We may earn commission if you buy from a link. made my affection for SWAT in frame storage known, Downhill Dreams: The 2020 Specialized Enduro, Merlin Sandstone Gravel Bike Ridden and Reviewed, Versatile Rigs, Ridden and Vetted by Our Team, The Salsa Warbird Was Born to Race Gravel, The New Pivot Vault Is for Gravel and So Much More, Longer and slacker geometry improves stability, More tire clearance: now up to 700x47 or 650x53. The build is mostly Shimano’s Di2 GRX RX815, but with a Shimano XT 11-42T cassette matched with a 40T 1x chainset. Secondly, the two days of riding I did at the Diverge launch turned out to be the last real-world riding I’d do (and have done) in over two months now. When mated to a full carbon FACT fork, the Diverge Base E5 becomes a light, lively and versatile bike ready to attack any surface. Name. The question is: who’s this for and is there a market? The Premium E5 Aluminum frame provides a stiff, light, and durable platform. Access is via a clip-off cover that the bottle cage is attached to. (54cm). The brand typically updates its premier models every two years or so. Sure the tyres had been swapped out for the fatter Tracers, but the fore and aft of the post was massively noticeable. Prior to the world going into lockdown, Dave “Shoddy” Everett attended an exclusive launch of the new Diverge to learn what it was all about and how it rides. The brand’s schedule and gravel’s surging popularity ensured that a Diverge was on the horizon. With a premium E5 alloy frame and a full-carbon FACT fork, the Diverge Base E5 delivers a fast, confident, and comfortable ride on road, in the dirt, and over thick gravel. A Sora 2x9 speed drivetrain is found on the E5 Sport, while the E5 Comp, E5 Comp Women’s and carbon-framed Comp get superb 2x11 speed 105 drivetrains. Overall, the Diverge Comp E5 is a great bike to ride. Our third in a series of Top 5 articles to end 2018 may ruffle some feathers. It benefits from the brand's latest progressive gravel geometry - long and slack - to bring both stability and a responsive ride feel, making it a capable choice for confidence across a range of terrains. I was pleased to see that the new post works with the rest of the bike, in that it never dulls the sharpness of the rear end but just quietens down the road noise that’s transferred to you. A look at its drop-bar line and one bike stood out as older than the rest: the Diverge gravel bike. On the first day’s gravel forays, the new Diverge took what was laid in front of us in its stride, feeling poised, well-balanced and sure-footed. Shimano's Claris 2x8 group gives a wide range of gears for any terrain, while Axis Elite alloy wheels and Road Sport 35mm tires provide an efficient ride on pavement with added versatility for hard-pack dirt riding. Your Price £2200.00. You can go smaller, of course, though Specialized recommends you avoid anything smaller than 700x28. You also lose the new carbon seatpost in exchange for a pretty standard-looking single-bolt carbon post. According to Specialized, this is a bike for “pushing boundaries”. Firstly, the gravel riding around Girona (where the launch was held) is mesmerising: get a trip booked if you can (once all this craziness is over, obviously). Swap those road tyres out for whatever takes your fancy for off-road duties, and you’ve got a bike that can take on an amazing variety of different surfaces. But let me delve into the finer details first. In addition to the drop-bar Diverge, there are two flat-bar EVO models. On day one we used the all-round 50/50 road/gravel rubber of the 38 mm Pathfinder Pro. The S-Works, Pro, Expert, and Comp Carbon models all get the updated Future Shock, while the Future Shock 1.5 — an older version without hydraulic damping (or the ability to firm it up while riding) — is found on the Comp E5, Sport, and Base Carbon offerings. The new Diverge has the most progressive geometry ever created for a drop bar bike, giving riders a capable and stable bike in the dirt, that still feels responsive and nimble on the road. Shimano’s Claris 2x8 group gives a wide range of gears for any terrain, while Axis Elite alloy wheels and Road Sport 35mm tires provide an efficient ride on pavement with the versatility for hard pack dirt riding. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, The Lightweight XC Bike Showdown: Scalpel v. Epic, Evil Unveils Second-Generation Offering Trail Bike, The Best Bike Lights for Every Kind of Ride, All of the Different Types of Bikes—Explained, The 10 Best Cheap Bikes for Every Kind of Ride, The Specialized Aethos Is the Best New Road Bike, BMC Twostroke 01 One: Ridden and Reviewed. The Diverge Elite E5 utilizes our premium E5 alloy frame and a full carbon FACT fork for a fast, confident, and comfortable ride on road, in the dirt, and over thick gravel. I want to ride more on dirt and singletrack and im worried that the 2x would drop chains. Diverge E5 Elite vs E5 Base. save. Again wheels are from Roval: this time the Roval Terra CL in 32 mm wrapped in Specialized’s 38 mm Pathfinder Pro in a very fetching transparent/tan sidewall. If you have a question about Diverge Elite E5, you can use the enquiry form below. That meant adding a Shimano Tiagra 10-speed group set, powerful hydraulic disc brakes, our favourite Power Sport Saddle and a durable Axis Sport Disc wheel set that’s been cased in fast-rolling 35mm Roadsport tyres with built-in flat protection. Once i got rid of a certain component … s Adventure Gear Hover with a rear triangle bosses are undetectable. The main triangle above the bottom bracket drop has been treated to the FACT we venturing! Just looking.Although: if any folks at Specialized had me aboard an S-Works Diverge, decked out with 40T. 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