tdilf

You're getting a new carbon stem and carbon bar. I think that is pretty comparable to buying two separate carbon components.

chas58

Kinda.

The chain stays are asymmetric. - there is less clearance on the drive side. Oddly, it looks like the wheels are build wrong, but its the chain stays. I run a 40mm, but to be safe I put a little dish in the rear wheel to move it over a few mm. 28mm isn't a problem. I'm using Maxis Ramblers. (38 & 40).

I've run 50mm in the front.

gravelslider

The Diverge is a nice bike but it isn't really a gravel bike, though Specialized started calling it a gravel bike when they got caught flat-footed when they were without one and the gravel trend started taking off. It is a nice endurance bike though. If you are really wanting a gravel bike I suggest something that was really designed as a gravel machine and had really decent tire clearance.

gus6464

A bike shop once told me that the Diverge is more like an endurance Crux akin to the Tarmac vs Roubaix.

gravelslider

Specialized tried to just rebrand an endurance bike as a gravel bike without changing anything... Shame on them. We are all smarter than that...

Bryan C. 

Funny you should mention that. I bought the Diverge because it rode so much like my Roubaix. Specialized makes no false claims about what it is supposed to be, an all around bike that is both road and gravel friendly. For me it's a perfect blend since I need to ride a few miles on paved roads and trails to get to anything resembling a gravel road.

Everyone has their own idea of what a gravel bike should be for them. I scoff at the whole dropper post, 27.5 wheels, and 60mm tires thing. Mostly because I feel it's overkill. Go buy a MTB if you want a set up like that. But for some people it's the greatest thing ever. To each his own.

My point is to buy something you like and that fits your riding style and needs. Recommendations are great, but not every opinion should be taken as the gold standard.

slowgo

DowneasTTer

chas58

That is what I do, although I'm using the 4-seasons ghetto tubless (with skinny strippers for safety).

I kinda like those tires. It took me years (literally) to find the 32mm version before I found some on Amazon labeled as 32 inch tires (I was pretty sure that was a mistake!). Then they didn't fit my road bike, so I had to buy a bike to fit them. That really is a good size for all asphalt road biking (asphalt around here is often worse than gravel). With a set of 40mm gravel tires - the bike does anything.

chas58

Another road CC glowing review of the Alumium grail.
https://road.cc/content/tech-news/25...kepacking-bike

they could do a better job on the looks of those welds though...

I thought the single track bit was interesting. I do love flipping these things through non gnarly single track. So much lighter, flick-able than a mountain bike, and the climbing is amazing. Handlebars are a little narrow for single track though, lol.

mstateglfr 

The welds look like something my kids would have made when they were 4.

I get that chunky welds is a look, I've just never understood why its a look. Its a shame too as the green is a really nice color and those welds just interrupt the look.

I see the bike still doesnt exist stateside too. Someday, hopefully.

I've never understood the 7.0 designation. There aren't 6 other bikes available in the lineup and the grail is new so its not like thisnis the 7th version.
what does 7.0 mean?!

chas58

I think the "7.0" is to keep their builds comparable across their multiple lines. I have an 8.0 pro, lol

I do kinda like an AL bike with welds that makes it look like a Carbon bike. Those Bikes Direct can do better welds than the Grail has...

DowneasTTer

I see both the Gail 7.0 and 7.0 SL listed as coming soon. Should be this year. In the mean time there are quite a few Gails listed in the outlet right now. Could be an even better bargain for someone.

gravelED

I'm interested in hearing why people feel the Diverge isn't a "gravel" bike. I don't own one, but I know a few people that do and it seems to be capable (in the right hands) of handling anything you can throw at it.

CodyDog

I think it certainly fits in the range of what a gravel bike is. I think some may think it's not consider a gravel bike because you can't slam 45mm tires on it. The term "Gravel Bike" is interpreted many different ways by may different riders, which is okay with me.

Bryan C. 

Some people feel that a gravel bike should be more of a light duty mountain bike. Others think they should be a heavy duty road bike. I prefer the latter interpretation. People like to push the limits of their bikes but some people, like me, happily use them within their limits.

The Diverge is a road friendly gravel bike. Someone posted that it is more like an endurance bike which is a fair assessment. The biggest knocks on it are the low bottom bracket, 42mm max tire size, road like geometry, and the usual Specialized hate. Throw in the higher price when compared to comparable spec bikes and there is plenty to dislike about it.

Even with all that, I really enjoy riding mine. Seems like a very well rounded bike for what I need it for. I have other bikes for the more technical trails so the Diverge fits my intended use very well.

ridethetown

This is a good breakdown. There's now a virtually uninterrupted continuum from road race bike to mountain bike, whereas you used to be able to clearly categorize as road, cross, or MTB, with some touring bikes out there crossing over. Now we have road, all-road, cross, gravel, adventure, a full spectrum of "touring" permutations of the above, all available in 650 or 700c. It's really splitting hairs almost to the point of pointlessness trying to say a bike "is" or "isn't" anything unless going by UCI-legal categories.

gus6464

Not all Diverge models can take 42mm tires. Carbon yes, alloy you stuck at 35mm max. So while I would call the carbon diverge a gravel bike for sure the alloy is definitely not and basically an endurance crux.

Chi_Z

i would not spend that much on a first bike, most likely the bike will not fit since you have no idea what reach and stack suits you. Your fit also changes as you ride more and more, your flexibility will increase and core muscles will strengthen, it took me 3 bikes to get my fit perfectly

Witterings

I'm guessing where you mention the Canyon fit guide you mean this
https://www.canyon.com/en-us/buying-advice/pps

I was coming up as XS which is only available in 650b and not 700 which for me was a deal breaker unfortunately ..... general advice if you're on the cusp with sizes is buy the smaller one, consensus seems to be it's easier to extend a cockpit without detrimental affect to the ride than it is to shorten it.

chas58

Where is that from? Curious, I've never heard that. I shorten my cockpit on a lot of bikes. You can, to some degree, compensate by using wider bars if you are going real extreme.
General consensus is that if you want a more agile bike, get a smaller size, if you want a more stable bike (and more endurance oriented), get a larger size. Gravel people tend to like the stability and higher stack of a larger size (if you are in the cusp). But it all boils down to personal preference.

Nothing easy 'bout changing a cockpit on a carbon grail, AL grail, yes - its simple.

Witterings

I found it mentioned a couple of times as I did quite a lot or research as I'm 5'7 which was right on the cusp for a number of gravel bikes, Pinnacle Arkose, Giant SLR GX, Boardman ADV and the Grail to mention just a few.
I may have found the results just by googling various different things. One of the main reason's is shortening the stem makes the steering more sensitive and more easily yanked out of your hands on rougher gravel but as you say you can compensate with wider bars .... but that is another added hassle / expense ... and a longer stem makes it less sensitive.
Here was a video I also came across as well as finding it in mentioned in a couple of forums

That said I wasn't being no way never, it was just a ... you may want to look into it ... You mention longer bikes generally feel more stable, it'd be really interesting to have a back to back comparison of a bigger bike with a shorer stem vs a smaller bike with a longer stem especially on gravel to see which "felt nicer"

chas58

I did that when I ordered my bike. I was between sizes, so ordered both. The jump between frame sizes is typically 20cm, so I only needed to change the stem 10cm. Realistically, to make a significant difference in handling you are going to have to change the stem more than 20cm (both from what I have read and from my experience).

I really loved the agility of the small bike, so that is what I kept. If it was a gravel only bike, I probably would have kept the bigger bike as that would be more stable on loose decents, and had higher stack.

Roughly, it is like choosing between a sports car and an SUV – its more personal preference.

----------------------------------

As for the video, I remember that one. Thanks! I agree, taking a bike designed for 110cm, and putting a 80cm stem on it is going to make it twitchy. 30mm is a big change. 10 is hardly noticeable. 20 is easy to adapt to.

If you want more agility (i.e. more like single track) - short is good . If you want an easier downhill ride, long is good.

In your case - the bigger frame is going to be more stable. I don't think that reducing the stem 10cm is going to negate that.

From the video: "you are not going to see much of a difference from a long bike with a short stem, vs a short bike with a long stem."

And like any good engineer - think of stack up effects.

• Is the bike more agile or more stable than you like
• Does the frame size make it more agile/stable than you like?
• Does the stem make it more agile/stable than you like?

Obviously if all 3 go in the same direction, you are going to have an extreme change, or you can balance the effect of the 3.