The Diverge is more capable than ever. With the constant goal to best meet your needs, your number one request was taken into account - tyre clearance. The new frame will comfortably fit up to 700x42mm (or 650b x 47mm) tyres with plenty of room for mud, too. Along with tyre clearance, weight was a large factor in the development, and taking some design cues from the development of the Roubaix, a FACT 9r carbon frame was developed that’s one of the lightest in its category.
Next up, Specialized moved away from a traditional ‘cross geometry, instead opting for something that hasn’t been seen before - Open Road Geometry. You can think of it as a road version of modern trail bike geometry. It provides playful handling and predictable steering for endless dirt skids and mid-corner drifts. The geo features a bottom bracket that's over a half-centimetre lower than the previous Diverge, a slacked-out head tube angle, short chainstays, and a short wheelbase. These changes make for a bike that's not only fun in the dirt, but also performs well on the road.
While riding gravel and dirt roads on a road bike may add to the adventure, there’s only so much that wider tyres with lower pressures can absorb, in terms of bumps. With this in mind, a new version of Future Shock was implemented into the Diverge design. It not only soaks up bumps with ease, but also adds the benefit of extremely predictable handling. That's because the wheelbase isn’t lengthening when you hit a bump, so the front end of the Diverge keeps the same effective head tube angle. In other words, when you dive hard into a turn, you won’t be surprised by under-steer or sloppy handling. Unlike the original Future Shock (found on the Roubaix), the Diverge's version features a progressive spring that makes this technology more suitable for off-road applications, where stiffer suspension is often needed to soak-up larger bumps and obstacles.
Adding to its multifaceted talents, it is topped off with three water bottle mounts, plus mounts for racks and mudguards. So while it’s one of the most smile-inducing bikes you’ll ever shred fire roads on, it’s equally adept at bikepacking, commuting, or even a spin to your local beer garden. For the spec, components were added that are not only durable, but will perform over the long run - Shimano Tiagra shifting paired with hydraulic disc brakes, 700x38mm Sawtooth tyres, and durable Axis Sport Disc wheels.
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The FACT 9r carbon frame features an adventure-bound Open Road Geometry, Future Shock Progressive suspension with 20mm of travel, and front/rear thru-axles, making it the ultimate tool for your next adventure.
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The lightweight FACT carbon fork is plenty stiff, aiding in handling and a light overall weight.
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Shimano's RS405 shifters are paired with Shimano Tiagra derailleurs for crisp shifts and reliable braking in a variety of conditions without batting an eyelash.