Specialized Diverge

It was really very good. It spanned the road riding very well, and it did the gravel riding very well.

[Music] All in, I've really enjoyed my time on this bike.

It’s been hard for me, as I used to be in the army as a combat arms NCO, and was always in fantastic shape. 2 weeks ago I was able to find the only bike in a 4 hour drive that was in stock, my size, and in my budget (ended up well below what I was willing to spend, actually.) I grabbed myself a Specialized Diverge.

They'll take my $100 deposit though.... Specialized Diverge (a little more gravely than I want) - local shop says Specialized won't take any more new orders. Giant Contend? "No idea, but it's not good.".

- Specialized Diverge E5 Base (2021). I'm 5ft 11" (182cm) and the deciding factor for me will be which of the two bikes will provide a more comfortable riding position with a slightly more upright posture. It's recommendes i go for the Medium size in the Topstone or the size 56 in the Diverge.

Give you've got a support vehicle you don't need to wear much on the bike, just bottles and some snack in your back pocket. Side note: You probably don't need as expensive a bike as the one you've found, unless you plan to cycle a lot later on. Triban's upper range from Decathlon is really good, or get a gravel bike such as the Pinnacle Arkose or Specialized Diverge, which have more of an endurance oriented frame and will be more comfortable to you as a relative beginner.

My gravel bike is a Specialized Diverge 1x11 (40t front x 11-42 Rear) on the SRAM Force mechanical system. I switched to a 40t oval last year to try and gain a little help. I love the simplicity and reliability of the 1x and so-so with the double tap rear. I definitely miss the low end and high end range of my 2x.

These seem to be some of the most recommended entry level bikes and are both available via my local bike shop or a nearby trek store. One minor perk of the specialized diverge is since it’s at the local shop I would be supporting them a bit more and they give 10% off accessories which I would need to be buying all of the other things that go with getting a first bike (cleats, pedals, maybe computer, etc).

I managed to get them to upgrade the tires and make it tubeless for no extra cost. They had a Cannondale Topstone 1, and this Specialized Diverge Comp E5 in my size, and I spent a while going back and forth trying them both out. The Cannondale was good but didn't feel quite as comfortable and with the tubeless upgrade it was an easy choice in the end.

I bought this Specialized Diverge Second hand. It has a ten speed Tiagra. I changed the saddle to a prologo W450 for comfort, Gave it a good Lock, fenders because it rains a lot and a nice big rack because I don't like backpacks when cycling. I consider the TT bars to be relatively safe as most of the distance is ridden on a cycling highway, completely separated from cars.