 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Made a mistake and went to see my local spec dealer today and the Diverge Expert doesn't look so bad. No fugly seatpost (although the headtube condom is not MUCH better). How do these things ride both on and offroad?
Lunch bump
I test rode the top of the range one for about 10 mins on the road when I was looking for a gravel bike. It rode fine, although the squishy front bit was a bit odd and takes a lot of the directness away. Don't get me wrong, you'd probably be thankful for it on a long off-road ride.
Ultimately I felt the bike was quite weakly specced for a bike that retails over 2.5k (even though I could have got a good discount), and felt Spesh were maybe charging through the nose for the benefit of having the squishy bit.
Got a Whyte Friston instead and very happy.
I have the E5 Comp. The shock works really well on and off road. With slicks on you can play with the roadies and I have some 38mm G Ones which make it a weapon on your average bridleway.
I started a thread on it with some thoughts when I first got it. The low bb issue is resolved with proper off road rubber.
I've done 60km cross sportive mudbaths, road rides, group road rides, including a fast "reliability ride" and general trail rides on mine planning a bike packing trip with it too. With a change of tyres it'll do it all....till you find yourself wanting a mtb I suppose.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/gnarmac-diverge-thoughts/
I've got an old Diverge Elite DSW that occasionally gets took off road for light duties. On the road I find it just as good as my old Cannondale SuperSix it replaced. Stand up and sprint and it will with at any quibbles.