May 26, 2021 | Steve Greppel

Specialized's Diverge Pro Carbon is an adventurous bike suitable for roads, gravel, monorails, etc.

Whether it is road or mountain, the gravel category of bicycles has the best of both worlds, creating a speed monster on the back road. You get a light bike with a lift bar that can roll for miles, but with the stability and tire clearance of a mountain bike.

Last month, we spent a week in Utah, testing the latest gravel bikes on the market in 2021. We got up very early and went home very late, during which time we filled countless water bottles with water. Stand out from the dust, we chose the best gravel bike.

Specialized's Diverge Pro Carbon Campagnolo LTD is light, powerful, very stable, and very suitable for riding.

In short: As a leader in the bicycle industry, Specialized is indeed studying how to make a good bicycle. Therefore, it is not surprising that it became our choice of the best gravel bike of the year.

With internal storage spaces, wide gaps, futuristic shock absorption systems, and geometric shapes that inspire sunsets (and the entire night and the next day), Diverge puts you in a position to inspire miles.

Specialized offers 12 models of Diverge gravel bikes to meet all price points. Diverge Pro Carbon Campagnolo LTD ($7,000) ranks second in the crown (just below the old S-Works). According to the specifications, you can buy Diverge for as low as $1,300, up to its $10,000 S-Works model.

Before we go too far, it is important to share 12 bike racks in the Diverge lineup. Two of them share the Diverge Pro Carbon name: Diverge Pro Carbon and Diverge Pro Carbon Campagnolo LTD.

We tested Diverge Pro Carbon Campagnolo LTD. Unless we specify otherwise, we will refer to this bike as Pro Carbon or "Diverge" for short.

Except for the Campy kit and smoky maroon finish, the Pro Carbon bike is exactly the same bike. Both have the latest Future Shock 2.0, SWAT storage, and run 700c or 650b wheel clearance. Let us not forget that every Diverge bike in the lineup is known for its inspiring geometry.

Like all of Specialized's top Diverge models, Pro Carbon uses Future Shock 2.0 to effectively tuck a 20mm suspension inside the headset. Future Shock was originally developed for Roubaix to help solve cobblestone roads. It turns out that it is also effective on gravel.

The spring coil shock absorber in 2.0 has hydraulic dampers, which can reduce the compression and recoil in the earphones, instead of the front fork. Need more stacks? You can use Future Shock to increase the stack by 30 mm from the lowest setting, or use a rod with a positive rise to make it feel higher.

The damper can be easily adjusted by replacing the dial of the headphone cover. Turn it to the right and it will strengthen riding when climbing. On the left, it releases a 20 mm impact stroke.

For those from the road world, don't expect a huge impact; 20mm is a far cry from the 120mm range of a mountain biker on a cross-country bike.

The Future Shock looks a bit fancy—maybe even an old part of a mountain bike around 1990—but it pairs very well with Diverge. This is sufficient to eliminate the debris seal and vibration on the gravel.

Perhaps more important than the suspension is tire compatibility and clearance. Diverge is equipped with Specialized's own proprietary rubber. Our demos are in stock, and are packed with 700 x 38c tires. The frame and fork can hold up to 700 x 47c or 650b x 2.1” tires.

Leave a gap of 6 mm and you can still be bolder, but this may affect the collected mud because it will clean up the brace joints.

All our bicycles are tubeless and inflated to above 60psi. Too much for any gravel bike. We lowered the tire pressure to the mid-1920s, and the 38s were suitable for driving on gravel and roads, only enough to cope with occasional erratic rocks.

Power is transferred to this Pro Carbon through Campagnolo's new 1×13 kit. It is said to be the lightest of its kind on the market and the first 1×13 for gravel.

The high-end and low-end gears are comparable to other bikes we tested. Diverge ships with 38 tons of sprockets, which is the smallest ring we have tested during Gravel Week.

The extra ring on the flywheel effectively produces smaller jumps between gears. This may be best understood on the road, where the lack of rolling resistance (from gravel and steep slopes) benefits from the ability to fine-tune the transmission.

If we have complaints, it is likely that we have chosen this kit. The 13 gears make it the largest 1x cassette to date. And squeeze many gears in a single tape.

Therefore, we found it to be a bit picky in the middle range and sometimes it is difficult to align with the gear immediately. Another Diverge Pro Carbon model is powered by SRAM Eagle, which is a 1×12 electronic transmission.

Specialized has made great strides in developing better ways to store equipment on bikes. Pro Carbon has a SWAT door that allows you to store supplies in the down tube without compromising the structural integrity of the frame. This is an ingenious place to store extra food, kits, spare tubes, and even a windproof jacket.

The SWAT door is also where you install the down tube bottle cage in the triangle of the frame. Because the bolt passes through the door, it is best to open the SWAT door when installing the cage. Otherwise, you risk dropping the bolt stopper into the frame.

The Diverge has six Aquarius mounts, two in the triangle, additional mounts on the top tube and down tube, and one on any front fork. Therefore, there are many owners who can prepare for the 400-mile bicycle package race or overnight race.

Test multiple bikes day after day, and ride again and again, allowing you to quickly evaluate real gems from the ordinary. In addition to paint and tires, many bicycles are slightly different from each other. They usually look (and feel) very similar. That is, until we swing our legs onto the Diverge.

Back on the saddle, we immediately knew that Diverge would be different. It feels more "mountain" in the saddle. You will feel like you are riding on a bicycle, not on a bicycle.

Look at the numbers, geometric figures support this.

The core of any bicycle is the geometry of the frame. Longer chainstays will feel more "flexible" and stable during long-distance riding. Length becomes a springboard. A shorter wheelbase will feel stiffer and therefore flexible and fast.

At the front end, the offset of the front fork measures the horizontal distance between the hub and the steering shaft. It affects the "track" of the bicycle, or the "track" of tire marks behind the hub axle.

A shorter excursion means a longer trajectory, making the bike more stable. A shorter path will make the bike turn quickly.

Specialized has designed all models of Diverge, with the purpose of making the bike more capable and giving riders full confidence when off-road. But they don't want to sacrifice the agility required to maneuver quickly on the road.

To this end, Specialized extended the reach, slackened the head tube by 1 degree, and increased the offset of the fork by 5 mm. Of all the bikes we tested, Pro Carbon had the longest offset-and therefore the shortest path. They also lengthened the chainstay a few millimeters.

The length has increased the wheelbase, adding about 38 mm to the No. 56 frame. The average wheelbase we tested was 1,028 mm, a medium size; the Diverge had a size of 1,032 mm.

This makes Diverge feel stable and eliminates the toe overlap of the front wheels. But we don't think it is as flexible as some of the bikes in the test.

3T Exploro Max and Open WI.DE. The offset of both has been shortened by 5 mm, but it feels faster. They abandoned the front suspension and had a shorter reach.

Specialized is notorious for its low bottom bracket, and has dropped by 80 mm, which is the lowest bracket we have tested. This round, Specialized increased the drop of the bottom bracket by 5 mm, which allows you to run the 650b wheels without taking turns pedaling. It still maintains excellent stability, making Diverge very fun to ride.

The longer reach allows the brand to place the shorter stem in the front without compromising the overall length of the cockpit.

How does this work in the saddle? The shorter stem is paired with the lower wake to bring the turning radius closer and add a more flexible touch in faster turns. This slows down the steering effect of the larger tires, which we think makes the bike more lively.

At the front end, the handlebars are very compact, allowing you to reach the brake lever when you fall, allowing you to take advantage of multiple handle positions.

The geometric shape forces the stuffing into the water droplets. Compared with any other bicycle, we find ourselves involved in climbing and descending hills.

Our test courses have everything: neighborhood roads, highways, dual-track, single-track, hill climbing, downhill, sand, hard gravel straights, and sand turns. Our Diverge is equipped with 700c x 38mm tubeless tires. We deflated the tire pressure to 25 pounds. Better handle roughness.

Through all this, the bicycle feels safe and comfortable. But in a special case, it saved my Lycra wrapped butt.

Holding the GoPro in one hand and the hood in the other, I was photographing my co-tester on another bike while pedaling at about 20 mph. Focusing on shooting, turning the gravel, I found myself sandwiched between sand-filled ruts and eroded desert bushes. It has all the conditions for WipeOut's short ride on Wednesday.

Before I realized it, the tire hit the rut and the bicycle swayed. I lightly stepped on the brake with one hand and finished the episode under stress.

"Very well preserved," I heard from the other side of the dual track. But I will attribute it to good geometry.

Off-site, the Pro Carbon we tested will cost you $7,000 (or $7,500 if you want to upgrade to the SRAM AXS kit with electronic shifting).

In addition to the kit, both are equipped with SWAT storage devices, Future Shock 2.0 headphones, 700c/650b gaps of up to 47 mm, and Phantom's Specialized geometry. But the same goes for the other bikes in the Diverge series.

This may be the greatest value of Specialized as a company. They have the ability to invest in R&D in top products that penetrate the entire vertical.

There are 12 bicycles in the Diverge series. The higher-end versions (S-Works, Pro, Expert and Comp Carbon) use Future Shock 2.0, SWAT and variable laminated carbon fiber frames. You can buy Diverge Comp Carbon (equipped with Shimano Ultegra) for $4,200.

Diverge Comp E5, Sport and Base Carbon models all use Future Shock 1.5, which is a similar 20mm headphone shock absorber, but does not provide hydraulic dampers for compression and rebound damping. The Diverge Base Carbon equipped with the SRAM Apex drive system is priced at US$2,800.

Does carbon price you? Specialized has a variety of aluminum models of Diverge. You won’t buy a Future Shock system, but you can still swap the 700c for a 650b wheel set and get a well-balanced Diverge geometry.

Speaking of the end of the lineup, the Diverge Base E5 is priced at $1,300, which we think is an incredible value.

If money is not an issue, we have to choose between Diverge Pro Carbon and Pro Carbon Campagnolo, and we will pay an additional $500 for Pro Carbon equipped with SRAM. If the cartridge is lost in one gear, it will be restored in a consistent manner. The electronic shift is really good.

The gravel bicycles located between the road and the mountains cover a wide area. The designer adjusts the geometry to move the bicycle to one end or the other.

On one side is a cross-country race. It is harder, lighter, faster, and suitable for high-speed cornering. On the other hand, mountain-like adventure bikes provide more clearance for fatter tires and a longer wheelbase to provide comfort.

The bottom bracket is lower, the head tube is longer, and the angle is more relaxed. All this means that the saddle is more stable and comfortable.

To help understand all of this, we rode every bike tested during Gravel Week on the same route. Then we put each bicycle on a scale and rank the bicycles from 1 to 4. One indicates the gravel and speed that a bicycle is best for tame, while 4 is more capable of traversing rugged, rooted trails.

We set Pro Carbon to 3. In terms of proportions, the geometry of Kona's Libre and the dropper rod tilt Libre to 4. It is like a rigid mountain bike with a dropper. Alchemy is a kind of thoroughbred that is sexually oriented, more suitable is 2.

With a longer wheelbase and lowest bottom bracket, the Diverge is the most stable bike we have tested, and is ideal for long-distance riding on rough gravel roads.

The 20 mm of the fork’s travel is enough to calm the tingling chatter, but not enough to pass a rugged monorail.

The geometry of the Diverge pushes your weight further forward, and the stem is also longer. This balances the weight between your hips, feet, and hands, allowing you to walk farther more comfortably.

Although the geometry and 20mm stroke made Diverge stand out, it lost the ability to make sharp turns on the road. It is the shortest path we have tested on gravel bikes, but we have other bikes that feel more agile (3T Exploro Max, Open WI.DE or Alchemy are more "lively").

Can I compete? certainly. But it is most suitable for ultra-long-distance bicycle backpack competitions, in which you can get a sense of comfort, but do not need responsive handling.

• Future Shock 2.0 (provides a 20 mm suspension for bicycles)

• Balanced geometric shape allows you to "be inside" the bike

• Reach, relax and comfortable

• There are 12 models in the Diverge series to choose from

• For the price of Pro Carbon, we expect to use electronic shifting. You must pay $500 to upgrade to Pro Carbon.

• "In the saddle" geometry may not be suitable for riders who want pure speed.

• Its 13-cog flywheel is not as clean as the less compact 11-cog flywheel.

Contributing editor (and Director of the Gear Junkie Idaho Bureau) Steve Graepel is alleged to be a liar and thief. He tricked his friends into stealing time from his family in pursuit of premeditated leisure, usually including biking, rafting, and skiing. , Running shoes, climbing frame or all of the above items.

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