681]

Amazing review 2 pedals, thank you for doing this. I’m with Michael, I was between the checkpoint 2025 and the diverge comp 2025. The checkpoint is crazy beautiful and without any cables in the front, they both come with 1x sram apex but the diverge has the future shock. The crux has the horrible cables in the front without future shock so it’s out of my list. I’m a roadie, so I spend all my money on my summer and winter emondas 😂. The diverge seams to be perfect for relaxing rides with very bad weather and some gravel, I live in London and I do need to ride 20km to get into some proper gravel, but I can get there though lots of paths. The diverge has a very good price and the “suspension”, I still hate the cables… I have the diverge unboxed waiting for the first ride, hopefully I won’t regret not getting the checkpoint

[@2_Pedals]

The checkpoint is next on my list of bikes. I have heard a lot of good things about that bike. It also looks clean and neat compared to the cable mess on the Crux. Yes the Diverge is that leisure bike when you are trying to do the miles and relax. Totally different style compared to the Crux.

[@davidolot]

Hi 2 pedals, thanks for the review and all the good stuff you are sharing, I’m a happy owner of a crux and to move the tyres from 38 mm to 42 mm was a big change, I’m curious which pressure do you have onnthe tyres and if you did play up/down? Thanks!

[@2_Pedals]

Thanks, appreciate the support. On the 38s I end up running pretty high pressures around ~60 PSI(gotta keep the carbon wheels safe). I have found on the 42s they can hold quite a bit less and not get squishy or soft where you start bumping the rims. I usually run about ~45 PSI on the 42s

[@inthebush3]

Very informative review thanks. I do longer mixed surface rides on my hardtail so I'm thinking of changing to a gravel bike. Or I could convert my hardtail to a drop bar mountain bike. Your review is making me think a gravel bike is not going to be as great as I imagine. Had test rides on a few and they are not at all sporty or exciting. My old flat bar road bike felt faster and more zippy.

[@2_Pedals]

Ya its a hard decision for sure. My thought is nothing is ever going to be as fun on the dirt as a dedicated mountain bike. The Diverge does a good job but no where close to what a MTB can do on the dirt. You could try a Diverge with the widest tire it will support but at that point I feel like a MTB is still a better option. If you goal is dirt riding I would stick with the MTB unless you know you want to do lots and lots of miles than explore a diverge. I have a review of a BMC URS mullet coming up next I think that bike might be more sporty on the dirt than the Diverge so will keep you posted.

[@igadokenpancit7410]

How about the weight? I’m riding a 1 kg frame and the diverge 9R is 2.5 kg is there any noticeable?

[@2_Pedals]

Total bike weight is 20.5 LBS (9KG or so) with pedals. I don't really notice the weight over any of the other bikes I have ridden. The big thing is the heavy wheel set has a high rolling resistance and I think that is what makes the bike feel sluggish, if you had really light wheels it would definitely help make the bike feel more aggressive.

[@igadokenpancit7410]

@ I bought a 2023 model frame only at 50% off brand new. Not researched the frame and i weight the actual frame at 2.5 kg so thinking so heavy for road/gravel bike.😂

[@TFB2000]

I just want to add that other gravel bike materials (besides carbon) might give you a different, exciting feel in the dirt.

[@2_Pedals]

Thanks, I do want to try a aluminum Crux to see how that rides. Im always open to trying out steel or titanium need to figure out where to start on those types of bikes.

[@michaelc3416]

I hate to question what someone has, but... You said your bike has a 2X and uses a GRX chainset. That would indicate a Sport Carbon rather than a Comp Carbon as the Comp Carbon comes with a 1X 11-50t mullet and uses a SRAM Apex eTAP RD. The 2024 Comp was only in a satin green and a gloss metallic sulphur. The 2024 Sport was available in a matte carbon with onyx blue accents. The Comp also comes with the externally adjustable hydraulic Future Shock 2.0, and the Sport comes with the 1.5 FS and is not externally adjustable. MSRP for the Comp is $4200 with the Sport being $1200 less at $3000. The Comp does have the SWAT box whereas the Sport does not. I just rode a 2024 Comp last week where my local dealer quoted me what seems like a fair sale price of $3250 for the Comp. Trying to decide between it and a 2025 Checkpoint. The both use 1x with electronic shifting, but I think I'd prefer the cassette low gear of the Comp Carbon, but, my Trek dealer said they could swap out the cassette and upgrade the RD to match, credit me the parts value of the original equipment, and basically keep the two bikes the same price.... Of course the Checkpoint doesn't have the future shock, but I'm undecided on that... I found your videos while researching the bike so want to make sure I'm comparing apples to apples and actually watching a review on the bike I'm considering. Thanks

[@midobson]

He says it's the Diverge Sport 2024 in the video

[@michaelc3416]

@@midobson Well crap! You're right! I guess I posted the above comment to the wrong video. It was in the first video on this new bike where at 1:30 he says it's the "Specialized Diverge Comp". But now that I've watched this one again I do see that he said it was the Sport here. I caught the "Comp" in the first video but somehow overlooked "Sport" in this one, so was confused by the specs he was quoting and decided to ask for clarification. So, I guess that clears that up. Thanks 👍

[@2_Pedals]

This is the link to the bike in the video www.specialized.com/us/en/diverge-sport-carbon/p/4223496?color=5381904-4223496 I would prioritize the 1X drivetrain over the future shock. If theres an option for a nicer drivetrain vs the Future Shock I would probably lean more towards the nicer drivetrain. The shock just doesn't make enough of an impact to really be worth it. But a nice drivetrain always makes a big impact.

[@tedchamberlain7560]

I have a di edge, the reach is shorter than the checkpoint so test ride for comfort. BTW as much as I love the future show comfort , it's a pain in the ass to adjust the headset bearings

[@michaelc3416]

@@tedchamberlain7560 Yeah, I rode the Diverge in 52cm, as well as the Checkpoint in both S and M as I fall right in the middle. That complicates things a bit as the reach and stack height on the two sizes of Checkpoint are different. While there are things I prefer about the Checkpoint, I have to say that the comfort and overall "feel" of the Diverge was better for me than either of the Checkpoint sizes. I almost at once felt perfectly at home on the 52cm Diverge, as if it was custom designed just for my body. Everyone is different in this regard obviously, but the Diverge was the most comfortable drop bar bike I've ever ridden. In the end though, as the whole gravel thing is totally new for me, I decided to hold off on a new bike for now and just make some mods to the two bikes I already own so I can better explore what I like and don't like. Today I just picked up another wheelset, with 40mm gravel tires for my Domane, along with an 11-36t cassette for a little lower climbing gear. This will at least get me out on the gravel a bit so I can figure it all out a bit better than just reading and watching reviews... Plus, it was a WHOLE LOT less expensive than a new bike! 😁

[@osint6372]

heavy

[@2_Pedals]

Could be lighter

[@osint6372]

future shock 2.0...better

[@2_Pedals]

Debatable, I have the Future Shock 2.0 on a Roubaix a while back and although you could adjust on the fly I didn't feel like I could ever get the shock stiff enough. Whereas on the 1.5 you can change the spring for the heaviest and makes the shock very stiff. Alot more customizability that way