Originally Posted by
fujidon
I have the Diverge Elite E5 which has an aluminum frame, but a carbon fork. .....
My error, a posting a few weeks ago said that a Diverge is carbon, I did not realize that one bike model comes in a choice of aluminum or carbon frames. I knew that Trek had started offering different frames under one model name, did not know other manufacturers are doing that now.
I mentioned above possibly a different fork. But if your total weight is 15 pounds, perhaps skipping the front panniers and rack and instead using a bikepacking type handlebar harness. If you do that you would have to be careful for bag placement and length of the drybag so that your shifting is not impaired.
Addendum, added a photo. I met this gal in summer 2019, I think she had already ridden over a thousand miles when I met her. By packing light with only rear panniers, maybe a rack top bag and a handlebar harness, she was doing ok. She had flat bars, so length of bag did not impair her handlebar controls however.
Not a bikepacking harness, but a conventional handlebar bag, you can see that my shifter is not impaired but it is close.
