curttard

Another FB impression:

responded to with:

curttard

Fb:

wheelhot

Hmm, I looked at last year Diverge Expert and this year Comp, though the price is similar, we all know that the carbon value for this year model is lacking.

So here are the spec difference
10r vs 9r (200g-400g?)
DT R460 vs Axis Elite (200g-400g?)
Ultegra vs 105 (300g?)
FSA SL-K vs Praxis Alba 2D

No doubt that the 2018 Diverge frame is heavier, but part of the additional weight goes to the components that the bike is specced with as well. So probably if you swap to make both the same components, it'll probably be 400g heavier (FutureShock and frame material difference).

GeneO 

And no SCS - 142 mm TA in back.

wheelhot

Someone asked this question
And someone replied

curttard

Honestly my doubts about the bike are fading the more impressions I read. I don't think a single person who has ridden it has not loved it. The negatives are coming from people's opinions about the apparent direction the bike seems to have gone, what they think are the downsides of the Futureshock (without trying it), and from weighing the bike. Not one person who has ridden it has had anything negative to say about anything including its feel on the road or its apparent weight.

Lazyass

It is odd that in June of 2017 the '18 models are already in the bike shops.

DTG

Bike industry is only 3 months ahead of the auto industry. June for new bikes, Sept for new cars.

Lazyass

It wasn't always that way. New bikes used to come out in the beginning of the fiscal year, October.

DTG

I remember that but my guess is they wanted a jump on sales numbers. More people always have the itch to purchase a bike when the summer comes compared to fall when it's cooler/colder out.

Lazyass

Everything is early now. One of these days Black Friday will start in August.

BluesDawg

There has definitely been a move toward earlier release of some models. But it is not everything. Mostly a few hot new models and a few others that sold out the current year models early.

tommy2000

I just bought the 2018 Diverge Comp last week and love it! Rode the Michigan Mountain Mayhem a few weeks ago on my Roubaix and wanted to get something a bit more comfortable for endurance rides as well as getting disc brakes. Was looking at cyclocross bikes, came across the Diverge. The bike shop had just gotten it in. Loved it immediately. Tried a number of other bikes, kept coming back to the Diverge. Bought it next day. Have put about 100 on it so far, truly enjoy it.

What I like:
1: The FutureShock stem spring works great, far better than I'd have imagined. Adds comfort in normal ride position, and I was amazed how much it adds in the drops. Just never feel like you're fighting the steering.
2: The tires work for me. The bike comes with 38's, my concerns that they'd be too wide and/or slow were quickly allayed after the first long ride.
3: Disc brakes super excellent. Shimano RS505's.
4: Shimano 105's work very well.
5: Coming from the Roubaix, I had some belief in their Z-Serts. There is one in the seatpost, pretty helpful.
6. Well balanced, steady at high speeds.

Only real dislike was the seat, I switched out for a Sella Anatomica.

The bike is a real dream to ride, highly recommend you go try one out if you get a chance.

speshelite

Any bets on whether/when FS comes to the Epic line?

They could build a 17 lb. S Works hardtail. :-)

HTupolev

FS doesn't replace suspension forks. Way less travel, way more unsprung mass. Won't keep the front wheel planted even close to as well over huge deflections.

BluesDawg

My bet would be on never.

Lazyass

I guess they made this cover thing so it wouldn't rattle with that big gap. But it looks kind of cheap and funky to me.

Craptacular8

Interesting that you went with the diverge over the roubaix with future shock if you were looking for an endurance ride? I thought they were virtually identical geometries, with the diverge taking an even wider tire...the roubaix is available in disc and will take up to a 32 tire. I test rode the roubaix with future shock on a short test ride. Liked it quite well. I'm looking for endurance road, I've already got gravel/adventure/light touring covered. When I asked about endurance road with disc brakes for road riding...they shuttled me right to the roubaix. I inquired about the diverge, but was told it was aimed more are adventure/touring...

Chader09

The geo's between the Roubix and Diverge (new 2018 ones with the Future Shock on most models) are VERY DIFFERENT. The Roubaix went to a shorter wheelbase with a "normal" BB height. The Diverge is still the longer wheelbase with a very low BB. The reach and stack are similar, so fit will be comparable, but they will ride different from the WB & BB.

The Diverge is now squarely intended as a gravel ride/race bike. The touring bikes are the Sequoia and AWOL. Yes, the Diverge will take a rear rack and fenders, but it is not the same as the other two bikes above.

tommy2000

I've got an older Roubaix, which I like quite a bit. I thought about the 2018 Roubaix, but two things swayed me to the Diverge. 1) I really was blown away by the ride quality of the Diverge. I like to do longer (50+) rides, so comfort, balance, and gearing for any hills factors in for me. 2) I also ride a lot of gravel/limestone trails (with a Trek hybrid) and liked the idea of a bike that could take me on those trails with some ease.

There's a lot to like about the Diverge. Not that I was married to the idea of a carbon frame, but I also tried the alloy Diverge and liked it, but really loved the Diverge. The Future Shock (and CG-R stem) both work great for me, the engineering of the Future Shock really does well IMHO.

I'm OK with the 38MM tires, I moved up to 28MM on the Roubaix. I really don't find them to feel like they slow me down much if at all. I'm not out to win a timed race on the bike, so I'm happy with the tires and rims. As mentioned, I find the disc brakes excellent.

The other item is that the gearing; it feels like you have two extra "hill gears" on the Diverge. The Granny Gear on the Diverge has a little bit more hill capacity to me.

I've done a number of gravel/limestone/EZ off road with the Diverge, did just fine.

Still on a high with the Diverge, haven't enjoyed a bike as much as this one in a long time.

wheelhot

Hi Tommy, so no pics of your ride?

And not sure if you mentioned this, but how well does it ride on the roads?

Craptacular8

You are probably much more sensitive to the differences than I am then, because I've got a gravel bike with a longer wheel base than the diverge, and on pavement, I'd be hard pressed to notice the 3/4 of an inch difference in WB length between the diverge and roubaix, as I sure don't notice the 1 inch difference in wheelbase between my gravel and road specific bikes. I can notice the weight difference a little, the greater bb drop on the gravel bike, and the general fit differences, but a ride difference I can attribute to WB...nope.

There are a couple of mature bike shop guys near me that ride Diverge's as their "only" bike much of the time, using them for everything from group rides to leading tour groups in France, so it certainly seemed like an awesome choice for the one-bike do it all kind of thing to me....but I want an excuse to have a stable of bikes, ergo no need for a single bullet, lol, but always looking for that "just a little different" bike to add to the collection.

Chader09

I suspect the Diverge will be a better road bike than the Roubiax will be a gravel bike. The differences will seem to matter more in the looser conditions IMHO. The lower BB will help straight line stability and lower CG in cornering (assuming normal technique).

Despite the geo differences, I think the tire limitations are the bigger part of the decision between the two.

For those riding the 80/20 mix of the original Diverge, I think the new Roubaix is a good choice.
For those riding a 50/50 mix and tougher surfaces, the new Diverges seems the right choice.

Chader09

To further my point on the wheelbase, here is a comment about cornering:

"In all of this, is there a downside that I found to the bike? There was just one really. Fast, flowing road descents. On these bends I found that the front wheel was drifting around a little, and I couldn’t properly hold a line. I was able to overcome some of this by changing my position around, and leaning more of my weight forward to load up the front tyre, a little like Caleb Ewan in a sprint."
https://withallihave.wordpress.com/2...oubaix-expert/

A longer wheelbase (and shorter front center) will put more weight on the front tire for better cornering (all else being equal).

tommy2000

Sure, here you go:

I think it rides great on roads! Up until the Diverge, I'd been riding a Roubaix for the last 5 years, started with 25 GatorSkins and moved up to 28MM last year. To me, the 38MM tires on the Diverge are much more comfortable than the 28MM Gatorskins and ride pretty similar. Probably to be expected with low inflation pressure and size. But for me, more the endurance than super speed power rider, they are great.

Off road, so far on gravel/limestone and forest walking trail, it's been just fine too.