The team over at Specialized has been busy over the last few months and has now officially announced updates to three new road bikes: the Diverge, CruX and entry level Allez.
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Specialized Diverge
The Diverge was Specialized's first all-road platform, with a low slung and stable profile, it wasn’t likely to excel on your high-octane road chain gang, instead, it was at home on dirt, gravel, rough pavement and even some low-key singletrack.
With this release, Specialized has made it clear it's not interested in compromise, pitching the Diverge as the brand's sole gravel grinding platform and the CruX as its thoroughbred racer — an interesting choice given the CruX's pedigree as a gravel bike.
Most notably, the new Diverge features Specialized's Future Shock, however, unlike the Roubaix's road-specific suspension, the Diverge gets a progressive spring which is claimed to be more suitable for mixed terrain applications. This allows for more control on the bigger hits you're likely to experience off the beaten path and is designed to prevent bottoming out. All up, the new frame is said to have a five percent increase in vertical compliance.
Specialized also says the new Diverge is the “road version of a modern trail bike,” and the new frame sees size specific angles, a slightly longer trail figure, and longer chainstays too, which should add some stability.
As you'd expect, the Future Shock also adds a bit of stack to the new frame, and the bottom bracket drop now measures 85mm to the older model's 76mm.
It's set to be available in a men’s and women’s specific version where the geometries are a mirror image, bar the women's version going down to a size 44 and women's specific touch points.
The new frames are said to comfortably fit up to 700x42mm (700x38mm on alloy) and 650bx47mm tires, and the new S-Works frame is to claimed to weigh in at a feathery 880 grams, with the complete build coming in at 18lbs / 8.16kg.
Diverge x Peter Sagan
With the new bike, Specialized has also opted for Plug + Play fender mounts, three bottle mounts, compatibility for both SWAT (storage, water, air and tools) and dropper posts, and it uses the flat mount disc standard.
Specialized CruX
While Specialized has pitched the Diverge as a do-anything, ride-anywhere drop bar bike, the CruX, on the other hand, is designed for lung-searing race efforts between the tape.
When approaching the new CruX, Specialized’s goal was to make a bike that was fast, confident and lightweight.
The new frame is claimed to weigh just 930g in a size 56 — roughly 300 grams lighter than the previous frameset.
Specialized has also dropped the seat collar by 20mm to allow for more seatpost deflection and greater vertical compliance. The new CruX has also moved to 12x142 rear axle spacing and 160mm rotors for those with SRAM, and 160 front/140 rear for those with Shimano.
The original CruX’s geometry proved to be incredibly stable, thanks to the low bottom bracket and slack head angle, and Specialized has stuck with this approach for the new frame.
While tires for CX racing are limited to a UCI legal 33mm, mud is an issue, and Specialized has allowed for 6mm of clearance on all sides with this size fitted. Specialized also promises select S-Works models will feature ‘hydrophobic mud-shedding paint’ in the future.
Specialized Allez
Specialized has also lifted the veil on a new version its alloy roadie, the Allez.
Made from the brand's E5 Alloy, Specialized says it allows for 'aggressive butting profiles' (i.e. varied tube thickness) and allowed them to save a claimed 450g for the new frame.
The geometry on the new Allez Sport has been relaxed, resembling the Roubaix more than the Tarmac — Specialized is still offering the Allez Sprint, which features the brand’s Smartweld technology and is as stiff and racy as ever.
Based on data from Retul the new bike sees a slightly taller head tube and a longer wheelbase in an effort to provide a stable and predictable ride.
We spotted Quick-Step Floors rider Dan Martin aboard what appears to be a new Tarmac at Criterium du Dauphine, which has dropped chainstays and it appears the Allez Sport is following suit with a compact rear triangle. While Specialized says the dropped stays are the result of daily trips to the wind tunnel, we’d guess they also play a major role in adding vertical compliance as well.
The new Allez also sees a tapered head tube and brand new fork, which the brand says is derived from the Tarmac. The full carbon fork is claimed to be stiffer and lighter, and by removing the additional junction between a carbon crown and alloy steerer tube, Specialized say it can better tune the ride quality of the bike to provide a more comfortable ride.
Given that the Allez occupies the entry level of Specalized’s road range, it’s no surprise to see rack and fender mounts — combined with the more relaxed geometry it could also serve as a reliable commuter.
The new Allez also comes stock with a Body Geometry saddle, short drop handlebars and features internal cables to complete the clean aesthetic.