Khp3655

Looking for some advice …

I have two Specialized Diverge bicycles. Both are tube set-ups. I typically ride 1-2x per week, up to 40 miles. I like to tinker and figure things out and do simple upgrades and maintenance.

The first bike is a base 2019 E5 model (Shimano Claris) and has axis sport rims on it, which are not very good and quite heavy from what I understand and experience. This bike has 30mm tires on it.

My second bicycle, which is the one I ride the most, is a 2021 specialized diverge expert EVO with a Shimano 1x12. It has DT Swiss G540 rims, which are ok and better than the Axis Sport wheels. This bike has 38mm tires on it. I enjoy it much more than the base Diverge.

I am thinking that I should get a better wheel set for the Expert EVO. Then, I think I can transfer the DT swiss rims (and maybe the tires too) to the base diverge. Is this correct thinking? How, in general, can I tell which rims will fit my bikes (I get the disc vs clencher part)?

The question is what kind of upgraded wheels and tires would I want for the Expert EVO? How much do I need to spend to make a noticeable difference? I would have a budget of about $500 and could go a little higher if there was good value for the money. I ride mostly on roads, paved trails and gravel paths. I am not much of a mountain biker.

Thank you!

SoSmellyAir

$500 will not get you a significantly better wheelset unless you find an excellent deal on a used wheelset. If you don't, buy some good, low rolling resistance tubeless tires for your better Diverge and call it a day.

MPE

I like my Spinergy GX rims. The alloy ones are light and have remained true so far. They seem to run sales pretty often and if you sign up for their emails you might get further details. No complaints so far after a couple of thousand miles.

Khp3655

Thank you for the initial suggestions. Sometimes I see used DT Swiss rims on eBay for under $100. Would it make more sense to just upgrade the base diverge and buy better tires for both bikes? The tries on the Expert EVO are H2 COMP. The tires are the base diverge are entry level for sure.

tFUnK

Putting the stock wheels from the newer bike onto the older bike, you'll need to make sure the freehub is compatible (unless you plan to upgrade the rest of the drivetrain), the hub axles are the same, and of course both are running disc brakes. Since one is 12 speed and the other is Claris I'm going to venture saying it won't just be a simple bolt-on of the wheels.

I guess I want to also step back and ask why have to of the same line of bikes? Do you use one for certain riding and the other for something else? No judgement from the guy with too many bikes in the garage, just wanting to understand the motivation for wanting to keep two bikes and upgrading one. A $500 budget gets you Superteam wheels, which I've been happy with but not overly inspired by.

chaadster

To be clear on this part, it’s disc brakes vs. rim brakes, and either bike will accept wheels built with rims that require clincher tires. I don’t know anything about the bikes you have in particular, but I think all Diverge use 700c size wheels and disc brakes, so the wheels are interchangeable (assuming they both have thru-axle hubs and not quick release). You wouldn’t be able to use the E5 rear wheel with the EVO because of the rear cassette, but that’s not in question, and the EVO wheel will take the Claris cassette with the addition of a cheap spacer ring, so no problem with what your proposing.

The G540 wheelset could easily be right at 2,000g, so you can drop more than a pound with a new wheelset right away. Whether dropping that weight is a big deal depends on your specific situation, but in any case will largely become an invisible benefit once you get past the first ride, by which I mean, you’ll feel the wight diffference when you first handle the bike and jump on, but after a few pedal strokes, you get acclimated and don’t notice the weight. Particularly with the H2 Comp tires; those are dogs and should be replaced with something lighter and more supple. New tires are where your big gains are; you’ll get more efficient rolling, weight savings, and better feel. You could get into tires like the Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass 35mm at 355g vs 600g for the H2 Comps, and knock a pound off in rubber and get all the other benefits, too.

If you want wheels, though, something like the Hunt SL Alloy Disc at $480 would bring over a pound in weight savings, so coupled with great tires like the Bon Jons, you’d be rolling faster, having better feel, and dropping 2lbs off the bike. It would cost about $700, but would be a sweet upgrade. Plus, the Hunts are tubeless compatible, so you could even consider going that route, but honestly I’d suggest throwing down another $70 on Schwalbe Aerothan TPU tubes and dropping another 1/4lbs compared to the stock butyl tubes. They’ll maximize the rolling efficiency and enhance durability, too.

Khp3655

The better lives in VA and the other at my girlfriend's in NY. The older diverge I bought first, used, as I was just getting into biking a little. It is really more for my off days as a runner. While I like the bike overall, soon I realized that the Claris didn't feel great as I was always searching for just the right gear. The 1x12 was a great deal and I saw the opportunity to upgrade and not have to worry about finding a bike to ride with her.

Khp3655

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of advice I need to help focus my thoughts and efforts. I like a lighter bike because I often have to carry it up stairs or put in a truck, etc. And it is just cool to make something you like better.

chaadster

For sure, I get that! Lighter is a very real benefit when one has to hoist a bike up, and a lot of folks just don’t think about that because maybe all they do is roll it in and out of their garage.