Specialized Diverge STR

[splat]

https://bikerumor.com/wild-new-specialized-diverge-suspends-the-rider-with-fully-damped-rear-future-shock/

https://cyclingtips.com/2022/10/2023-specialized-diverge-str-review/

Interesting (but not new) concept. Niner MCR among others.
I can help but feel that if you need dual suspension, perhaps you are on the wrong bike...

Your feeling on the bike may or may not be affected when you hit the end of the article and see the pricing.

 

[peepeekaitjie]

everyday we stray further from god

another weird propriety part that will be unserviceable in 5 years time 

 

[RoadNoob6]

"Back in my day there were only two types of bicycle."

"Dad I identify as a dual-suspension"

Jokes aside I'm sure it's great.

[Showtime]

This is Specialized saying hold my beer when Bianchi thought they had the ugliest announcement for the week.

[stringbean]

🤦‍♂️

[splat]

10 minutes ago, Showtime said:

This is Specialized saying hold my beer when Bianchi thought they had the ugliest announcement for the week.

Niner beat them to it a while ago with this bad boy

https://www.ninerbikes.com/mcr-9-rdo/

 

[LazyTrailRider]

Going to be around R270k for the SW model. I love my Diverge, but no thanks.

[Showtime]

I suspect the Diesel Dust man's comments on this Specialized is going to make the social media treatment of Liz Truss seem kind.

This just seems like a dud. All that complexity and weight for zero benefit when you are descending out the saddle. The issues in tuning the thing, did I mention it's ugly, the list goes on ...

But that cyclingtips article you reference is excellent journalism, impressive stuff.

[Jbr]

it looks like someone forgot to put a piece back in place.

meh, sexiest gravel bike is this factor :

 

 

 

Definitely makes me want to ride gravel 🤣

[eala]

I ride a Roubaix with futures shock 2 .It makes a lot of sense as the future shock works really well ,but now you are in dual suspension valley again and the current flexible seat post on the Roubaix works great already 

['Dale]

14,000 dollas.  Impressive engineering. Love the slightly longer wheelbase; it feels good on my roadie. 

[Jewbacca]

I think it's rad.

Who cares if it's ugly and who cares if it's a dual suspension or a gravel bike or who did it first.

That is just closing the door on pointless progress for the sake of it!

It is likely a heap of fun to ride.

As for 'descending out the saddle', my guess is this exists so you can sit down and put the power out while maintaining traction and not smashing your backside in half.

It has nothing to do with descending. 

Traction, power output and comfort. 

These things combined likely make it an absolute hoot to ride. Being solidly under cashed, I will probably never ride one, but I can see the appeal.

 

[EddieV]

Not so sure about this seatpost damper design, does it influence the distance between the BB and the seat ... so your knees are going to take some strain? 

MTB dual sus the distance between the BB and seat is always constant. 

 

[TyronLab]

12 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

I think it's rad.

Who cares if it's ugly and who cares if it's a dual suspension or a gravel bike or who did it first.

That is just closing the door on pointless progress for the sake of it!

It is likely a heap of fun to ride.

As for 'descending out the saddle', my guess is this exists so you can sit down and put the power out while maintaining traction and not smashing your backside in half.

It has nothing to do with descending. 

Traction, power output and comfort. 

These things combined likely make it an absolute hoot to ride. Being solidly under cashed, I will probably never ride one, but I can see the appeal.

 

I'm in the same camp as you. This is more an alternative to a suspension seatpost than a rear shock, but with the benefit of your saddle-to-pedal distance not changing when the "suspension" is compressed and the fact that it's damped (i.e. no bouncy bouncy like suspension posts).

It's a niche within a niche, and somewhere someone is going "yes, finally, the bike I've always wanted!" and awesome for them. I also don't think it's meant for schmoes like us, it's for the pointy-end-of-the-field bro's looking for marginal gains. 

From a design engineer's perspective, I feel (and it looks) like this is still one or two iterations away from being the best solution though. It feels like they pulled the trigger on production while it was still a squibbly drawing on a whiteboard (especially considering the faff with the multiple posts etc).

If I had a larger pit of money that Niner would for shizzle be in my garage. Riding weird looking gravel bikes in places where people go "Why would you do that, a mountain bike would be way faster and more comfortable!" is my thing. 

 

[Paul Ruinaard]

10 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

I'm in the same camp as you. This is more an alternative to a suspension seatpost than a rear shock, but with the benefit of your saddle-to-pedal distance not changing when the "suspension" is compressed and the fact that it's damped (i.e. no bouncy bouncy like suspension posts).

It's a niche within a niche, and somewhere someone is going "yes, finally, the bike I've always wanted!" and awesome for them. I also don't think it's meant for schmoes like us, it's for the pointy-end-of-the-field bro's looking for marginal gains. 

From a design engineer's perspective, I feel (and it looks) like this is still one or two iterations away from being the best solution though. It feels like they pulled the trigger on production while it was still a squibbly drawing on a whiteboard (especially considering the faff with the multiple posts etc).

If I had a larger pit of money that Niner would for shizzle be in my garage. Riding weird looking gravel bikes in places where people go "Why would you do that, a mountain bike would be way faster and more comfortable!" is my thing. 

 

i think you said it - why would you do that when a cheap MTB hardtail is faster. Gravel is the new fatbike. All they are is marketing to get you to buy another type of bike and accessories to go with it. If you look at it we started with road bikes. then road and MTB. then Hardtail and Dual suspension. Then we went to Fatbikes. Now we are in gravel. So if you have a full set of these you can look out the door in rain and shine, ski resorts and beaches and pick a bike from your quiver which is "ideal" and then get dressed in the appropriate kit. +Baggies for DH MTB. Lycra for XC and Road. Get the right shoes, water bottles, Camelbaks etc. and go ride....

All marketing...

 

[Showtime]

The guy at the pointy end looking for marginal gains probably watches his scale as thought it's Netflix and rides a Crux. That makes the niche very small.