I did stick 30mm tyres (Specialized recommends a minimum of 28s for pure tarmac use) in it for a weekend of road touring. It was an easy pedal that helped offset the 38mm tyres, to the extent that I actually wouldn't go slimmer than this purely because it'd compromise the off road riding too much. The Rideīecause many riders inevitably have to do a degree of tarmac trudging on their gravel bikes, I'll be talking in equal measure about how the Diverge performed both on and off road.įor starters, the FACT 9r carbon frame was fast. I'd expect those riders whose dirt to road ratio is in greater balance to swap them out quite quickly and they'd certainly not be suitable for the British winter weather. Even on loose gravel paths I almost lost the front end a couple of times. The slick profiles of the tyres will make them a mixed bag for many riders, and they would be the first thing I'd have swapped out had I not had to ride such tarmac heavy routes. The Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon is the only carbon diverge to come equipped with a double ring setup at the front, with it using a Shimano GRX RX810 groupset with 48/31 crankset. Specialized Diverge Comp Carbon: Specification
In testing, it's definitely better suited to choppy roads than out-and-out technical trails. It's also positioned beneath the bike, like a typical telescopic mountain biking fork, whereas Future Shock sits beneath the handlebars and is designed to maintain a rider's speed and the bike's handling. It's different to Cannondale's Lefty Oliver fork, which offers 30mm of suspension via an air chamber, which can be tuned to rider weight and also features rebound adjustment. It first debuted on the Specialized Roubaix, and then the Specialized Creo e-bike and is adjustable, meaning it can be locked out for road riding, although I rarely did this, preferring the added squish on the UK's roads.
This model (and the three above it) feature Specialized's Future Shock 2.0, a hydraulic damper with 20mm of compression that sits beneath the stem. Of course, adventure riding is a niche that's typically fond of its steel and metal bikes, and considering the mess that bike bags can make of a carbon frame, if you're serious about going bike packing then I wouldn't say it's necessarily worth it. The frame isn't the highest modulus available in the Diverge range, that honour sits with the S-Works model which uses the brand's 11r carbon, putting it in-line with its top end road models.
It's also worth mentioning that it can accommodate a dropper post as well as sporting no less than six bottle cage mounts. It also has Specialized's SWAT compartment in the down tube, which is only found on the top four models, and I found to be a handy fit and forget for my tubes and C02. The FACT 9r carbon frame can accommodate a 47mm tyre on a 700c wheel, and a 2.1" tyre if you change to 650b hoops. The bike now has a bb drop of 80mm over 85 to better accommodate 650b wheels and avoid pedal strikes. The only change that bucks this trend is Specialized raising the bottom bracket height. It's also got a greater amount of fork offset, too. Two changes that puts it in line with its competitors such as the Cannondale Topstone. Its wheelbase has grown and is now 1042mm long and its head angle is a degree slacker, down to 71.75. 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.
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