curttard

Background: Until very recently I had only ridden one bike in my adult life: A 1993 Performance M-104 rigid MTB. I bought it used in 1997 and rode it until I backed over it after my lunch break two months ago. I liked it because it weighed 20lb (bikepedia says 23 but I've weighed it a million times over the year -- granted on a bathroom scale --
and always got 20 on the dot) and I could ride singletrack with knobbies or on the road (which was most of my riding) with 100psi 1.25" Fatboy slicks. And since it was steel I didn't feel like I had to be careful with it.

After killing it, I quickly found a 2008 Stumpjumper front suspension for my trail riding. But I still want to ride on the road, which was always the bulk of my riding.

I am never going to race, so I don't need the fastest thing around. The roads around here are pretty good, but there are some pothole areas, and I also do bikecamping on the C&O Canal towpath once a year or so, and do the whole thing (180 miles) every few years over a few days. I like the idea of a more comfortable, tougher bike than the Allez or other road bikes I had been considering before beginning my search, and I like the idea of being able to zip down the towpath once in awhile or at least not worry about potholes or occasional gravel stretches, while still being able to go (hopefully) significantly faster than I could on the old slick-tired MTB. If my lunch break found me near a singletrack trail, it would be great if I could throw on some knobbier tires and hit the trail and not have to cram two bikes in the car all the time, although I don't know if that's realistic even with the Diverge.

I just can't quite tell if a Roubaix/Defy/Synapse type would be the right choice for me, or the Diverge/Anyroad/Search type. The great majority of my riding on this bike would be on good roads, but something about the Diverge really appeals to me, as soon as I saw it on Craigslist (wrong size unfortunately) it jumped out at me, and the reviews seem universally glowing.

One thing I don't get is the price on the Diverge Elite DSW (the model in my price range). $1500 for aluminum and Tiagra seems a little nutty when I can walk into Performance and get a 2016 Fuji Gran Fondo full carbon with Ultegra for $1300.

I don't mind buying used, I've seen Roubaixs etc for $1200 or less with carbon and 105 or Ultegra a few years old.

I also am not someone who wants to get a new bike every few years. If I like the bike, I will probably happily ride it for the rest of my life if the frame holds up.

rjones28 

Sounds like you want a bike from the "adventure" category. Diverge, Anyroad, etc... Those bikes will have fender and rack mounts for your bikepacking excursions and will fit wider tires for gravel/dirt riding. Another Fuji to consider is the Jari Fuji Bikes | Jari 1.7

vinuneuro

I have a carbon Diverge but test rode the DSW several times. The DSW frame is one of the smoothest (regardless of material) on the road I've ever ridden.

If looking at used, avoid 2015 Diverge Smartweld/DSW bikes. They have a defect at top tube, seat tube intersection. 2016+ are ok.

There's a pretty active and helpful Diverge facebook group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1476446176002377/

curttard

I guess one of my biggest questions is why, given how similar Roubaix and Diverge are, the Roubaix line seems to be lighter and cheaper with better components? Is the ability to run bigger tires really the only advantage the Diverge offers to offset that?

WhyFi

Are you comparing apples-to-apples? The Diverge has discs standard, whereas the Roubaix has both disc and rim-braked variants, no? In general, yes, disc-equipped bikes are coming in a little heavier and a little more expensive than rim brake road bikes at this time, but it's usually not a huge gap in pricing.

curttard

True, Diverge has discs. But even so, we're talking $1500 for an aluminum Diverge versus $1700 for a 10R carbon Roubaix with Future Shock, both with Tiagra. That seems like a pretty big price hike for mechanical disc brakes.

You have to spend $2800 for a carbon Diverge, which compares to a $2600 Roubaix, both with 10R, discs, and 105 group (the Roubaix also having Future Shock).

It particularly hurts me as someone likely buying used -- Diverge is relatively new and apparently there were problems with the 2015 frames, so my used options are pretty much limited to an aluminum/Tiagra for a few hundred dollars off, whereas for $1200 or less I can find plenty of 2014 or newer Roubaixs with carbon and Ultegra (even Dura Ace in some cases).

WhyFi

There are other adventure/gravel bikes out there. Almost every manufacturer has something in the segment, now. Hell, I picked up my Haanjo (AL w/105) for $550 at an REI garage sale.

NormanF

I'd go with an adventure/gravel road bike if I can have only one. You can ride everywhere with it, do commuting, touring and backpacking excursions. And of course, casual road riding.

Cheaper than a conventional road bike and far more versatile. Eliminates the need for two separate bikes.

JReade

Just make sure that it has all the right mounts, I think the diverge has rackmounts, but the roubaix does not.

curttard

Yeah, the lack of rack mounts might make the decision easier than I thought between Roubaix and Diverge. But on the other hand, I believe other endurance bikes like the Giant Defy have them -- and I have seen a 2016 Defy Advanced 1, carbon, Ultegra, slightly used for $1600.

edit: Actually it appears the Defy does not, and I don't think any of the more popular endurance bikes do. So I guess I'm firmly in the "adventure" category, as I need maybe 15-20lb in panniers for bike camping when it gets cold.

I think I may be down to Diverge vs Norco Search. Diverge will probably win because I don't think I can get the Search around here and never see them used.

curttard

Raleigh Roker Sport may be a contender. Looks very similar to Diverge DSW, and has the same Tiagra set, but it has a threaded BB and a carbon frame, and I think supports tires up to 40mm (although I'm not entirely sure).

But I can't seem to find a concrete answer as to whether it has rack mounts. The specs page says only fender mounts, whereas (for example) the Tamland specs say rack mounts; but at least one review said it has hidden mudguard AND rack mounts.

Does anyone know how the Roker Sport compares to the Diverge DSW on the road?

gsa103

GT Grade is also worth a look, since that's readily available at Performance.

curttard

Price and 105 is right, reviews are great...but apparently it has no rack mounts. Also, on an instinctive level, I don't like how it looks. But I would consider it if it had rack mounts.

bhchdh 

Some offerings from REI
https://www.rei.com/h/co-op-cycles-a...1&mi_u=1314272

againstmel

Know anything about REI bikes? The ARD 1.2 looks a great bike for me...

bhchdh 

I've only seen them online. With any luck they will stock them at my local store soon.

Larry77

If I were to buy a complete bike I would spend more for the frame than the components because I can upgrade the components later, this includes wheelsets. When I bought my Synapse I liked that it came with lower spec'd wheels so I could chose the wheelset I wanted.

If you buy cheaper spec'd components you will get a nicer frame for your money, later on upgrading the components to exactly what you want the bike feels more personal and you have a great frame to go with your new Di2/eTap/DA/Ultegra.

All of that aside, remember you HAVE to test ride the bike. This does not mean a ride around the block, ride it for a least an hour and up a hill if possible.

I like the other advice to get a bike that can do everything for one of your first road bikes. You really need rack mounts for what you talked about doing so that eliminates a lot of bikes making the choice easier. You might want to check out the BMC GF02, when I chose it I rode quite a few bikes.

ColonelSanders

Specialized is a brand that for many people has a certain cache, hence the higher asking price it is able to command.

Which means that makers like Fuji and Jamis are able to make some incredible bikes for the same asking price as a Specialized.

If the Gran Fondo you are talking about is the same one as this article refers to, then I'd be looking very closely at getting it.

Masque

The $1700 Roubaix is an SL4 model; rim brakes and Zertz. No Future Shock. Those models are disc-only and start at $2600.

And are worth every penny.

12strings

I at first did not like the way the Giant Abroad looked, but after seeing a few different ones, it's growing on me. Lots of people use them as just road bikes and the occasional off-road.

Or for even more aggressive off-reading check out the Giant Revolt...uglier, but supposedly fits 50mm tires...(wider than anybody, and Diverge).

My only hesitancy with the diverge, is that despite its category as an adventure bike, I've heard it only has room for 35mm tires. (Someone can correct me on that if it's wrong).

bhchdh 

I had the chance to see an ARD 1.2 at my local REI this weekend. It seems to be a very nice bike. The welds on the frame were smooth and the finish was an attractive satin black. The bike is equipped with a Shimano 105 group set and TRP disk brakes. At $1299 it is $150 less than the Diverge Elite DSW which has a Tiagra group set.

againstmel

Thanks for that. I'm going to a local shop this week (Veloworx) and test some bikes out, and then check out the ARD 1.2. I'm starting to realize at 44 I need to worry about fit and comfort.

bhchdh 

https://www.rei.com/product/106343/c...d-12-bike-2017 15% off now through 5/29