In recent years the cycling industry has seen a rise in numbers of the so-called adventure cyclists. These riders fall somewhere in between the dedicated road rider and the hardcore mountain biker, often preferring to pursue both styles, while mixing in challenging dirt and gravel roads as well. One of the biggest obstacles that these outdoor athletes often face, however, is finding a single bike that can meet their demands, which includes having the ability to seamlessly transition from road to trail without missing a beat. The new Diverge bike from Specialized was built to do just that, offering top-notch performance on a variety of surfaces.
The designers at Specialized went to great lengths to ensure that the Diverge was unlike any other adventure bike on the planet. That started with an all-new geometry, which deftly blends elements of both a trail and road bike to ensure the best performance possible on both pavement and dirt. By shortening the wheelbase and chain stays, the bike gained stability without sacrificing either speed or agility. The new design also features better tire clearance and a lightweight frame that tips the scales at just under 2 pounds.
But perhaps the most impressive new feature of the Diverge is found inside what Specialized calls its Future Shocks. The front forks on this bike include a set of progressive springs that offer a similar level of performance to the shocks found on a mountain bike. This makes the Diverge a much better option for riding off road, and should save a lot of wear and tear on riders, as well. The springs reportedly offer 20 millimeters of travel, which helps to absorb the shock not only from obstacles on the trail but a bump road as well.
In addition to Specialized’s proprietary S-Works components, the Diverge also features a Shimano gear set, Roval wheels, and an Easton chain. It comes equipped with 38-millimeter tires to help smooth out the ride on both the road and trail, and it has a built-in storage compartment for carrying a spare inner tube, basic cycling tools, and a CO2 inflation kit
Of course, all of this technology and precision design comes at a price. The Specialized Diverge sells for $9,000, putting it well out of budget for most of us. Hopefully the research and development that went into creating this new model will trickle down to some of the company’s more affordable models soon, making them better all-around adventure bikes, too.
Find out more at Specialized.com.
